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GRE- Does the number of times you take it matter?

Bokor

Joined
7/24/11
Messages
6
Points
11
Hey everybody, I am an econ/pure math major with an undergrad GPA of 3.3, I also hold an MS in applied economics from a U.S. university. I took the GRE twice in the past three years and got a quant score of 660 both times (with minor preparation). I plan to retake the new test with more prep in the fall before applying to some quant finance schools. Do schools (primarily Rutgers Quant and Ga Tech qcf as my reach schools) really consider all scores or just your highest?

Thanks for any insight and advice.
 
They certainly take into account your older scores... especially if they are so low. If you think you can get an 800 my suggestion (probably not a good one ;)) would be to retake the gres TWICE. If you can land two 800s that should make any doubts of your GRE prowess go away....

Then again this is probably terrible advice...
 
I think one 800 is enough. Taking it twice would be risky if he can't get 800 again.
 
Yeah, but I really can't think of a school that would accept an 800 after two 660s...
 
I can't answer for Rutgers and GaTech but I know Baruch and NYU look at your highest score of each section, provided that they are fairly recent. So if you get 790/500 on one test, retake a few months later and get 800/480 then it will be viewed as 800/500.
It's hard to know how many times an applicant took the exam if he does not want to report to school. I have seen applications where the GRE reports show no more than 3 times. Most people would have reported at most twice. They may have taken more times but only reported scores they deem good enough.
 
Thanks for the advice, the GRE is a huge pain but I understand the need for some metric to separate the masses of applicants. I'll take it again either way, my first score should expire soon anyway (took it in 07), but as an additional question, I am guessing that if there is one stellar performance and I have that sent to a school there is no way to prevent the previous scores from being sent as well... or is there? I've only taken it twice and both times I chose to view the scores... because I can't leave without knowing.
 
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