How much does your GRE Quant. Score REALLY Matter for IA Programs (non-Econ focus)?

[mrgreen102]

First and foremost, I am trying not to turn this into a "Am I Competitive" thread.  Sorry in advance if it seems like that is what I am doing.

 

I was wondering if anyone on this forum could give me some perspective on how much GRE Quantitative scores matter for IA programs if you are not planning on following an economic concentration.  I know that no one here works at an IA program admissions office but I feel like there is enough collective wisdom here to give me a good idea.

 

My Verbal and Writing scores are excellent (85% and more now that I am studying).  I am not bad at math.  But I am a terrible test taker when it comes to the Quantitative section (low to mid 140s on the new GRE).  I am currently taking a GRE Prep course that will help me but I am worried that I can't crack the 150s.

 

I received good grades at a top 50 liberal arts college, taught English abroad for two years, have intermediate language skills in two languages, and am about to start an intensive one-year comparative policy program that focuses on Asia.

 

I am interested in Georgetown MSFS, John Hopkins SAIS, and Tufts Fletcher-MALD.  Do I have a shot?

[flyingjellyfish]

GRE quant scores are an important factor but not the only one in terms of getting into programs, especially when you have many other strengths.  Unfortunately, though, I think they are definitely a deciding factor for funding.  I retook the GRE less for improving my chances of getting in to programs and more so for improving my chances of receiving funding.  Some (if not all) of the schools I applied to use GRE scores and GPA's for selecting merit aid awardees.

 

Perhaps take a look at the "Government Affairs Wrap-Up" threads to get a sense of people's scores and how that relates to where they got in and how much funding they got?

 

I've already recommended it on this forum, but I'll say it again:  I found the Manhattan Prep series REALLY helpful for improving my quant scores on my own (I didn't take a course).  Their practice tests are harder than the actual tests, which I found very useful for increasing my confidence day-of.

 

Best of luck!

 

Edit: Wow that was my 100th post!  It's probably about time for me to stop writing about grad school and just go already

Edited May 3, 2013 by flyingjellyfish

[MPPgal]

I agree, I applied with two friends from my country to pretty much the same schools, they had better WE (more yrs), better GPA and same letters (we worked together), overall we got into pretty much the same schools but I got much better funding than them!

[ridofme]

Edit: Wow that was my 100th post!  It's probably about time for me to stop writing about grad school and just go already

 

Haha!

 

I will just join the chorus and say that I think that quant scores (and GREs) affect funding more than anything else. I would aim to crack 150 if possible, but it seems like people get in with a range of scores, especially if all the other parts of one's app are solid. Did you take any quantitative courses in undergrad? If not, maybe take stats, econ, or calc class at a local community college or online.

[DaniCM]

Edit: Wow that was my 100th post!  It's probably about time for me to stop writing about grad school and just go already

 

Hahaha. Beyond true.

 

I'm not great at GRE/SAT like tests in general. I got a 160 on verbal and a 155 on quant. I actually only got a 4.5 on my essays, but that is because, in my moment of test panick, I didn't fully read the directions and I wrote the wrong type essay to one of my prompts. I did two essays on criticizing an argument and failed to write my own argument for one of the prompts....

 

Anyway, I got into all the schools to which I applied and received $19K/year from Fletcher and $15k for one year from SIPA, so they must have saw something beyond my GRE scores. My GPA at Georgetown was only like a 3.6, so that wasn't outstanding either. I did, however, have an extremely strong SOP and LORs.

 

I also second the Manhattan Prep Series. Very worth the money.

[mrgreen102]

Thanks for the advice everyone.  Keep it coming as I am new to the process of applying to graduate schools that actually care about the GRE.  My current Asia policy program did not require them because it is in Canada.

 

I got an A in Macroeconomics and I am taking Microeconomics this summer.

 

I'll consider buying a couple of Manhattan Prep books but I am hesitant to spend more money on GRE prep after shelling out so much already.

[MPPgal]

Thanks for the advice everyone.  Keep it coming as I am new to the process of applying to graduate schools that actually care about the GRE.  My current Asia policy program did not require them because it is in Canada.

 

I got an A in Macroeconomics and I am taking Microeconomics this summer.

 

I'll consider buying a couple of Manhattan Prep books but I am hesitant to spend more money on GRE prep after shelling out so much already.

I would say buy a couple of manhattan and maybe the math bible, that´s all I used and didn´t take a single class and got 165. Mytotal money investment in the Gres was 450 dollars including GRE fee (only because they cancelled them 1 day before I had to take them in my town and had to fly somewhere else) but funnily the girls that work with me did take classes and did a lot worst than me (159 and 161)

[greenythebeast]

Thanks for the advice everyone.  Keep it coming as I am new to the process of applying to graduate schools that actually care about the GRE.  My current Asia policy program did not require them because it is in Canada.

