Is it possible to make it in with a 143 quant score?

[Southwestspeechie]

Hi everyone! 

I took my GREs and got a 157 verbal, 4 in the essay, but a 143 in the quant section. I have a 3.7 GPA. I am going to retake the GREs in 2 weeks, but am not feeling too confident? Does anyone have any experience with a very low quant score and still got accepted? Thank you!!! My schools are in my signature if you are interested. 

[Crimson Wife]

Look at ASHA EdFind's stats because some of the schools on your list even the 157 V is average or below-average (UNC-Chapel Hill, Arizona, UTD) and coupled with a 3.7 GPA you'd need above-average GRE's to be competitive.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take those 3 off your list and replace them with less-competitive programs. Sorry if that seems harsh, but unless your retake improves your scores dramatically, you're likely wasting your time and money applying to highly competitive schools.

[hmbanana93]

Hello! 

I had a similar problem with my GRE. I'm just so bad at standardized tests that I scored 155V 145Q and 5.0 AW and I have a mediocre GPA (3.59). 

I feel like a lot of schools “now-a-days” really look at the entire applicant, not just GRE’s. If you have an excellent personal statement, excellent letters of recommendation, and valuable experience, I think THAT makes a strong applicant too. You shouldn't take yourself out of the running because you didn't score great on one section that's not exactly relevant to our field. Other than quant, you seem like a very strong applicant. 

My advice would be to not stress yourself out entirely. All hope is not lost due to one section out of an entire application. Give it your all and do your best on your retake, but remind yourself it's not a deal breaker. 

Maybe look into cut-off scores for programs. All of my programs that I'm applying to have "cut-offs" but at all of their open houses they made a point to say that an application isn't thrown out if an applicant falls below those scores (these were also high-ranking schools in Boston)

Anyways, my point is don't give up on your programs because you're lacking in a subscore on one part of your application. I haven't gotten in myself, but I know plenty of other people who aren't great at calculating the area of a triangle in a minute and a half, and they still got in. 

If you have the time, money, and patience I think you have a shot at the programs on your list. 

GOOD LUCK on your GRE I completely understand the panic/ pressure. Also, good luck on your applications!  

 

[Southwestspeechie]

11 hours ago, hmbanana93 said:

Hello! 

I had a similar problem with my GRE. I'm just so bad at standardized tests that I scored 155V 145Q and 5.0 AW and I have a mediocre GPA (3.59). 

I feel like a lot of schools “now-a-days” really look at the entire applicant, not just GRE’s. If you have an excellent personal statement, excellent letters of recommendation, and valuable experience, I think THAT makes a strong applicant too. You shouldn't take yourself out of the running because you didn't score great on one section that's not exactly relevant to our field. Other than quant, you seem like a very strong applicant. 

My advice would be to not stress yourself out entirely. All hope is not lost due to one section out of an entire application. Give it your all and do your best on your retake, but remind yourself it's not a deal breaker. 

Maybe look into cut-off scores for programs. All of my programs that I'm applying to have "cut-offs" but at all of their open houses they made a point to say that an application isn't thrown out if an applicant falls below those scores (these were also high-ranking schools in Boston)

Anyways, my point is don't give up on your programs because you're lacking in a subscore on one part of your application. I haven't gotten in myself, but I know plenty of other people who aren't great at calculating the area of a triangle in a minute and a half, and they still got in. 

If you have the time, money, and patience I think you have a shot at the programs on your list. 

GOOD LUCK on your GRE I completely understand the panic/ pressure. Also, good luck on your applications!  

 

I really appreciate your very kind and informative response! This process is so overwhelming and at times disheartening so it really helped to hear encouragement. 

 You have a really great writing score, which I've heard is valued most! I recently starting looking at past acceptances on gradcafe for my programs, and there seems to be some variety in scores and GPAs. It oddly makes me feel better that people who have higher scores did not get in, because it suggests that GPA and GRE are not the "end all." 

I wish you the best of luck on your applications! Thanks again!  

[Southwestspeechie]

On November 19, 2017 at 6:39 PM, Crimson Wife said:

Look at ASHA EdFind's stats because some of the schools on your list even the 157 V is average or below-average (UNC-Chapel Hill, Arizona, UTD) and coupled with a 3.7 GPA you'd need above-average GRE's to be competitive.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take those 3 off your list and replace them with less-competitive programs. Sorry if that seems harsh, but unless your retake improves your scores dramatically, you're likely wasting your time and money applying to highly competitive schools.

I have taken UNC off my list, because I realized I am not a good fit for a variety of reasons! I do appreciate your honesty and advice. Good luck if you are applying :). 

[Louly]

You'll be fine. I had a 3.0 AW, 136 Q, and 132 V. 

