AuD - Good GPA/everything else, low GRE writing score

[crr]

I'm a senior in undergrad and applying for grad school to get my Au.D. starting in the Fall 2017 semester. I have a 3.76 cumulative GPA and a 3.85 major GPA. I am president of my community service organization, have shadowed at an ENT office, have made connections with professors within my major, have good LoR, have a TA position next semester, etc etc. Everything is on track except I'm a nervous wreck about my GRE writing score. I scored a 302 combined, but a 3.5 on my first test and dropped to a 3.0 on my second attempt. I did not retake the test a 3rd time, as spending another $200 dollars was not an option for many reasons. This type of writing, having to plan and execute a well written essay with a time limit, is clearly not my strong-suit. I've been trying to justify it with the hopes that my statement of purpose (which I'm currently procrastinating...) will clearly show that those scores do not appropriately reflect my true writing skills. I'm applying to schools realistically, those with ranges that fit within my GRE/GPA and also those who superscore, but from anyone and everyone's personal experience...Should I be worried???

[svmiless]

You'll be fine! Your GPA is great and your GRE scores are pretty good too, so I don't think your writing will be an issue. I went through the process last year. I had a 3.45 cumulative GPA (changed my major too many times), a 3.67 major GPA, a 310 on my GRE and 4.0 on my writing. I had very average LORs and decent work/extracurricular experience. I was so nervous that I wouldn't get accepted anywhere due to my mediocre cumulative GPA and LORs so I applied to 10 schools. I ended up getting accepted to 9 of them.  My best advice would be to apply to a number of different schools of different rankings, etc. Some programs focus on GPA, some focus on GRE, some focus on a mix of both, which is why I think its smart to apply to a bunch of different schools. Maybe not 10 like me haha but enough to feel safe that you will be accepted somewhere. If you also think your writing is an issue, maybe mention it in your personal statement. I mentioned my GPA in it and I think it made a huge difference. Either way, I think you'll be accepted to more schools than you think, and you'll learn that the writing really isn't an issue (considering as audiologists we will never have to write a time essay under pressure). Good luck!!