April 2014 PGRE

[tweetie_brid]

Looks like the 2014 exam is early april . around 5th of april

[Catria]

I'm getting nervous... there was one glaring weakness last time I even contemplated applying to US schools for a PhD, lack of research experience, but now that I have addressed it (I am now happily doing particle cosmology research and therefore I decided that particle physics and cosmology are my two fields of interest) I am now trying my hand at PGRE again. I am using these practice problems as a starting point (my last practice test was from so long ago, somehow got 900 using the 9677 test)...

http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/undergrad/ugs_gre.php

[tweetie_brid]

I did my last practice test minutes ago.

I will just go over formulas saturday morning right before exam.


GOOD LUCK

[Aether73]

Good luck to you too tweetie_bird.

[Catria]

Finished the test today; I can't believe there were so few people at that testing center (3 in total; none of the other two were taking the PGRE, then again, the testing center's specialty is the LSAT)

[tweetie_brid]

I sat for the exam today.

I have to admit I thought it was easier than it was going to be. I had like 30 minutes left.

I was worried about changing answers so I didn't second guess myself. I just did the ones I was absolutely sure of.

[bebattey]

I did as well, it was much easier than than most of the practice tests I went though, but then again it's percentile based so that doesn't mean what I would like it to..

How many did you skip, how many did you feel ok about, etc?

[bebattey]

*Edit, double post, sorry. Thought there were two threads for some reason..

[tweetie_brid]

Well I only need a 600 to get into my program.

I am guessing this will be about 35 correct answers.

I think I did 50 questions , but I am pretty sure I got all these correct.

I should get about a 650

[Catria]

Left 7-8 out, not confident on about 7-8 more but guessed on them anyway... do not know whether the turnaround times will be shorter because the April date was in the "low season".

[bebattey]

I was shooting for a 990 so I studied my ass off in the weeks coming, there were only 2 I didn't fill in a bubble for, and 7 more I marked to double check to come back to. I didn't skip many so I didn't have much time to go back though, I only had 10 minutes.

But I really have no clue what I got, answering so many could easily come back to bite me in the butt, so I'm really wary about getting my hopes up =\

[janghun]

I think April 2014 PGRE was so easy, so I really have concerned the percentile of PGRE score...
Does everybody agree with that?

[bebattey]

I agree with that, definitely. I felt like I would've gotten a solid 4.0 on the test if it were for a course, like PGRE prep or something, but I have no clue how many kids in the class would've gotten a 4.0 along with me..

[tweetie_brid]

I sure cant wait to get my scores.

[vagnox92]

Hi all,

any ideas when the scores will be out? They said 6 weeks from the test (ie May 15ish) but last time I took it (1 1/2 year ago) it actually took only 4 1/2 weeks before the scores were released, so if that's the case now it would be Monday week after next.

Also, there were really few people taking the test (2 in my place) and from what I heard in general.

I also heard that there was the possibility of knowing the score beforehand by calling some USA number and paying 20$, is that true or does that not apply anymore?

What scores do you think you are going to get?

[arvind]

Hi Vagnox92,
April 15 was my 2nd go at Physics GRE. The first time I couldn't manage time and did about 65 questions and was nervous so made some mistakes so score was 690 which hampered my graduate school applications this year ( GPA of 3.6 in M.Sc. 318 in general gre and 108 in Toefl didn't help because of bad PGRE ) . As that is very very very very low for an international student. This time I did very well. I solved 87 questions and most if not all of them should be correct with 6/7 guesses. I believe my score should be 900+ this time ( I am waiting crazzzyyyyyyyly for the scores to be online ).

The official scores will be online on May 5 ETS time (i.e. when the clock of your gre account goes from may 4 (12:00) to may 5 the results will be online). This is what happened last time.

And yes you can ask for your scores early for small fare using telephone. I don't know the provision but this option should be still open.

I would love a Score around 950 but 900+ will be satisfactory.

Best of luck to all friends

[vagnox92]

Hi arvind (are you from India?)

me too here can't wait for the scores to be up. Yeah you're right if it's anything like last year they should be up on May 5th, but I'm sorta hopeful that they will be up the coming week. Hoping for a 900+ here too, answered 90+, 6-7 unsure of, hope I didn't make any silly mistake like thinking an answer and putting down the wrong one or misfilling the dots.

Also, do you know where I can find out about this telephone calling affair? I can't find the number I could call anywhere, that's why I thought they had deleted this option

To soak up the tension I propose we start posting our profiles here? As in, where are we planning to apply, which field, which University are we from, where did we take the GRE, etc.?

[Catria]

MyGRE claims to be offline tomorrow for maintenance between 12:00 am and 8:00 am New York time; perhaps ETS will take advantage of the maintenance to post the subject test scores, including the PGRE ones...

