Bad GRE score after first try

[jameswooyoung]

I just finished taking the test an hour ago.. Got 148 in both the verbal and quant.. Only had a month of studying and I don't have time to retake it because I applied to UC Irvine for the Fall 2014.

 

Anyone familiar with the score ranges for getting into UCI for software engineering? What about San Jose State (2nd choice)

Edited November 17, 2013 by jameswooyoung

[Seeking]

For Software Engineering your Quant score has to be 160 or above - at any school in the US, even if you get by with a low Verbal score, but I am not sure 148 is good enough. You need at least 150 on the Verbal.

 

If you are applying to top-ranked schools, make the Quant part of the GRE as close to the 95th percentile or above as possible.

[jameswooyoung]

Oh.. This is my first time applying to grad school, can anyone tell me if schools will consider scores sent after the deadline?

Also, what should I use to study for the quant? I majored in management information systems, so there wasn't a lot of math involved, and I used the Manhattan books but the problems on the actual test seem completely different..

[Seeking]

You can ask the schools if they will consider late submission of GRE scores.

 

Make sure you have enough credits (at least 18-21 or 6-7 courses) in Software Engineering, if you are changing from Management Information Systems.

 

Otherwise, apply in Information Systems. You'll have better chance there.

 

Explore this website to get the references to various study materials that people have recommended for GRE. In any case read the ETS Guide for GRE.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Seeking

[jameswooyoung]

I called the school and they said they do accept scores after the deadline, but also mentioned it'll take longer to review (possibly because they assumed I haven't sent previous scores yet) because of the holidays etc.

 

On the UCI site: Decisions are ongoing, therefore, you may hear as early as March or as late as May/June.

 

So based on this, should I register for a date in february or march -- which would be better (for myself to study and for giving the school time to review)?

 

Also, if they made a decision before my new scores get there, would they do another review or would I have to apply for 2015 quarter instead?

 

Sorry for so many questions. It's my first time applying to grad school

[Seeking]

You should work with March as the time for decision, not May-June. It takes about 3 weeks for the official scores to reach the schools. So, you should re-take the GRE latest by mid-Feb.

 

You can write somewhere in your personal statement that you are re-taking the test in mid-Feb and the new scores will reach them by March. Some schools have an extra section for explaining the scores. If they have this section, write about it here, otherwise write in the personal statement.

 

For UCI, you can write to your potential adviser.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Seeking