Average Subject Test Scores

[callmelilyb]

Hello everyone,

I need some advice.

I took the subject test in October and got a mediocre score of 550 (51%).

I didn't major or minor in English so I guess I'm not totally surprised but I'm still really disappointed.

Question: Should I even apply to PhD programs this round or should I study for a year, retake the subject test and apply next fall?

I wonder if a score of 550 is going to automatically keep my from getting admitted to my dream programs....?

My verbal score was high: 740 (99%).

I've taken 7 upper division Lit courses with GPA of 4.0 in that coursework.

My gpa in my poli-sci major is 3.97 and my cum undergrad gpa is 3.7 (3.9+ in the last three years, after ending my sophomore year with a 2.6!)

I go to an unranked public university in California.

I think my writing sample, statement of purpose, etc. are very good...I've gotten lots of help from various professors on campus.

What kinds of scores are people who are getting into programs in the top 30 or so have?

It's my understanding that you definitely want over 600 and 650 seems to be the magic number, right?

[joeygiraldo]

Hello everyone,

I need some advice.

I took the subject test in October and got a mediocre score of 550 (51%).

I didn't major or minor in English so I guess I'm not totally surprised but I'm still really disappointed.

Question: Should I even apply to PhD programs this round or should I study for a year, retake the subject test and apply next fall?

I wonder if a score of 550 is going to automatically keep my from getting admitted to my dream programs....?

My verbal score was high: 740 (99%).

I've taken 7 upper division Lit courses with GPA of 4.0 in that coursework.

My gpa in my poli-sci major is 3.97 and my cum undergrad gpa is 3.7 (3.9+ in the last three years, after ending my sophomore year with a 2.6!)

I go to an unranked public university in California.

I think my writing sample, statement of purpose, etc. are very good...I've gotten lots of help from various professors on campus.

What kinds of scores are people who are getting into programs in the top 30 or so have?

It's my understanding that you definitely want over 600 and 650 seems to be the magic number, right?

APPLY.

I'm the famous cat from last year who applied with a 50th percentile Subject and got into 2 out of 6 programs. More and more programs are regarding that test as bogus.

Edited November 10, 2009 by joeygiraldo

[callmelilyb]

Thanks joeygiraldo! It is kind of my secret hope that the subject test is less important. Especially since the things I'm interested in are the very things that are poory represented on the subject test.

It's good to know that an average subject test score is not necessarily grounds for being summarily rejected from good programs.

Edited November 10, 2009 by tlsaborido

[callmelilyb]

Can anyone else give me a yay or nay vote on whether or not I should still apply this application round?

A simple yes or no will suffice, an explanation is just a bonus!

Thanks you guys!

[absurd]

Do it, man! I think your general GRE verbal scores will help carry it.

Also, do all of your schools even require the Subject Test? Many great programs (Brown, Duke, et cetera) exclude it from their requirements.

[madame psychosis]

Can anyone else give me a yay or nay vote on whether or not I should still apply this application round?

A simple yes or no will suffice, an explanation is just a bonus!

Thanks you guys!

Of course you should! As someone dreaming up worst-case scenarios re subject exam scores, I'm feeling just as weary about this whole advanced-degree thing. But I've decided I'm not going to let a poor score hold me back, and it doesn't seem like you should either. Your application looks great outside of this one pesky statistic, and you can trust that the schools will see this. Besides, what have you got to lose? It seems like you're pretty far along in the application process anyway. Stick it out with the rest of us! Solidarity and all that.

[JennyFieldsOriginal]

you should 100% still apply and don't let this get you down!

hardly anyone is going to have a completely perfect application and if you're going to have any little tiny weak spot the GRE subject would be the one you would want to have.

the rest of your application sounds great, and this is small-ish potatoes. plus you scored above a 500 so it's not like you started filling in bubbles blindly. think of it this way: scoring above half of the people who are taking this exam (pretty much all of whom want to pursue graduate study in english) is no small feat.

worst worst worst case scenario is you retake next year and reapply. but that is just playing out the bad outcome to it's catastrophic conclusion. i don't think this is going to keep you out of programs. i'm sure you're going to get into lots of great schools and this is all going to seem silly. so definitely chin up and keep on working on those apps!

[callmelilyb]

Thanks for putting everything into perspective for me.

You guys are awesome!