Low GRE Analytical Writing Score - Is it a Problem?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around concerns regarding a low score on the analytical writing section of the GRE, specifically a score of 3.5. Participants explore the implications of this score for graduate school applications, particularly in physics programs, and share personal experiences and opinions on the significance of the writing score compared to other components of the GRE.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses surprise at receiving a low score despite having a strong writing background, questioning the weight of the analytical writing score in graduate school admissions.
  • Another participant shares a similar experience with a 3.5 score, suggesting that physics programs may prioritize quantitative scores over writing scores.
  • A different participant asserts that the writing score is largely irrelevant, noting that both skilled and less skilled writers can receive similar scores.
  • One suggestion is made to request a hand re-grading of the essay, as the initial grading may rely heavily on a computer algorithm.
  • Concerns are raised about the reliability of the grading process, with some participants discussing the role of both human readers and computer algorithms in scoring.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the analytical writing score may not be taken seriously by graduate programs, particularly in physics, but there is no consensus on the exact implications of the score or the grading process itself.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference the grading process, mentioning both human readers and computer algorithms, but there are uncertainties regarding the extent to which each contributes to the final score.

Phyisab****
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I just got back my score on the writing section of the general GRE. Apparently I got a 3.5, which puts me in the 25th percentile. Now I don't mean to sound arrogant, but writing has always been a strength of mine. When I write papers, either for physics or humanities classes, they usually come back with "WOW!" across the top. I can't begin to imagine why I got such a low score on this.

Has anyone experienced something like this? Do grad schools really take the analytical writing score seriously? I did very well on the rest of the exam, have I screwed myself over?

P.S. I'm not taking the pGRE because I'm only applying to masters programs.
 
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Yeah I also got a 3.5 on writing when I took it. I doubt physics programs care about it.

The quantitative score is the most important. You should shoot for >700 on it.
 
No one gives 2 shizz about the writing score. I know great writers who got your score and bad writers who got a 6. I think part of the score is actually based on how many "GRE words" you are able to work into your essays.
 
If you feel like you deserve more, ask for a hand re-grading. The first time they only use a computer, which can sometimes mess up.
 
That must be some computer that grades the analytical writing section...
 
Hmm what I'm reading now on the ets website says that a human reader is also always involved, though I heard a human reader only grades randomly to make sure the computer algorithm is still on track. So I dunno. Given that it only takes two weeks, I'd bet they mostly just use the computer. Not to mention the $$$

# The essay score is assigned by a trained reader, using a 6-point holistic scale. The essay response is then reviewed by e-rater®, a computerized program developed by ETS, which is being used to monitor the human reader.
# If the e-rater evaluation and the human score agree, the human score is used as the final score. If they disagree by a certain amount, a second human score is obtained, and the final score is the average of the two human scores.
 

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