Mix of brutal GRE scores but publication record/WE?

[CamCanadian]

Hi all,

 

I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster.

 

I am currently going through the admissions process (waiting on 5, rejected from 2), and have realized that I was probably too ambitious with my program choices (Columbia, Stanford, Yale, Georgetown, MIT, Harvard, and Princeton) considering my GRE scores (164v 144q 5.0AW).

 

Although my quant scores is very low, I have one year of work experience in a well-known policy institute, have three publications, and was awarded a governmental grant to conduct independent research. I was kind of hoping that my work experience/LORs would compensate for my extremely weak quant scores, but I now believe I will probably miss out on this cycle and have to really work to boost my scores for next year

 

I have already been rejected from Stanford and Princeton, how likely is it that any of the other programs will give me a look-in considering my scores?

 

Many thanks!

[qeta]

You're a Canadian too, I'm going to guess. It seems that the mix of low GRE scores and international status is an app killer because they both effect funding. This is the info I got from my friend at Berkeley as well, although why he didn't tell me that before the application cycle began is a mystery.

[TheGnome]

This funding story about GRE and international status seems to be more related to certain state schools (e.g. Berkeley, OSU, UVA, UCSD). I don't think any of the schools the OP lists should have any problem funding any student (Georgetown being the exception).

 

CamCanadian, we have been told repeatedly that the kind of things you mentioned (work experience etc) only rarely play an important role in the admissions process. Publications, on the other hand, can go a long way to cover the weaknesses IF by publication you mean academic peer-reviewed journals that people in the admissions committee had heard about. 

 

There have been many instances where people got into one or two of such schools and got rejected from other similarly ranked ones. So yes, one can get rejected by Stanford and Princeton and still get into -say- Yale. If you still have outstanding applications, anything can happen. Postpone the pain until you know you are out.

[packrat]

 

I have already been rejected from Stanford and Princeton, how likely is it that any of the other programs will give me a look-in considering my scores?

 

I can't speak for Georgetown, but I will be up-front for the others: Your quant score is absolutely too low to be seriously considered by any Ivy or Stanford/MIT. Even if you were theory, I'd say you'd need a 156+ to be taken seriously in admissions. If you are any other field, probably 160+ (though others have been admitted with slightly lower).

 

This site alone is littered with people who have great recs, work experience, and scores and still got rejected from those places. So having good work experience does not necessarily make you unique.

 

This isn't really a bad thing for you, however. In fact, I'd say it's probably a good thing: you have something tangible that you can improve upon. I think if you can bring your score up to 156+, you'll be viewed in a different light by the committee. And I think that's probably doable if you brush up on your math skills. GRE is one of the easier areas to improve (more so than letters of rec, for example, which rely on relationships built over years). So study up and you'll be fine! 

[chaetzli]

I agree with packrat. Your Q score is definitely too low for top schools and if you want to be competitive you should bring it up to 160+. Keep in mind that it is more than just a measure of your "intelligence" (I should say here that I do not believe that it actually measures intelligence or anything that reflects your potential as a researcher). A high score on the GRE can also be a sign of determination - something that is very important for grad school. I had to take the GRE five times (and spend more than $1000 on books, test fees etc.) to get mediocre+ scores (V:163, Q161).

 

GRE score don't get you in, but they can keep you out. Feel free to PM me and I'll suggest some prep books and online resources.

Edited February 21, 2014 by chaetzli

[cooperstreet]

yes, your gre score is too low to get into those schools and pubications don't matter unless they are in peer-reviewed relevant academic journals.

[packrat]

publications don't matter unless they are in peer-reviewed relevant academic journals.

 

 

I disagree with that. I think that's ideal, but getting published at all is a step in the right direction and probably puts you ahead of 80% of applicants, if not more. Yes, academics publish in academic journals, but they also publish in Foreign Affairs, the NYT, etc. and would I think respect your effort to get a foot in the door. 

 

I can say that I've talked to some top academics at top-3 programs and they've never specified that they're only impressed by peer-reviewed work (at least at the applicant level). A few have even said something to the effect of, "if you have anything published, that's great." 

Edited February 22, 2014 by packrat

[NYCBluenose]

Thanks for this post and for all the enlightening responses. I've had a similar issue this cycle, I think. I got a 168v/152q/5.0aw on the GRE. My LORs were strong and I have about 2 years of experience as a poli sci RA and within an IR-focused think tank, BA honors thesis, MA thesis, good grades. So far I've been rejected from all the American programs I've heard from and accepted at Cambridge, where I didn't have to send GRE scores. Given what people have said about the importance of quant GREs as a cutoff, I doubt I'll get in to any of my American programs.

 

On the one hand, it's a real pain; I'm in CP, but am very qualitatively oriented. That said, starting from a really low baseline, I hope my quant score shouldn't be impossible to improve substantially with some hard work. Whether its possible for someone as mathematically challenged as me to hit that magic 160 credibility threshold is another question. 

Edited February 22, 2014 by NYCBluenose