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GRE Quant Score Panic


Kg00kg

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Hi all. I know this question has probably come up before, so please excuse me if this has been answered recently. I know there is a similar thread, but it is more focused on the hypothetical needs of GRE scores.

So anyways, I recently took the GRE and did not score very well on the Quantitative section. When I say not well, I mean like 60th percentile. However, my Verbal score was above the 95th percentile and my writing score was also strong. The weird thing is, I actually do math for a living right now, but just did not brush up on my high school math concepts that much before the exam. Perhaps my work experience will reflect that I am not disabled when it comes to mathematics? I had very limited study time (2 weeks-ish) and due to the importance of the Verbal score to most programs, I tried to spend my study time on that subject matter.

Due to the strong Verbal score, I am really hesitant to retake the exam. Would you worry about the low Quant score when it is offset by a very high Verbal score?

I appreciate everyone's advice!

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How important is the Quant score for your program? Do you need a good score for admission or for funding? It's a silly test, but some places consider it important -- others less so. It's really hard to give you a definite answer...

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Well, my area of interest is Ancient History. From what I have heard Quant does not really matter, but you also see the advice of "do not score poorly." I suppose this question comes down to the actual experience of individuals; does it really matter? There are many conflicting opinions of how much the test matters in general and how much the various pieces factor into the overall evaluation.

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I'm slightly worried about my quant too - I got a 166 verbal (96th percentile) but only 149 quant (39th percentile!!!!! :o). Still waiting on my Analytical scores but I'm feeling good about them. Does it look bad to email to ask programs what they think of quant scores? I've heard from profs that they often don't matter - a prof of mine who graduated from USC said she scored similarly low on hers but still got in - but I wonder if it varies from program to program. The only American schools I'm applying to are UMich (IPCAA) and UT Austin and I imagine these are highly competitive programs... :(

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Kg00kg and ciistai. Don't fret, don't bother the departments you applyng to by asking them about their requirements. No one is going to turn you away because of your mediocre math scores. What you need are: (a) adequate experience with the languages, (B) a great personal statement and © strong letters of recommendation. The GRE is just a rite of passage—I've had mutliple professors tell this to me. As long as you didn't bomb the verbal section, you sure as hell shouldn't bother retaking the test. It's a waste of time and money, but most importantly its a wasted outlet for stress you shouldn't have!

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