PhD Creative Writing--does it even matter?

[SueMadre]

So I recently took my GREs to apply to PhD programs in Creative Writing. The last time I took the GRE was in 2007, and I did pretty well (720/650/4), got a bunch offers from schools and went on to get my master's. But this new format is ridiculous. I probably should've studied more, but I ended up with 158/150/5. After looking around, these are pretty mediocre scores. I know the math doesn't matter (from looking at department websites and online blogs), but my verbal should've been a bit higher. It's such a stupid test now--they're not actually testing anything you know, just your ability to study for their test. From what I've read, if I'd have answered 3 or 4 more questions correctly I'd have nothing to worry about...

Anyway, a verbal score of 158 puts me in the 78th percentile (according to the ETS report). An AW score of 5 puts me in the 90th percentile. These sound okay to me, but I'm not sure if CrW committees will think the same.

Should I retake this thing? I don't have much time to decide at this point, and I'm doubtful that I can actually do much better. Or if I do perform better, it would be pure luck. On practice tests, for example, my scores ranged from 155 to 168 on verbal, which is such a wide spread that it makes studying seem fruitless.

Any advice/wisdom? Do Creative Writing PhDs actually care about GRE scores? I've read a bunch of things that say the GREs don't really matter to Creative Writing committees, and it's usually the grad school itself that wants something on record (I guess to show that you're not a complete dunce).

 

Anyone have a similar experience/have any advice?

[antigone56]

I know what you mean by the wide spread of practice tests.  I had a pretty wide spread when I was practice-testing, too, and it led me to believe that it's a damn crap shoot (within a certain range for each person).  I could score 153 or I could score 163, and the 153 might happen on Monday and the 163 on Tuesday.  

 

Anyway, I think most creative writing programs don't care as much about GRE than pure literature programs, but I also think creative writing programs are usually a combo creative writing/lit program wherein they want you to have pretty strong academic writing/thinking skills as well, so possibly they DO care more than one would think.  

 

Also, I wouldn't be so sure that you can't score better if you re-take the revised GRE. I think people taking a test for the first time can be caught off guard.  For you, your old GRE scores are really strong in Verbal and those scores are probably what you're capable of.  You were just thrown off by the new GRE.  You could probably take it a second time and score 163 or so or better.  

 

The first time I took GRE math, I scored embarrassingly low.  I didn't get smarter or more capable with math in the time between the first time and the second and third time I took the GRE: I was just familiar with the test.  I scored close to 300 points higher when I took it subsequent times.  It was like the first time, I was just thrown for a loop.  

Edited October 23, 2013 by antigone56

[SueMadre]

Yeah, they're usually sort of a combo. Except I think the selection committees are comprised of the creative writing faculty rather than the lit faculty. At the University of Houston, for example, the people reviewing applications are all writers. Maybe I'm just trying to justify not taking the test again. But really--it seems ludicrous to me that this whole thing boils down to 4 or 5 answers to badly worded questions.

I can't take the test again for another few weeks anyway, since I only took it a week or so ago. This is a bit of a concern--the application deadlines begin in early to mid December, which means there's a possibility that my new scores wouldn't be reported until after the application process closes. ETS says that it takes 4 to 6 weeks for scores to reach the universities, and the earliest I could take the test would be like the second week of November...

 

This is all very disheartening. I can't particularly afford to blow another 185 bucks on taking the test again. But I don't want to apply, only to find out later that these scores are what ruined my chances. Does ANYONE have any verifiable info? As in: "my friend got a 155 verbal but still got into University of Chicago" or "I got a 156 but it didn't seem to matter at all, since I got accepted pretty much everywhere." All of these admissions pages say "there's no minimum score for entry," but that seems like a ruse, meant to keep suckers like me applying and paying application fees.

[SueMadre]

In case anyone was following this: I wrote to one of the top tier schools, and their response was essentially: "The GREs don't matter to us at all. We, as a selection committee, literally do not see the GRE scores. So get good recommendations, have a good creative and critical sample, and make sure your statement of purpose is on point. The only time the GRE might matter is when applications are being ranked or when we're deciding who to put up for a fellowship."

 

Bottom line seems to be that it probably won't matter, but it COULD matter in terms of funding. Which is a huge bummer, actually. I have confidence in my ability to put together a good application beyond my GRE scores. This means that if my application is just generally better, then I'll get the funding, but if it's a close call then I might lose to someone who got 5 more questions correct than I did. Or, to simplify, 5 questions could be the difference between my getting 30k or getting nothing. 

 

I have no idea what I should do. My gut is telling me that if a program wants to take me, they'll figure out a way to get me. Most CW PhD programs only take a couple people, so that should mean that they really want the people they accept. Which means that funding should follow. Who the f#*k knows! 

 

My new question: what would you do? Looking around, I see that my scores are middling but not terrible. The 158v and 5aw are all that will count. I might not do better if I take it again, though this other dude made some good points--I'd be a bit more comfortable this time and might have better luck...

 

Also: is it okay to retake the test, but just skip the writing and quantitative sections? I couldn't care less about either of those. Would it look weird if I sent two tests, and one of them was only verbal (assuming I did better)?

[yayspace]

Hi Sue,

I just googled this same question (does the GRE matter to Phd Creative Writing programs?) and your post popped up. Do you mind sharing how your application experience turned out? I just took the GRE today and got a 157 verbal. Feeling pretty stupid. I'm hoping I did well on the essays. My practice test verbal score was 168! 

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi PattiJeane,

Since the original post in this thread is 2 years old (and the original poster hasn't visited the site in 1.5 years), you might not get the exact response that you're looking for. We can talk through your situation though:

1) Do you know which Schools/Programs you plan to apply to?

2) What deadlines are you currently facing?

3) What was your Overall GRE Score?

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich