GRE - should I take it again?

[Dash1903]

Hi!

I'm Dana and I'm new here

I'm 27 from Israel and planning to apply for clinical psychology (PhD program) for fall 2015 in the US.

 

I have just got my GRE scores and cannot decide whether I should take the test again or not... My scores are 160 V, 161 Q and 3.5 AWA.

My GPA in psychology is 3.7 (also studied communication and got 3.5) and I have good recommendations. 

I know that it is extremely hard to get accepted to clinical psychology programs and afraid that my GRE grades are not high enough... in addition, I don't know a lot of people who took the test (it is not such a popular test around here because Israeli universities do not require it) and have no one to compare myself to...

 

It will be great if someone who knows the clinical psychology programs can give me an advice...

Thank you!

 

[ahlatsiawa]

A 321 GRE is not bad at all. It is generally advised to retake the test if you are certain that you will be able to raise your score by at least 7 points. I do not know anything about Clinical Psychology, but, generally speaking, your GRE and GPA scores combined with a killer SOP and decent recommendations can certainly land you a place in top tier programs.

[PeakPerformance]

A 3.5 on the AWA is a little low for a Ph.D. program. Are the schools you are applying to requesting a writing sample?

[Vene]

A 3.5 on the AWA is a little low for a Ph.D. program. Are the schools you are applying to requesting a writing sample?

Do psychology programs actually care about the writing score? I ask because a 3.5 was actually my score and I didn't have any difficulty in my field, so I question how applicable different sections of the the GRE are for different programs.

[juilletmercredi]

I suppose it depends on the program, but I was of the impression that the AW score doesn't really matter for the majority of PhD programs.  It doesn't accurately reflect graduate-level writing.

[cingulate_ant]

I'm having the same issue-- I want to apply to top Clinical Psych PhD programs, but I'm not sure if I should re-take the GRE:

158V, 160Q, 5 AW

 

I'm hoping my AW Score will offset the Verbal score. 

[bsharpe269]

I'm having the same issue-- I want to apply to top Clinical Psych PhD programs, but I'm not sure if I should re-take the GRE:

158V, 160Q, 5 AW

 

I'm hoping my AW Score will offset the Verbal score. 

 

 

Do you feel that through studying you could get verbal up to at least like 162? if not, then Id say its not worth your time... those sores arent bad.

[cingulate_ant]

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Edited May 21, 2014 by cingulate_ant

[cingulate_ant]

Do you feel that through studying you could get verbal up to at least like 162? if not, then Id say its not worth your time... those sores arent bad.

I was scoring around 162-165 during practice tests for Verbal, and much lower for Quantitative, so I was actually surprised that I did better in Quant than Verbal. I didn't even finish the second section of Quant. 

 

I would consider taking the test again if the Verbal score alone would have me cut out?

 

Thanks for responding!

[bsharpe269]

 

I was scoring around 162-165 during practice tests for Verbal, and much lower for Quantitative, so I was actually surprised that I did better in Quant than Verbal. I didn't even finish the second section of Quant. 

 

I would consider taking the test again if the Verbal score alone would have me cut out?

 

Thanks for responding!

 

No I really doubt it. I think those scores fall in the 'wont hurt you or help you range'. Unless youre trying to overcome for a low GPA or something then you should be in good shape.

[cingulate_ant]

No I really doubt it. I think those scores fall in the 'wont hurt you or help you range'. Unless youre trying to overcome for a low GPA or something then you should be in good shape.

 

Thanks for responding!

[Bombaygunner]

I'm looking to apply to some Ivy league schools for International Affairs. I got 162 Verbal (89th percentile) 163 Quant (87th percentile) with 5.5 in AW (97th percentile). For some reason I feel like I could do better, considering I got a few points higher in my ETS/Manhattan practice tests. Would you guys advise me to retake? Looking at the median scores for most policy schools I'm aiming for, I'm at or above the median GRE score. 

 

I suppose it's a difference between getting a high enough score that they can't screen you 'out', and getting a high enough score that they simply have to screen you 'in'?

 

Thoughts appreciated! 

[maelia8]

@Patrick Bateman I think your scores are just fine and you shouldn't bother retaking. I aimed at some pretty high end schools (I'm in the humanities) and I only scored 148 on quant (but 167 on verbal) and got accepted or wait listed at several top-10 programs. It all depends on the field you're going into - and I think that for IA your scores are quite solid. They would never screen you out for breaking 160, that I promise you

Edited May 28, 2014 by maelia8

[bsharpe269]

I don't think that there exist scores high enough that they have to screen you in. Once you're past the cut off, your entire package carries the weight of your application, not a couple extra GRE points.

[Bombaygunner]

@Patrick Bateman I think your scores are just fine and you shouldn't bother retaking. I aimed at some pretty high end schools (I'm in the humanities) and I only scored 148 on quant (but 167 on verbal) and got accepted or wait listed at several top-10 programs. It all depends on the field you're going into - and I think that for IA your scores are quite solid. They would never screen you out for breaking 160, that I promise you

 

Danke!

[intellect954]

Hey, so I got verbal 161, quant 154 and don't know my AWA yet, but I am applying to Cultural Anthro PhD programs at all top tier schools. Do I have a chance? I have strong recommendations, a thesis from undergrad, and I will have just come back from 2 years in the Peace Corps in China, the country of my research focus. I already have advanced Mandarin Chinese skills, too. Should I worry about taking the test again?