KhoiFish82 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Hi all, I'll be taking the GRE for the 1st time in June. I've been studying hard using the Kaplan study guide. Even with all of this preparation, I am still nervous and scared. So I just wanted to ask you all. How heavily weighted do you think the GRE will be on getting accepted? The programs I am applying to are The University of Texas Southwestern, Baylor College of Medicine, and The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. I have a cum GPA of 3.65 and a science GPA of 3.60. I also have 5yrs of health care experience and 26hrs of PA shadowing experience among other things. Thanks in advance, Khoi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktalon Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Khoi, I have not yet been through an application process so my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt. With that said, from everything thing I have learned from this forum, your stats are impressive and should land you interviews at most of the places you are applying to. As long as you get above a 1000 on the GRE I think you will be just fine. Of course, stats get you the interview, the interview gets you accepted. Best of luck to you and keep up the studying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Hi all, I'll be taking the GRE for the 1st time in June. I've been studying hard using the Kaplan study guide. Even with all of this preparation, I am still nervous and scared. So I just wanted to ask you all. How heavily weighted do you think the GRE will be on getting accepted? The programs I am applying to are The University of Texas Southwestern, Baylor College of Medicine, and The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. I have a cum GPA of 3.65 and a science GPA of 3.60. I also have 5yrs of health care experience and 26hrs of PA shadowing experience among other things. Thanks in advance, Khoi i wouldn't worry about it. i don't think GRE is weighted heavily, at least at UTSW and BCM...and based on the fact you have been studying, you will do just fine. just be confident! good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 University of Washington's Master's program requires the applicant to take the GRE. However, the program director informed us at one of the information sessions that "Medex has not found any correlation between performance on the GRE and performance as a PA. Therefore, your score on the GRE is not weighed for application." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted June 4, 2011 Administrator Share Posted June 4, 2011 I've got killer GRE scores, and I definitely think it helped me get noticed. In this case, I think GRE+recent grades+PS addressing lousy undergrad grades made more of a difference than the GRE in isolation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 The GRE can make or break someone with lower GPAs but a score around the school's average would suffice for someone that has competitive grades and HCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinchs03 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I would have to say that the GRE cant make or break you but you need to score at least a 1000. I was fortunate enough to interview at UTSW last year. My gpa was average at 3.62 and I had significant health care exposure. However I did not do so hot on the GRE (390 Verbal and 570 quant) and I did not interview very well (using the MMI method) therefore I was not offer a seat. I spoke to Dr. Jones of UTSW and he stated "Your GRE score was, in comparison to most, a bit on the lower side but not disqualifying. That could be something to consider in terms of possibly re-taking it for a goal of a higher score." I am retaking my GRE in late June in hopes of making myself a better applicant. Also keep in mind that I applied at UTMB but did not interview because of my low gre scores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondknotdum Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 can gre sort of make up for a lower gpa? for example i have a cGPA of 3.4 but i did fairly well on the gre (1250). do they take that into account? or are both these numbers too average to really be meaningful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_me Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 if it did make or break I certainly wouldnt have been accepted to the the 3 programs that I was accepted to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinntsp Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 can gre sort of make up for a lower gpa? for example i have a cGPA of 3.4 but i did fairly well on the gre (1250). do they take that into account? or are both these numbers too average to really be meaningful? A 3.4 is not a low GPA. You'll be fine in that regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minh Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 can i apply with a 1000 gre? 360v 640q. 3.1gpa. --> taking human anatomy + physiology this fall along with some other pre reqs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taotaox1 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Per UTSW adcom: We don't weight the GRE very heavily, If you get more than 1300+ it can help you and if you do very poorly it will hurt you. As long as you are not doing very poorly don't sweat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsontft29 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I am also wondering the same thing! I took the GRE in May and my nerves got the best of me......ended up with an 850:( YIKES! I just re-took it on Sat., and although I improved my score, I still only got a 960:( I am really bad at standerized tests, and I even took Kaplan twice! I have 6 years of HC as an xray and Nuclear medicine Technologist, overall GPA of 3.5 with a science of 3.6, and 200 hours of PA shadowing. I am apllying to schools in Fl, but my friend applied to NOVA last year with the same stats minus the HC experience and a GRE score of 980, and the denied her and said it was because of her low GRE:( Now I am freaking because I am getting ready to apply in 2 weeks! Any advice??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsontft29 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I am also wondering the same thing! I took the GRE in May and my nerves got the best of me......ended up with an 850:( YIKES! I just re-took it on Sat., and although I improved my score, I still only got a 960:( I am really bad at standerized tests, and I even took Kaplan twice! I have 6 years of HC as an xray and Nuclear medicine Technologist, overall GPA of 3.5 with a science of 3.6, and 200 hours of PA shadowing. I am apllying to schools in Fl, but my friend applied to NOVA last year with the same stats minus the HC experience and a GRE score of 980, and the denied her and said it was because of her low GRE:( Now I am freaking because I am getting ready to apply in 2 weeks! Any advice??