GRE Scores? Whats competetive?

[david594]

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Across the board there seems to be a huge range of average GRE scores for the different vet schools. What is good when applying to Auburn may be bad for applying to Tufts or Cornell. Does anyone know if any schools look particularly more at one section of the scores than another?

Here are the stats for different schools from 2007:

I took the GRE's today and pulled of a very lop sided score of 1250(760q/490v) and I am worried the low verbal score might really hurt me.

 

[VetMed555]

I took the GRE's today and pulled of a very lop sided score of 1250(760q/490v) and I am worried the low verbal score might really hurt me.

My score was 1260 (710Q 550V) and I got into 3 out of 4 schools, but I didn't apply to Cornell or Penn or Tufts. Some schools take the highest of each sections if you take the test more than one time. Others just take the whole new score. I think it may make some school's scores look a little higher. Your math score is great, so I think you should be fine. But if you are planning on applying to Cornell/Penn/Tufts, you can retake the test and focus on the verbal part this time. My score didn't hurt me at all, and I don't think they focus on verbal, just the overall score.

 

[scienceGal]

i applied with a 790 quant and 540 verb and didn't get into the 3 schools i applied to.

granted i applied to dvm/phd programs. . . .davis, csu, penn

 

[VETleigh]

I also had a very lop-sided score: 1210 (750Q, 460V). I got interviews at 3/5 schools, accepted to one so far. Again, didn't apply to any of the Cornell, UPenn, Davis, Tufts -type schools.

 

[researchvet]

Another thing to consider is whether you are in state or out of state. Many of the schools have higher standards for out of state applicants and it isn't clear from your post whether or not those average scores are for in state or if they are a combined average.

Of course, the GRE is just one component and whether or not you retake it may depend on how competitive you think you are in other areas (GPA, experience, etc.)

Did you study for the verbal section? If so, what were you getting on practice tests? If you didn't study thoroughly, then you should do so, take some practice tests, and see if you can up your score. Then you can decide whether you want to retake.

 

[researchvet]

i applied with a 790 quant and 540 verb and didn't get into the 3 schools i applied to.

granted i applied to dvm/phd programs. . . .davis, csu, penn

Just for the sake of clarity for the original poster, I know that at least at Penn, you are evaluated separately for the DVM and PhD components. In other words, a rejection from the dual degree program has no bearing on admission to the vet program.

 

[scienceGal]

i know. i just got my rejection for the vet program at penn two days ago 🙁

also, in terms of residency. my parents moved twice while i was in college, so i had NO residency in ANY state. that kinda screwed me over as well

 

[david594]

Another thing to consider is whether you are in state or out of state. Many of the schools have higher standards for out of state applicants and it isn't clear from your post whether or not those average scores are for in state or if they are a combined average.

Of course, the GRE is just one component and whether or not you retake it may depend on how competitive you think you are in other areas (GPA, experience, etc.)

Did you study for the verbal section? If so, what were you getting on practice tests? If you didn't study thoroughly, then you should do so, take some practice tests, and see if you can up your score. Then you can decide whether you want to retake.

The averages were the numbers from the AAVMC green book. So presumably the combined scores.

I had studied off and on for the verbal and had gotten between 500 and 540 or so on the practice tests(probably a 30% effort versus how much I potentially could have studied). I wasn't too disappointed because in my 4 years of college I never actually took a single english/lit course. I was more disappointed with the the quantitative score than anything; I felt like I should have been able to pull off a 780+ on that section.

I have a recovering GPA, cumulative is currently at 3.11 and should be around 3.22 when I apply. Science GPA is roughly a 3.6 and my last 45 will be around 3.5.

 

[JerseyLynn]

I have a recovering GPA, cumulative is currently at 3.11 and should be around 3.22 when I apply. Science GPA is roughly a 3.6 and my last 45 will be around 3.5.

Keep those grades up David! My GRE score was a 1280, but my overall GPA was a 3.2. Unfortunately my science was only a 3.19, my last 45 was 3.4. (one semester of mono = 3 C's, did me in frosh year)
Anyway, got rejected from UPenn (no surprise), Auburn, Florida, and Ohio State. Really thought I had a shot at Western but I am currently waitlisted. I have a feeling your science GPA will make the difference for you. Good luck with the process!

