GRE Subject "optional"

[Warelin]

Some schools say that the subject test is optional. For those who applied and got accepted into these schools, did you send them your gre subject scores? Just trying to compile a list of data to determine how much good or bad sending/not sending would do.

[haltheincandescent]

If you're absolutely sure nowhere that you might want to apply to requires it, it's probably worth just skipping it altogether. Even if you ended up taking it and scored a ridiculously high score, I doubt that it would make too much of a difference for anywhere that marks it "optional." (Unless you, for example, went to undergrad somewhere that has no historical distribution requirements, and so have conspicuous gaps in your studies [only 20th c. lit courses, for ex., or only medieval], or did your undergrad in a different subject--point being, a good score on the Lit GRE in this case would give you a chance to show that you have a wide [albeit shallow] knowledge of the traditional literary canon, etc., for what that's worth, despite what your transcript shows).  (If you're even wavering about whether to send an app to a program that requires it, though, I'd say: go ahead and take it, probably, as your idea of where you want to apply might change, and getting shut out of one bc of no scores would be lame)

Other hand: If you had to take it for some other application anyway, and your scores were okay enough (70th% / 600 or so or above?), there's probably no harm sending them. If they're lower, it'd probably be good to opt not so send them--it won't exactly be a conspicuous absence, as they have no way of knowing whether or not you took it, and so might just assume you didn't take it at all, which (considering how many programs are moving away from requiring it) is pretty common. This path might cost you a bit more in score-sending fees if you do later opt to send them, as you'd probably not want to use the few free ones since you can't see your score before they get sent, but, maybe worth it, in the case of a poor score.

point being: if you've got them anyway: send them if they're good and you can spare the 27$, don't if they're not/you can't.

[jillcicle]

6 hours ago, haltheincandescent said:

(Unless you, for example, went to undergrad somewhere that has no historical distribution requirements, and so have conspicuous gaps in your studies [only 20th c. lit courses, for ex., or only medieval], or did your undergrad in a different subject--point being, a good score on the Lit GRE in this case would give you a chance to show that you have a wide [albeit shallow] knowledge of the traditional literary canon, etc., for what that's worth, despite what your transcript shows).

In a similar vein, I took it specifically because I transferred from community college and wasn't able to take a large breadth of courses in my two years of undergrad. (Especially as a double major, I didn't take anything over the absolute requirements for degree.) My transcript was probably ~70% Medieval and Early Modern because I doubled in MEMS. I feel that the GRE lit demonstrated a better range of knowledge than my transcripts and CC background might have suggested.

With that said, I really took a gamble by sending the free score report to all my top choices without knowing how I was going to score. I don't know if I'd recommend it if you aren't trying to patch some sort of "hole" in your academic experience. Also, it was expensive and stressful.

Hm, just realized you were asking about sending not taking. I only applied to MA programs and have only heard back from 1 so far. I can't picture it hurting you in any way to not send if you don't love your score (presuming you don't need it to show breadth of knowledge, as I mentioned).

Edited March 15, 2016 by jillcicle
misread original post

[toasterazzi]

I didn't take the subject test at all because the schools I applied to either didn't require it or didn't ask for it (one even explicitly said DO NOT SEND IT TO US lol). It didn't seem make a major difference one way or another.

[Little Earthquakes]

Personally, I shied away from programs that placed too much emphasis on the General GRE and did not apply to any that required the Literature GRE. I really disagree with the politics of standardized testing, and the merit of the Lit GRE just seems nonexistent to me. From what I've heard, the majority of programs that still require the Lit GRE don't place a lot of emphasis on it because it's really archaic/outdated. Okay tl;dr ignore my rant.

When I was deciding between applying to other schools or staying on at my undergrad institution for my MA, I *did* take the Lit GRE in 2012 and scored abysmally. This application season, I was accepted to at least 2 programs that stated the Lit GRE was "optional." I chose not to send in my scores to these schools at the time I applied. 

[beardedlady]

I'm reviving this old thread (and chose this one specifically a little at random and also because some of the responses seemed to make interesting points) because maybe it'll be helpful for next year's applicants to hear our experiences. FWIW, I didn't take the test and applied to 5 schools that "recommended" it in some way; I was accepted to one school that "highly recommends" it and even set a benchmark score, and was wailtisted at two others that vaguely "recommended" it. I honestly don't think that this in itself would have been the reason I was waitlisted rather than admitted, but who knows. I'm an applicant with an MA who has had little in the way of a well-rounded course selection--i.e. the vast majority of my courses focused on 19th & 20th century (but my stated focus on apps was 20th & contemporary, so at least it matches. If I were applying as an early modernist I guess my situation would be different).  My advice would be: don't let department's statements on recommending to take the test deter you from applying if you haven't. This probably isn't going to be the reason you do/don't get a spot. (Of course, this is just my opinion, based on completely anecdotal evidence.)

[arbie]

I had a similar experience as @beardedlady. I took the subject test five years ago and it was the worst testing experience of my life. My scores had expired before I ended up applying for PhD programs. Three of my programs “highly recommended” it but did not require it. I was rejected from one, accepted at one, and invited to a finalist interview at the last—the last ultimately ended in a rejection but I think it was because when I got to the interview it was clear to us both that we weren’t right for each other, I don’t think I would have made it to the interview if it was based on my lack of subject test scores. 

[MetaphysicalDrama]

I applied to two programs that claimed it was optional or recommended, and I was rejected by both.  For record, I have gone 3/7(8) on my apps, so this may have made a difference at those schools.