Anyone recently take the GRE??

Clarissa

Clarissa

Cathlete
Hey everyone! I have been away from the forum for a few months. Happy holidays!

Anyway...tomorrow I am taking the GRE to get into grad school for clinical psychology. I sort of decided that I wanted to go back as the personal training thing (PERSONALLY) is not exactly what I wanted to do. I do care about my clients, but I want to do more and expand my knowledge and go back to school for what I originally set out to do years ago - psychology. Well, because I just decided, I only had TEN days to prepare for the GRE because the deadline to apply is Jan 1st for next Fall (I read you should prepare for months at 5- hours per day!) I am totally and utterly freaking out about this test. I am not scoring well on the practice tests online and, up until now, I always believed myself to be an intelligent person. This xy quantitative math stuff is so difficult as are the 3500 new vocab words I have had to memorize. These words are ridiculous and half of them I can't even pronounce. My brain is FRIED to the max and I have physically and mentally made myself sick. To be quite honest, had I had 6 months to prepare, I am not sure how much more I would have absorbed, having three children and all on top of my work... If someone told me I had to run a marathon tomorrow just out of the blue, and in 20 degrees, I would be less terrified. For real.

Has anyone taken this test in recent years and if so, how was it? How did you do? How did you not have a heart attack before/during it?! LOL! Any words of wisdom? Perspective??

Thanks, Clarissa
 
Hi Clarissa:

Congratulations for taking the first big step towards graduate education!

I took the GRE in 1998-ish-ness and I know it's not comparable to the modern test, which is computer-based and, from what I hear, stressful and challenging. But I have students who have taken the test recently and I think their experiences might help you.

The students I've had who have done well on their first try have either taken a Kaplan prep class or seriously hit the GRE prep books hard in advance of the test. It's possible to do well without making use of these resources, but from what I've heard, the courses and books help. A LOT. It's not so much about how smart you are or even how much you know, it's a matter of mastering the test, which is a different animal entirely.

First, don't freak out too much - if you don't do well on your first try, you can take it again. I know this isn't a desirable option, but it IS an option. And if you DO end up taking it over again, you can consider your first try a practice run. Try to keep track of where you felt challenged, and where you might need to bone up a little. Even if you aren't happy with your score, don't worry- chalk it up to research and be better prepared the next time.

But most of all, please don't let your score shake you. Some of the best and brightest people I know had to take the GRE two or even three times, but they made it, got into grad school and never looked back. Some of the most clodheaded people I know did brilliantly on the GRE and don't seem to be able to function usefully in any other capacity. Like I said, doing well on the GRE is all about knowing your way around the GRE - it doesn't really mean anything about your intelligence.

A little more reassurance: you might ask graduate advisors in the departments you're applying to what their students' average test scores are in each category of the GRE. I did pretty abysmally on the quantitative/math section, but my scores were otherwise strong, and that was enough to get me into my particular department, which didn't require a lot of sophisticated math skills (if only "calorie counting" were part of it - I swear I sometimes accomplish very elegant calculus when deciding whether or not I should have dessert).

HTH, and good luck!
 
As someone who has taken the GRE, here's some honest advice. This isn't a wing-it type exam. You do have to prepare. I was not sufficiently prepared, especially for the math section, and I didn't do great on that section. I did pretty well on the other sections, but I know I would have done better on those as well as the math if I had studied more. The difficult math stuff really shook by confidence and made me feel angry at myself and anxious--not a good state to be in when you are taking a serious test. It doesn't mean you aren't smart if you've simply never learned the material, which was my situation with most of the math. And as my luck would have it, I ended up with TWO math sections! If you don't already know it, they give you an extra, non-graded section for their own research purposes. They know what that section is, YOU don't, so you have to treat every section as a graded part of the test. So you'll have two of something, hopefully something you like, unlike me lol!

If I was in your situation, I'd see if I could cancel the exam tomorrow. IMO, you are saying you aren't ready and as you know, the exam isn't cheap. Many programs will allow you to sign up for classes as a non-degree student. So why don't you see if you can do that--just take classes that are required for the graduate program. If that's possible, then you can take your time and study and take then exam when you feel ready, which will improve your chances of being admitted to the program as a degree-seeking candidate.

Don't mean to stress you out, but it's advice I wish I had when I went into the exam knowing I wasn't really prepared.
 
I took this about 5 years ago and did the Kaplan prep (I got is at the library, it is a bunch of CDs. etc) I couldn´t have done it without that...however I had also been out of college for about 20 years :eek:

but as one of the posters mentioned, this is not a test to just "wing". It really is better to be well prepared, and if that means that your application must be put off for a semester, that might be the best thing to do.
 
Hi - congrats on your decision - I went the clinical psych route straight out of college and so I would like to save you some of the headaches I experienced with the GRE and the general application process.....

