Help! Chances with a GRE score of 158V/156Q

[surlefil]

Hi, I really need advice. Today I took the GRE and got 158V/156Q. I'm really worried because I'm planning to apply to some top schools, like NYU Comp. Lit. and Berkeley Rhetoric, and I'm afraid they won't even consider my application because of this score, especially because of the Verbal score. Do you think I should sit again for the test? I'm Latin American and, though I have good English, I'm not at all used to reading and understanding texts in little time. Skimming in a foreign language requires a lot of practice. I've become better in these last months, but it wasn't enough. I don't know I should take the test again because maybe I'd be better off working on my writing sample, and I wonder how important is this stupid test considering that other parts of my application are strong (very good letters of recommendation and writing sample, 11 conference presentations, 2 peer-reviewed publications and 12 non peer-reviewed publications).

Any advice would be extremely useful. Thanks in advance!!

Edited September 11, 2014 by surlefil

[rhetoricus aesalon]

You will not get a unanimous answer either way on this forum, but in my opinion: you've broken the 300 combined limit. I wouldn't take it again. Your scores aren't the best, but you have--like--really impressive professional experience. Focus your energy on that POS and WS. Test scores matter, but more so for university-level fellowships and funding.

[ProfLorax]

I have a different perspective that I think can be applied to many of the GRE questions that will pop up this time of year. Will re-taking the GRE scores make YOU feel better about your application? Do you have the funds to re-take it? Do you have time to re-take it? Are you close to a GRE testing location? If you can answer yes to all those questions, regardless of your score, then consider re-taking it.

 

This is such a bizarre process, so do what you need to do to feel better about your application. Perhaps you will feel fine about your GRE scores once your letter writer has agreed to touched about them. Or perhaps you'll feel great once you have finalized your SoP. But if you're losing sleep over your scores (and you can easily re-take the test), then re-take it. Sit with yourself and really try to figure out what course of action would make you feel best about your application packet, whether that is re-taking the GRE or devoting that time to your SoP and WS instead. 

 

In other words, you do you. Good luck! 

[jhefflol]

One thing to consider is that state schools generally get funding from GRE scores. The higher your score, the more funding they will get. Just something to keep in mind:)

[hypervodka]

One thing to consider is that state schools generally get funding from GRE scores. The higher your score, the more funding they will get.

 

For that reason, UC Berkeley in particular does care a lot about scores. But your application can be otherwise exemplary.

If you don't think you can change your score (you can't afford to take it, don't have the time, can't study, truly tried your hardest the first time), then there is really no use in worrying about it. Spend more time perfecting the aspects of your application the schools care the absolute most about: SOP and writing sample.

[jhefflol]

For that reason, UC Berkeley in particular does care a lot about scores. But your application can be otherwise exemplary.

If you don't think you can change your score (you can't afford to take it, don't have the time, can't study, truly tried your hardest the first time), then there is really no use in worrying about it. Spend more time perfecting the aspects of your application the schools care the absolute most about: SOP and writing sample.

Thank Jesus I'm not applying to UCB. I refuse to move back to Northern CA, no matter how good of a program they have. No thanks!

[ProfLorax]

I refuse to move back to Northern CA, no matter how good of a program they have. No thanks!

Does. Not. Compute. Brain. Breaking.

 

[Dr. Old Bill]

I love Northern California! The only real reason I'm not applying to anywhere in Cali other than Stanford is that my wife has zero desire to move there. Most other places she's amenable to, but she has a beef against California, for some strange reason. Personally, I lived in SoCal for half a year, but have been up in the Bay Area many times for conferences etc. If it was only ME I had to consider, Stanford might be my top choice.

[jhefflol]

Does. Not. Compute. Brain. Breaking.

 

 

Haha NorCal was where I grew up. Its just dry, nasty, poverty-stricken, and drug infested in my opinion. 

[ProfLorax]

Haha NorCal was where I grew up. Its just dry, nasty, poverty-stricken, and drug infested in my opinion. 

