Which GRE score to send?

[phdreally]

Applying for CS PhD

 

GRE First attempt - Q=170, V=160, AWA=3.5. Realized AWA %ile is below 50, decided to retake.

Second attempt - Q=168, V=159, AWA=4.5

 

Is avoiding the low 3.5 AWA more important than showing off a perfect 170 in quant? Which score should I be sending? I'm applying to Stanford, UCB, MIT (no gre needed), Harvard (can cross register at MIT), Caltech, UCI, UCSD.

 

Thoughts and opinions appreciated!

[ilovelab]

Email your schools and ask how much much they care about the AWA score. I don't know about CS programs but the GRE isn't a huge factor in some departments. I think they would care more about your Quant score than the essay. That being said 168 and 170 aren't that far apart. You could send both if you want.

[gliaful]

Send the second score. You don't want any part of your GRE scores to be less than 50th percentile. And 170 on quant is cool, but 168 is too -- still 95th percentile. What you sacrifice in terms of Q and V is minimal in exchange for an 80th percentile AW score.

[poweredbycoldfusion]

GRE First attempt - Q=170, V=160, AWA=3.5. Realized AWA %ile is below 50, decided to retake.

 

 

That essay score is harsh. I would seriously email individual schools about this because I'd want to send that 170 & 330 combined score.