I got accepted but still stressed.. I have a quesiton

[antonioa1]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm new to the forum so please bare with me! I'm about to be 26 years old and I finally decided to pursue my dream of becoming a licensed school psychologist. So far, I've been given the opportunity to interview at Fairleigh Dickinson University for their MA School Psychology program (accredited and have a Psy.D advanced standing track). I was recently accepted to Long Island University- Hudson for an M.S in School Psychology with Bilingual Extension (Not accredited), and Iona College for an MA in School Psychology (accredited).

I plan on moving to Florida but I did not make the application deadline for the University of Central Florida's School Psychology EdS program, and it's unlikely that I would get in.

Here's my dilema, I meet above all of the requirements for Nova Southeastern University's Psy.D program (and I really want to get in!) EXCEPT the GRE standard cut-off score. What my goal is for this specific program is a combined score of at least a 300. The first time I took the GRE I scored very low (combined score of 274). In my defense, math was never my best subject and I also did not prepare for the GRE at all (I did not study and I did not know anything about the test format, length, etc.) and I kind of went in blind.

My question is will it be possible for me to go up 26 points on my GRE? I purchased the ETS GRE prep book straight from the makers of GRE and I was thinking of using Magoosh what do you guys think? Is Magoosh trustworthy or should I try a private tutor?

Thank you guys

 

Alex

Edited March 1, 2017 by antonioa1

[That Research Lady]

4 hours ago, antonioa1 said:

My question is will it be possible for me to go up 26 points on my GRE? I purchased the ETS GRE prep book straight from the makers of GRE and I was thinking of using Magoosh what do you guys think? Is Magoosh trustworthy or should I try a private tutor?

So, I pre-apologise for sounding like a walking/talking commercial but I LOVE magoosh. It is the biggest reason I brought my score up! I didn't Study the first time either so second time I put a lot of hours in. I studied 15 to 20 hours a week (on top of working full time) for about 3 months. I only studied with Magoosh and my math score increased by 14 points and I ended up almost in the 90th percentile versus my previous score which was below the 40th. Verbal I moved up 5 points but I have a learning disability which makes learning new words a process for me so I did not Study for that section too much. To be honest, Magoosh's math question are much harder than the actual test, which I found great because I found the quantitative portion on the GRE super easy my second time. What I did was take a practice test, see which questions I tended to get wrong (be as detailed as possible, ie. Single word fill in the blanks or geometry with triangles) and then I'd watch those videos in order of worst performance to best and do some practice questions for those sections. Each week I'd do a mixture of all practice questions not to loose skill in what I'm good at and then I'd do a practice test a month later and start all over again. I really could not have brought my score up that much with Magoosh. With all that said, IF you have the money for a private tutor that may be a better route. Nothing beats one on one attention with someone skilled and knowledgeable.

[Blackwater]

I tried every study book for the GRE and nothing helped raise my quant score. Eventually I forked out the money for Magoosh and it was extremely helpful and really helped me improve my quant score (my qual was already in the 90th). I studied two hours a day for three months. 

[antonioa1]

Wow thank you guys so much! I think I'm going to do Magoosh for one month and see how it goes. I'll invest the money and put the time in to ensure a better grade. If I need to hire a private tutor I will. 

[ellieotter]

I took the GRE twice. First time I used Magoosh for months before I took it and yes, I think it is wonderful BUT I struggled with the guiding myself through quant section so my first GRE experience was so unbelievably horrible that I barely made it to my car before I started bawling. I knew I'd need someone to help coach me through the quant sections so I enrolled in a Kaplan 8 week course. Obviously not everyone has the extra money for this but I will say that doing the in-class work, the out of class work, and having someone to answer my questions in person helped boost my confidence. My Q score went up 9 points, my V went up 5, and my writing went up to the almost 90%tile.

I think it's all about how you learn most effectively and for me, that's having someone there to confirm I was doing the sections right. Just my own personal experience

[dormcat]

I took the GRE cold and got a combined score of 306. My quant score was in the 32nd percentile(!!). Real bad. However, I used magoosh for the six months leading up to the second test. I watched every single quant video and took notes like it was a class. I retook the GRE and I didn't do amazing on quant by any means but I got above average and past the cutoff for most if not all my programs with a 70th percentile score. My combined score went up 14 points. My downfall was that I didn't even finish the math sections because I'm so slow at thinking through problems. Practicing is the most important part after learning the concept, you have to just immediately know how to solve it at first glance.

Take home message: if you actually have a lot to learn and learn it, yes you can raise your score dramatically, but it will take time. 

