GRE Results Ruined Chances for CS PhD?

[hopefulCS]

I'm sure I'm not alone here, however I finally understand how anxious preparing PhD applications can make oneself. I recently received my GRE scores and am rather disappointed. Have many CS candidates been admitted with low GRE scores but otherwise impeccable applications? Thanks, hope the responses aren't too brutal!

Edited June 18, 2013 by Eigen
Specific scores & grades removed.

[iowaguy]

Looks like you have an otherwise solid application. Problem is, some schools have minimum GRE cutoffs - in other words, they don't even look at the rest of your application unless you meet their GRE minimum. Your stellar application won't matter if they throw your application in the trash without reading it. Not all schools are like this, but some (many?) are, especially if they have a huge number of applicants.

I would retake for sure since you are shooting for top schools that likely have minimum GRE's.

Another option would be to postpone your plans for a year & apply for 2014. Then you could study hard for the GRE's in the meantime so that you can compete at the top schools.

[ZacharyObama]

I'd retake the GRE. I'd imagine having more familiarity with the exam format would improve at least your Quant score.

I found this to be really helpful in laying out test-taking strategies: http://magoosh.com/gre/

Although, you needn't lay out for their program.

Edited October 24, 2012 by ZacharyObama

[midnight]

Ugh, I had a nice long post written out that disappeared into the ether.

My advice? Raise that quant score. Practice math and test tips every day with the PR GRE 2013 book (the best and most logically organized, IMO).

Other books such as The Ultimate Math Refresher are good for straightforward math review, but as someone in EE/CE, you have the math skills (it's 10th-grade level math!); clearly the test's format and trickery are getting to you.

Learn the tips and tricks of the test. You can do this.

[hopefulCS]

In reflection, I'm convinced that I need to retake it although there are no published minimums for the programs I'm applying to. Regardless of results, I feel it would at least demonstrate my motivation. Here's to a grueling 21 days of preparation!

[midnight]

In reflection, I'm convinced that I need to retake it although there are no published minimums for the programs I'm applying to. Regardless of results, I feel it would at least demonstrate my motivation. Here's to a grueling 21 days of preparation (erring on the side of caution and giving 3 weeks and 6 days before the earliest deadline (Stanford))!

hopeful, what do you think was your main weakness or problem with the quant section?

I don't think you need to torture yourself over this. Clearly you know basic arithmetic and I assume basic algebraic concepts.

If you spend a solid hour or so a day studying tips and then practicing problems along with a few full-length practice tests (one a week), I think you will do very well.

I think your mantra should be, "I have this in me," because you clearly do!

And when you write your AW essays, use a similar format to your original post here (intro, body, conclusion, neatly summed up), just with a few more body paragraphs. Throw in a few big words, too. I think that will help you score at least a 4.0.

Edited October 24, 2012 by midnight streetlight

[hopefulCS]

As for the Q section, random geometry not covered in the Kaplan Premier 2013 preparation material caught me up (e.g. diagonals of hexagons).

[emmm]

Yes, you need to retake -- there is really no reasonable excuse for someone with your background not to be able to score better on a test of what is basically not much more than high school level math . . .

[R Deckard]

CS @ UIUC doesn't look at GRE scores.

[TakeruK]

Here's to a grueling 21 days of preparation (erring on the side of caution and giving 3 weeks and 6 days before the earliest deadline (Stanford))!

Just want to say -- sometimes schools are flexible on when the official scores come in. So it might not hurt to check with them either! For me, my earliest deadline was Dec 1 but the official scores did not arrive until something like Dec 20. However, I checked with them and they said it was fine -- the committee won't even look at them until January so they said it's okay as long as I report unofficial scores ASAP and they get the official report by Jan 1.

[tyther]

Try discussing this in your SoP. Say that it has been a while since you have taken relevant courses to the GRE but your upper-level CS courses should speak to your ability to accomplish graduate level work. Also see if you can get one of your recommendations to discuss this in their letter. I think if you make the minimum GRE cut-off you should be fine even if you don't have outstanding GRE scores.

Edited October 25, 2012 by tyther