competitive GRE score for clinical psychology

[Rojman]

Hi
I am applying for phd program of clinical psychology this year
I have selected some universities in USA
I have a question:
Do happen to know that if someone`s quant score in GRE exam is not good and competitive he will be rejected or not?
Its said that a competitive GRE score is too crucial to be admitted to a clinical psychology program

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Hi
I am applying for phd program of clinical psychology this year
I have selected some universities in USA
I have a question:
Do happen to know that if someone`s quant score in GRE exam is not good and competitive he will be rejected or not?
Its said that a competitive GRE score is too crucial to be admitted to a clinical psychology program

Many, but not all, programs have a minimum GRE requirement. Some post this number publicly, some do not. It is typical for programs to use GRE scores as a way to initially cut applicants from consideration. Some may let a low score go if the rest of the application is STELLAR. I recommend comparing your score to the scores of typical applicants offered admission, as published on each program's website.

 

[Rojman]

Many, but not all, programs have a minimum GRE requirement. Some post this number publicly, some do not. It is typical for programs to use GRE scores as a way to initially cut applicants from consideration. Some may let a low score go if the rest of the application is STELLAR. I recommend comparing your score to the scores of typical applicants offered admission, as published on each program's website.

some departments have not subsume information about the previously admitted students, do you think that admission to these programs are less competitive?

 

[psych.meout]

some departments have not subsume information about the previously admitted students, do you think that admission to these programs are less competitive?

Look harder. The APA requires accredited programs to publish this data on admitted students and I think they even have requirements that the data needs to be linked on the first page of clinical programs' home pages.

 

[Temperance]

The GPA and GRE averages are not mandated by APA, but they are suggested for members of the CUDCP, if I understand correctly. Many programs publish those statistics on their websites along with their internship, graduation, and licensure statistics, but not all of them do. Norcross and Sayette's Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical and Counseling Psychology also has these statistics.

 

[Meregold]

How far below the mean/ median is "too far" in programs where you are still above the cutoff?

I.e. My verbal and written percentiles are above 90%, but my quant is 59%. While most of my programs that have a cutoff, do it at 50%, their means tend to be either ~mine, or ~70%.

Even if you are above an official cutoff, at what point are you too far below the mean that it is worth the time and money to retest?

 

[psych.meout]

How far below the mean/ median is "too far" in programs where you are still above the cutoff?

I.e. My verbal and written percentiles are above 90%, but my quant is 59%. While most of my programs that have a cutoff, do it at 50%, their means tend to be either ~mine, or ~70%.

Even if you are above an official cutoff, at what point are you too far below the mean that it is worth the time and money to retest?

It's impossible to tell. Different programs put different emphases on the GRE, but that doesn't matter as much as your other stats. They are going to look at things like your research and clinical experience, research productivity, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and behavior during interviews much more than your GRE scores. The main issue will be is your GRE scores are so subpar that you need to overcompensate for them with your other qualifications, which doesn't seem to be the case here. Some places might also use them as a tie-breaker between you and another final candidate who are otherwise ostensibly equal in qualifications, e.g. if the person with the higher GRE scores can qualify for a fellowship, so that the funding for their student can come out of a different funding source than the department's limited graduate assistantship budget.

 

[singasongofjoy]

How far below the mean/ median is "too far" in programs where you are still above the cutoff?

I.e. My verbal and written percentiles are above 90%, but my quant is 59%. While most of my programs that have a cutoff, do it at 50%, their means tend to be either ~mine, or ~70%.

Even if you are above an official cutoff, at what point are you too far below the mean that it is worth the time and money to retest?

Your scores sound pretty similar to mine. Don't stress about it too much. I got plenty of interviews and a funded spot. Assuming you meet the cutoff it's worth a shot, because there is no way of knowing which are the programs that weigh it heavily and which ones use it just as a threshold to weed out the first round of applications.

 

[Meregold]

Thanks for the responses!