Oct 18, 2008 was a good test

[muonman]

I walked out feeling pretty good. It wasn't too hard, it wasn't too easy. It was just right. Felt like the 9277. I only had time to attempt just under 80 problems. Plus I had to take a damn pee break. I probably could have used to the time to do an additional question.

Like in the practice tests, being a good human calculator and taking the right computational steps only at the crucial moments makes a big difference. I know I took the wrong "branch" in some problems, but I had no time to go back... Afterall, if you know the formulas but you can't crunch it out really fast and get a number, then it's all for nothing.

I don't think I broke into the 900 club though. I'm predicting a score in the 800 range for me. Oh well. I hope that's good enough for an american. I'll post my actual score once I get it in about six weeks. That's also going to determine the schools I apply to.

I just feel so relieved that the PGRE is out of the way for me. Life feels different now somehow, lighter, better. No more daily practices, eh. I wonder what I'm going to do with that time. And regardless of the score, I'm not taking this beast ever again. I hate the PGRE!!!!! But I love physics!!!!

Oh, I didn't get any questions about the muonium, but they did throw a positronium question for us, of course.

[dsperka]

The test did seem pretty easy, I'm worried that the average will be really high and I have a false sense of security.

[slugger]

I disagree, mine was hard as ***. it was all scattering and partical ***...i answered around 60! ***!!!!!!

[dsperka]

Im pretty sure that the score you get is weighted to your form only though, so if it was really hard it was really hard for everybody.

[johndavidjackson]

For each exam date, do they make several exams so that some students will receive different questions?

[blueeverest]

I thought it was easier than the Practice Tests. But I could only manage to solve about 70 questions. I left it blank whenever I had a doubt so I am guessing my score range to be between 750-800, thats after deducting few wrong answers.
Someone brought this up but does anyone know if the scaled score will be different than the ETS Practice test for this test? (just because it seemed relatively easy).

[G01]

My form did not have a positronium question!

It did have one with a positron involved in nuclear decay, but no actual positronium question. I actually worried i missed a page!

[a bucket]

ASDkjawsUIjdkjASKdjkh!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!111eleventy-one!!!!

That was me expressing my joy after the PGRE

[gliese876d]

My test didn't have a positronium question either, so I guess there must be different versions?? Maybe they're afraid we folks on the east coast would finish our exam and give hints to our friends on the west coast or some other strange reasoning. I thought it was kinda hard but not impossible--like about the same as the 0177. But I did *not* have enough time!!! I felt very rushed towards the end; I must have squandered time at the beginning trying to be sure I remained calm... Probably did about the same as I did on the practice ones I took.

[quizivex]

I'm predicting a score in the 800 range for me. Oh well. I hope that's good enough for an american. I'll post my actual score once I get it in about six weeks. That's also going to determine the schools I apply to.

That's the beauty of the October test . This would not have been possible back when the first test was in November and you got your scores in December. Don't ya just love ETS?

For each exam date, do they make several exams so that some students will receive different questions?

Yes. We confirmed that last year. Different people got different questions, and when scores came out, we found that some people with the same raw scores got very different scaled scores and vice versa. There are several versions of the test and each is scaled differently.

Just take a look at some of the threads from last year... there was a lot of discussion about stuff like that. Also, just to reiterate something I said earlier on a less active thread:

Be sure to stop back and share anything important about the test day experience that may be helpful for those taking it in the future. Of course, I mean more procedural things... never ever post specific questions.

For instance, I (and several users here) had to take the test on a tiny *** writing surface (one of those moveable boards you find in lecture halls). Mine was smaller than a sheet of 8.5 by 11 inch paper!!! There was no chance of sitting the scantron and the test booklet together. So anyone taking the test at an unfamiliar place needs to be prepared for that. I held the left side of the test booklet with my left hand and laid the right half which had the "scratch paper" on the writing surface and did my computations there. Because there was no room for the scantron, I circled my answers in the book and put them on the scantron later... of course when doing this you must be careful not to run out of time, or to lose track of which # you're recording! But this was much faster than taking the scantron out after every problem! Now that I think about it... if I were left-handed I would've been in trouble

Also, if anyone attempted to take it as a walk-in, let everyone know how that went!

