good gre scores (170q, 160v), but low awa (3)...

[TARDIS]

I managed to get 170 in quant and 160 in verbal. But i got my awa today, its just 3

MS specialization in wireless communications (from an IIT, India), i have published a paper in ieee transactions on comm and in globecom proceedings. I am applying for phd now.

My toefl score is 113 (30 30 26 27-writing)

 

Plz suggest some ways to compensate for this low awa score (nope, not going to retake gre, that ship has sailed).

[Edge]

Write a stellar personal statement and any writing samples you have to submit.  This will show the applications committees that you are capable of writing, just not under pressure.

 

My Q/V GRE scores were slightly lower than yours and my writing score was only 3.5, but I wrote an extremely well thought out personal statement and it got me into my number 1.

[jujubea]

You're probably fine since you're in a science program, you have been published, and I'm guessing you'll be submitting a writing sample to apply.

[susu]

Same thing happened to me

 

Q170, V152, and 3 in AWA.

 

Yet to write TOEFL. Will a good score in TOEFL compensate for low AWA?

 

I am applying for PhD too. (Mechanical, B.Tech from NITK, India)

Edited October 17, 2014 by susu

[Ankghost0912]

Hey guys, My GRE score is such that neither can be happy nor be sad. It's 323(163 q, 160 v,4.5 AWA ). I dunno but through this my UCB is clearly gone and I'm very doubtful for other colleges like GaTech , Stanford etc.

 

I am an undergraduate student from India too.

[jujubea]

I don't know if you guys should be feeling so down - from the sounds of other threads on this forum, the AWA is almost a throw-away score that sometimes doesn't even get looked at. If that's true, I would imagine that particularly applies to non-humanities, non-arts programs like all of yours.

 

Don't stress too much and remember it really is about the whole package!

 

Have you considered scheduling a phonecall or Skype with some POI's? Perhaps if they hear you speak knowledgeably about your subjects then any AWA fears could be allayed.

 

Good luck!

[grad_wannabe]

Hey guys, My GRE score is such that neither can be happy nor be sad. It's 323(163 q, 160 v,4.5 AWA ). I dunno but through this my UCB is clearly gone and I'm very doubtful for other colleges like GaTech , Stanford etc.

 

I am an undergraduate student from India too.

 

This is a decent score. Don't worry so much about it. 

[Ankghost0912]

Okay! If you say so

[TARDIS]

thank you all..

btw i got similar opinions from several people.

Dont sweat on awa guys... write a solid sop.

Any combination of a good verbal, a solid sop, better toefl score and publications will compensate for awa.