The dreaded GRE

So, I finally got around to shelling out $130 to willingly subject myself to what can only be described as mental torture and anguish: the GRE.

Before the test, test-takers had to rewrite a paragraph long statement in which we declare we are who we say we are and that we will maintain the confidentiality of the test yadda yadda.  I’ve never been one to follow rules so here goes.

The first part of the test included a two-part writing section.  On the first prompt, we were given two statements of which we had to choose one to defend or refute.  I went with the statement questioning whether technology ameliorates or worsens world conflicts.  The second prompt included a paragraph asserting a company’s decision to introduce a line of products on the basis of three reasons given.  We then had to write whether the reasons given were rational.

The second part of the exam included a verbal test in which we had to read paragraph upon paragraph of run-on, continuous sentences, answer questions about them, and then answer analogous words and word opposites.  I have a fairly large vocabulary that even living in Kentucky has failed to diminish and even I didn’t know many of the words that popped up.

The last part included the quantitative section which measured your mathematical ability with lots of vague and confusing algebraic equations.  Suffice to say, this section was not my strongest part.  But no matter, the history department at UC doesn’t consider this section in admittance to graduate school.

At the end of the test, your scores for the verbal and quantitative pop up.  You have to wait nearly a month to see your score for the writing section.  I scored a 580 in verbal and a 410 in quantitative.  The proctor said that although 800 is the highest score for each section, the average score is 450 for each.

To give some perspective, MIT requires applicants for graduate school to score at least a 580 on verbal and a 796 on quantitative for admittance.  Another school listed my score of 580 as ranking in the 77th percentile.

Graduate school, here I come.

Filed under Personal | Comment (0)