GRE Score Questions

[Maxprime]

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I searched around and found a couple of results, but I'm having trouble getting a consensus. First off, I emailed GT SMP & they said 650/650. Their forum had something like that with a note - something like "I think they changed how they've scored the GRE since we last stated that" - which they have. A 650 on quant is awful - I think 40th %ile & a 650 on Verbal is pretty good - I think 93rd %ile.

1) First off - what kind of GRE scores do you think schools are looking for? I've heard that odd 1300 from GT and Tulane's website says 1100 (wow). Anyone have any idea or have been accepted and don't mind posting your #'s? Thanks.

2) I scored an 800 Quant & 600 Verbal. I don't know my exact %iles yet - verbal is the only one that matters and I think it'll be around 85th %ile. I only studied for 3 of the days in between semesters & didn't get enough sleep. I think that with a solid week of studying I can bring my score up at least another 50 points (knocks it far into 90th %ile) - worth the trouble? My GPA is low - should be applying to SMP's with just under a 3.0.

3) I am not taking my MCAT until June - should I make sure & mention this on all my apps? Common sense points to yes - but I want to make sure no one has ever heard, "Oh, we'll hold your application and maybe you'll get a spot." Are there any other things I need to mention to help convince people that I will do well on the MCAT?

Thanks in advance.

BTW, doing all these SMP apps is making me start to fear applying to med schools - this sucks.

 

[penhorseblue]

Hey Maxprime,

I'm in the same boat too (kind-of). I'm applying for SMP/MS programs for Fall 07 and I took the GRE which I will be using on my apps. I think your GRE score is really good and I wouldn't take it again. It would be good idea to mention that you will be taking the MCAT on your application.

I also took the MCAT last year (2006) but I did better with the GRE so I'm going to be using that score when I apply. Do you think I should also put in my MCAT score or just leave it out? I didn't do that great on the MCAT and I plan on taking it again in the future on when I am ready to apply to med schools.

Do you think this will weaken my application to MS programs if I leave out the MCAT score and just use my GRE score or should I put both scores in?


In your case, I think it wouldn't hurt to mention you will be taking the MCAT, your GRE scores are pretty solid so you shouldn't have a problem getting into SMPs programs. I would just save my money and apply to the MS programs.

 

[Maxprime]

I also took the MCAT last year (2006) but I did better with the GRE so I'm going to be using that score when I apply. Do you think I should also put in my MCAT score or just leave it out? I didn't do that great on the MCAT and I plan on taking it again in the future on when I am ready to apply to med schools.

Do you think this will weaken my application to MS programs if I leave out the MCAT score and just use my GRE score or should I put both scores in?


In your case, I think it wouldn't hurt to mention you will be taking the MCAT, your GRE scores are pretty solid so you shouldn't have a problem getting into SMPs programs. I would just save my money and apply to the MS programs.

I have a friend in the exact same situation. The problem is that I believe many apps say "have you ever taken the MCAT"? And you definitely don't want to start of your career in medicine by lying. If it's a genuinely bad score, I would do my best to hide it - without lying. If they ask you for MCAT or GRE scores, offer GRE scores but don't say you haven't taken the MCAT.

Without knowing the actual score and not being an admissions person, I have no idea if they'll help/hurt. My intuition is that anything over a 25 will help and anything below that will hurt. Again, this is purely guessing. I just know that I've been told SMP MCAT averages range from 27-31, depending on the school.

As for me, I have a low undergrad GPA with a great post-bacc GPA of a whopping one semester of grades - so I'm hoping someone sees potential, but I'm realistic about my odds. Thus far, I have mentioned that I'm taking the MCAT with mixed results - from "good, let us know as soon as you get scores and it may help you get off a wait list or something" to "why don't you take it in April instead of June?" The latter hinted that I wouldn't get in w/out MCAT scores - which sucks.

When you say save $$ & apply to MS programs - do you mean traditional masters programs? How does that save $$? I am applying to a few, as non-SMP masters programs have completely different admissions expectations. Tulane, for example, does their MS in pharmacology and looks for 1100 on the GRE. My state school also has a 2 year MS in medical science (MS in MS, ha), which I will consider.

It's tough for us low-GPA folks because if you do an SMP, your chances of getting in there raise significantly, but you miss out on another year of undergrad grades to boost your GPA & help yourself globally.

 

[Maxprime]

I forgot to add - I think it depends on your breakdown of scores on your MCAT as well. Most people say that verbal scores are the hardest to improve - so if you got a 13 on the verbal and 5's on the other 2 sections, I'd think you'd be more attractive than 7/7/7. This is what I've heard from other students, not from admissions people.

 

[penhorseblue]

When you say save $$ & apply to MS programs - do you mean traditional masters programs? How does that save $$? I am applying to a few, as non-SMP masters programs have completely different admissions expectations. Tulane, for example, does their MS in pharmacology and looks for 1100 on the GRE. My state school also has a 2 year MS in medical science (MS in MS, ha), which I will consider.

It's tough for us low-GPA folks because if you do an SMP, your chances of getting in there raise significantly, but you miss out on another year of undergrad grades to boost your GPA & help yourself globally.

I was refering to taking the GRE again. Your score is pretty high already (1400 right?) so I wouldn't worry about taking it again to raise it 50 points or so you should just save your money and not take the GRE again.

 

[penhorseblue]

Maxprime, I sent you a PM. I had a couple questions about the Harvard post bacc.