GRE & Admissions: Does Quant Score Matter?

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Diracobama
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the significance of the quantitative GRE score in graduate school admissions, particularly in relation to the general perception of its importance and the potential for retaking the exam. The scope includes personal experiences, opinions on admissions criteria, and considerations for application timelines.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the significance of their quantitative GRE score, noting a 76th percentile score and a physics GRE score of 850.
  • Another participant suggests that admissions committees generally do not prioritize the general GRE score, indicating that scores below the 80th percentile might be viewed as low due to the competitive nature of applicants from various fields.
  • A participant inquires about the advisability of retaking the GRE, given upcoming application deadlines.
  • Another participant argues against retaking the GRE, suggesting it may not be a worthwhile investment unless there is a strong belief that a significantly better score could be achieved.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the importance of the quantitative GRE score, with some downplaying its significance while others highlight potential concerns about lower scores. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the necessity of retaking the exam.

Contextual Notes

Participants' opinions may depend on specific programs or fields of study, and there is uncertainty regarding how different admissions committees weigh GRE scores against other application components.

Diracobama
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I was just wondering how significant the quantitative gre score was in admission decisions. My score isn't awful (76th percentile) and my pgre is 850. Just curious.
 
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They pretty much don't care about the general GRE at all as long as you get a reasonable score. Below 80th percentile might be considered low though since it is not a difficult test and you are competing with people in the humanities who may not have taken any math in college.
 
Would you recommend I take it again? Many of my grad school apps are due on Jan 15th, so I could squeeze in another attempt.
 
That seems like a waste of time and money, unless there is some reason to believe that you would do far better the second time around.
 

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