I am not speaking from personal experience of getting these scores (I haven't taken the test yet) but I am just curious, what can getting a 1500-1600 GRE do for your chances in admissions to clinical psych Ph.D. programs? Will it just get you past the initial screening process more easily and then your test scores will never be looked at again, or would they significantly help throughout the entire process? This is all assuming a somewhat good GPA (3.65-3.7) and past research experience.
Can exceptional GRE scores really help?
- Thread starter JillSF
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This is, of course, going to vary by program, but I would say the first scenario you propose is more likely. An exceptional GRE score is not going to make up for a lack of research or clinical experience or a lack of a good match with the lab and program. It will get you past the initial screening, but beyond that these other factors play the more important role. I know there are some professors who will only take applicants above a certain score (say 1400), but this just seems rather silly to me unless said applicant also has all of the other experience and these professors are few and far between.
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If you get a 1600 in the GREs, im sure the admissions committee will offer you sexual favors to agree to come to their schools. That said, if you do not have a rounded background, it wont matter how high your GREs are. Even if you have a high gpa/gre and research experience, you still need to be knowledgable, amiable, and appear motivated to get through the process. Then again, I may not even know what I am talking about - the though of a 1600 in the GRE just got me excited is all.
I did not ask if an exceptionally high GRE score would help. Of course it would be an amazing addition to any application. I asked how much it would help and at what stage it helps (i.e., just in the initial screening process or does it matter even in the final decision)
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I know at some schools, there are special fellowships (often through the graduate school, not the department) that are given out to top applicants, often determined by GPA and GRE. Perhaps there are too many graduate students to look beyond the numbers. So a 1500 GRE might not be why you get in, but it might get you extra funding.
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Yup, my strong GRE got me my fellowship and ultimately saved me from hours upon hours of labor as a TA. Good deal.
I'd say as far as admissions goes, as long as you're average for that school you'll be fine. A 1550 might turn some heads but it alone won't get you in anywhere.
JockNerd, if you don't mind me asking, what was your GRE score? And are these fellowships typically given out solely on the basis of the score or are other factors like GPA involved?
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A high GRE may open doors but as others have mentioned, it is your other experiences that will guide you through those open doors. As well, a high GRE can get you assistantships. Even though I was admitted to an MA program, I was denied an assistantship 3 times due to a low GRE score. Why the department uses GRE scores to determine who will be a good GA is beyond me, but I guess this is just the way it is. So, the department stuck an I/O student with my advisor who is heavy in to neuropsych research...😕
