GRE scores for art history phd?

[ristastic]

Hey everyone, I just took a GRE for fall 2010 phd admissions. I got a 660V and 480Q, and I think the essays were solid enough for a 5 or 5.5. My question is, if I'm applying to competitive schools (a few Ivies, etc.), should I retake the test and try to score at least a 1200? How much do humanities admissions committees really look at Quant scores?

Any advice?

[ArtHist85]

I don't know really about Ivys, I assume you need a decentscore, but I did pretty poorly on the GRE (ie. way worse than you) and got into a good program. I wouldn't stress out about it. Retake it if you feel like it, but if they like other parts of your application, like the writing sample or letters of rec, i doubt your quantitative GRE scores will be a deal breaker!

[purplepepper]

hmm. your verbal is definitely fine ( i got the same score), and no one cares about the AWA since you have to submit a writing sample. Usually I would say that GRE scores really don't matter, but I'd take the test one more time to see if you could do better on the math. Princeton publishes median GRE scores of admitted students (sorry too lazy to find the link)..go on their graduate applicant website to check it out.

Q scores don't need to be high, but try to aim for the mid 500s and up. I think i heard somewhere that adcoms also like to see improvement in scores so the fact that your Q is low isn't really a problem, but they will see that you didn't try a second time despite the lower score. I don't think it's necessary to take the test more than 3 times.

Dont' worry if your verbal goes down..the fluctuation really won't matter if it's not too far from the percentile that you scored before.

Good luck with everything.

[ladyday]

I took my GRE's twice. The second time i got 610V and 580Q with 4 on the analytical (i got 4.5 the first time). I'd like to hear what other applicants who got in or are going to apply are scoring. Any advice? What's the average scores for other applicants applying to top 20 schools?

Did I forget to mention, how much the GREs SUCK!!!! :wink:

[goglisue]

I took my GRE's twice. The second time i got 610V and 580Q with 4 on the analytical (i got 4.5 the first time). I'd like to hear what other applicants who got in or are going to apply are scoring. Any advice? What's the average scores for other applicants applying to top 20 schools?

Did I forget to mention, how much the GREs SUCK!!!! :wink:

I'm applying for both MA and PhD programs. I got my scores back today V540 Q660 AWA 4.0. I was hoping that my writing score would pull me up so my verbal would not look as bad, no such luck. I thought I did really well on that section. I'm planning on applying to the top tier programs- have work experience in a curatorial department, published conference work, and a great GPA. Who knows...

[goglisue]

I'm applying for both MA and PhD programs. I got my scores back today V540 Q660 AWA 4.0. I was hoping that my writing score would pull me up so my verbal would not look as bad, no such luck. I thought I did really well on that section. I'm planning on applying to the top tier programs- have work experience in a curatorial department, published conference work, and a great GPA. Who knows...

[artemislyre]

this was an issue that I was also concerned with. I got a 650V 490 Q ...I'm at a tier one Uni and my advisor told me that Quants score figure very little in the admissions process, and that quants average for incomming students ranged from 450-650. So don't despair! however it might affect you if you are applying to public institutions and a minimum cumulative is required. But generally like a previous poster mentioned, it will not be because of your quants score that you are rejcted