GREs and The Pricescope Fairy!

[MelissaSue]

matorata - I totally know the feeling, I took the GRES about 2 years ago, and I couldn''t sleep the night before, and then the whole drive there I felt like I was going throw up.. and then it didn''t help that I couldn''t find anywhere to park.. Oy.. but once I got into the test room all was fine.. I did good, but not great, but I think that everything happens for a reason, I''d have been so miserable in a doctoral program.. so I''m glad I just did the masters. Anyway.. not the point.. The point is.. I know you''re stressed, but everything will be fine as soon as you get to the test! And you''re gonna KICK SOME GRE BUTT!

 

[MissAva]

Oy! Parking!

I had not even thought of that.... What feild are you in? I am doing pyschology and sadly the numbers needed to get into masters are just as high as they are for the doctoral programs. SOOO NERVOUS. I am only applying to two schools. Auburn and Baylor. I am praying that one or both will let me in. I am going to try and go back to sleep for a bit.

 

[Jelly]

You may not see this before you go to your test, but I''m sending all my luck to you for your exams! Don''t forget to breathe!

 

[Jelly]

My last post probably didn''t make much sense. When I said, "Don''t forget to breathe," I meant to relax and watch your breathing if you feel yourself panicking or freaking out. You''ll do great!

 

[MissAva]

I knew what you meant.

Thank you so much for your good wishes! I am hoping to report in a few hours some really good news.

 

[appletini]

Good Luck today!

 

[Rube]

A fresh dose of "Good Luck!"

 

[MelissaSue]

Mat - your probably at your Test ROCKING the GRE by now, but I did Psychology too... Thing is, I don''t even remember the score I got.. I wanna say it was in the 1100 range.. It was within the average range for my school, BUT, my other credentials weren''t great.. I had only minimal research experience coming from a small non-research based college.. and probably didn''t write the best personal statements. I got rejected to two PhD programs (one was based on the interview though, I got to the interview stage based on my scores and credentials.. but as soon as I got to the interview I knew the program was not a good fit for me, and it was obvious to them too!), the other PhD program, was the same dept I am in now, just doing my masters. So obviously, I got my rejection from the phD program and then sent in my application to the Masters program, which was accepted.. I don''t remember if they stated the GRE score requirements were lower for the Masters, if they were, it wasn''t by much, but they are just a little bit more lax as to who they let in because
A) they dont have to give me an assistantship for a masters degree, I am paying the whole way..
and
B) If I suck, some professor is not stuck with me for 4-5 years.. only two. (its actually taken me 3, because i''m a slacker and I hate the program)

 

[MissAva]

Well I am done! I did 590/600.

I am not happy or sad...just done. Whew!

 

[MelissaSue]

Good Job Mat! you must be so releived to be done with them! Take a nap! You deserve it!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Yeahhhhh Matatora!!!!!!That score is nothing to sneeze at lady, you did a-ok!!!! Now we can do some celebrating!!!!

 

[MissAva]

Sounds good to me, what are we doing?

 

[flopkins]

yay!!!!!! now go have some FUN!!!

 

[Blue824]

You deserve a night out on the town! Yay for being done!

 

[goldengirl]

Way to go Matatora, you''re so glad to be done studying, I bet!!!

 

[allycat0303]

Oh Mat! I don''t know much about GRE''s cause we don''t have them in Canada, but it looks like a good score to me? Is it enough for you to get in your program? You said you weren''t happy and you weren''t sad. Let me know cause I''m thinking of you!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Date: 10/3/2005 7:25:59 PM
Author: Matatora
Sounds good to me, what are we doing?

we need major retail therapy- I''m thinking handbags and pretty shinies followed by chocolate frappuchinos and great burgers and fries!!!!

When the heck are you going back to NJ?

 

[MissAva]

Wed, the 12th I will be back in NJ and I am staying until the following Monday...

Want to play hookey (sp)?

 

[stacyQ]

Wow Mat, pretty good for your first try! I wish I had logged on sooner to wish u good luck! I am re-taking my GRE on 11/14, I made a 1160 the first time around, but am looking to boost it. I am applying to cllinical Psych Ph.D. programs this semester (don''t know exactly which kind you are looking at) even though I already work in psych research at a medical school. If you are planning on applying to University of Texas Southwestern Medical in Dallas, let me know. I got all the inside info on the prof''s and research there! And they pay a decent stipend too.........................

Your advice is too good, I should have known you were a psychologist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MissAva]

Really Now me too!

Right now my top two are Auburn and Baylor, but I am also think about applying to a few other places. When would you be starting? I am finding this whole process a bit nerve racking I mean really I dont have 5 pages of info about myself if you take out school...

 

[Rube]

Congrats Matatora for at least being done with ONE part! I know how nerve racking it can be... except I still have until November to worry about my GRE scores! Then the essays, applications, and whatever else needs to be gathered up.

Good luck!

Rube

 

[stacyQ]

I am applying for next fall ('06). The first time I applied to a Ph.D. program right out of my B.A., I used this book by John Norcross
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1572309784/qid=1128613830/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-0374072-8790363?v=glance&s=books

and I got to the interview stage for a program at Carnegie Mellon with that 1160 GRE. I decided to change my field of research to clinical, and started a master's program instead to get more research experience. It is less about the GRE than people make it out to be, alot of it is "who you know."

Oh, and btw, any questions you have about application stuff, I might be able to answer them. I taught a couple of undergraduate psych classes with a man that writes with John Norcross, and I used to help students in my class with their applications, personal statements, CV's, etc...........

I would be happy to help you out in any way I could, trust me I owe you one!!!!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey - I don''t know if this will be relevant for anyone, but I found the Princeton Review for the general GREs really helpful. I only studied from it for about a week and a half and I got 740/710 (verbal/math, but the numbers aren''t actually transferable from one test to another - the percentiles, which are, were like 99th/72nd or something) and a 6.0 on the writing, so I thought that was pretty decent.

I agree though its not about the scores - you just need to get barely high enough for the interview and then its really more about whether you are a good fit for the program. I got interviews everywhere I applied but I only got in to 1/2 of them. Of course, one was such a painful experience that I told them before I left I didn''t want to go there, so the rejection was a formality in that case. My only other piece of advice is to keep in mind that you are interviewing them too. And you should go with the program that feels right to you, not the one you think you SHOULD go to. I like my program (UCSF) and I know I will come out of it in a strong program, but I sometimes think I should have taken that advice more myself when deciding and gone for the program my gut wanted (Harvard), even if it gave me less options (mostly because its a PhD in Immunology and Infectious Disease from the School of Public Health, not from a strictly graduate program). Too late to change my mind now, but hoping that sharing my experience will help those of you including Ms. Matatora who haven''t decided yet.

 

[MissAva]

Tired now...and I get up at 4 each morning...but I am definately going to be asking a ton of questions! Thanks ladies, it is such a blessing to have so many people who know so much willing to help! *hugs*