GRE writing score - high enough?

[StellaBa]

Hi everyone.

I'm a non-US undergrad planning to apply for PhD programs for 2018. My field of interest is in developmental psychology.

I took the GRE a few months ago, and got a 164(v)/170(q)/4(w).

I'm pretty content with the verbal and quant scores, but a bit insecure about my writing.

Some of my target schools are in the Top 5 (Harvard, Stanford etc)

Should I invest some more time with GRE and try to improve my writing score?

Or should I just focus on writing a better SOP?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Sandmaster]

I could be wrong as I have not gone through a Ph.D. app process yet (also applying for 2018) however, I think that while the writing score is a little low for some of those programs (they probably have averages of a 5) I would not retake and spend the time wowing them on your SOP and Writing sample.

I doubt they would even take a second look at the writing score after reading good submissions of writing as pieces of the application.

Just my non-expert opinion though.  Good luck!

[Epaphroditus]

On 9/27/2017 at 6:01 AM, StellaBa said:

Hi everyone.

I'm a non-US undergrad planning to apply for PhD programs for 2018. My field of interest is in developmental psychology.

I took the GRE a few months ago, and got a 164(v)/170(q)/4(w).

I'm pretty content with the verbal and quant scores, but a bit insecure about my writing.

Some of my target schools are in the Top 5 (Harvard, Stanford etc)

Should I invest some more time with GRE and try to improve my writing score?

Or should I just focus on writing a better SOP?

 

Thanks in advance!

Those schools in the top 5 will definitely want to see a higher writing score. If you're set on going to one of those schools, I would take it again to improve your writing to at least a 5.