GREs and Funding

[allegheny]

So I'm an applicant to a number of very small, very selective humanities programs, all of which profess that GREs are of little to no importance in their admissions decision. I know that this is true to some extent of most humanities programs; even if GRE scores are of "little to no importance", certainly factors like the SOP, writing sample and LORs are more important. All of the schools I'm applying to, however, suggest that GRE scores are very important in helping them to secure funding from their respective Graduate Schools.

Here's the point:

I'm not in the least familiar with the way fellowships are awarded, but don't you think that- what with funding drying up, and assuming that competitive programs want to secure as many fellowships for their students as possible, and if it's in fact true that GREs play an important part in securing fellowships- that adcomms may weight GRE scores more heavily this year in the selection process?

Excuse my ignorance on this subject. I guess I'm just curious as to: the typical process for schools awarding funding, whether Graduate Schools may have different sets of criteria for funding than a program's admissions criteria/priorities, and if different, whether the expectation that so-and-so applicant is more likely to fit the funding criteria would influence a committee's decision to admit a student.

[rogue]

I've been wondering the same thing, and I kind of hope this is the case. My GRE scores are one of the stronger parts of my application, and it would be lovely if they counted for more this cycle.

[Tam]

Me too, actually. I hadn't thought of it in terms of admissions chances exactly this way, but I'm hoping that they increase my chances for funding. My GRE scores are WAY stronger than the rest of my application, I think, especially my combined score (only half of which will really matter to math departments, but all of which might matter for school-wide funding).

[jacib]

So I'm an applicant to a number of very small, very selective humanities programs, all of which profess that GREs are of little to no importance in their admissions decision. I know that this is true to some extent of most humanities programs; even if GRE scores are of "little to no importance", certainly factors like the SOP, writing sample and LORs are more important. All of the schools I'm applying to, however, suggest that GRE scores are very important in helping them to secure funding from their respective Graduate Schools.

Here's the point:

I'm not in the least familiar with the way fellowships are awarded, but don't you think that- what with funding drying up, and assuming that competitive programs want to secure as many fellowships for their students as possible, and if it's in fact true that GREs play an important part in securing fellowships- that adcomms may weight GRE scores more heavily this year in the selection process?

Excuse my ignorance on this subject. I guess I'm just curious as to: the typical process for schools awarding funding, whether Graduate Schools may have different sets of criteria for funding than a program's admissions criteria/priorities, and if different, whether the expectation that so-and-so applicant is more likely to fit the funding criteria would influence a committee's decision to admit a student.

It depends on the school. For funding based on grants for a specific project, they probably don't matter (though this doesn't apply to the Humanities/Social Sciences as much). Many of my schools guaranteed full funding for all PhD programs. Often times, funding is tied to certain specific fellowships, each of which has a different standard. I know some of the standards are strongly topic based (for example, someone gives money to fund students studying the "African-American experience"). I have heard certain schools determine funding largely if not entirely based on GREs. State schools have all sorts of weird fellowships (for each UC I applied to I had to choose all that applied to me for a page worth of categories), but I don't know if within those GREs matter. In short, I believe some schools do, some schools don't consider GRE's. What percentage probably varies by specific field. I think the fact of the matter is each school treats this matter differently.

[Pamphilia]

I know for one that Carolina awards certain funding/fellowships based on GRE scores. It's the only program to which I applied where I was told they do that, though I'm sure a couple of the others engage in the practice as well. A faculty member told me that even though the English department doesn't really care about it, my high Quant score would help me out with funding (if the English department recommends me for admission to the Grad School, of course).

[Roll Right]

It depends on the school. For funding based on grants for a specific project, they probably don't matter (though this doesn't apply to the Humanities/Social Sciences as much). Many of my schools guaranteed full funding for all PhD programs. Often times, funding is tied to certain specific fellowships, each of which has a different standard. I know some of the standards are strongly topic based (for example, someone gives money to fund students studying the "African-American experience"). I have heard certain schools determine funding largely if not entirely based on GREs. State schools have all sorts of weird fellowships (for each UC I applied to I had to choose all that applied to me for a page worth of categories), but I don't know if within those GREs matter. In short, I believe some schools do, some schools don't consider GRE's. What percentage probably varies by specific field. I think the fact of the matter is each school treats this matter differently.

Very true, Im not in the humanities, but in terms of sociology there is usually a full funding guarantee for up to 5 years. The only requirement for funding is acceptance. Duke and UNC have such policies. So funding can depend on admittance, or it can depend on GPA or GRE scores. The program Im in hands out funding based on such scores, however 2nd year funding is based on merit observed during the first year. So even if your program gives out funding based on incoming GRE or GPA numbers, I think you can secure funding in the second semester or second year at the latest if you put a lot of work into it.

Edited January 21, 2010 by Roll Right