GRE Info – GRE Roll in Application

The importance of a GRE score can vary from being a mere formality to being one of the most important pieces of an application, depending on the student and the graduate programs they are applying to. Some graduate programs may focus more on an applicant’s overall GRE score, using it as a proxy measure of a student’s ability to plan, prioritize, learn, and demonstrate acquired knowledge. Most graduate programs, however, care more about section scores than the total, or combined, GRE score, and for good reason: Educational Testing Service (ETS), the creator and administrator of the GRE, emphasizes the importance of treating each section score as a separate assessment.

What section score a specific graduate program is most concerned with varies greatly depending on the focus of the program. If you are applying to a mathematics, engineering, technology, or science-focused graduate program, your Quantitative Reasoning score will likely carry more weight than your Verbal Reasoning score. On the other hand, if you are applying to a graduate program in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, there will likely be more focus on your Verbal Reasoning and Analytical Writing scores than your Quantitative Reasoning scores.

Generally, undergraduate grades are more important than GRE scores, and letters of recommendation are about equally important. GRE scores can be critically important when applying to the most competitive graduate programs and can sometimes carry more weight than undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or letters of recommendation, depending upon the specific program. Additionally, if you have a weak or less than impressive application, achieving a high score on the GRE could help compensate for deficiencies in your educational background.

Institutional Guidelines

ETS maintains a detailed list of policies and guidelines to ensure the proper use of GRE scores. Regardless of the program or institution, ETS recommends the use of multiple sources of information and evaluation criteria be used to judge each candidate. This is to ensure fairness and to balance the inherent limitations of any individual measurement. ETS also recommends avoiding consequential decisions based on small score differences, using appropriate percentile ranks when comparing candidates, and not comparing scores from different subject tests, as they are not equivalent. While the GRE is required for admission to most graduate schools, the exam is now also accepted by an increasing number of business and law schools. Due to these changes, ETS provides score comparison tables for converting GRE scores to GMAT scores, as well as GRE scores to LSAT scores.

The GRE has two primary limitations as an exam:

1. it cannot measure all the qualities that are important to graduate success or confirming undergraduate achievement;
2. it is an inexact measure with a standard error of measurement.

Beyond the standard error of measurement, however, differences in section scores should serve as a reliable indication of real differences in applicants’ academic knowledge and ability.

Because the GRE is used differently by different graduate schools and programs, you should research your desired programs to thoroughly understand whether they require specific GRE scores or whether they will use your GRE results to tailor your graduate study. Some programs may use the GRE General Test or GRE Subject Tests as metrics to determine what graduate coursework you must take as part of your education, while also determining what group and individual coursework should focus on during the first year.

How to Use your GRE Score

Your GRE score is useful to get a “foot in the door” at graduate schools by showing them that you are a knowledgable and well-rounded applicant. If your application has particular deficiencies, the GRE score can help by giving you a quantifiable benchmark of your aptitude for specific subjects. If you are using your GRE to get into business school, then your score will likely be essentially meaningless once you have gained admission and chosen a program. Although it is possible to compare GRE scores to GMAT scores, the GRE is a much less specific test than the GMAT and therefore less useful at predicting success in specific topics. As long as you obtain a score that is high enough to be competitive at your program of choice, you can stop worrying about it.

If you are using your GRE score for graduate school in a field other than business, then your score may have additional uses within your academic department, for example by indicating areas where remedial or preparatory coursework may be necessary. GRE scores can be especially useful if they are combined with GRE Subject Test scores, which indicate accomplishment and knowledge in specific content areas. If you are having trouble reaching your target score, working with a private tutor or enrolling in a preparatory course can help you understand the language of the exam while also helping you focus on studying the right material, ensuring you can study more efficiently by using your time wisely.

Admissions Counselling

The GRE is deliberately designed to be a “general” test—it measures academic and professional skills that can be attained in a variety of ways and have a broad variety of applications. While giving students a standardized metric to demonstrate their achievement is beneficial to students with diverse or unusual backgrounds, it also limits the test’s usefulness as a diagnostic or educational device. And while it measures linguistic, mathematical, and writing aptitude, it provides little direction to students who are unsure of what professional career to pursue.

Students who have specific professional aspirations may use the GRE as a tool in their plan; students who are less sure about their plans for the future may consider also taking GRE subject tests if they have studied a subject that is covered. Students who are planning to go to business school may be unsure of whether the GRE or the GMAT is more appropriate for them, as many schools accept either test score. The GMAT is generally considered to have more difficult quantitative sections and has content that is specifically limited to business relevance.

The GRE, on the other hand, has easier quantitative sections but more challenging verbal sections and has content from a wide variety of professional and academic disciplines. If you are debating which test to take, consider sitting for practice tests of each to evaluate which you prefer. Admissions counselors can also help you choose a graduate test and use your scores to form and achieve your academic and professional goals.

The same applies to students who are considering attending law school but are uncertain whether to take the LSAT or the GRE. More than one hundred law programs accept the GRE, with more accepting it every year, which means it may simply come down to which test you perform better on. Students should take practice versions of both the LSAT and the GRE and see which exam they perform better on, making that the exam to prepare diligently for with a prep course or private tutor.

Conclusion

The role of a student’s GRE score varies greatly depending on several factors, including the programs the student is applying to and the student’s undergraduate background. Most graduate programs focus on section scores rather than the combined GRE score, which is why it is critically important to do your research and understand the average section scores achieved by applicants successfully admitted to your programs of choice. Knowing if you need a high Quantiative Reasoning or Verbal Reasoning score will guide your test preparation, allowing you to focus on what matters in order to submit the most competitive application possible.

For students who are uncertain whether to take the GRE, LSAT, or GMAT, taking practice tests and comparing your performance across them is the best way to determine which test you should officially prepare for and take. Working with an admissions counselor to put together an application that highlights your accomplishments and presents your academic background in the best light can be an effective strategy for improving your odds of admission at graduate, business, and law programs.