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhoiFish82 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 The health care experience ways heavily. Always remember, they look at the applicant as a whole and in her case she had no health care experience. So that limits the arsenal of weapons in her application. All they had to look at was her GRE at that point, because everybody and their moms have competitive GPAs and shadowing experience. Also 960 isn't a horrible GRE score, its lower than the average for most students that get accepted. But....not horrible by any means. You have a lot going for you: 1. Competitive GPA 2. Heaps of health care experience 3. 200hrs of PA shadowing, despite the fact you already had plenty of health care experience. You're fine. Keep at it and don't give up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhoiFish82 Posted July 25, 2011 Author Share Posted July 25, 2011 The health care experience ways heavily. Always remember, they look at the applicant as a whole and in her case she had no health care experience. So that limits the arsenal of weapons in her application. All they had to look at was her GRE at that point, because everybody and their moms have competitive GPAs and shadowing experience. Also 960 isn't a horrible GRE score, its lower than the average for most students that get accepted. But....not horrible by any means. You have a lot going for you: 1. Competitive GPA 2. Heaps of health care experience 3. 200hrs of PA shadowing, despite the fact you already had plenty of health care experience. You're fine. Keep at it and don't give up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halie45 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 wilsontft29, I'm in about the same exact boat as you. I have taken the GRE 3 times over the past 5 years. All my scores are extremely low. I have 3 years of HCE and a pretty good cGPA and sGPA. I'm embarrassed of my GRE score but also know that I didn't put in 100%. If I don't get accepted this time I will study hard and retake it since I'm done with all prereq classes. I did take Organic I and II although my schools didn't require both so I'm hoping this will help my chances since I received A's. My advice would be to apply to a few schools that don't require the GRE. A decent amount of schools don't require it, click on "participating programs" on the CASPA website and you will see the list of tests required. If you don't get accepted this time, don't give up! The GRE is changing so that might help us as well. Retake if you have to and reapply. All your other stats are great and having all that HCE will definitely benefit you!! The whole applicant is what counts, not just GRE. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halie45 Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 wilsontft29, I'm in about the same exact boat as you. I have taken the GRE 3 times over the past 5 years. All my scores are extremely low. I have 3 years of HCE and a pretty good cGPA and sGPA. I'm embarrassed of my GRE score but also know that I didn't put in 100%. If I don't get accepted this time I will study hard and retake it since I'm done with all prereq classes. I did take Organic I and II although my schools didn't require both so I'm hoping this will help my chances since I received A's. My advice would be to apply to a few schools that don't require the GRE. A decent amount of schools don't require it, click on "participating programs" on the CASPA website and you will see the list of tests required. If you don't get accepted this time, don't give up! The GRE is changing so that might help us as well. Retake if you have to and reapply. All your other stats are great and having all that HCE will definitely benefit you!! The whole applicant is what counts, not just GRE. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstarkwe Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I had a 3.8 GPA and scored a 1100 on my GRE. One school told me I didn't get in because of my GRE score. I was placed on the wait list and told to improve my chances of getting in (they reviewed their wait list weekly during all the interviews) to re take my GRE. I decided not to... I did not want to attend a school that placed that great of a weight on a standardized exam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstarkwe Posted July 25, 2011 Share Posted July 25, 2011 I had a 3.8 GPA and scored a 1100 on my GRE. One school told me I didn't get in because of my GRE score. I was placed on the wait list and told to improve my chances of getting in (they reviewed their wait list weekly during all the interviews) to re take my GRE. I decided not to... I did not want to attend a school that placed that great of a weight on a standardized exam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinchs03 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I had a 3.8 GPA and scored a 1100 on my GRE. One school told me I didn't get in because of my GRE score. I was placed on the wait list and told to improve my chances of getting in (they reviewed their wait list weekly during all the interviews) to re take my GRE. I decided not to... I did not want to attend a school that placed that great of a weight on a standardized exam. Do you mind me asking what school that was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinchs03 Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 I had a 3.8 GPA and scored a 1100 on my GRE. One school told me I didn't get in because of my GRE score. I was placed on the wait list and told to improve my chances of getting in (they reviewed their wait list weekly during all the interviews) to re take my GRE. I decided not to... I did not want to attend a school that placed that great of a weight on a standardized exam. Do you mind me asking what school that was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDIAZ028 Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 From what I gather, the GRE is probably the least heavily weighted aspect of the application. If you have a strong application otherwise, you should just be sure your GRE score does not distract from it. I have heard that its best to break 1000, with at least 500 in each section. However, I'm sure there are exceptions made and a low score wont necessarily disqualify you as an applicant. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhoiFish82 Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 I wanted to update you all that I was invited to an interview. I made a GRE score of 960; Verbal-420, Quantitative 540. My cum GPA was 3.65 and science GPA was 3.60. In addition to this I have 5yrs experience as a radiation therapist. Extracurricular activities include being a mentor for the Big Brother/Big Sister foundation, 30hrs of shadowing 2 different PAs, and volunteer work for church activities. Although I strongly encourage everyone to score high on their GRE, do not lose hope and persevere if you don't. The GRE obviously did not break my chances. All I need to do now is show why I stand out above the other interviewees. Thanks again to everyone who responded in this thread. I hope in the future, other PA prospects will come upon this thread. Best regards, Khoi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhoiFish82 Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 :smile: Good luck to everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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