Worried about my GRE score :(

[SLP student]

I am currently a senior, graduating with my bachelors in communications, sciences and disorders in May. I am applying to 10 different schools.. My GPA is relatively good..My overall is 3.8 and my major GPA is a 3.9. I am an ABA therapist at a well known rehab center, and I will have pretty good LOR's. I have also worked at a daycare/preschool for 4 years and worked with a child with autism one on one in a home setting. I have many shadowing/observing hours and minimal volunteer, but plan to do more this semester. However, the only thing I believe that is holding me back from being accepted into any schools is my GRE scores.. I got a 141 on verbal and a 144 on Quantitative and a 4.0 on the writing portion. I am retaking it, but have very little time to study this semester. Will these be the reason I do not get in anywhere??  I am terrible at standardized tests.

Edited October 3, 2015 by SLP student

[OverCaffeinated]

its hard to say. some schools have a gre and gpa cut off. in those schools u wont be able to get in

but some schools look at the overall application, i think in those schools you have a pretty good chance. i would look for schools who take a holistic approach to admissions. 

[jmk]

If I were in your shoes, I would be doing everything I could to retake the GRE. A 141 verbal, even with your stellar GPA, (in my subjective opinion) raises an eyebrow. 

Can you do private tutoring? An online program? 

Have you considered schools that don't require the GRE? How much did you study before? 

 

[slporbust2016]

What have you done to study for your next GRE so far? What are your plans?

Did you take the ETS Powerscore practice tests before you took the GRE? If so, how did those scores compare to your scores?

And, if you use Chrome, you can use this free app from Magoosh that will pop up a vocab word every time you open a new tab. It's a painless way to get a little vocab practice in. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/magoosh-vocabulary/oooelhhaglnggehlocjjmgngfknfclak?hl=en-US

[twinguy7]

Try your best on your next test and if it does not improve much or at all, just state in your letter of intent(statement letter) that you never fare well on standardized tests and you will be fine.  Your GPA's will counter the lower GRE scores and your honesty about your GRE scores in your letter will show your maturity and ability to self reflect. 

Good luck on your next GRE test!  I took it twice and was only able to raise it a few points but that's all you may need to do.  

[Yancey]

Maybe try retaking the GRE once more. If your scores don't improve you might have to be more strategic to the places you apply (maybe not to schools that receive 500-800 applications or schools with only 15 spots). In truth, you never know what the admission committee at a particular school is looking for. Not all care about GRE scores, but focus on other aspects of an application are unique and exhibit passion and commitment. However, there are plenty of applicants with high or perfect GPAs who also have strong GRE scores (who may also be well-rounded). Additionally, there may be a cut off so that your application is not even seen if it doesn't reach a certain score given that there are so many applicants. So you have to be realistic when comparing your stats within the pool you're competing against.  Is it possible to get into a school based on other factors besides GRE? Of course! But it does it help to have GRE scores that are in/around the 50th percentile given the competitiveness of our major. If it turns out  you really can't improve your scores, maybe consider going to the schools you want to apply to and meeting the faculty. Maybe through meeting them (and being a 'real person') and connecting with them you can convey your passion for this major and attending their school.

[Rose Garden]

       My experience- I only applied to one school due to family commitments and responsibilities.  I was denied admission. My UG gpa is 3.849, GRE V 153, Q 144.  The program I applied to doesn't consider the AW score in their decision process and they don't require an SOP, so there wasn't an opportunity for me to explain anything. I also had strong letters of recommendations from professors in the admissions committee. Once I found out I had been denied admission, I reached out to the program's director and she confirmed that my application wasn't considered because my Quant. score was 1 point below their cut-off.  They never even looked at the rest of my application! I was instantly disqualified because of that one point. 

     It all comes down to the program that you're applying to and how they approach their decisions. Some strictly use GRE scores (though they're not supposed to), gpa or some combination of the two to eliminate applicants.  You see applicants with solid academic credentials get rejected by programs. Conversely, you see below average students gain acceptance.    

 This process is stressful, for sure.  Good luck to you!

[SLP student]

Thank you all for the responses! I have done one practice test through magoosh, I have been learning vocab everyday the pay few weeks, and before taking it the first time I studied through magoosh. I looked into private tutors but I don't have the money for them. I have decided on 10 school and I found out through asha edfind that I am within the range for 5/10 schools! Although I am on the much lower end, I am definitely trying to study as much as possible! I also found a few schools that have less applicants around 150-250 and accept around 35-50.

[SLP student]

Also, when I took the practice test for the first time my combined score was 292, which is a little better than my real score.