I really am hoping for a 900+, too, since my own test copy can be described similarly to Vagnox, in which case it won't be what will make UPenn reject me (and UPenn is the highest reach of the gang; made it my first choice after looking for particle cosmology faculty). Yet, even with a 900+, and with a year of particle cosmology theoretical research under the belt, 110 on the TOEFL (largely inconsequential at that level), V162-Q167-AW4.0 on the GRE, I feel like ~3.7 as an undergrad, 3.8 in a MSc are, together, a little weak for particle cosmology, or even UPenn more generally, as a non-Asian international...

[vagnox92]

Hi Catria,

where are you from btw?

wow it looks like our application package is going to be almost identical here! I am going for particle cosmology too. I have about an year of particle cosmology research (will be 2 by the time I apply), 1 paper ready to publish in Phys Rev B, another one possibly to be published at theend of the year. Have 109 TOEFL, V 159, Q 169, A 4.5, BSc from major Italian University with 29.5/30 average and 110/110 final mark (no idea how this translates into a GPA), MSc from university in the top 30 in the world, with 92/100 average (again, no idea how that translates to GPA).

Why do you think your marks are weak for particle cosmology? Anyway, as a rule of thumb, I heard that getting into the astro department generally requires less competitive marks, and in particular GRE. You might want to consider astronomy instead of cosmology. You will still be able to do astroparticle physics and, at the end of the day, they are all pretty much similar.

I will definitely apply to UPenn, and others in the top 15, even though I haven't looked at faculty yet, that's something I'm planning to do soon.

[zhuk]

Hello everyone-
I am like you waiting impatiently for the results. I thought the test was on the easy side and it's my first time taking it. I left 3 problems blank and guessed on about 6... We'll see. I need a strong GRE score to counteract lousy undergrad GPA of 3.3
I am applying for experimental, mostly CM or Optics, however I am also looking at Applied science programs at top tier schools such as Stanford or UCB. The min requirements for Applied Physics may not be as stringent as for regular physics Ph.D. is what I heard.

Anyway, I read the scores will be reported on May 5th online. So one more week... here we go

[Catria]

Yet another maintenance planned for May 4th... perhaps they will post the results then?

Why do you think your marks are weak for particle cosmology?

Even with the sort of theoretical particle cosmology research experience I have, a year without so much as a preprint (but the preprint could come in a few months) I thought of theory as harder to break into than experimental, as a Canadian kid from an undergrad (with 3.7 as an undergrad and 3.8 in a MSc) that is, however, stronger in astrophysics.

And I am also adding the Ivy League factor, which leads to intense competition, where everyone shooting for theory in any shape or form will have some research experience (many will have a publication, but not all), high grades, as well as high GRE scores. However, should I get a PGRE score in the high 900s I may as well throw Yale into the mix...

[grefreak938]

Have they ever been released early?

[quizivex]

Yes, the scores have been released by phone earlier than the date that the ETS website says they'll be available by phone. This occurred at least in 2007 and 2008. I haven't kept track since then though.

[grefreak938]

Ah, well has anyone tried calling at this point? I don't have the number... what would it be?

[vagnox92]

Following the trend of the previous years, the scores should be released on the website at midnight in New York, ie in 20 hours. If anyone knows more please let keep us updated

[grefreak938]

Well, looks like they didn't use the maintenance to update scores. Hope we get to see them tonight!

[tweetie_brid]

tonight is the big night. i guess scores will be released around midnight. i am still trying to decide about grad school. i received my bs in. 1995. so this will be life changing

[zhuk]

tonight is the big night. i guess scores will be released around midnight. i am still trying to decide about grad school. i received my bs in. 1995. so this will be life changing

I got my degree in 2006 at the ripe age of 29, so we're in the same "old" boat. I am definitely going to go for it though, no matter what tonight's scores say.

[grefreak938]

T-minus 35 minutes, good luck everyone!

[vagnox92]

Marks are up folks, just as expected, perfect timing

Got 960, 91 percentile...was expecting 990 but that's ok anyway...how did you guys go?

[luwei0917]

940.(90%) expect 990.

[Catria]

Got 910, 87 percentile... never scored this high on any practice test (although percentiles all seemed to be 85-90th on practice tests) so I can't say that I disappointed that much.

[Aether73]

960 here. Not sure if I should retake it.

[zhuk]

retake for 960?
Geez... I am looking at 760 here, if I was you I would focus on other parts of your application

[tweetie_brid]

After 20 years away from physics. I took the pgre I got a 540 17%.

In my city there is a physics program ranked like 150. I know the profs there they said with

my transcripts and general gre scores of 159Q they would let me in.

[zhuk]

The school I am shooting for (UC Davis) says on the website that 62% percentile is competitive, so with my 65% I may have a chance. I think I will retake it after studying in the summer, though.