Does a good General GRE score help at all?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matterwave
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    General Gre
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the relevance of General GRE scores in the context of applying to graduate schools in physics, particularly for specializations in Astrophysics and cosmology. Participants explore how General GRE scores might influence admissions decisions compared to subject-specific GRE scores.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a good General GRE score can help offset a less-than-ideal physics GRE score when applying to graduate schools.
  • Another participant asserts that General GRE scores are generally not valued highly by admissions committees, emphasizing that the subject GRE is more critical.
  • It is suggested that a low General GRE score might negatively impact an application, but a high score may not provide significant benefits.
  • Some participants express that the verbal section of the GRE may hold more importance than the quantitative section, given the high scores typically achieved by applicants in the sciences.
  • One participant shares their personal experience of being accepted with a verbal score of 670, indicating that many international applicants are admitted with lower scores.
  • A later reply questions the significance of a 670 verbal score, noting it corresponds to a high percentile ranking.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the subject GRE is more important than the General GRE. However, there is disagreement regarding the significance of the General GRE scores, particularly the verbal section, with some participants downplaying its importance while others suggest it may still hold some weight.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the specific weight given to different GRE scores by various graduate programs, and there is a lack of consensus on how much a good General GRE score can influence admissions decisions.

Who May Find This Useful

Prospective graduate students in physics, particularly those applying to programs in Astrophysics or cosmology, may find this discussion relevant as they consider the implications of their GRE scores on their applications.

Matterwave
Science Advisor
Homework Helper
Gold Member
Messages
3,971
Reaction score
329
So, I'm applying to graduate school in physics, and my GRE physics score wasn't ideal (not a complete failure, but not ideal), anyways would a good general GRE score help counteract that at all? Or will physics schools only look for good Physics scores and generally not care about the verbal GRE score (I know they do care about the Quant)?

Also, I'm applying to specialize in Astrophysics/cosmology, is that a relatively rare field and will that also help my chances?

I ponder this because I would like to know if I have a high chance of being rejected from the schools I am applying to and would therefore have to take the GRE physics again to apply next year...which means I need to get studying soon >_>
 
Physics news on Phys.org
No one really cares about your general GRE score. If it's too low, it might hurt, but a great score really won't really help. The subject GRE is much more important.

P.S. - If anything, I'd say the verbal is more important than the quantitative, if only because virtually everyone going to graduate school in the sciences and engineering has very close to 800... there is no useful information in that score for the majority of applicants.
 
Well, I did pretty well on both so i was hoping it'd help my application a bit heh...
 
TMFKAN64 said:
No one really cares about your general GRE score. If it's too low, it might hurt, but a great score really won't really help. The subject GRE is much more important.

P.S. - If anything, I'd say the verbal is more important than the quantitative, if only because virtually everyone going to graduate school in the sciences and engineering has very close to 800... there is no useful information in that score for the majority of applicants.

Verbal does not matter. I got in with 670, many people from foreign countries get in with much less.
 
Well, guess I better get to studying hehe
 
hamster143 said:
Verbal does not matter. I got in with 670, many people from foreign countries get in with much less.

Doesn't a 670 verbal correspond to a percentile in the 90's?
 

Similar threads

Testing Can I choose which Physics GRE scores to send to grad schools?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Is a Low CGPA a Deal Breaker for Grad School Admissions?
  • · Replies 18 ·
Replies
18
Views
5K
Admissions Safety School Programs for a Physics PhD
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
4K
Grad school with no Physics GRE but research experience?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Testing GRE Results: 990 Scaled Score & 94 Percentile - Applying to Top Universities?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
10K
Admissions What are my chances of getting into a competitive physics PhD program?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Should I Retake the General GRE if My PGRE Scores are Average?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Is General GRE Score Important for International Applicants in US PhD Programs?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
Studying Preparing for Math & Physics GRE: Tips & Strategies
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Average general GRE scores at Stanford
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K