When should you retake the GRE?

[Fischie22]

At what point should the GRE be retaken? If there is time, and you think you can improve your score, should you retake it?

Also, if you have beaten the average of previously accepted students, but think you could do better, retake? 

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

Are you improving your score by a couple points or a huge bump? If you have the money, think you'll greatly improve your score, and it won't take you away from doing other things that could improve your application, go for it. I think most programs won't accept scores too close to the deadline, so check your programs to see what their guidelines and cut-offs are. 

[abcde12345]

1 hour ago, Fischie22 said:

At what point should the GRE be retaken? If there is time, and you think you can improve your score, should you retake it?

Also, if you have beaten the average of previously accepted students, but think you could do better, retake? 

I read that you're applying for Fall 2018, so you have time to retake if you want to.. I also read that you got 161/167/tbd, which is great! We got pretty much identical scores (161/168/5.0). Once you make the cutoff (I think your scores already meet the cutoff for TOP programs), whether you got a 170/170 or 161/167 hardly matters.. Your time would be much better spent on research (ideally securing a publication).

This is just my opinion.

Edited January 17, 2017 by George Zhang

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

22 minutes ago, George Zhang said:

I read that you're applying for Fall 2018, so you have time to retake if you want to.. I also read that you got 161/167/tbd, which is great! We got pretty much identical scores (161/168/5.0). Once you make the cutoff (I think your scores already meet the cutoff for TOP programs), whether you got a 170/170 or 161/167 hardly matters.. Your time would be much better spent on research (ideally securing a publication).

This is just my opinion.

I agree. Given your scores, unless your tbd is rather low I wouldn't bother retaking. Get involved with research, plan out what conferences to attend, and start building contacts at the schools you want to attend.

[Fischie22]

On 1/16/2017 at 9:54 PM, George Zhang said:

I read that you're applying for Fall 2018, so you have time to retake if you want to.. I also read that you got 161/167/tbd, which is great! We got pretty much identical scores (161/168/5.0). Once you make the cutoff (I think your scores already meet the cutoff for TOP programs), whether you got a 170/170 or 161/167 hardly matters.. Your time would be much better spent on research (ideally securing a publication).

This is just my opinion.

Also got a 5.0 for AWA, so I am reassured by your post that my scores won't hold me back, and that the possibility for me to improve scores won't make much of a difference in my application. I think I will work to improve the publication/ research portion of my application rather than retake. 

Thanks for the advice! 

Just as a point of reference, what types of schools are you looking to apply to, and what programs do you think you will be competitive in applying to? 

[abcde12345]

NIIICE!!!

I have applied to MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, Caltech, UIUC, UMich, CMU, UT Austin, Purdue West Lafayette, Princeton, Yale, UCSD, USC, UCLA all for EE PhD Fall 2017.

I have received interviews for three programs so far (please see signature). No accepts/rejects yet, but I think most decisions should arrive late January/February/March.

Here are my general stats (http://forum.thegradcafe.com/topic/86424-fall-2017-eecs-applicant-profiles-and-admission-results/). Averaging my GPAs from both schools I attended, I have ~3.8, which is the same as yours. Thus, I believe that your GPA and GRE are strong enough to make it past the numbers cutoff for top ME programs.

I think what made my application competitive is hard work in research, which led to publications and strong LORs. It seems like you have a semester and a summer before you start applying, during which time you could grind out research and hopefully submit a publication for review.