[eveline]

5 hours ago, dormcat said:

I took the GRE cold and got a combined score of 306. My quant score was in the 32nd percentile(!!). Real bad. However, I used magoosh for the six months leading up to the second test. I watched every single quant video and took notes like it was a class. I retook the GRE and I didn't do amazing on quant by any means but I got above average and past the cutoff for most if not all my programs with a 70th percentile score. My combined score went up 14 points. My downfall was that I didn't even finish the math sections because I'm so slow at thinking through problems. Practicing is the most important part after learning the concept, you have to just immediately know how to solve it at first glance.

Take home message: if you actually have a lot to learn and learn it, yes you can raise your score dramatically, but it will take time. 

Wow, that's an amazing improvement! Nice work! How often over the six months were you studying? Hours per week if you could estimate? I've been accepted to my safety school, but I'm wondering if working on the GRE will open up more doors for me if I apply again next year. 

[dormcat]

16 hours ago, eveline said:

Wow, that's an amazing improvement! Nice work! How often over the six months were you studying? Hours per week if you could estimate? I've been accepted to my safety school, but I'm wondering if working on the GRE will open up more doors for me if I apply again next year. 

I took the GRE about six months ago so it's a little hard to remember day to day how much I was studying. I think there are about 100 hours of video content for quant, and it took about twice as much time to watch due to taking notes, working through problems, etc. So maybe 200 hours over the course of four months (~15 hrs/wk). I got married two weeks before the test date so inevitably my effort declined during the 6 weeks before the wedding and then I crammed for the last two weeks with hours a day of practice problems. Had I studied more consistently during those six weeks I would've been better off. 

Does your top program(s) list stats for incoming classes like GRE/GPA average? If your GRE is what's stopping you from getting in someplace you'd rather be, that's something that can be improved upon. Of course not everyone can wait to apply again, so it's up to you if you can wait another cycle. 

[socrate4se]

You can definitely go from a cold 274 to 26 points higher. But! I think you may need more than a month to do it, unless maybe you study 4+ hours per day.

I want to hop on the Magoosh train here--it was hands down my favorite and the most helpful study aid while I was preparing.

[eveline]

2 hours ago, dormcat said:

I took the GRE about six months ago so it's a little hard to remember day to day how much I was studying. I think there are about 100 hours of video content for quant, and it took about twice as much time to watch due to taking notes, working through problems, etc. So maybe 200 hours over the course of four months (~15 hrs/wk). I got married two weeks before the test date so inevitably my effort declined during the 6 weeks before the wedding and then I crammed for the last two weeks with hours a day of practice problems. Had I studied more consistently during those six weeks I would've been better off. 

Does your top program(s) list stats for incoming classes like GRE/GPA average? If your GRE is what's stopping you from getting in someplace you'd rather be, that's something that can be improved upon. Of course not everyone can wait to apply again, so it's up to you if you can wait another cycle. 

My GRE Q is a tad lower compared to the averages of programs I didn't hear from. But, I did get 4/8 interviews this cycle (my first) and some of the programs were truly reaches anyway. I'll also never know if I was nixed solely due to GRE Q, or it could be other red flags in my app (like withdrawing from two classes in undergrad because I didn't think I'd ever be applying to grad school anyway). 

Thanks for the response! I really appreciate your thoughts! 

[JMellow]

So I had this exact issue when I was applying for Nova. My score remained at a stubborn 293 after 3 times of taking it. I had given up and cried that third time and swore off taking the damned test again. It was November and the clock was ticking. I knew Nova wouldn't take my 293 because it was under the cut-off. In short, I stopped crying, bought magoosh for a month and eat, slept and breathed the quant section (my verbal was a decent 155 and my writing a 4). I brushed my teeth for 1.5 minutes every day so I could accustom myself to the length of time I should spend on a question. Crazy I know. But, I did what I had to to succeed in a month. I took 4-5 practice tests. In a month, I retook the test and scored a 304. I had a 12 point increase. It takes dedication and it wasn't easy, but it was seriously possible. Did you interview with Nova at all? And congrats on your other acceptance! Let me know if you need any advice. 

Edited March 5, 2017 by JMellow

[metalpsychperson]

I know it's been beat to death already. But yes, Magoosh is by far the best GRE study aid out there. I did very well on the GRE and I don't think I would have done nearly as well without Magoosh. I watched all the videos, took notes, compiled the notes into one big document to study, and took several practice tests plus some smaller sets of practice problems. Also, remember that the practice tests on Magoosh are harder than the actual test. I scored much higher on both parts of the actual test than I did on any Magoosh practice test. The two practice tests provided by ETS are the closest to the actual thing; if you haven't taken them already I suggest taking them close to the actual date of the test, after you've taken all the Magoosh tests you can handle.