GRE.. Just how important is the math??

[melusine]

Hi all,

I'm planning to apply to Comp Lit at a few v. top-tier programs. Currently studying for the GRE.

I know a lot of people in my situation also claim their math is quite bad.. However, there is bad, and then there's me.

I just learned how to divide the other day. Yeah, it's that bad.

Anyways, my verbal is quite up there (I know latin and read a lot so that helps) but the math is abysmal and I don't see any way I can improve it dramatically in the time I have these next couple of months (4th year classes start next week).

So my question is... does anybody know just how important (if at all) is the quant. score for acceptance into comparative literature?

I mean, say I get 700v and like 450q. Will I look like a highly specialized would-be scholar, or just another dumb blonde?

[lotf629]

Melusine I <3 your user name!

Some programs will likely not even record your M score, but given how competitive programs are in general, it's worth trying to get it up into the 500s. Try this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Math-Review-Stand ... 910&sr=8-1

It will start at the beginning.

Do you have dyscalculia? If not, I expect that a big part of your difficulty is just a mental block. Take it slow, work through problems consistently and gradually, and you will make the progress you need to see.

[greekdaph]

Melusine,

I had to google how to do "long subtraction" (i.e., the carrying numbers and crossing them out), and after a few weeks of studying and practicing, I managed to get a math score even higher than my okay verbal score. So don't despair! A little math practice can go a long way.

All in all, I would agree with those who say that you shouldn't spend much time working about your math score. English departments won't look at it--they care only about your verbal and, in most cases, your lit GRE. BUT, anecdotally, the administrative structure of a graduate program can affect whether your composite GRE score comes into play. At some schools--often, the larger, more bureaucratic public universities--departments have control over admissions while graduate schools have a lot of say on funding; there are some university fellowships that use objective criteria, like GPA and composite GREs, to compare students in different disciplines and to determine who gets more generous funding packages. Bottom line, then: the math GRE is by far the least important thing to worry about in admissions, but if your writing sample and SOP and other test scores are in good shape, and your workload in your classes is under control, doing some math drills could help you later on.