[johndavidjackson]

Just take a look at some of the threads from last year... there was a lot of discussion about stuff like that. Also, just to reiterate something I said earlier on a less active thread:

could you point me to these thread? I cant seem to find them.

[Seen]

This is my advice, really obvious, but maybe helpful:

Pay attention to the time!

Our room had a nice clock at the front of the room, but I forgot to check the time that the exam started, so it was completely useless to me. Our proctors didn't provide us with helpful reminders of how much time was left. It was really stupid not to keep track of time. I spent waay too much time on a couple problems towards the beginning and the exam ended when I was on problem 95, and I think I ended up leaving a total of ten questions blank. If I had used my time wisely, I would have been able to get to a few more. I'm really kicking myself for that.

[nonick]

So, I took the test with the mindset that I will cancel my scores and I am taking it just as a practice.
I had been studying for the General GRE up until 10 days ago, so the total time I've studied for this exam was exactly 10 days! However, at the end of the test, I guess freed from the anxiety of having to do well, I found out that I had answered around 85 questions, and I was pretty confident in the answers of the majority of them, so I did not end up canceling. I think I have a shot for ~70 raw score, which I guess should be enough for 800+... And that is after only 1 practice test and 10 days of preparation... I guess, I will be trying to get into the 900+ club in November when I will have 3x more preparation.
So if I end up getting 900+ in November, do you think the ~800 score on this one will be a drawback?

[michael879]

This is my advice, really obvious, but maybe helpful:

Pay attention to the time!

Our room had a nice clock at the front of the room, but I forgot to check the time that the exam started, so it was completely useless to me. Our proctors didn't provide us with helpful reminders of how much time was left. It was really stupid not to keep track of time. I spent waay too much time on a couple problems towards the beginning and the exam ended when I was on problem 95, and I think I ended up leaving a total of ten questions blank. If I had used my time wisely, I would have been able to get to a few more. I'm really kicking myself for that.

I actually would recommend the opposite. I had the exact same situation, there was a very visible clock but I didn't keep track of the start time and the proctor didnt mention the time at all until there were only 20 minutes left. However, this actually helped me and I was able to get through all 100 questions (something I wasnt able to do on any of the 4 practice tests). Its probably a matter of personal preference but not knowing how much time was left forced me to be more careful about the time I spent on each problem.

[johndavidjackson]

are the tests scaled on just those who took the exam today? Or those who took the same exam before?

[coffeecoffeecoffee]

{n/t}

[Ennio]

Hi, I took the test two days ago too, and I have a question. I guess my score will be in the 800 to 900 range, so:
being an international (Italian) applicant, will this score be sufficient for applying to top 10 programs?
I do not pretend my PGRE score to be one of my strengths, but do you think it could seriously affect
my admission chances?
I tried to find out an answer in last year's profiles list, but it was not of great help due to the low
number of international applicants I could find.

[nowhereguy]

Hi, I took the test two days ago too, and I have a question. I guess my score will be in the 800 to 900 range, so:
being an international (Italian) applicant, will this score be sufficient for applying to top 10 programs?
I do not pretend my PGRE score to be one of my strengths, but do you think it could seriously affect
my admission chances?
I tried to find out an answer in last year's profiles list, but it was not of great help due to the low
number of international applicants I could find.

Hi. I'd say it depends on what field you are applying to. Say, if you apply to theory, a score in the 800-900 range will not be a strong point of your application if you want to get into a top 10 program. Of course you can make up for it with other things, such as publications, good letters, etc. If you apply to a less competitive field, I would say that your PGRE might even look good on your application.

Are you applying for HEP theory? If so, in case it helps, I have a friend who got into a top ten program last year without any publication and an OK PGRE , but he got his MSc from a reputed place in Europe (where he did very well) and his recommenders were renowned theorists.

[bosem]

I do not know what to expect from this test. Only thing I know is I am not taking it ever again. Do any of you know, when I can call the ETS to get my scores?

