Failing the GRE

November 22, 2009 - 12:46 PM

Although it isn't exactly possible to fail the GRE, I still feel like a failure.

After three and a half years of "outstanding academic performance" and all of the preparation I did in order to ensure a high score on the GRE, I got below a 970 out of 1600.

That is like getting a 970 on the SAT.

It's pretty bad.

It is very disappointing to get such a low score, but it is what it is, and I will just have to takethe darn thing again.

Applying for grad school is pretty stressful. I am applying to six schools, and it is not easy to make sure that each of the school's specific requirements are met.

But the GRE itself seems to be one of the most difficult parts of the process. I am not used to taking tests like this anymore. Standardized tests were administered yearly while I was growing up, and I usually did pretty well, but after years of being out of practice, I was utterly unprepared.

I did, however, learn a lot from the prep course that I took from the Teaching and Learning Center. Someone asked me if I was going to complain to them, but I don't blame them for my low score. I learned a lot from them and would do it again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.

So now, during dead and finals weeks, I am taking portions of my day to study to re-take this ominous test.

This is life, though, and there will be challenges. I am glad that this happened because it has allowed me to be humble and have a realistic perspective on what it takes to get into graduate school.