Stanford's Listed Average GRE Scores

[sociology_hopeful]

I will be applying for Sociology PhD programs this fall and recently took the GRE. I decided to look around for programs that listed average GRE scores to decide whether I wanted to retake or not. I noticed that most (top 10) programs list average or expected scores at about 90th percentile for the Verbal section, and 75th percentile for the Quantitative section. However, something that jumped out at me was Stanford Sociology, which wrote on their FAQ page that "admitted students typically have GRE scores of 166+ verbal, 163+ quantitative, and a score of 5.5 in the Analytical section." This seems to be way higher than every other program, even the other programs in the top 5. 

This worries me a bit, since I received exactly 1 point lower in verbal and quant, and 0.5 points lower in writing (165 verbal, 162 quant, 5.0 writing), and now I'm really considering retaking, since Stanford Sociology is my dream program. I was wondering whether spending more time and money to retake the GRE would be a good idea, especially since almost everyone has told me that adcoms don't really care about GRE scores after a certain threshold. Does anyone know if GRE scores play a large role in admissions for Stanford Sociology? Why is it that Stanford's listed GRE scores are so much higher than other programs? Is there a point where increasing your scores doesn't really help your chance of admissions anymore? (For more context, my GPA is about 3.6-3.7 from one of the UCs.)

Edited July 10, 2017 by sociology_hopeful

[Tuannnv]

Hi, sociology_hopeful

It is very nice to meet you! I am from Vietnam and i gonna take my GRE General test by the end of October, 2017 which means that i have around two more months before reaching the test date. So, Could you please give me some advice to this test (tips and document).

Thanks you so much!

Tuan

[rising_star]

If they say typical, then there are likely some students above that and some below that. Your ROI would be higher if you spent the time crafting an excellent writing sample and statement of purpose, rather than trying to get your GRE score up by one point. 

[draco.malfoy]

I agree completely with @rising_star. Having just completed the process of applying, and then having been admitted to my top programs, I can say for certain that your scores are just fine. Don't retake the test. I repeat, don't retake the test. Focus your attention of your writing sample, your personal statements and/or statement of purposes, and building relationships with faculty in the departments you are interested in. My GRE quant score was significantly lower than yours (verbal same, writing higher), and I did very well. I didn't get into top 5 schools, but I didn't want to go to those schools. I wanted to go to Yale, and that's where I am going. It's more important that you're a good writer and researcher than test taker, and the faculty on the admissions committees believe that, too. If Stanford is the best fit for you, connect with the faculty there, email them, ask them questions, try to get an invite to visit, and focus on your writing pieces, and you'll do just fine.

I also completely understand the anxiety, though, that courses through this entire process. It's so easy to obsess about the numbers on the test because they're quantifiable, whereas your writing sample and PS/SOP will be read more subjectively/qualitatively. But fit is more important than anything, and fit is subjective. Hang in there! You'll do just fine.

[NRestrepo93]

On 7/12/2017 at 10:06 AM, draco.malfoy said:

I agree completely with @rising_star. Having just completed the process of applying, and then having been admitted to my top programs, I can say for certain that your scores are just fine. Don't retake the test. I repeat, don't retake the test. Focus your attention of your writing sample, your personal statements and/or statement of purposes, and building relationships with faculty in the departments you are interested in. My GRE quant score was significantly lower than yours (verbal same, writing higher), and I did very well. I didn't get into top 5 schools, but I didn't want to go to those schools. I wanted to go to Yale, and that's where I am going. It's more important that you're a good writer and researcher than test taker, and the faculty on the admissions committees believe that, too. If Stanford is the best fit for you, connect with the faculty there, email them, ask them questions, try to get an invite to visit, and focus on your writing pieces, and you'll do just fine.

I also completely understand the anxiety, though, that courses through this entire process. It's so easy to obsess about the numbers on the test because they're quantifiable, whereas your writing sample and PS/SOP will be read more subjectively/qualitatively. But fit is more important than anything, and fit is subjective. Hang in there! You'll do just fine.

 Draco, do you mind if I ask what your GRE quant score was? Yale was basically my dream program but did not get in last year. 

[amycass]

On 7/10/2017 at 4:10 PM, sociology_hopeful said:

Stanford Sociology, which wrote on their FAQ page that "admitted students typically have GRE scores of 166+ verbal, 163+ quantitative, and a score of 5.5 in the Analytical section." This seems to be way higher than every other program, even the other programs in the top 5. 

 

 

I was just accepted with the following GRE scores: 163V / 158Q / 5 

[MSilves]

Hi everyone, 

I have a similar question regarding GRE scores for top sociology PhD programs - I recently took the GRE and scored 165V, 154Q, and 6 AW - basically I am trying to gauge whether my relatively low math score will limit my application. From what I've researched so far, it seems as though the averages for GRE scores for top programs is much higher in verbal than in quant, but I'm deciding on whether I need to take it again or whether it will not count against me considering my verbal and writing score. I am interested in primarily qualitative sociology, not quantitative. I am also aware that most schools take your whole application into consideration but use the GREs as an initial weeding out process. I am very interested in Stanford because of their strong gender focus, but I know my quant score is significantly lower than this reported average. Any advice would be super helpful. Thank you!