Entering Best GRE Scores into Application

[eesther]

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the process of filling out applications for developmental psychology Ph.D. programs. When they ask for GRE scores, they only let me enter one set of scores and the date it was taken. Should I mix and match my best scores in each section or just put my scores from that date? I sent both of my official GRE scores to those schools already. Are they going to look at the official scores first or the scores on the application?

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[CheetahGirl]

Unless things have changed, I believe you can put the best scores on the application. They will see all scores regardless but use the best scores on the application to tally up points for minimum cut-offs for interviews (if the school uses that type of tally system to determine who gets interviewed and who doesn't).

 

[eesther]

Unless things have changed, I believe you can put the best scores on the application. They will see all scores regardless but use the best scores on the application to tally up points for minimum cut-offs for interviews (if the school uses that type of tally system to determine who gets interviewed and who doesn't).

The thing is that there is a place to fill out the date you took the test...my most recent test date was October 2015, but if I fill out October 2015 for the test date and put the Verbal and AW scores from October and the Quantitative score from August, will that look bad?

 

[CheetahGirl]

The thing is that there is a place to fill out the date you took the test...my most recent test date was October 2015, but if I fill out October 2015 for the test date and put the Verbal and AW scores from October and the Quantitative score from August, will that look bad?

No, it won't look bad. IMO experience, it is common practice. I did the same: Reported my highest verbal from one year, my highest quantitative from different time, along with my Psych GRE from another period of time (I believe these sub-scales may be called something else now and some programs don't require the Psych GRE, which they did when I applied).

But to be sure, call the school. I would usually call the graduate department anonymously, saying "Hi, I'm applying to your program and have a quick questions..." (I wouldn't leave my name and establish any sort of relationship at that point, unless someone absolutely wanted to call me back. I'm just from that school of thought of laying low in the beginning).