Retake GRE for higher quant?

[chetanxavier]

I recently took the GRE and received 162 for quantitative part and 155 verbal. Let's just say the rest of my application for NYU and Columbia for a MS in CS is very average. Would it make it a big difference on my application to get >=165 from my current score? 

Edited January 29, 2014 by chetanxavier

[Usmivka]

The GRE scores are already more of a threshold consideration than a major admissions factor in many programs (anyway, that is my personal opinion and seems to be the consensus here on the forums over the last few years). I think your time would be better spent applying to outside fellowships and writing a compelling statement of purpose. The work you have already done (research/work experience, publications, conference abstracts) is a better indicator of your ability to succeed in grad school than a test of secondary school-level math, and admissions committees know this. Your SOP, letters of reccomendation, and resume and grades (in that order) are much more likely to make or break your application, even if you could get a perfect score a second time around.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Usmivka