GRE writing

[ridgey]

I did fine (1400+) on the GRE V and Q, but the AW section - yikes, 4.0! Now, I'm not a fan of the GRE at all, and I don't think the writing portion in particular really measures well how good a person's writing is. Of course, I have to say that when I'm in the 30th percentile.

But I think this from the NYTimes vindicates my position. Some of the subjectivity is removed from the GRE writing section by having two markers, whose scores have to be reasonably close. I think the larger issue, that the score doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of a given piece of writing, remains with regard the GRE.

[socialcomm]

I agree -- I'm in the same boat you are. We'll see what the schools we're applying to think.

[misterpat]

I did fine (1400+) on the GRE V and Q, but the AW section - yikes, 4.0! Now, I'm not a fan of the GRE at all, and I don't think the writing portion in particular really measures well how good a person's writing is. Of course, I have to say that when I'm in the 30th percentile.

But I think this from the NYTimes vindicates my position. Some of the subjectivity is removed from the GRE writing section by having two markers, whose scores have to be reasonably close. I think the larger issue, that the score doesn't necessarily reflect the quality of a given piece of writing, remains with regard the GRE.

I enjoyed that op-ed a lot.

Yeah, the AW sucks. The argument essay isn't so bad, but the issue topics usually don't give you much to work with. Taking a controversial position can often get you a high score, like the Debbie Does Dallas approach in that op-ed, but if it falls into the hands of some nancy-pants grader, you're fucked.

[kahlan_amnell]

As long as you are applying to schools that have a writing sample as part of the application, I wouldn't worry too much about your AW scores. Things like SOPs and writing samples are a much more important measure of writing ability.