Very Low PGRE score - my chances of gradschool?

[tychobrahe_1]

I'm sure you all have read posts like this before, so I'll make it quick.

Major: Astronomy and Physics
GPA 3.0
PGRE: 500 (Will retake, obviously)
2 years of research
Applying to Masters/PhD programs in Astronomy

Schools I'm looking into: UMD, PennState, U Pittsburgh, SUNYSB, U Mass-Amherst, U Rochester, Lehigh U, Rutgers U and a few others.

With my current profile, do I have a chance to get into these gradschools at all?

(p.s. I plan on taking the General GREs next week.)

[WhoaNonstop]

With my current profile, do I have a chance at all?

Yes.

-Riley

[admissionprof]

WIth a 3.0 and a PGRE of 500, UMD is a bit of a stretch. The others are possible if your letters are really good, you improve your PGRE and you get a little lucky.

[tom6740]

I'm afraid the chance is pretty small. I had 4-year experience of researches with about 10 publications (non stellar, though) and poster on AAS meetings, as well as two manuscripts in-review at AJ as first author (eventually accepted, but not before I got the reject letters), but I got zero acceptance last year because of my low PGRE (~500) and very decent GPA.

(I work hard on PGRE and get it over 700+ this year, though)

I would recommend you to retake the test if you don't want to waste your time and money.

Q.

[WhoaNonstop]

I'm afraid the chance is pretty small.

I don't think the chance is small. There are many programs that don't require the PGRE. However, you need to drop down to some lower end schools to gain certainty that you will get into a program (or at least add quite a few programs that don't even rank in the top half of the programs available today). Regardless though, you certainly can get into graduate school.

-Riley

[sfweb]

WhoaNonstop i agree with you chances are not few i also face same problem in past so i now lot how to handle this situation.

I'm afraid the chance is pretty small.

I don't think the chance is small. There are many programs that don't require the PGRE. However, you need to drop down to some lower end schools to gain certainty that you will get into a program (or at least add quite a few programs that don't even rank in the top half of the programs available today). Regardless though, you certainly can get into graduate school.

-Riley

[kroner]

I'm afraid the chance is pretty small. I had 4-year experience of researches with about 10 publications (non stellar, though) and poster on AAS meetings, as well as two manuscripts in-review at AJ as first author (eventually accepted, but not before I got the reject letters), but I got zero acceptance last year because of my low PGRE (~500) and very decent GPA.

(I work hard on PGRE and get it over 700+ this year, though)

I would recommend you to retake the test if you don't want to waste your time and money.

Q.

Where did you apply? Without that context, this is not meaningful information.

[vesperlynd]

.

[augustrush]

Hi,

I am an MSc in Physics from an Indian University. For two years I am in a job after MSc. So, I heardly had sufficient time to prepare for my gre general and pgre. Here is my profile:-

GRE general score: verbal:310, Quantitative:640

PGRE score: 510

TOEFL: awaiting result

University result: 71%

Experience: worked on an MSc thesis, attended schools on Cosmology, THEP, etc at various institutes in India.

I am aware that my scores are very low. As the time is running out for graduate application, I don't have the privilege to take fresh test for fall admission. So, I need to know if I stand any chances if I apply to sub hundred US universities on ranking for Experimental High Energy Physics PhD program. I can't wait for 2012 fall application. Please suggest if I stand any chances. Should I or shouldn't I apply for this 2011 fall ?? I am not looking for high profile top ranking universities.

[zxcv]

Unfortunately, your chances of admissions are very low for even the lowest ranked US programs. I do not think it is worth applying for fall 2011.

[t2kburl]

I have the same question.

GPA = 3.65 from small UG program in MN
PGRE = 490
GRE V = 620
GRE Q = 670
GRE A = 4.5

Nontraditional student with 10+ years (slightly) related work experience. Interned @ NASA - JSC for UG Research project. Letter from NASA mentor went with most applications.

Applied to: Colorado, Arizona, UC - Santa Cruz, Wisconsin all for Astro.
Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee, Washington State, New Mexico Tech all for Physics
Wisconsin, Colorado State, Utah State all for ECE (more closely related to work experience)

[vttd]

I have the same question.

GPA = 3.65 from small UG program in MN
PGRE = 490
GRE V = 620
GRE Q = 670
GRE A = 4.5

Nontraditional student with 10+ years (slightly) related work experience. Interned @ NASA - JSC for UG Research project. Letter from NASA mentor went with most applications.

Applied to: Colorado, Arizona, UC - Santa Cruz, Wisconsin all for Astro.
Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee, Washington State, New Mexico Tech all for Physics
Wisconsin, Colorado State, Utah State all for ECE (more closely related to work experience)

I didn't have the 10+ years of work experience, but I had a somewhat similar application. I had a 3.5 GPA from a pretty well known university and a PGRE score of 570. I had a lot of research experience and from NASA as well. My mentor wrote really great letters for me as well. However, last year I was rejected from all the schools I applied to. I can't speak to the Physics and ECE places you are applying to, but I applied to all of those places for astronomy (except Wisconsin) and was rejected by all of them. You may want to apply to more safety schools in astro if you want to go to school for that, but I think the GREs really matter a lot. Even if you have a stellar application, you still need to meet a certain threshold for most places to look at the other factors. I would suggest applying and if you're unsatisfied with where you get in, then retake both GREs (try to get that quantitative score up into the high 700s like 780-800) and reapply.