[futureSLPhopefullylol]

13 hours ago, Louly said:

You'll be fine. I had a 3.0 AW, 136 Q, and 132 V. 

What schools did you get into with those scores?

[TammyTams]

On 11/19/2017 at 6:39 PM, Crimson Wife said:

Look at ASHA EdFind's stats because some of the schools on your list even the 157 V is average or below-average (UNC-Chapel Hill, Arizona, UTD) and coupled with a 3.7 GPA you'd need above-average GRE's to be competitive.

If I were in your shoes, I'd take those 3 off your list and replace them with less-competitive programs. Sorry if that seems harsh, but unless your retake improves your scores dramatically, you're likely wasting your time and money applying to highly competitive schools.

I agree with this. Last year I applied to about 10 PhD programs and WASTED TIME AND MONEY. My GRE scores weren't competitive and for some reason I decided to apply to all of the hottest Clinical Psych programs -__________________- I miss that money so much. They all rejected me, except Oregon....and even they wanted to put me into their Masters program, instead of PhD...I already HAVE my Masters. Your scores are not the worst, but I would recommend looking into less popular schools (you can gauge this by looking at their Student Admissions and Outcome Statistics to see how many people applied and how many were admitted) and/or schools that boast of looking at applicants "holistically". Regardless, in the case of applying to "holistic" programs, the rest of your application should make you look like Oprah, or at least Iyanla Vanzant!

[TammyTams]

1 hour ago, futureSLPhopefullylol said:

What schools did you get into with those scores?

Yikes, I can't tell if that was shade or not but people do get into programs with low GRE scores. My scores were a little higher than the previous poster but I side stepped my way into a Masters Psych program at a school people say "Wow!" to every time I mention it. I think a lot of people get into Graduate school with low GREs, people just don't talk about it as much because of the shaming that comes with it. Try to be nice to your fellow posters...we all have different stories getting to where we are!

[futureSLPhopefullylol]

38 minutes ago, TammyTams said:

Yikes, I can't tell if that was shade or not but people do get into programs with low GRE scores. My scores were a little higher than the previous poster but I side stepped my way into a Masters Psych program at a school people say "Wow!" to every time I mention it. I think a lot of people get into Graduate school with low GREs, people just don't talk about it as much because of the shaming that comes with it. Try to be nice to your fellow posters...we all have different stories getting to where we are!

I think you're projecting... it wasn't shade at all. I'm genuinely curious. 

[TammyTams]

11 minutes ago, futureSLPhopefullylol said:

I think you're projecting... it wasn't shade at all. I'm genuinely curious. 

I think I read it in the wrong tone of voice lol Woops!

[Southwestspeechie]

16 hours ago, Louly said:

You'll be fine. I had a 3.0 AW, 136 Q, and 132 V. 

Thank you, it means a lot to hear that from a successful applicant . 

[Southwestspeechie]

1 hour ago, TammyTams said:

I agree with this. Last year I applied to about 10 PhD programs and WASTED TIME AND MONEY. My GRE scores weren't competitive and for some reason I decided to apply to all of the hottest Clinical Psych programs -__________________- I miss that money so much. They all rejected me, except Oregon....and even they wanted to put me into their Masters program, instead of PhD...I already HAVE my Masters. Your scores are not the worst, but I would recommend looking into less popular schools (you can gauge this by looking at their Student Admissions and Outcome Statistics to see how many people applied and how many were admitted) and/or schools that boast of looking at applicants "holistically". Regardless, in the case of applying to "holistic" programs, the rest of your application should make you look like Oprah, or at least Iyanla Vanzant!

I think the schools I choose include some less popular ones (Northern Arizona and NMSU for example). University of Arizona is definitely my dream/reach school, so I am holding on to it, even if it's not the most likely acceptance! Also update: just took the GRE and raised by quant score to 146  at least it's something! Thanks for the advice though, much appreciated! 

[Louly]

@futureSLPhopefullylol I actually got accepted to University of Oregon, University of Missouri, University of Utah, and Florida State University. Our grades and GRE are a great predictor of how we’ll do in our future graduate program but it’s also the extracurricular activities that would make us an even better clinician. 

@TammyTams you’re too kind. Thank you! 

@Felice of course & good luck! 

[Shiji E. Moji]

Most schools are revising their admission selection criteria to more successfully judge the whole candidate, not just how well they test. I can't guarantee that this actually happens (besides my own experience; my first go-around, I never retook the GRE and got accepted into all of the programs to which I applied), but this is what's circulating around a lot of top-tier schools.

What I can say is that my GRE scores are good except for my quant. My score there is just...utterly sad. And it doesn't reflect how well I do at math, either! Your resume, personal statement, and letters of rec are going to push you forward more than your GRE scores, imho.

But it's a mean world out there, and the competition is fierce, isn't it? Good luck!