Please help! The GRE is giving me diabetes!

[Just Jeff]

Hi, everybody.

 

I'm a second year MA student, and I'm going to apply to some PhD programs for Fall 2014. My field is comparative literature.

 

I've taken my GRE twice already, but I think the third time is the charm. Hopefully.

 

These were my scores from September's exam. Please be gentle, I know they suck:

 

Verbal: 151

Quantitative: 144

Analytical Writing: 5.0

 

My next GRE is on NOVEMBER 4, 2013. I know this is late, so this is my biggest question.

 

SHOULD I SEND MY CURRENT SCORES TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOLS, OR SHOULD I JUST WAIT TILL THE NOVEMBER 4TH EXAM AND PRAY THAT MY SCORES WILL BE BETTER?

[SueMadre]

These aren't awful, they're just below average. You're right to be nervous, but don't freak out.

 

You need to get in touch with your schools and ask how much they care about the GREs. I think most schools will be pretty forthcoming. Seeing as you're in comparative lit, they're going to be most interested in your Verbal and Analytical. I'd venture to say that they won't care at all about the Quantitative score, but they'll probably put some real emphasis on the other two scores. Contact them and find out. 

 

If you've already paid and can afford it, go ahead and take them again and then decide whether or not you want to send the new scores after the exam. The scores take 4 to 6 weeks to deliver, which means you *should* be okay. 

[awells27]

Do the scores really take that long to deliver to schools?  We usually receive our scores online within 2-3 weeks, or as quickly as 8 days.  

[HicklePickle]

I took my test September 28, asked them to send my scores to 4 schools immediately. My scores have been online for a while now, but none of my schools have reported receiving them. But I guess YMMV.

[awells27]

In regards to contacting schools asking how much they care about GRE scores, should you contact the POIs directly that you have already been communicating with, or the chair? 

I would not contact POIs about your GRE scores.  POIs are so busy, and if you catch them at the wrong time, they might assume a questionable GRE score is a red flag.  Better to contact profs who serve on adcomms at your current school.  For your school you want to apply to, contact the admissions coordinator/chair for your degree program.  I would ask about percentile averages rather than scores.