Bad news on the GRE front

[LateAntique]

I emailed Catholic U to ask them if my score (1120) met any of the cut-offs I would need. I was told that although my score would get me in, they were unsure if it was high enough to get the tuition waiver (upon which admission to the program is contingent). Boo.

[captiv8ed]

Aw, that is too bad Are you going to apply anyway? What is their cutoff?

[LateAntique]

Yeah - I have already submitted my stuff. I wasn't given any actual figures for cut-offs, so it may just be relative to what other scores come in.

[Febronia]

I've found CUA's financial aid information to be frustratingly vague myself. All of my other programs fund everyone whom they admit, and it's clear that CUA does not, but the specifics of just what kind of funding is available and how hard it is to get seem hard to come by. In googling, I found this, which may or may not be current: http://policies.cua.edu/enrollment/finaidgradfull.cfm

Among other things, it says, "Doctoral Scholarships: These scholarships are full-tuition awards for students entering one of the university’s doctoral programs full time. To be considered for these awards, applicants must have strong undergraduate records and cumulative verbal and quantitative GRE scores of 1300 or above. Half Scholarships – University and Centennial Halves: These half-tuition scholarships are open to most prospective full-time graduate students with strong undergraduate records and combined verbal and quantitative GRE scores of 1200 or higher."

Again, I don't know if this is still accurate, since it's dated 2005 and is rather buried on the website. But at least it's some hard numbers. I know that's probably disappointing, but even if you don't get a merit scholarship from CUA, I think you will still be a strong candidate for several of your other programs, which don't tie financial aid directly to GRE scores the way that CUA does.

[LateAntique]

I've found CUA's financial aid information to be frustratingly vague myself. All of my other programs fund everyone whom they admit, and it's clear that CUA does not, but the specifics of just what kind of funding is available and how hard it is to get seem hard to come by. In googling, I found this, which may or may not be current: http://policies.cua.edu/enrollment/finaidgradfull.cfm

Among other things, it says, "Doctoral Scholarships: These scholarships are full-tuition awards for students entering one of the university’s doctoral programs full time. To be considered for these awards, applicants must have strong undergraduate records and cumulative verbal and quantitative GRE scores of 1300 or above. Half Scholarships – University and Centennial Halves: These half-tuition scholarships are open to most prospective full-time graduate students with strong undergraduate records and combined verbal and quantitative GRE scores of 1200 or higher."

Again, I don't know if this is still accurate, since it's dated 2005 and is rather buried on the website. But at least it's some hard numbers. I know that's probably disappointing, but even if you don't get a merit scholarship from CUA, I think you will still be a strong candidate for several of your other programs, which don't tie financial aid directly to GRE scores the way that CUA does.

The Early Christian Studies program won't admit you unless you get a tuition waiver from the university. The doctoral scholarship seems to be the only waiver of this type and requires a 1300 GRE, so it seems I'm out of the running.

[a fragrant plant]

I hate schools being equivocal about the GRE. Just apply - the offer may surprise you!

[alexis]

I saw this and thought it was really interesting in regards to why GRE cutoffs shouldn't be used. (Why can't more schools get that?)

http://www.fairtest.org/examining-gre-myths-misuses-and-alternatives

[LateAntique]

I saw this and thought it was really interesting in regards to why GRE cutoffs shouldn't be used. (Why can't more schools get that?)

http://www.fairtest.org/examining-gre-myths-misuses-and-alternatives

The fact that one can spend $1,000 on Kaplan's prep courses and do better proves that you can be coached on the GRE. It's absurd to think that one's ability to cram for a test is somehow indicative of their overall ability within grad school.

[FairTest]

I saw this and thought it was really interesting in regards to why GRE cutoffs shouldn't be used. (Why can't more schools get that?)

http://www.fairtest....nd-alternatives

In fact, the official Guidelines for the Use of GRE Scores, published by the Educational Testing Service, strongly discourage the use of cut-off scores:

"6 Consider Carefully Any Use of a Composite Measure

A cutoff score based only on GRE scores should never be used as a sole criterion for denial of admission. The use of a cutoff score combining Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing is especially problematic because the scales for the measures differ greatly. Any department considering the use of a cutoff score should compile a rationale justifying the appropriateness of such a score for each measure: 1) evidence that the proposed cutoff score for the measure usefully distinguishes between individuals who are likely to succeed in graduate school and those who are not, and 2) the impact of the proposed cutoff score on the institution's goals related to diversity."