 

I got an A in Macroeconomics and I am taking Microeconomics this summer.

 

I'll consider buying a couple of Manhattan Prep books but I am hesitant to spend more money on GRE prep after shelling out so much already.

 

You can rent the 8 book package from Manhattan for like $40 bucks or so on Amazon if that interests you. Then you can practice for both the quant. and verbal sections of the GRE.

 

Edit: Well you could when I rented them last week. Must not be available anymore since Amazon isn't showing that option anymore

Edited May 8, 2013 by greenythebeast

[mrgreen102]

I would say buy a couple of manhattan and maybe the math bible, that´s all I used and didn´t take a single class and got 165. Mytotal money investment in the Gres was 450 dollars including GRE fee (only because they cancelled them 1 day before I had to take them in my town and had to fly somewhere else) but funnily the girls that work with me did take classes and did a lot worst than me (159 and 161)

Thanks for the advice.  But it's not a question of a lack of study material.

 

I suffer from what people call "poor test mechanics" on math standardized tests.  I am terrible with averages and I always run out of time and can't finish the problems.  The verbal section is much easier for me as I might be able to crack the upper 160s and I should do pretty well in the Writing section.

 

Hopefully IA programs won't focus on my GRE math score as much after they see that I have a master's degree in Asian studies and over two years experience working abroad.

[MPPgal]

Again, you will get in the issue is that how to compare you with an international with 5 years work experience abroad and who does not have english as a first language, the only way they can is with quant gre's, thus why they matter so much. Honestly the best way to not run out of time is to practice A LOT. Send me a PM and I can email you some great GRE paper exams that are great to improve your speed.

[The Mark]

I scored in the 17th percentile (yes, I'm serious) on the gre quant and somehow managed to get into the ITIP program at GW, which is essentially a straight international economics program—unlike SAIS, which is only half int'l econ and half functional/regional study. The irony is, SAIS is where I really wanted to go, and, though I haven't heard this directly from them, I'm confident I didn't get in there mostly because of my horrible math background and gre quant score. Yet GW thought I could handle two straight years of int'l econ. Go figure. I don't know how that happened, but it did. So there is hope, especially if you don't want to study econ heavily, which I actually did. 

[Guest]

I scored in the 17th percentile (yes, I'm serious) on the gre quant and somehow managed to get into the ITIP program at GW, which is essentially a straight international economics program—unlike SAIS, which is only half int'l econ and half functional/regional study. The irony is, SAIS is where I really wanted to go, and, though I haven't heard this directly from them, I'm confident I didn't get in there mostly because of my horrible math background and gre quant score. Yet GW thought I could handle two straight years of int'l econ. Go figure. I don't know how that happened, but it did. So there is hope, especially if you don't want to study econ heavily, which I actually did. 

 

Thanks for giving me hope in terms of GW. For anyone else out there, I scored in one percentile above this on the Quantitative section. So, I am right in league with you. However, I'm hoping that taking Quantitative courses outside of the political science field such as Trigonometry + acing STATS will hint that I am capable of doing well on that aspect. I started out my studies in Computer Science then switched to IR.  

 

In terms of my GRE score, I need to stop worrying about it. What's done is done. I know standardized test are not my thing because I even had a low ACT score (20 out of 36). But yet, still got accepted into 10 undergrad schools. Thankfully, graduate school processes appear more intricate than undergrad.

[ZebraFinch]

Thanks for giving me hope in terms of GW. For anyone else out there, I scored in one percentile above this on the Quantitative section. So, I am right in league with you. However, I'm hoping that taking Quantitative courses outside of the political science field such as Trigonometry + acing STATS will hint that I am capable of doing well on that aspect. I started out my studies in Computer Science then switched to IR.  

 

In terms of my GRE score, I need to stop worrying about it. What's done is done. I know standardized test are not my thing because I even had a low ACT score (20 out of 36). But yet, still got accepted into 10 undergrad schools. Thankfully, graduate school processes appear more intricate than undergrad.

We're in a similar boat. First time I took the GRE, scored 6% on quant, second time, 25%. Both scores are awful beyond reason but I hope they see that I can improve. I do have all the coursework for an econ major, so I hope having good grades in those classes offsets the horrendous GRE. Hopefully we get in

[Guest]

We're in a similar boat. First time I took the GRE, scored 6% on quant, second time, 25%. Both scores are awful beyond reason but I hope they see that I can improve. I do have all the coursework for an econ major, so I hope having good grades in those classes offsets the horrendous GRE. Hopefully we get in

 

Yay, finally a recent poster with a close enough score to mine on this site lol! Personally, seeing the stats on this site especially in those 'judge my Gre threads' can be slightly discouraging. The stats of how you did in your courses+ research coursework should definitely have a heavy rate on ones admissions process in my opinion. Econ can be a challenging major, so you definitely have my respect lol. I say this after surviving and busting my behind to do well in my former micro and macro economic courses.

