Is Q:161/V:168 GRE score good enough for MD/PhD?

[orangutan]

I'm interested in applying to an MD/PhD program next year. If I don't get in I'd like to follow through with the PhD. For the PhD component the schools I'm interested in want GRE scores. I'm interested in applying to public health (MPH) or public policy (MPP) or anthropology or geography programs.

 

I scored Quant:158, Verbal:164, Writing:5 last November... decided to do the exam again last week and scored a Quant:161, Verbal:168, Writing:? (still waiting).

 

I know the quant isn't great and with another couple of week I could probably bring it up a bit, but I work full-time so it would really take my time... and if I don't have to do it, I'd rather not. I just have no sense of whether this score is good, mediocre or terrible in terms of creating a strong application (where the GPA is okay but no stellar).

 

Thanks!

[Etern]

I think your GRE score is fine, try to focus now on other parts of your application, like your personal statement.

My GRE score is similar to yours, V:165, Q:160, W:5.5. I have not been rejected because of it yet. I believe as long as the GRE is decent, then it doesn't really matter that much. I saw people with 170/170/5.0 who got rejected from programs I was asked for an interview, which shows how little the GRE factors in.  

[emmm]

And those scores are not bad -- before the new system was put in place, that quant would have been over 750.

[orangutan]

Thank you so much... that makes me feel a bit more self-assured. Although things haven't really worked out this time around, hopefully my application will be stronger for the next round.

 

Also I got my score for writing... 6... phew! 

[OCD or Perfection?]

The scores are actually quite grade. Even the top schools are looking at students coming in over the 80th percentiles and then deferring it to everything else on the application.

 

Another point, giving GRE three times doesn't look very sexy---especially seeing as how you've got a great score already.