Difficulty interpreting GRE scores?

[benzo]

Hi,

I'm applying for Fall 2016 sociology PhD programs. My top schools would be NYU, Yale, Columbia, or Berkeley. I recently took the GRE and am not sure how to interpret them. My background is in public health where GRE cutoffs and averages are much more transparent.

Verbal: 165

Quant: 158

The verbal seems to me to be very good, but I'm unsure about a quant score below 160 and am considering studying for another month and retaking in mid-October. All other factors notwithstanding, how do these scores stand for top sociology PhD? Should I retake? Thanks in advance for any input.

Edited September 5, 2015 by benzo

[rising_star]

If you're going to submit a co-authored piece as your writing sample, it would be best to clearly indicate which sections are your work. If that's not possible, then including a paragraph about what you worked on/contributed to the piece is essential.

If at all possible, you should try to have two academic letters, rather than just one. You want people who can speak to your potential to excel as a doctoral student (coursework, comps, teaching, dissertation), not just your research skills. 

Given your research interests, you might also want to look at anthropology programs...