[dmahler]

November 19th is the date ETS lists, although some people have said that you can call earlier to check (can anyone confirm this?)
-dm

[Imperate]

I think the 19th is the earliest you can call, could be wrong though, I hope it is earlier

[cato88]

you can call anytime but no guarantee your score will be up and i think they put them up as soon as they begin inputting scores

[bosem]

Thanks guys! I need to do meditation to survive this long waiting.

[Imperate]

you can call anytime but no guarantee your score will be up and i think they put them up as soon as they begin inputting scores

it says here http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menu ... f95190RCRD
call on or after the 19th?

[Helio]

you can call anytime but no guarantee your score will be up and i think they put them up as soon as they begin inputting scores

it says here http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menu ... f95190RCRD
call on or after the 19th?

read the website

it says on or after the date below

[Imperate]

read the website

it says on or after the date below

So ring at the earliest on the 19th right? I'm confused because that is exactly what I wrote in my previous post, but you write "read the website" like I said something completely opposite to this......

[Ennio]

Hi, I took the test two days ago too, and I have a question. I guess my score will be in the 800 to 900 range, so:
being an international (Italian) applicant, will this score be sufficient for applying to top 10 programs?
I do not pretend my PGRE score to be one of my strengths, but do you think it could seriously affect
my admission chances?
I tried to find out an answer in last year's profiles list, but it was not of great help due to the low
number of international applicants I could find.

Hi. I'd say it depends on what field you are applying to. Say, if you apply to theory, a score in the 800-900 range will not be a strong point of your application if you want to get into a top 10 program. Of course you can make up for it with other things, such as publications, good letters, etc. If you apply to a less competitive field, I would say that your PGRE might even look good on your application.

Are you applying for HEP theory? If so, in case it helps, I have a friend who got into a top ten program last year without any publication and an OK PGRE , but he got his MSc from a reputed place in Europe (where he did very well) and his recommenders were renowned theorists.

First, thank you for your help. Yes, I am applying for HEP theory, and I believe I can get good recommendations, still I
do not want my PGRE score to be a negative factor. I don't have any publications at the present time, perhaps I'll have one
at the time of application, but I cannot be sure. Anyway, thank you for your advice and my congratulations to your friend!

[cato88]

http://www.physicsgre.com/viewtopic.php ... one+scores

It came after four weeks for the April tests ie before the posted time. The posted time I think is when they have finished posting everyone scores. Your score may be one of the first up in which case it would be in the system earlier.

Four weeks from the 18th would be around Nov 14th.

[Imperate]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1540&hilit=phone+scores

It came after four weeks for the April tests ie before the posted time. The posted time I think is when they have finished posting everyone scores. Your score may be one of the first up in which case it would be in the system earlier.

Four weeks from the 18th would be around Nov 14th.

So potentially we could ring before the 19th of Nov and if we're lucky our scores would be one of the first processed?
This waiting is driving me insane, I feel like I usually pretty much know in an exam how well I've done but because the GRE was so quick, I can't remember much......so frustrating, and because I'm international everything hinges on this. Why can't they give you some scrap paper and have u enter it all on a computer like the general GRE. Then just have all the scores entered into a central database, scaled and then made available somewhere online after a day or two...

[cato88]

potentially.

[Imperate]

Maybe we could take turns to save us all wasting $12 over and over. Like someone ring next week, then another the week after etc and let everyone know if there available?? hehe

[cato88]

You dont have to pay 12 dollars until your score is in the system at least in the US it doesnt asks you for a credit card till after it tells you your score is available.

[Imperate]

You dont have to pay 12 dollars until your score is in the system at least in the US it doesnt asks you for a credit card till after it tells you your score is available.

Oh right cool, it's just I heard someone else say that if you took the general GRE before the subject, then it will say your score is available and just give you the Gen GRE score.....but who knows...
When is the earliest anyone is going to try?

[Imperate]

I couldn't resist ringing, hehe, anyone the message I got was "Your scores are not yet available, please allow one week before calling again". So it was clearly a myth about them giving you the gen GRE ones after saying available and you paying the fee.

Also I think the fact that she said call again in one week, suggests they could possibly be available before 19th Nov, otherwise she would have just said call again on after the 19th of Nov surely....So that is encouraging