Advice sought: Do I still take the subject test?

[othersamantha]

So I'm registered to take the October 24th GRE lit test, but I took a look at the schools on my list, and it's only required by one program (and one that is not necessarily my favorite option). Some of the schools I'm looking at say they will consider my scores if submitted. I'm very happy with my standard GRE scores (my VR is well above the 90th percentile and I received a very strong AW score), so I'm wondering: in past applicants' experience, if you submitted a subject test score, what effect do you think that had on your application? Is it worth going through the cost and preparation for schools that do not require (but will consider) the subject test?

 

Any insight as always will be very much appreciated!

 

[1Q84]

Little, if any. I would avoid it like the plague and spend all that freed up time on your other (more important) app materials.

[othersamantha]

Little, if any. I would avoid it like the plague and spend all that freed up time on your other (more important) app materials.

Thanks for the reply! As a follow up: if I do follow through with the test and get a below average score, will that be enough to throw me out of the pile? Or will no one care?

[Horb]

From my understanding, the Subject Test doesn't matter as much as all of the other components. It usually won't be the reason you're accepted or rejected.

[Dr. Old Bill]

Actually, the DGS of one program I applied to later emailed me to say that my mediocre GRE subject score was effectively one of two things that kept me from making the cut (the other being that my WS didn't include any contemporary theory). I had always thought that the subject test was more of a "checklist" item, in that you have to take it, but so long as you didn't bomb it, no one really cared about the score. For some places it seems that's not actually the case.

Having said all of that, there's really no reason to take it if there's only one program you'd need it for...and you're lukewarm on that school.