First, the GRE is the bane of all existence....standardized tests like this are particularly irritating because studies have shown there is no correlation between excellent academic performance and high scores on these tests.

This will be a computer based test, correct? The trick with computer based tests is to get the first several questions in the series correct....this allows for the highest possible score....if you get the first few wrong, the program will then begin to ask you easy questions and you will then have to work your way up to the harder questions ... ultimately though your score will still be lower.

I can say with 100% certainty that GRE scores for most institutions act as first pass elimination - if you don't have the minimum score for the program, your application isn't even looked at. Some might argue that your entire package counts (I agree, but still think the total package is only evaluated after achieving the minimum GRE score): what was your gpa, do you have a terminal masters, how old are you, are you coming from a prestigious college or grad school with a significant research program, have you presented at a poster board session for APA or Eastern Psych Assoc, are you published, have you volunteered within a clinical setting, do you have teaching experience?
Things to think about as you prepare your application.

Ph.D programs and Psy.D programs are quite costly ... if you don't already have a Masters, it might be worthwhile to postpone your application and take the GRE in about 6 weeks (enrolling in a Kaplan prep course or buying a Kaplan study guide) and utilize that time to prepare. Most Masters programs have rolling applications or are due in March as opposed to January. The key is to find a good program that is small - you would then have an ideal shot at an assistantship, which would provide research experience or teaching experience and fully paid tuition, all of which would bolster your Ph.D application. You also get great exposure to professors which will likely influence/determine your research interests that will form the basis of your thesis work.

Clinical psych Ph.D accredited program is the most competitive grad program to get into....acceptance rate about 10%. Even if you re-take the GRE, ETS sends all sets of scores to institutions applied to, which means if you do poorly the first time and ace it the second go around, all scores are still reported.

Rather than rush into it, I would cancel, prepare, identify/target specific programs, strengthen application for admittance if necessary by getting additional experience, and contact the head of the program - make an appointment to meet with thim/her to discuss the program - makes a huge difference and can also help acceptance and with getting aforementioned assistantships and/or fellowships in Ph.D programs.

It's a long journey but worth it...Not trying to sound negative, so don't misunderstand - I just wish someone had given me similar guidance during my application process...and if I am telling you things you already know, sincerest apologies for the redundancy - just wanted to cover all bases.

Good Luck to you!
 
Clarissa,
I think you need to find out whether your score on your first exam stays on your record or not. For some exams, all the scores are averaged, and that first score never goes away. If you can take the exam a second time, and have that score replace the first one, then no harm in trying. However, if the schools are going to take all the scores into consideration, then you may be doing yourself more harm than good by winging it.
 
How important is it that you start school in the fall? Can you delay it to the spring semester instead? This way you will have more time to prepare. As Nancy said, if schools look at the first score and you don't do as well as you would have liked, that could hurt you.

I'm prepping for the GMAT which I'm assuming is similar. I thought I was pretty smart and always did well in school but when I took the practice exam I BOMBED the math section!! What helped me prepare is, I bought GMAt for Dummies, studied the tricks in there, and then went on to plow through the Kaplan study prep which is a little more formal (and a lot more boring lol). It took about 6 months but it REALLY helped!
 
i took it a couple years ago -- i think its not just on the computer but adapative still...that's the part that's really evil. you can't skip ahead if you're stumped for a second and if you get the answer wrong, they'll give you an easier one so your score is screwed. The reason why people bomb on the math is because its pretty easy to get a perfect score on it so even one mistake brings you down to a 750. Just making a couple can really kill you. I don't believe in paying for those courses...most of those instructors don't know their material and teach you tricks that you could read in a book. (And they pay for crap, hence lower quality teachers.) If you really need additional help, try and find a private tutor who can help you -- they seem pricey but they end up being cheaper than those prep classes (I charge $75-100/hr). I wouldn't wing it, but that's me. Rather, really go into preparing for for the application -- a year isn't a bad thing at all -- and just kick butt on it. Also, I remember my friend studying for the GRE Psychology subject exam -- that's very memorizing intensive as well so a full year for the general, the subject, and the application process seems reasonable to me.
 
Thanks friends! Well, I did end up taking it. Recall, I studied ON MY OWN for a MERE NINE DAYS (!!!!) with THREE KIDS at home all day one being a BABY and also having a FULL TIME personal training business out of my home, and got a total score of 1030 (540V and 490Q); I needed an 1100, however, for the clinical program. You know, I did cry at first; then I was angry; now I am damn proud of myself for doing as well as I did for all I went through these past 9-10 days, sleepless nights, etc...I just really want to start this coming fall and the spring semester is not an option. It is a PhD combined program where your tuition is fully paid thru assistantships and you even receive a stipend! Nice! :)

I am weighing my options right now and considering taking the Q again as I need a 550 to get into my intensive program. So close!!! :(

Thanks again everyone! Have a nice holiday!
Clarissa
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top