How can you successfully overcome a horrible score in PhD Applications?

[_kita]

I searched the forum for advice/insight, but usually the advice is  "retake the test." So, I'm curious about successful applicants experiences about overcome a horrible score. By this I mean well below the 150 mark and most program minimums. Did you address it in your SOP? Let your resume/vitae speak for you? Do you have your LOR address your strengths in that area? Inversely, did your attempts to do this still fail? 

I'm in a similar situation, but have decided to apply to programs without a minimum and express their holistic admissions approach. To begin with, my scores, Q 141; V 160, while the verbal is great, the quantitative score shot me in the foot. This was the third time taking the GREs, and with 5 months study (lots of time and focused practice), my score actually dropped from last time. I would need to shell out for private tutoring and my wallet isn't that deep. My verbal did increase luckily, but that's not my concern. 

I'm thinking of casually addressing that aspect of my application subtly elsewhere. But has anyone been successful?

_____________________________

If anyone is curious, here is my current plan of attack.

Transcript reflects:

• Grad Classes: Research Methods in Counseling (A); Test & Assessment in Counseling (A-) 
• Undergrad: Stats for Social Sciences & Behaviors (A); Experimental Psychology (B); College Math (D); College Stats (C)
  • Reflects that my ability in traditional math v. practical application of statistics and research is very different

Vitae Research experience:

• Research assistant in two undergrad labs (2007-2009). Analyzed data, ran participants, maintained and organized records, presented at research conferences including the Eastern Psychological Association, Association for Psychological Sciences and 2 local conferences.
• Independent research study on unintentional biases in treatment plans (and how they affect counseling practices).
• Graduate Assistant for the Psychology Department:
  • Tutor classes --mainly statistics for Social Sciences and Behaviors
  • Administrator for the Psychology Department Research Subject Pool (SONA systems). Program to monitor, maintain and give credit to all research participants

Letters of Recommendation:

• Assistant Professor (PhD): Liaison for the Psychology Graduate Assistants at Kutztown University. My supervisor essentially. He can speak to my abilities as a tutor, the research subject pool, and I was a supplemental Instructor for him in undergrad. 
• Department Chairperson Counseling Department (PhD): I'm doing my independent study through her. She also had me in both the graduate classes listed above. 

SOP:

• Mentioning how tutoring, monitoring SONA, participating in the ethics competition, practical experience made me consider research concepts in Mental Illness and Social Welfare (seeing things that needed changing, and wanting to find ways to change them). Which led to my independent study.

 

 

[GeoDUDE!]

In my opinion, you aren't going to be able to hide your GRE scores. They are either going to be too low or they won't matter enough to sink your application if its strong enough. 

You should be writing about the research you want to do in your statement of purpose, and not about the past.  Listing tutoring, qualifications ect will be on your CV. Why waste space? 

You need to show why what you want to do in the future fits well with what the department wants to do in the future: there are very few applicants (in general) who can eloquently describe that. It is much harder to do that than get a perfect GRE or high GPA. If you are below the cutoffs, nothing you do will matter anyway.

Edited August 17, 2015 by GeoDUDE!

[_kita]

Thanks for the feedback. I wouldn't say I was trying to hide the score, just demonstrate that the necessary research skills are there, despite them. 

 

I definitely see your point about using the resume to discuss the skills again. I wanted to mention the research study because it IS what I want to research. But the rest is unnecessary and resume recital.

[TakeruK]

I agree with GeoDUDE that you should not write about your GRE scores in your SOP. They are what they are and nothing you can really say will change them. Instead, focus on your research and department fit in the SOP.  Your CV will list all the other things you say in order to back up the point that your GRE scores don't define your ability.

In my field, the Physics GRE is more important than the general GRE score. While I did well on the General GRE, I did relatively poorly on the Physics GRE (two attempts, both at the 50th percentile or just under, back in the day where you have to send all your scores). I didn't discuss these scores at all in my application. Like you, I had good research background and just focussed on that to make the case that I will be an excellent graduate student.

The way I see it**, admissions committees are looking for evidence that you will excel in their program, not for reasons to reject you. There are more than one way to show it, and if you don't have high GRE scores, then show them that you'll excel through other means, such as your research experience. So focus on what makes you excellent!

(**Sorry, this is just my opinion, no personal experience on an admissions committee here!)

All that said, if you really really really want something in your application to directly say "psychkita's GRE scores don't reflect their abilities, which are excellent!" you should ask a LOR writer to discuss this. I provide my LOR writers with all of my GPAs and GREs and let them decide what to write, but you could prompt/prime one of your LOR writers by telling them that you are worried how admissions committees will view your GRE scores and ask their advice / ask if they would be willing to discuss that. Since they might have served on an admissions committee in your field already, they would know how to best address the issue.

[FantasticalDevPsych]

Instead, focus on your research and department fit in the SOP.  Your CV will list all the other things you say in order to back up the point that your GRE scores don't define your ability.

All that said, if you really really really want something in your application to directly say "psychkita's GRE scores don't reflect their abilities, which are excellent!" you should ask a LOR writer to discuss this. I provide my LOR writers with all of my GPAs and GREs and let them decide what to write, but you could prompt/prime one of your LOR writers by telling them that you are worried how admissions committees will view your GRE scores and ask their advice / ask if they would be willing to discuss that. Since they might have served on an admissions committee in your field already, they would know how to best address the issue.

I had a low score as well and agree thoroughly with both these points. My current advisor actually pointed out my low GRE scores (on my profile) and that I actually wouldn't have been eligible for the funding I currently have (except they had a way to get it) because of them. However they took me anyway after seeing what I had done and my ideas (networking and conferences helped me a lot). 

My SoP focused on why I could do graduate level research, what experience I had, and what my future ideas and goals were. I thought my score and experience would have spoke for themselves and didn't need to be in my SoP!

I was actually so panicked about my scores and not getting in anywhere that I approached the graduate advisor at my undergrad who knew my abilities and also my scores. They offered to try and demonstrate how my scores did not reflect my abilities and that I'm better than them.