Uneven GRE scores

[lauraeli]

I guess I'd just love to hear from anyone in the same boat who has already been accepted someplace (i'm waiting to hear from all my schools)...

My GRE scores are outrageously uneven. Verbal-700 and Quantitative-580 Oof. I failed the QR. (AW 5.5... whatever)

I've applied to MA and M.Ed programs, mostly in international/global education, literacy and education, and technology and education.

For the GRE averages I can find for the schools I'm applying to, I find that my verbal is higher than the schools ask for, and my math lower. Am I going to be automatically cut off because my QR is so low? For example, at the Penn GSE, in the class profile for 08-09 the average master's Verbal is 538, and the QR is 636.

Anyone have some insights? Anyone have the same situation going on?

[boneh3ad]

I have been admitted to 3 M.S. programs so far and 1 Ph.D. with full funding and my GRE scores were as follows:

V: 550

Q: 800

AW: 5.5

In other words, my discrepancy was greater than yours, yet I have gotten in, and the 3 M.S. programs are all top 10 in my field, while the Ph.D. is top 25.

The key here is what is your program looking for? If you were majoring in English lit, I am sure that your school could care less about your Q score. For me, in mechanical engineering, they don't care about the V score. I don't know what your program entails, but as long as it isn't too math-intensive, I think you will be fine.

[jasper.milvain]

I worked for a year in an admissions office, and filed literally hundreds of GRE scores. I can tell you that it was VERY common for the scores to be lopsided in a way that matched the students' interests (physicists rocked the quantitative, sociologists, not so much). Not sure how much it factored in to final decisions, but if they rejected everyone with an uneven GRE score, they'd have nobody left.

[liszt85]

I have been admitted to 3 M.S. programs so far and 1 Ph.D. with full funding and my GRE scores were as follows:

V: 550

Q: 800

AW: 5.5

Your scores are perfectly fine as 550 in the verbal section is not too bad whereas a 580 in the quant section is not looked at the same way. People do look at the quant score carefully.. and probably do expect at least a 600-620 even for the humanities applicants as basic mathematical reasoning is probably something they all look for. Don't ask me to justify why they look for it, all I'm saying is that's what I think happens. It varies with the program and university.

My GRE scores are outrageously uneven. Verbal-700 and Quantitative-580 Oof. I failed the QR. (AW 5.5... whatever)

I've applied to MA and M.Ed programs, mostly in international/global education, literacy and education, and technology and education.

For the GRE averages I can find for the schools I'm applying to, I find that my verbal is higher than the schools ask for, and my math lower. Am I going to be automatically cut off because my QR is so low? For example, at the Penn GSE, in the class profile for 08-09 the average master's Verbal is 538, and the QR is 636.

Yes, your Q score is pretty low but looking at that average of 636, its not too much lower than that. 56 points is not a huge difference and since your verbal score is an awesome one (as is your AWA score), I think you should do quite alright. So keep your hopes up, good luck!

[BruBru]

I wouldn't stress too much about your GRE scores. I believe (correctly I think) that the other pieces of your application will be much more important than 40-50 points on the quantitative portion of the GRE. I have been accepted into 3 PhD programs will full-funding and waitlisted at another. Two of these programs are in the top 25 in my field. My GRE score was 1140 combined (520 verbal, 620 quant, 5.5 awa). By all accounts, my score is not very competitive, yet I was able to earn a spot in top-tier programs with funding. If you do happen to get rejected by every school you applied to, I would be willing to bet that your GRE scores will not be your downfall, it will be another piece of your application.

[mature(?)student]

I refused to let the GREs make me crazy so I did very little to prepare for them.

Instead, I chose to cling to the belief that they are simply one factor that schools look at when assessing applicants.

I don't remember my actual scores (I could dig them up as I know they are somewhere in my file of grad school application crap) but I do know that I scored in the 94th percentile for verbal and the 38th percentile in math. I can't remember how I did on the other part...maybe a 5?

In addition, my GPA for my last 75 or so units is a 4.0, I had three incredibly glowing recommendations and did my BA in Classics, which tends to impress schools for some mysterious reason.

Whatever my GRE scores were, they were good enough to get me accepted to masters programs at UCLA and UCI with funding.

Obviously, this would not have been the case had I applied to a chemistry, math, stats, or medicine program.

I do believe that your GRE scores reflect your natural strengths and abilities. If my scores aren't high enough for a particular school or program, I am willing to accept that I most likely don't belong there.

[BruBru]

I do believe that your GRE scores reflect your natural strengths and abilities. If my scores aren't high enough for a particular school or program, I am willing to accept that I most likely don't belong there.

I have issue with this, given that there have been numerous studies over the years that have shown that socioeconomic status is a significant factor when predicting an individuals GRE score. If you happen to be a middle class, white, English speaking student whose parents are college educated you will score higher than someone from more modest circumstances. To say that the GRE "reflects your natural strengths and abilities" is inherently ignorant of these facts and makes one out to be a social Darwinist. I hope you don't believe that the rich are rich, and the educated are educated because they are the most talented and gifted in society...

[mature(?)student]

Actually, I am a first generation college student from very modest circumstances.

Perhaps I can clarify my previous statement.

I believe that if you, for example, do not have a stellar verbal score due to being a non-native English speaker, you will almost certainly be at a distinct disadvantage in any number of rigorous programs. The same applies to the mathematically-challenged, such as myself.

I did not seek to improve my GRE score by cramming or using more prep material than was provided by ETS. I did not aspire to being accepted by fiercely competitive schools. I simply wanted my scores to be as accurate a reflection of my abilities as possible. I suck at math. Always have, always will. I accept that. As such, I am completely okay with being rejected by schools that require more than my pitiful 38th percentile score.

Of course standardized tests are inherently biased but they are a necessary evil since GPA is not a reliable indicator of ability either and individual schools are either unable or unwilling to administer customized entrance exams.

[liszt85]

Actually, I am a first generation college student from very modest circumstances.

Perhaps I can clarify my previous statement.

I believe that if you, for example, do not have a stellar verbal score due to being a non-native English speaker, you will almost certainly be at a distinct disadvantage in any number of rigorous programs. The same applies to the mathematically-challenged, such as myself.

I did not seek to improve my GRE score by cramming or using more prep material than was provided by ETS. I did not aspire to being accepted by fiercely competitive schools. I simply wanted my scores to be as accurate a reflection of my abilities as possible. I suck at math. Always have, always will. I accept that. As such, I am completely okay with being rejected by schools that require more than my pitiful 38th percentile score.

Of course standardized tests are inherently biased but they are a necessary evil since GPA is not a reliable indicator of ability either and individual schools are either unable or unwilling to administer customized entrance exams.

You've been one of the very few people who've not given reasons like "I'm a lousy test taker", "I forgot my high school math", etc for scoring low on the quant. Your application probably reflected that you're capable of taking responsibility for your actions which I think is an important quality for a grad student to possess. Good luck.