GRE frustration!!!

[hmbanana93]

Hey everyone, 

Over the summer I posted about my anxiety over the GRE... I finally took it and got not the best or most stellar scores: 152V 145Q and 4.5 writing

I have an extensive research background (soon to have a publication as first-author), good LORs, a solid SOP which has been reviewed by multiple professionals, but an average GPA (3.58). 

I'm just freaking out and have so much anxiety over the GRE, most of my schools say they view each applicant holistically or that they still review applications even if the GRE is below their "cut off."

I'm retaking the test on 10/30, but I honestly do not think that I'll be able to do much better than I did (hopefully not worse!!!!). Anyways, I just had my hopes up to go to schools ranked within the top 25 and to receive a research assistantship to help with funding and I feel like my GRE threw all of that out the window. I'm just absolutely abysmal at standardized tests due to the timing and pressure and the fact that I'm just generally bad at them.

Is anyone else in a similar position? Need to vent? The GRE has made me seriously question my intelligence and I feel hopeless! 

 

[NatRose]

What did you use to study?  I used the Kaplan book the first time around and got 145Q / 154V,  then I bought the magoosh subscription, studied every day for a month, then got to 154Q / 159V / 4.0 W.   It really helped that the online program has a billion practice problems and lesson videos.

 

The GRE doesn't measure intelligence, it measures one's ability to take the GRE.  I have a coworker who is an incredible therapist, but has abysmal GRE scores and has a hard time getting into grad school because of it.  

[jpiccolo]

Just my 2 cents about rankings. Unless you're planning on a PhD (and even then I'm skeptical) it's not necessary to go to a top 25 school. Rankings can be pretty arbitrary based on how they were created anyway. You can have a solid education even at a lower ranked school, especially in our field. Mine wasn't in the top 25 yet the slp coordinator who hired me raved about my program over all schools in state and in neighboring states. 

[hmbanana93]

@NatRose I used Magoosh and Kaplan as well :/ my practice test scores were around 149-152 so maybe it was just test day jitters who knows. Thanks for your reply though! It's so frustrating cause you're right it's about how well you know the GRE and I can't seem to get the hang of it!  I hope your coworker has better luck getting into grad school! 

@jpiccolo That's true. I guess I threw that in there because I really want to go to school in Boston (which all 4 schools are around the top 25 and expensive) since I want to be close to my family and see myself potentially pursuing a PhD in the future. I also want to practice as a medical SLP in Boston (again, family reasons) and thought that Boston schools would have ideal placements and connections for that. 

[Louly]

Do not be bummed about your GRE. I'm a MS/PhD student and I scored at the bottom 2% of the GRE in all categories. If you truly believe you're not going to do any better, do not take it again. It'll only prove that you can't score any higher. At least, with the one time score ...you can argue your way out of it. 

Edited October 21, 2017 by Louly
grammar

[Southwestspeechie]

Don't feel too worried! Try to get your verbal up if you can, so that your total score can be a 300. I am in the same boat as I have a 143 Quant and a 157 Verbal! I absolutely hate the GRE. I would also try to apply to a few schools that are outside of the top 25, for speech pathology it seems many of the programs are very similar. Good luck to you!