 

I hope we get in somewhere too  . Despite my score, I just still applied since I already had professors writing my recommendation letters, had already filled out applications, and haven't had much luck in the internship/entry level job searching with only a Bachelors. Excluding GWU, Tufts, and American, the rest of my selected schools take on a 'holistic' approach towards admission decisions.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Guest

[ZebraFinch]

Yay, finally a recent poster with a close enough score to mine on this site lol! Personally, seeing the stats on this site especially in those 'judge my Gre threads' can be slightly discouraging. The stats of how you did in your courses+ research coursework should definitely have a heavy rate on ones admissions process in my opinion. Econ can be a challenging major, so you definitely have my respect lol. I say this after surviving and busting my behind to do well in my former micro and macro economic courses.

 

I hope we get in somewhere too  . Despite my score, I just still applied since I already had professors writing my recommendation letters, had already filled out applications, and haven't had much luck in the internship/entry level job searching with only a Bachelors. Excluding GWU, Tufts, and American, the rest of my selected schools take on a 'holistic' approach towards admission decisions.

 

Yeah, there's a part of me that fills with ire when people here complain about 160+ scores... I also haven't had much luck in the job search as well; the grad schools keep saying they want people with relevant work experience, but I'm having a very tough time finding anything relevant in my area (Greensboro, NC).

[Kosmosis707]

I think that, as previously mentioned, the GRE can be very important when it comes to funding.  However, I'm another example of a terrible quant GRE that is receiving offers.  I took the GRE twice and was in the 18th percentile on quant the first try, and then the 28th percentile on the 2nd try.  I relegated myself to applying to mostly non-US schools, but took a shot on 4 U.S. programs.  I'm still waiting on decisions from American, GWU, and an Asian Studies program at Cornell, but I just received word that I have been offered admission to UCSD, which is a very "quant based" program from what I hear. 

 

Some programs offer you the chance to write an addendum statement for the admissions committee...take that opportunity.  I explained my reasons that I struggled with the GRE quant and redirected them to my high grades in stats and quantitative methods at my undergrad program in Berkeley. I think that may have helped me. 

 

Part of me now wonders if I should have reached higher and applied to Georgetown or SAIS, but my low GRE quant made it seem like too much of a reach.  However, I am VERY excited about UCSD and I'm glad my GRE did not discourage me from applying there.

 

I say, do not let the low GRE quant alone discourage you from applying you to programs you love. I think some programs see that the GRE quant does not necessarily measure your quantitative potential or abilities, but rather your ability to recall your geometry, algebra 2, and trig courses from high school or college. If you have several other competitive factors (experience overseas, language, GPA, etc), just go for it. Just my two cents.

[Guest]

I think that, as previously mentioned, the GRE can be very important when it comes to funding.  However, I'm another example of a terrible quant GRE that is receiving offers.  I took the GRE twice and was in the 18th percentile on quant the first try, and then the 28th percentile on the 2nd try.  I relegated myself to applying to mostly non-US schools, but took a shot on 4 U.S. programs.  I'm still waiting on decisions from American, GWU, and an Asian Studies program at Cornell, but I just received word that I have been offered admission to UCSD, which is a very "quant based" program from what I hear. 

 

Some programs offer you the chance to write an addendum statement for the admissions committee...take that opportunity.  I explained my reasons that I struggled with the GRE quant and redirected them to my high grades in stats and quantitative methods at my undergrad program in Berkeley. I think that may have helped me. 

 

Part of me now wonders if I should have reached higher and applied to Georgetown or SAIS, but my low GRE quant made it seem like too much of a reach.  However, I am VERY excited about UCSD and I'm glad my GRE did not discourage me from applying there.

 

I say, do not let the low GRE quant alone discourage you from applying you to programs you love. I think some programs see that the GRE quant does not necessarily measure your quantitative potential or abilities, but rather your ability to recall your geometry, algebra 2, and trig courses from high school or college. If you have several other competitive factors (experience overseas, language, GPA, etc), just go for it. Just my two cents.

 

 

Thanks. Worst case scenario would only be re-waiting for a year. But, I still took the plunge and applied since I strived to find 3 university professors to write me recommendation letters, have a great GPA [overall GPA& even higher 'major' GPA]; multi-lingual skills; research works; and would probably be qualified  for most universities' acclaimed 'diversity statement'

 

Lately, I have looked and reflected on how I did poorly on the ACT and got a 20 overall score (out of 36). I got accepted into 10 undergrad programs but only got funded by two out of those ten.. The funding was not based on my ACT score was earned due to my 3.8 high school GPA.I just hope that one of these programs on my list will have some type of financial offer solely based on academics and/or skills as well.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Guest