GRE Retake?

[bee83]

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I took the GRE last Friday, and I'm wondering if I should retake it. I got 610V and 700Q. I'm mildly satisfied with that score, but I feel like I could do better if I studied more. I have the time to study more this spring because I am taking the semester off to do an internship. I want to get a better score because my GPA is about 3.2 cumulative, and my experience is fairly diverse but not extensive.
On the minus side, I am applying to Purdue, and I've heard that they only take the most recent GRE scores. I've heard stories about people who took the GRE, studied more, took it again and got worse scores. I don't want that to happen!!
What do you guys think? Would you take the time and money and risk to take it again for the chance that you could actually have a way to stand out from other applicants? Or are GRE scores even that powerful? Should I take my 1310 and be content? I keep going back and forth on this and just can't seem to make up my mind.

 

[squirrelsrule]

I'd be happy with that score and not retake it. I think you did awesome 👍. I got a 1280 with studying (of course my vocab stinks big time so I would have done horrible on the verbal without studying) and am very happy with that. If you look at the averages for those admitted you are above average for I'd guess all schools 👍.

 

[AuRevoirFinance]

I took the GRE last Friday, and I'm wondering if I should retake it. I got 610V and 700Q. I'm mildly satisfied with that score, but I feel like I could do better if I studied more. I have the time to study more this spring because I am taking the semester off to do an internship. I want to get a better score because my GPA is about 3.2 cumulative, and my experience is fairly diverse but not extensive.
On the minus side, I am applying to Purdue, and I've heard that they only take the most recent GRE scores. I've heard stories about people who took the GRE, studied more, took it again and got worse scores. I don't want that to happen!!
What do you guys think? Would you take the time and money and risk to take it again for the chance that you could actually have a way to stand out from other applicants? Or are GRE scores even that powerful? Should I take my 1310 and be content? I keep going back and forth on this and just can't seem to make up my mind.

Those are pretty darn good scores already and are above average for almost everywhere. That said, I totally understand if you think you can do better and I'm in your situation with the GPA that isn't a shining example of academic prowess. What were you getting on the practice tests/powerscore samples? I guess if I was doing 40-50 points better on each section consistently compared to what I scored on the actual test, I'd be inclined to retake it.

In regards your question as to how important scores are anyway, I think the answer is, it depends on the school. If you are convinced that the GRE scores aren't that important where you are planning to apply per the VMSAR book, then you probably are already good.😎

 

[bee83]

I didn't do any practice tests :-/ I wish I had so that I could track my progress better.
I'm also considering how else I could use the time and money that would go into retaking it. With the $200 I'd spend on registering and getting test prep materials, plus the hours I would spend studying, I could potentially use that instead toward taking the online nutrition course that I need for Purdue (for example).
But I'm almost certain I could do better, especially on the math. I was so anxious about time that I rushed through it on the test and ended up with 10 minutes left over! Eek!

 

[lunajett]

1310 is a decent score but with a GPA of 3.2 (which is good but not great and probably below avg for most schools) I would think you might need better than "decent" on the GRE to be more competitive. If you've got the time and feel you can do better, than I'd encourage you to take it again in the spring or summer.

That being said, I got 1330 my first time but didn't get into any of my three schools, with about a 3.3 GPA. Studied more, took it again a year later, and did worse - forget exactly how much worse, but I think around 1250ish. That year I applied to six schools, and got into Kansas, which I had not applied to the first time. All the schools I was applying to *said* they only considered the highest scores for each section, but I can't help but think that going down on the GRE had to hurt my chances at those other schools the second time around.

If Purdue is the ONLY school you will consider and your stats are competitive for instate, then maybe don't retake it. But I'd also encourage you not to make your only shot at your IS school. Everybody assumes that is their best chance, but it's amazing how many people can't even get an interview at their IS and then get multiple offers OOS, so you might not want to limit yourself, especially with a below avg GPA.

 

[jtom]

I looked at their website a while back and Purdue averages your GRE scores if you take it more than once so I immediately took the school out of consideration due to a poor performance my first try.

 

[Scrchvy]

Those scores are awesome, even with a 3.2. My scores were lower and with the same GPA and I got in! Don't bother retaking it unless it is noted on an application review that they want higher scores!

 

[cwazy cat lady]

From what I have seen from vet schools' own published stats, those scores you post should be more than sufficient for your application. Obviously I don't know all the other details besides your gpa (which is, admittedly, below average), but I would guess that GRE isn't worth more of your time/money to spare... perhaps something else is? An experience? A course?

 

[nuevaburra]

I'd agree with everyone else, probably not worth the time and money IF you aren't going to do any better.

That said, taking practice exams could help. I took mine without any studying but I did take 3 or four practice exams. I did much worse on the first practice exam only because I wasn't familiar with the format for the questions, and I waaaaaay overanalyzed the math. But for the last three, my scores were all within +/- 20 points of what I got on the actual exam. I did them all online for free somewhere, too, so I didn't have to spend a dime on prep books.

