GREs (The second time around)

[zbombvt]

Hi Everyone,

I have decided that I need to retake my General GREs and was hoping someone might know the answer to a couple of questions.

1) Is there a general policy regarding which GRE scores are accepted if you take them more than once? Meaning are the best scores cherrypicked or are they just averaged? I'm guessing this might differ by school, but if there is some consensus that would be helpful information.

2) What is the latest you can take the General GREs and still get scores in time. I'm thinking early September, but this might be a little premature.

Thanks,
zbombvt

PS I thought it might be helpful to mention my scores 560 V, 750 M, 4.5 W.

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[Psyclops]

Those scores really aren't that bad. Where you trying to go UCLA? I wouldn't worry too much with them, but if you have decided, be sure you can raise that verbal. The writing shouldn't be your deciding factor. I got in with a 4.5. I have no idea how it's done in terms of averaging, etc. I know they will see both on the sheet. The question would be; what do you put down when they ask you to write them in by hand.

 

[SaraL124]

The school will see all of your scores. If you are asked to write them in by hand, I would write in the highest score you received on V and Q, irrespective of which test it came from. I took my general GRE in November and my Psych GRE in Dec which allowed me enough time for the application cycle. You will get your general score on the computer immediately so you can write that in by hand and the ETS scoresheet will come when they're ready to send.

 

[Psyclops]

I think Dec would be too late, and Nov is pushing it. Most clinical programs have Dec. 1st cut off dates for applications.

 

[66Lenses]

With general GRE scores only the most current are accepted.

 

[Quynh2007]

heyy, how much of a sticker are schools about the 600 minimum? I got a 1330 but my Verbal is a shade below 600 (probably because I procrastinated and didn't really focus on my verbal)? Please keep in mind that my #1 school is Vanderbilt and that English isn't my first language (although it is my primary language now that I'm in college).

thx

 

[irish80122]

heyy, how much of a sticker are schools about the 600 minimum? I got a 1330 but my Verbal is a shade below 600 (probably because I procrastinated and didn't really focus on my verbal)? Please keep in mind that my #1 school is Vanderbilt and that English isn't my first language (although it is my primary language now that I'm in college).

thx

Congrats on a very good score. I am in the same boat (1340 but verbal of only 550) and I have asked several advisors at my school as well as people on the board and everyone seems to say that it should be fine. I think the magic 1300 level is far more important than the 600 on Verbal (anyways, isn't a 600 90th percentile?). Don't worry too much, I think you and I will be fine based upon the conversations I have had.

 

[Psyclops]

Unfortunately for most of us here 600 is not a 90th percentile. The way most of these test scores work, or theoretically should work, is that they are standardized with a 500 being a 50th pecentile, with every 100 points being a standard deviation. Thus a 400 would be a 16th percentile and a 600 would be a 84th. Even more unfortunatley is that the scores are not exactly pegged at 500 with 100 being the SD, they seem to be a little inflated. By that I mean that those who haev been taking the test are getting higher scores lately and driving the percentiles down. So, a 600 raw score these days gets a percentile score of about a 75, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Psyclops]

On another note, this may or may not make you feel better, it may make you feel worse if you have yet to take the test. We take the same test as the english majors and the engineers. Thus the engineers are all pulling like an 800, which is why you can't get a 99th percentile in math. The english majors are pulling something in verbal that would be higher, and pushing your percentile down. But I don't think they are getting 800s. I don't know who is getting 800s on the verbal but it sure is hard.

 

[irish80122]

My 550 was 73rd percentile, so it isn't as bad as you say. The 600 was a guess but it does look like a 600 is about 84th percentile http://www.powerscore.com/gre/scoringscale.htm. However, when you look at all the other people that are taking it, consider all the English majors, and realize that is out of people that are going to graduate school it really isn't all that bad.

It does hurt though. My 790 was only 91st percentile . Oh well, what can you do.

EDIT The percentile info on my scores came from my official score report.

 

[Quynh2007]

I think for about 5 or 6 of the schools I'm applying to, my scores are golden, but for those reach school, I doubt my 580V would be the gautlet. I'm pretty good at writing, so I guess I'll just focus on that and make sure it stands out. thanks for all the help

So, any advice on how soon we can apply? Since I'm done with my GREs, the only thing i would need are my LORs (which thanks to Psyclops!! ) which I'll be approaching the people with my packet end of August, and should be about to be complete with the entire application end of September

Anyhoo, is there any advantage to applying early? My grades right now is 3.5, but I have every confidence that my fall grades will raise my cum GPA. I don't think my grades will be released until end of December though, and only one of the school I'm applying to has a January deadline, all the rest are Dec 1 and 15th.

P.S. do professor's whom you contact usually send back grants and proposal he/she is working on in the near future? I want to be able to talk about the specifics, but if the professor is asking to stay hush-hush about it (he/she asked me not to speak to anyone about it) then how could I? i guess be as general as possible?

thanks!

 

[Sorg1123]

I thought about retaking the test to raise my writing score (4.5), but I did well in V(690) and Q(740) and don't want to mess with those scores. Too bad we can't just redo one section, but that's the way the game is played. Glad to hear 'clops got in with the same writing score. I think the rest of my application will make up for the one "blemish" on my ets transcript: 3.5 years clinical exp (adolescent TBI), 2 years research (mri-neuroanatomy), 3.7 gpa, and 96% psych GRE.

 

[shock-me-sane]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so I thought I would just throw it in here. How do you know if you need to take the psych GRE on top of the general? Or do you just take it in case? I plan on applying to PhD programs out of undergrad.

thanks.

 

[irish80122]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so I thought I would just throw it in here. How do you know if you need to take the psych GRE on top of the general? Or do you just take it in case? I plan on applying to PhD programs out of undergrad.

thanks.

It depends on the programs you are applying to and their requirements. Go to their websites and see if they require the psych GRE or not. Many of mine do not, but a few do, so I am planning on taking it. Good luck!

 

[alienarms]

Hey shock-me-sane, I just wanted to say that the Kaplan prep book for the psychology subject test really helped me-it's a general review of everything you need for the test: history & systems, clinical, social, developmental, etc. I worked through everything in the book and the practice tests to brush up on names & major theories and scored in the 96th percentile. Good luck!