Below Average General GRE Score
Posted: Sun Oct 07, 2018 6:04 pm
Hey all,
It has been a lifelong issue of mine that I don't do well on standardized tests. I took the general GRE in September, freaked out in the middle of the test, and got into the bottom 48% on quant. and around the bottom 40% on verbal.
These scores are quite frustrating because I don't feel like they reflect my capacity to do research at a minimum (I still definitely wouldn't call myself intelligent by any means what-so-ever). I have done two REUs and worked another summer at Los Alamos. Along with that, I have taken graduate courses in quantum field theory, string theory, and general relativity - all with A's (though I had to drop non-major courses while taking those courses, and therefore did receive two W's as a result). I have also been doing research since I was a freshman in various fields, such as computational fluid dynamics, computational astrophysics, theoretical biophysics, quantum/classical statistical physics, and now (actually, since the end of my sophomore year) I am working on an honors thesis in exotic hadron physics. I have also received a 4.09 (on a 4.33 scale) GPA (A average), and finished my physics degree a year early. With these research projects, I have one submitted publication and another in preparation.
However, despite the work that I have put into building an okay resume for graduate work, I am extremely concerned that graduate schools are going to look at my very very poor general GRE scores and not even consider looking at my application.
Is it even worth it to apply for graduate school at this point with these scores? I don't necessarily have a lot of money for retaking these exams.
It has been a lifelong issue of mine that I don't do well on standardized tests. I took the general GRE in September, freaked out in the middle of the test, and got into the bottom 48% on quant. and around the bottom 40% on verbal.
These scores are quite frustrating because I don't feel like they reflect my capacity to do research at a minimum (I still definitely wouldn't call myself intelligent by any means what-so-ever). I have done two REUs and worked another summer at Los Alamos. Along with that, I have taken graduate courses in quantum field theory, string theory, and general relativity - all with A's (though I had to drop non-major courses while taking those courses, and therefore did receive two W's as a result). I have also been doing research since I was a freshman in various fields, such as computational fluid dynamics, computational astrophysics, theoretical biophysics, quantum/classical statistical physics, and now (actually, since the end of my sophomore year) I am working on an honors thesis in exotic hadron physics. I have also received a 4.09 (on a 4.33 scale) GPA (A average), and finished my physics degree a year early. With these research projects, I have one submitted publication and another in preparation.
However, despite the work that I have put into building an okay resume for graduate work, I am extremely concerned that graduate schools are going to look at my very very poor general GRE scores and not even consider looking at my application.
Is it even worth it to apply for graduate school at this point with these scores? I don't necessarily have a lot of money for retaking these exams.