How much would a near-perfect GRE score help?

[FluffyFriend]

If someone has a relatively poor undergraduate record (below 3.0 GPA), but at the same time posses a high GRE score (without sub), would he/she still have a chance being granted with financial assistance? What about the same situation regarding international students?

 

[ChemHopeful]

my guess is not much. my general GRE was near-perfect but everything I've heard has been that grad schools don't care how much of a whiz you are at IQ tests, they want to know how well you work in a particular subject

 

[FluffyFriend]

my guess is not much. my general GRE was near-perfect but everything I've heard has been that grad schools don't care how much of a whiz you are at IQ tests, they want to know how well you work in a particular subject

Thanks. So the GPA weighs like over 70% all along in admission huh? :) I don't quite catch you on "in a particular subject", do you mean an excellent record on specific course or a couple of published thesis?

Fluffy

 

[TMFKAN64]

Actually, the most important thing is recommendation letters.

But with below a 3.0 GPA... it's not going to be easy, even with stellar recommendations.

 

[story645]

Actually, the most important thing is recommendation letters.

Particularly if they come from people you've done research for. (Research is the other major factor in getting in.)

I don't quite catch you on "in a particular subject", do you mean an excellent record on specific course or a couple of published thesis?

If you're applying to a grad school in physics, your GPA from your physics (and math relevant to physics) courses (probably) can't be below 3.00. There's leeway with courses outside your major, but not much.

 

[physics girl phd]

But with below a 3.0 GPA... it's not going to be easy, even with stellar recommendations.

Agreed... most university graduate schools require a 3.0 or a 3.25 overall GPA to be admitted to the university. If you're below this, the program would have to petition the university to let you in. In my experience, this rarely happens.

 

[TMFKAN64]

Particularly if they come from people you've done research for. (Research is the other major factor in getting in.)

Absolutely. I apologize for not being clearer in my post... I was thinking about letters from people you have worked for, and I should have said that clearly.