[t2kburl]

I have the same question.

GPA = 3.65 from small UG program in MN
PGRE = 490
GRE V = 620
GRE Q = 670
GRE A = 4.5

Nontraditional student with 10+ years (slightly) related work experience. Interned @ NASA - JSC for UG Research project. Letter from NASA mentor went with most applications.

Applied to: Colorado, Arizona, UC - Santa Cruz, Wisconsin all for Astro.
Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee, Washington State, New Mexico Tech all for Physics
Wisconsin, Colorado State, Utah State all for ECE (more closely related to work experience)

I didn't have the 10+ years of work experience, but I had a somewhat similar application. I had a 3.5 GPA from a pretty well known university and a PGRE score of 570. I had a lot of research experience and from NASA as well. My mentor wrote really great letters for me as well. However, last year I was rejected from all the schools I applied to. I can't speak to the Physics and ECE places you are applying to, but I applied to all of those places for astronomy (except Wisconsin) and was rejected by all of them. You may want to apply to more safety schools in astro if you want to go to school for that, but I think the GREs really matter a lot. Even if you have a stellar application, you still need to meet a certain threshold for most places to look at the other factors. I would suggest applying and if you're unsatisfied with where you get in, then retake both GREs (try to get that quantitative score up into the high 700s like 780-800) and reapply.

I was hoping UW-Milwaukee, NMT and WSU were safety enough for me to at least get the Masters, then maybe go after the bigger Astro programs again. For me, there is no option to wait a year and try again. I'm 40 now, so its time to poop or get off the pot, if you know what I mean. Also, there is no *bleep*ing way I'm paying ETS another dime! I paid them to send additional score reports of both general and subject to 5 schools and they sent general only. When I called them about it they said I'd have to pay again for the subject reports. I'm not paying for people to see that score. Waste of money. If I go the Masters and move on route, I'll retake everything then.

I am considering adding UMN-Duluth for the Masters as another safety option in Physics. I don't know of any other Masters only options to apply to. Any suggestions?

The ECE programs really play to my strengths and will never see the PGRE score, so it may be a good option for me, but not exactly what I want.

It is also possible I could get hired in to the job I did @ NASA, in which case none of this will matter

[WhoaNonstop]

There are a few Physics graduate programs that do not require the Physics GRE. Applying to one or two of this wouldn't hurt.

-Riley

[CarlBrannen]

Applied to: Colorado, Arizona, UC - Santa Cruz, Wisconsin all for Astro.
Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee, Washington State, New Mexico Tech all for Physics
Wisconsin, Colorado State, Utah State all for ECE (more closely related to work experience)
... For me, there is no option to wait a year and try again. I'm 40 now, so its time to poop or get off the pot, if you know what I mean.

I took a BS in Math at NMT and liked the school so much I stuck around for the MS in the same subject (they had no PhD program). I'd love to attend there but I want a bigger name school and they really don't have a program compatible with me. As far as 40 being over the hill, I'll be 53 next year and I'm applying.

By the way, there's a fairly entertaining mystery out that will give you a lot of the local flavor of Socorro, New Mexico. People seriously considering NMT might pick it up. And if you go to school there at least you'll know what to do with your sopapillas:
http://www.amazon.com/Socorro-Blast-Sol ... 0826343848

Uh, otherwise see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopaipilla#United_States

Also, since you have 10 years experience as an electronics technician, you need to make sure they know you're interested in experiment. You're way ahead of the competition there.

[t2kburl]

Applied to: Colorado, Arizona, UC - Santa Cruz, Wisconsin all for Astro.
Wisconsin, UW-Milwaukee, Washington State, New Mexico Tech all for Physics
Wisconsin, Colorado State, Utah State all for ECE (more closely related to work experience)
... For me, there is no option to wait a year and try again. I'm 40 now, so its time to poop or get off the pot, if you know what I mean.

I took a BS in Math at NMT and liked the school so much I stuck around for the MS in the same subject (they had no PhD program). I'd love to attend there but I want a bigger name school and they really don't have a program compatible with me. As far as 40 being over the hill, I'll be 53 next year and I'm applying.

By the way, there's a fairly entertaining mystery out that will give you a lot of the local flavor of Socorro, New Mexico. People seriously considering NMT might pick it up. And if you go to school there at least you'll know what to do with your sopapillas:
http://www.amazon.com/Socorro-Blast-Sol ... 0826343848

Uh, otherwise see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sopaipilla#United_States

Also, since you have 10 years experience as an electronics technician, you need to make sure they know you're interested in experiment. You're way ahead of the competition there.

Actually I've had quite a bit of email dialogue with Dr. Michelle Creech-Eakman from the Physics department there. I played up my experience big time in my application because I really like their Instrumentation Masters option. I think it would be a good fit for me, on the way to the Astrophysics Ph.D.

Maybe its just me, but I couldn't care less about a program's name or reputation. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. To me, that whole concept reeks of arrogance (on their part) and is not something I want any part of. I don't want to go to a school where everyone is looking down their nose at you. Physics is still physics.

One huge reason why the timing is critical for me is that my daughter starts college next year, too. She won't be Pell eligible if I don't stay in school. And I doubt I could afford her tuition while paying off my student loans on a BS level salary, at this point.

I still have a lot of hope for NMT, even with my awful PGRE score.