So if you can take a few practice exams, and think that you can significantly up your score by taking it a second time, well, might be worth it

 

[twelvetigers]

I have a 1290 and considered retaking, but never got around to it (as far as any of you know... haha) so... we'll see how this cycle goes, but I would think a 1310 is fine anyway.

Why does 1310 seem like so much more than a 1290? Why couldn't I have cleared 1300? Lol.

 

[hahatoofunny22]

I'd agree with most posters, a 1310 is a good score and despite your lower GPA, you should be happy with this score. Your score could totally go down which would be way worse, but say it goes up only 50 points? The difference b/w a 1310 and 1360 really isn't enough to justify the time and money. Be confident with this score and use that extra time to get additional veterinary experiences which is a big part of the application! 😀

I got a 660Q and 540V, and graduated with a 3.53 cum and have no intent of taking the GRE again and I'm totally guilt free about this!! lol 🙂

 

[goldielocks137]

Ultimately, only you know if you did as well as you could have or if retaking the GRE would give you better score that is worth the cost. That said, I have a GPA of only 3.2 as well and so I know how important a good GRE score is.

My first application cycle, I had a 710 Q and 530 V. I got multiple rejections and two interviews. I was waitlisted to both schools I interviewed at and got feedback that my GRE could have been a little higher to offset my GPA, but in my case I think they were particularly concerned with my low verbal score. I did retake it and got a 780 Q and 660 V. This application cycle is not over yet (still waiting on my IS), but I have gotten interviews at 4 schools in the country (1 of which rejected me last year), 3 UK/canadian schools, and I have been accepted to 1 UK school. I don't know if my increased success this year is solely due to the GRE score increase because I also redid my personal statement, finished all pre-reqs, and got a little bit more experience. But I definitely think the GRE scores have helped.

To your question of "are GRE scores powerful?": different schools value the GRE differently. But my advice to you is to choose scores that value it highly because a 3.2 is below average for every school. Your score is good and I think that if you apply wisely, have a strong personal statement, and maybe beef up your experience, you have a shot at getting accepted. So really, it is up to you to decide if you think the GRE scores are strong enough in combination with the rest of your application or if retaking the test is a good use of your money.

Another point to consider: retaking the GRE will cost less than having to reapply a second time...

 

[rosyreef]

It may also be important to consider the percentiles for each of your scores. When I met with admissions counselors at Ohio State and Cornell, they mentioned how their admissions committees may consider the percentiles moreso or in addition to the score itself, although this probably differs with each school.

Also, if you do decide to retake the GREs, be sure to theck with the schools that you're applying to about when the deadline is to take them for 2011. The test is being revised so it won't be the same "October 1" deadline as it has been in the past (at least for this year because the new version will be introduced on August 1, I believe?)

 

[StartingoverVet]

Mostly agree with the other comments but I would say this:

I say, if you have a chance to "wow" the adcoms then you should take it, IF IT MAKES SENSE.

You don't need $200 to practice. Buy a GRE book from Princeton Review or Barron's or whatever. You could probably find a used one for $10 (or maybe free + shipping if you asked on this forum). Study in your spare time and take a couple of on-line practice exams that are usually included. Practicing the actual format can help considerably

If you raise your score CONSIDERABLY, then go for it (especially if you are consistently scoring higher). But if you are only improving your math score from 700 to 740, I would say forget about it. Verbal is hard to get up much without a lot of studying. It is possible, and it doesn't have to be instead of nutrition, but commit to it and try your best. If you end up with a 1420 or something like that, it would really balance out your GPA.

 

[bee83]

Thanks everyone for your input. I looked on the Purdue site and they do average scores. So, even if I were to raise my score by 100 points, they would consider it as a 1360 when averaged out. That sounds much more satisfying to me, but I still can't seem to decide if it is worth the retake. I will probably do some more studying and decide in a month or so if I want to retake it.

One thing is certain, my reading comprehension has gone down the tubes lately. I attribute it to reading crappy "news" articles online. Does anyone have any reading comprehension tips? I am going to start reading more challenging stuff, like New York Times articles. I just can't seem to wrap my head around those reading comprehension passages unless it is about something that I already know about and am interested in.

 

[Cautionary Tail]

I got a 1300 (650/650) and chose not to retake... even though I'm sure that if I hadn't screwed up time management-wise on the verbal I would've easily cleared 700, probably by quite a bit. (I got hung up on a poorly-written, excruciatingly boring set of comp questions and wasted a good third of my time before I realized what I was doing. FAIL.)

I am horrible at math, and it's been half a lifetime since I've taken some of that stuff. I'm afraid that if I were to retake, I'd tank the quant. I'd rather have an acceptable quant score and a verbal that doesn't quite reflect where I'm at than an awesome verbal and an abysmal quant.

Your score looks pretty competitive to me, and I personally don't think I'd bother retaking, but if you really think you could do better, it might be worth taking the practice tests and seeing if you improve significantly. I didn't really do any verbal prep, but I would imagine that there are guides that will walk you step by step through the comprehension stuff and offer strategies for nailing those questions. I used a set of flash cards that did this (for the math) to improve my quant score, and it was a total godsend.