ETS Practice score V 153 Q 156 : Potenital outlook for PhD programs

[shockwave]

Hi everyone.

A bit discouraged again about the GRE. I recently took the two practice tests from on the ETS website and my best score was V 153 Q 156. I scheduled my first test for later this month and I was also planning to take in mid-November if needed. I have heard that these scores are decent reflections of how you'll do on the acutal test, and though only time will tell, I get the feeling this is where I am about at.

I basically wanted to know what kind of schools I could be looking at admissions for into a PhD program in Anthropology or Sociology. I have an excellent background, graduated with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies, proficient in three languages, MA in East Asian Studies, over a dozen of conference presentations at international, graduate, and regional conferences, two publications(albeit in journals aimed for grads and undergrads), 3.9 something grad GPA, TA experience, teaching experience, 3.65 undergrad GPA with honors, and something in the area of these GRE scores.

In short: how bad are these scores and what are the odds my academic background will make up for where they let off?

I am hoping I score higher but I really think I've reached my limits with the GRE right now. I've burnt myself out studying for the last 5 or so months and even if I take the test another two or three times before the applicaiton deadlines, I can't see me going up by a significant amount. I am quite frankly discouraged and tired of the time I put into the GRE to see these results and it is just a very demotivating process once again.

Thanks for the the advice.

[chaetzli]

It is hard to tell you where you can apply with these scores. It is always better to ask this question in the Social Science/Sociology section on GC. However, your verbal score seems to be very low for the social sciences. Here is what I recommend: take the GRE and if your scores are not as good as they should be just don't send the score reports to the universities. Then retake it (then you can choose the score select option) and use the time to practice more intensively (did you try Magoosh?). I know retaking sucks but it helped me increasing my scores significantly.

[Darth.Vegan]

As long as you're above 70th percentile, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not sure if those scores are 70th or not but I'm pretty sure they are close.

Edited September 21, 2012 by xdarthveganx

[toby42]

Here is what I recommend: take the GRE and if your scores are not as good as they should be just don't send the score reports to the universities.

But don't you have to agree to accept the scores before you can actually see what they were? But even aside from this, once you retake, there is an option to send your 'most recent' or 'all previous' scores. So if you take, fail, and retake, you can choose to send your second score w/o sending the first. That's how I understood it anyway.

[chaetzli]

But don't you have to agree to accept the scores before you can actually see what they were? But even aside from this, once you retake, there is an option to send your 'most recent' or 'all previous' scores. So if you take, fail, and retake, you can choose to send your second score w/o sending the first. That's how I understood it anyway.

You have to accept them but you just do not need to send them. It's a simple as that.

[toby42]

Ah yes; you are right. The sending occurrs after you see the results. You can still see and not send. My bad.