GRE scores for Ecology PhD

[antares1]

Hey! I'm hoping someone can help me decide whether to retake the GRE. Here are my stats:

GRE Verbal: 159 // GRE Quant: 156 // GPA: 3.93

I have lots of research experience (lab tech, REU), and I'm applying for PhD programs in Ecology/Entomology. I'm hoping to be admitted to top programs like UC Davis, UC Berkeley, UMass Amherst, and University of Arizona. I don't have a good sense of what good GRE scores are or if I'll be a competitive applicant with these scores. Should I retake? If so, what scores should I shoot for?

Thanks!

[Bioenchilada]

I got several questions. 

A) Do you have a lot of research experience?

B ) How good do you anticipate your rec letters to be? 

C) Are you an underrepresented minority? 

(I guess it's also relevant to ask your school ranking) 

Edited October 16, 2015 by Bioenchilada

[antares1]

Hi! To answer your questions, (A) yes, I have done an REU and worked as a lab technician. I have one paper in review for publication. (B) I anticipate very strong rec letters. (C) I am not an underrepresented minority. Thanks!

[Bioenchilada]

How many years of research would you say you have done? (Some schools ask this information) 

Do you attend a top school?

Who is recommending you? 

Regardless of your answers to the questions above, I think that you should have a pretty good chance at top programs given that you have a lot of research experience and have a very high GPA. Some people say that a score higher than the 80th percentile should be attained in every section to be "competitive", but I think that after a certain point, the GRE doesn't matter anymore. For example, Cornell asks for a score higher than a 308 for their Comparative Biomedical Sciences program, after that I think there would be no real benefit in having a high GRE. Some people postulate the hypothetical scenario in which two IDENTICAL candidates are compared and the GRE is used to choose the better candidate. In reality, it is unlikely that there will be someone identical to you given that at least your writing style should be unique...

 

Bottomline is, I think you're good, but if you want to give the GRE a second try to attempt to get a better score, go ahead.