Anyone who has concrete documentation of violations of this policy, should contact us at bobschaeffer at fairtest.org

[peppermint.beatnik]

Does every school have this? Even if it's unwritten (as in not published on the website)? I have above 1200, but not 1300.

[LateAntique]

I don't think being accepted to this program at CUA is contingent upon GRE scores (alone, at least). Rather, the funding that they require (which comes from the grad school) is contingent (or so it seems) upon a certain GRE score. Seems kind of a round-about way to keep people out via the GRE, but c'est la vie.

[NervousNellie]

I saw this and thought it was really interesting in regards to why GRE cutoffs shouldn't be used. (Why can't more schools get that?)

http://www.fairtest.org/examining-gre-myths-misuses-and-alternatives

...and that was back in the day when the test was only $105.

Also, I laughed because Harvard Divinity School was the first among the schools listed in the link as not requiring the GRE. For the first time this year, they are requiring GRE scores for applications to all programs. I was at an HDS open house and one student asked a faculty member what she thought of Harvard's reputation for elitism. The faculty member said "the process is totally blind," and explicitly stated that the admissions committee wouldn't know if someone is, for example, a Rockefeller. The whole conversation seemed to me to be an excellent demonstration of how racism and classism are systemic, subtle, and insidious issues. Of course, the process is "blind" on the surface. But attendance at expensive well-known universities for undergraduate studies, likelihood of having recommendation letters from prestigious folks who have some connection to Harvard, as well as things like ability to take the GRE more than once have race and class implications that go beyond whether the admissions committee tries to ignore last names. The denial of systemic racism and classism coming from a Harvard Divinity faculty member was pretty depressing.

[keondraismyrealname]

...and that was back in the day when the test was only $105.

Also, I laughed because Harvard Divinity School was the first among the schools listed in the link as not requiring the GRE. For the first time this year, they are requiring GRE scores for applications to all programs. I was at an HDS open house and one student asked a faculty member what she thought of Harvard's reputation for elitism. The faculty member said "the process is totally blind," and explicitly stated that the admissions committee wouldn't know if someone is, for example, a Rockefeller. The whole conversation seemed to me to be an excellent demonstration of how racism and classism are systemic, subtle, and insidious issues. Of course, the process is "blind" on the surface. But attendance at expensive well-known universities for undergraduate studies, likelihood of having recommendation letters from prestigious folks who have some connection to Harvard, as well as things like ability to take the GRE more than once have race and class implications that go beyond whether the admissions committee tries to ignore last names. The denial of systemic racism and classism coming from a Harvard Divinity faculty member was pretty depressing.

well said. i concur.

[coyabean]

...and that was back in the day when the test was only $105.

Also, I laughed because Harvard Divinity School was the first among the schools listed in the link as not requiring the GRE. For the first time this year, they are requiring GRE scores for applications to all programs. I was at an HDS open house and one student asked a faculty member what she thought of Harvard's reputation for elitism. The faculty member said "the process is totally blind," and explicitly stated that the admissions committee wouldn't know if someone is, for example, a Rockefeller. The whole conversation seemed to me to be an excellent demonstration of how racism and classism are systemic, subtle, and insidious issues. Of course, the process is "blind" on the surface. But attendance at expensive well-known universities for undergraduate studies, likelihood of having recommendation letters from prestigious folks who have some connection to Harvard, as well as things like ability to take the GRE more than once have race and class implications that go beyond whether the admissions committee tries to ignore last names. The denial of systemic racism and classism coming from a Harvard Divinity faculty member was pretty depressing.

Yes, yes, a thousand times YES.

[rising_star]

. I was at an HDS open house and one student asked a faculty member what she thought of Harvard's reputation for elitism. The faculty member said "the process is totally blind," and explicitly stated that the admissions committee wouldn't know if someone is, for example, a Rockefeller. The whole conversation seemed to me to be an excellent demonstration of how racism and classism are systemic, subtle, and insidious issues. Of course, the process is "blind" on the surface. But attendance at expensive well-known universities for undergraduate studies, likelihood of having recommendation letters from prestigious folks who have some connection to Harvard, as well as things like ability to take the GRE more than once have race and class implications that go beyond whether the admissions committee tries to ignore last names. The denial of systemic racism and classism coming from a Harvard Divinity faculty member was pretty depressing.

I'm still convinced I got into MA programs because of the fancy-pants name on my undergrad degree, especially since I didn't have a top GPA or super-high GRE scores, quality LORs from people that knew me well, or a focused SOP (and that's aside from the fact that I changed discipline!). So yea, the idea that admissions are "blind" is laughable.