 

[OSJ]

I think it depends alot on the schools! Some schools that have higher average GRE scores seem less forgiving even if the rest of your application is great. Other schools seem to let you make up for a lower GRE with a high GPA and alot of experience. My GRE scores were bad 500 V, 560Q and I got into 3 schools and waitlisted at 2, but my GPA is good and I have alot of experience. I think I would have had much better luck overall if I had higher GREs but, I'm still happy with how things turned out!

 

[NoleDevil]

To the OP: I'm sure it varies from school to school. Let me just say that my GRE scores are terrible. So terrible, as a matter of fact, that I'm too embarassed to even say what I got! Despite this fact, however, I still received 3 interviews as a first-time applicant - from my IS school and 2 from OOS schools. My GPA is pretty good and I have diverse experience, so that no doubt helped make my application competitive (also, I think my personal statement was pretty stong and I know I had some great recommendation letters 😀). My point is that I really wouldn't stress-out about your score too much, especially if you're doing well on other parts of your application. Plus, a 1250 is pretty damn good - remember that the scores from these schools' stats are merely the average!

 

[adOggy07]

I agree with what Noledevil said... and I'm in a similar situation! My GRE score was really not that good. Not even competitive I would say. But my last 45 unit GPA was great and I have a good amount of clinical experience. Just continue your good grades, diversify yourself, get great letters of recs and write an awesome personal statement and you should be all right... I got in.. so I pass my hopes onto you!

 

[clawsbeatskin]

Don't forget about the percentile aspect. A lot of schools want you to be at least in the 70th percentile. Depending on the day you take the test, and the others who are also taking it that day, scores in the 70th percentile can vary quite a bit.

 

[smoknjoe44]

My GRE score if you combine my best scores together is 1110, i beleive...

Anyhow, I got into all four schools I applied to: UGA, KSU, Miss state, and Oklahoma.

Even though my GRE was pretty sucky, my GPA is close to a 4.0, so maybe that is what helped me get in. Anyhow, I still know people with around 3.5 and 1140-1180 GRE scores who got in... I think more schools are getting to where they look at your experience and grades more than just basing your acceptance on one test.

 

[CanadianGolden]

Percentiles are based on the average scores for the previous year, I believe. They aren't based on what day you take the test.

My best based on combining my highest score on each part was 640 V, 760 Q, and 5.5 AW (percentiles 90, 86, and 88). My highest score in one go was 630 V, 760 Q, 5.5 AW. I got into everywhere I applied: Tufts (DVM/PhD), Penn VMD/PhD, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and VMRCVM (my state school).

 

[hoodle]

Some schools (ie Davis) are very explicit in that they look at the academic portion of your application in halves: one half GRE, one half GPA. I'm not sure whether strength/difficulty of classes falls under that GPA half - that's a more fuzzy analysis. That info is http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/StudentPrograms/StudentGuide_Post.cfm

Basically, if your GPA is weak, rock the GRE. Vice versa - if your GRE is weak, you'd better have an amazing GPA. I think this is a pretty fair way of doing it. For myself, my GPA coming from a very well-known, difficult institution and taking hard classes, was a somewhat average 3.5-3.6ish depending how you calculate it. From where I am, that's actually an excellent GPA, but it is lackluster on paper unless you know the school. My GREs made up for it - I only took it once - verbal 690 (96%), math 760 (86%), writing 6.0 (96%). I got in everywhere I applied.


Here's the detail of Davis' evaluation. Of course each school is different.

I. Academic Factors (50-60 percent)
A. College course work (25–30 percent)
1. Overall GPA in undergraduate/graduate course work
2. GPA of required pre-veterinary medical science courses
3. GPA of last two years of undergraduate/graduate work
(minimum of 72 quarter units or 45 semester units)
B. GRE (25–30 percent)
1. General Test (Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing)

II. Nonacademic Factors (40–50 percent)
A. Personal statement/experience (5–20 percent)
B. Letters of evaluation (5–20 percent)
C. Interview (5–20 percent)

III. Veterinary and Animal Experience
Substantial experience with animals is required. The requirement for animal, veterinary and bio-medical science experience is a minimum of 180 hours (4.5 weeks) at the time of application. Admitted students have an average of 2,500 to 3,000 hours, which includes experience working with veterinarians. Of note- the most touted "3000 hours" stat re: davis includes both animal and veterinary experience, so dogsitting, equestrian competition, kennel-cleaning, etc all count!