So I got a perfect GRE score ...

[wh815]

Or almost a perfect score: 170/170/5.

My question is how much can I expect this to help my application? Do you think it's worth a couple tenths of a gpa point?

I don't mean to brag. With so many people fretting over potential GRE disasters, I think it's worth considering the test's power for good.

Thanks in advance, everyone.

Edited October 3, 2014 by wh815

[esotericish]

Any tips on what studying worked for you? The math is killing me. I'm 25 and haven't done this math in over 10 years.

[Dedi]

From what I gather, a high score will not guarantee admission but a low score will hinder your chances.

Think of it as a graph with the GRE score on the x axis and chances of admission on the y axis. The line rapidly increases as your scores go up and plateaus after a certain point (and it won't ever reach 100%).

 

There are a lot more than a GRE score that admissions committees consider (such as SOP, letters of rec, and research experience for most programs).

 

IMHO, getting a high score on the GRE means that you played their game and it's not really indicative of grad school success (as much as they BS about it).

[GeoDUDE!]

A high GRE means you can do simple tasks very well; something that most people on this board struggle with. A lot of people like to pretend the GRE is meaningless, but now the departments you are applying to can nominate you for school wide fellowships/scholarships. It will help your application, especially if you have close to a perfect GPA. 

 

FWIW, most school wide fellowships are GPA/GRE based. Most departments want to take students that are competitive for those so it opens up a TA/GSR spot. While other people have opinions, this is the reality. 

 

While a GRE will not guarantee you admissions, think about it like a chocolate cake: would you rather have one with whipped cream/cherry on top or plain? Most people go for the whipped cream, good job!

[tuckbro]

Perfect scores will most definitely be a positive.  You will make all cutoffs at every school.  You will also easily qualify for fellowships if accepted.

 

it does not  guarantee your acceptance however, interview performance, fit, funding and space in your area of interest etc... all play a role.

 

My impression is that GRE's are kind of viewed like the SATs and ranges are looked at - for instance, 165+ for quant in top engineering programs.  I do not think it is seen as any difference between a 170 and say a 168.

[wh815]

Thanks for the responses!

[wh815]

The consesus seems to be that once you're in the target range, the score is mainly used to differentiate otherwise equal applicants. Good to know!

Edited October 4, 2014 by wh815

[wh815]

Any tips on what studying worked for you? The math is killing me. I'm 25 and haven't done this math in over 10 years.

I'm considering posting a study guide. I used the Manhattan lessons and Magoosh for practice problems, if that helps.

[MsAmira]

Wow! Perfect score! Good job!

[thegraydude]

I'm considering posting a study guide. I used the Manhattan lessons and Magoosh for practice problems, if that helps.

 

Wow, I am using Magoosh lessons and Manhattan's 5 lb book for practice; just the reverse. Do you think that works just as good? 

[wh815]

Wow, I am using Magoosh lessons and Manhattan's 5 lb book for practice; just the reverse. Do you think that works just as good? 

 

I think it depends on your learning style. I prefer book over video lessons, so Manhattan worked better for me. The Magoosh lessons are good and, from what I can tell, fairly comprehensive, so you can't go wrong studying that way IMO. 

[thegraydude]

I think it depends on your learning style. I prefer book over video lessons, so Manhattan worked better for me. The Magoosh lessons are good and, from what I can tell, fairly comprehensive, so you can't go wrong studying that way IMO. 

 

Thank you. Also, if you could take some time to post some tips or guide for scoring high on the GRE from your personal experience, that would be great.

 

There seems to be a consensus, as I have read on Magoosh, regarding the difficulty level of quantitative section having gone up considerably. Did you feel that during the test? 

[Applemiu]

Good job on the GRE! Please post some tips, it could be helpful for many people. I am thinking about doing the same. I managed to push up my quant score by three points without studying too much more, just strategizing (being organized and focused). It seems obvious but it is not when you are working against the clock for five hours. At least it was not obvious for me the first time I took the test.

 

Thank you. Also, if you could take some time to post some tips or guide for scoring high on the GRE from your personal experience, that would be great.

 

There seems to be a consensus, as I have read on Magoosh, regarding the difficulty level of quantitative section having gone up considerably. Did you feel that during the test? 

 

 

I also think that the difficult of the math questions is going up, at least this is what I understood talking to people that took the test a few years ago. There are a lot more foreign students applying to STEM programs that push hard to get a perfect score - and maybe the test needs to differentiate the top scorers (btw, I am a foreign student myself). But we are all in the same boat. Good luck to everybody.

Edited October 19, 2014 by Applemiu

[BeatrizBear]

It's definitely a huge plus, but how much it helps depends on what department you're looking at. From what I gather, some schools look at GRE scores more closely than others. For instance, a program for English Lit might look at the verbal score a lot harder than say, a Chinese language program.

 

How long did you study, by the way? A month or more?

Edited October 19, 2014 by BeatrizBear