Are you talking about way way way northern California? My husband is from Lassen County, and yeah, I see it fitting your description. But I wouldn't describe the Bay Area as dry or poverty-stricken. It's one of the most beautiful places I've been too (Muir Woods, the Presidio, Point Reyes, Big Sur, Mount Tam, etc), BUT there are valid reasons to not want to live there. Instead of being poverty-stricken, SF has been actively pushing the poor out with its ridiculously high rents, and the tide of gentrification is spreading to Berkeley and Oakland. There are way too many people trying to live in too small a space, leading to poor infrastructure and public transportation. And some members of the tech community can be... let's say that comedies like Silicon Valley are more accurate than not.

 

That being said, I would move back to the Bay Area in a heartbeat. My husband disagrees; he loves the area too, but it's just so damn expensive. With the way the job market is, I'll take any academic job west of the Rockies when the time comes. But I'm pretty sure I'd be okay living in a shack if it meant a TT job at Berkeley, SFSU, CSU East Bay, or Mills. 

 

The one where Proflorax completely steered the conversation away from the OP's question.... Sorry! 

[jhefflol]

Are you talking about way way way northern California? My husband is from Lassen County, and yeah, I see it fitting your description. But I wouldn't describe the Bay Area as dry or poverty-stricken. It's one of the most beautiful places I've been too (Muir Woods, the Presidio, Point Reyes, Big Sur, Mount Tam, etc), BUT there are valid reasons to not want to live there. Instead of being poverty-stricken, SF has been actively pushing the poor out with its ridiculously high rents, and the tide of gentrification is spreading to Berkeley and Oakland. There are way too many people trying to live in too small a space, leading to poor infrastructure and public transportation. And some members of the tech community can be... let's say that comedies like Silicon Valley are more accurate than not.

 

That being said, I would move back to the Bay Area in a heartbeat. My husband disagrees; he loves the area too, but it's just so damn expensive. With the way the job market is, I'll take any academic job west of the Rockies when the time comes. But I'm pretty sure I'd be okay living in a shack if it meant a TT job at Berkeley, SFSU, CSU East Bay, or Mills. 

 

The one where Proflorax completely steered the conversation away from the OP's question.... Sorry! 

 

Yeah, I'm from kind of far up north, not so far as Lassen County though.  But basically everywhere outside of the Bay Area is just nasty in my opinion. Even still, SF is a completely different world than the rest of NorCal and I can't argue against its beauty. But the rest of it...is just a black hole. And unfortunately I consider Berkeley to be part of that instead of part of SF like most people do. I don't know, I just don't think the Bay Area is even that awesome enough to make me want to ever live up there again. Unfortunately even the nice places like Muir Woods that you named still have an undercurrent of poverty and drug use that seems inescapable to me. Again, this is just my opinion after having lived there for 20ish years.

 

Anyway, I too apologize for hijacking the thread. 

[surlefil]

Thanks for your inputs, especially in the cases they were pertinent 

You will not get a unanimous answer either way on this forum, but in my opinion: you've broken the 300 combined limit. I wouldn't take it again. Your scores aren't the best, but you have--like--really impressive professional experience. Focus your energy on that POS and WS. Test scores matter, but more so for university-level fellowships and funding.

Thanks a lot, I'm glad this score isn't terrible just like that. I guess it's relatively positive that it is above average...

 

I have a different perspective that I think can be applied to many of the GRE questions that will pop up this time of year. Will re-taking the GRE scores make YOU feel better about your application? Do you have the funds to re-take it? Do you have time to re-take it? Are you close to a GRE testing location? If you can answer yes to all those questions, regardless of your score, then consider re-taking it.

 

This is such a bizarre process, so do what you need to do to feel better about your application. Perhaps you will feel fine about your GRE scores once your letter writer has agreed to touched about them. Or perhaps you'll feel great once you have finalized your SoP. But if you're losing sleep over your scores (and you can easily re-take the test), then re-take it. Sit with yourself and really try to figure out what course of action would make you feel best about your application packet, whether that is re-taking the GRE or devoting that time to your SoP and WS instead. 

 

In other words, you do you. Good luck! 

Thanks for your questions. I'll consider the things you mention. Thanks again