Another GRE question

[09grad]

I

[greendiplomat]

In general, I don't think a slightly lower verbal score should hurt you too much (I mean, your quant scores are solid, and your verbal isn't that low to begin with). I guess the question would be whether you think you can improve your scores the second time around. If you think you didn't really study all that much the first time around, I'd just grab a GRE book and do practice problems, memorize words that appear frequently, etc. If, on the other hand, you felt like you studied a lot the first time around and doubt that your verbal score would go up, I'd take your scores as they are and focus your energies on other (perhaps more important) parts of your app.

[wooldogg]

That's a tough call. I think that the analytical/writing score is the weakest part. I agree that if you already studied and practiced writing the essays before taking it the last time, you might just sit tight with that quant score. Also, it's good to think of your whole application. Are your grades, LORs, work experience etc. solid, or are they borderline too?

[riz1]

wooldogg brings up some good points. Your other components will help determine how much emphasis is placed on your GRE scores. With that said, I feel that even someone who's been out of undergrad for a while should have a higher AW score than a 4.0. More than your V score, work on analyzing passages and writing cogently under pressure and with a time deadline. I know, I know, the folks over at ETS decided to make the AW section as realistic as possible for grad students ... But if you can take a passage, break it down, critique the author's arguments and *especially this part* identify and deconstruct logical fallacies, you can and will score much higher than a 4.0.

Remember the days when 4.0 was the best you could do? Ha, not so much with the GRE.

[dagger]

I had very similar scores with regards to the verbal and quantitative section as you and I feel that I was successful during the admissions process. Additionally, I feel that with LORs and a great personal statement, you'll be successful in your application process as well. However, I'd worry about being admitted to the four schools you mentioned as a result of your verbal and writing scores. Granted, admissions committees do look at a wide variety of factors in the admissions process. I just feel that you can make your scores more competitive - especially for the caliber of schools you've listed.

If you do intend to retake the GRE, here's my personal advice on scoring well in the writing section (others may have very differing viewpoints)

I wouldn't consider myself the best writer at all, but I was able to put a few useful tips to good use when I took the GRE and pulled out a 5.5 on the writing section. I thought I'd pass them along:

1. Write as much as you can. I pretty much found a way to include the majority of the prompt in my introduction.

2. Have distinct paragraphs and tab the first sentence. You'll have to use five spaces to tab.

3. Include a paragraph that analyzes the opposing viewpoint to the one that you've suggested (this works for both prompts) (i.e. One could say...(insert opposing view) but they fail to ..........(insert some sort of fallacy or flaw in the opposing argument)

4. Use transition words very frequently

5. Have a clear introduction and conclusion paragraph and include 2-3 paragraphs of support and 1 paragraph (as mentioned above) critiquing the counterpoint (5-6 paragraphs total)

I think I was lucky with the prompts I received. However, because your writing is graded by a human and a computer, there are ways to beat them both. If they are within 1 point of each other, they'll take the average of the two scores. I think the above tips help to beat the computer scoring. Additionally, the human grader spends a very short amount of time actually looking over your essay. As a result, I think the above steps can really improve your score.

Best of luck!

[09grad]

Thanks for all of the advice. I studied a lot for the verbal, but not at all for the AWA. I think I