Retaking GREs

[jfb2001]

This fall I will be enrolling in an MA program in philosophy (U.Wisconsin-Milwaukee). While my GRE scores are high (800Q, 700V, 5/6 analytic), I think I can do better if I take them a second time. I really want to do my PhD at Harvard or NYU, so there might be practical value in taking them again and doing better. Any thoughts?

[daseinplushie]

You know that the test is going to be revised, right? I believe the last day to take the old test will be late July. Since the new test is going to be twice as long, and a completely different format, you won't have the "second time benefit" that people usually have when they retake the GRE. Depending on just how difficult the new test is, there's always the risk that you'll do worse on the new one. Since your scores are already high enough to be more than competitive on that particular aspect of the application, I'd focus on other aspects of the application (e.g. attend conferences, publish, focus research interests, etcetera).

[jfb2001]

Except...they announced today that the new GRE is being cancelled, which I personally think is a good thing.

http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menu ... f95190RCRD

[daseinplushie]

Wow...I have mixed feelings on that. On the one hand, the new format seemed like it would have *a lot* of problems associated with it. On the other hand, I was kinda looking forward to the quantitative portion having more statistical/data interpretation questions since I have a bit of a background in stats ;-)

[Optimistic]

I would say take them over if you definitely think you can do better. However, if you do worse, it may look bad to admissions committees and your scores are already really high. Even though the GRE people say you usually don't significantly increase your scores by taking the GRE again, from personal experience, I can say they are wrong. The first time I took the GRE, I was a nervous wreck and completely bombed it. I took the test again four months later and increased by verbal score by 180 points, quantitative by 50, and analytical writing by .5. So, if you think you can do better, take it again. But, I agree with daseinplushie that your scores are already high, so maybe you could focus on other things, plus the test is so expensive!

[Othello]

There is absolutely no point in retaking the test with those scores... Bad idea. If you honestly think having scores higher than what you have will increase your chance of success, I'm quite certain you are mistaken.

[jfb2001]

It's really the writing I am worried about. I suppose if my sample is good they won't take the writing score so seriously. I hated that part of the test!! It was 9am, I had underslept (from nerves). That's why I think I could do better a second time around.