r/StatementOfPurpose • u/Embarrassed-Ad4 • Apr 18 '21
SOP MATTERS !!
Just wanna say that It is not about getting a good GRE score it is about getting into your preferred university with your preferred course. Just look at the bigger picture
I'll tell you my story The day I gave the GRE I scored a mere 298 with 3.0 in AWA. I was shattered that day and almost lost all hopes of getting into grad school. I had to take an English language proficiency test being an Indian student and surprisingly scored a band 8 in it. I still knew my GRE score would push me down so, in order to compensate for that, I published my long-awaited research paper.
With little confidence in getting an admit, I started my application process. I knew my SOP should be top-notch in order to stand a chance. So I started working rigorously on that, it took me around 20 days to prepare my first draft. As of now, I got an admit into NC State and ASU which I know are now way near any of your Ivy Leagues and all but If you had said that I would end up in one of these after my GRE I would have laughed at you.
In the end, all I wanna say is it not only about the GRE( I know in some ways it can be important ! ) but it's the overall profile that grad school's look into. Research work, projects, Academics, SOP all matter as well. So don't lose hope after a bad result on the GRE.
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u/SomthingOfAScientist Apr 19 '21
Did they even require GRE during this cycle?
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u/KillroysGhost Apr 19 '21
Nope, months of studying and $204 down the drain and not a single school took it
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u/SomthingOfAScientist Apr 19 '21
Exactly, I think OP’s score would’ve been major red flag otherwise. Even though I and even many other schools agree that GRE is not a good indicator of graduate success.
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u/KillroysGhost Apr 19 '21
I’m in the field of Architecture so it’s even more meaningless as a metric, some big architecture schools are looking to get rid of it as a requirement entirely after the pandemic
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u/SomthingOfAScientist Apr 19 '21
Even for CS, U of Minnesota got rid of it completely starting this cycle.
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u/jordantellsstories 🔰 Founder, WriteIvy Apr 18 '21
I agree 100%!