Retake or not retake GRE.

[staringfungus]

Hi all, I just took the gre for a second time getting 166Q / 168V. Is it worth retaking for MIT/CMU level programs - I know the average is around 170Q so I am leaning towards yes. Just want to get second opinion. Thanks in advance.

 

[Chuanzhen Wang]

I think it really depends on your timeline. Honestly, your current score is quite solid, especially with that impressive verbal. There's no meaningful difference in quant ability between a 166 and a 170—those 4 points are often just a couple of minor mistakes. And retaking could risk your verbal score dropping, as GRE doesn’t allow you to combine section scores from multiple attempts like TOEFL does.If you’re aiming to boost your score, it could take several tries (and more time and money). But if you have plenty of time on your hands, it could be worth a shot. Just consider if it's really necessary given your already strong score!

 

[staringfungus]

I think it really depends on your timeline. Honestly, your current score is quite solid, especially with that impressive verbal. There's no meaningful difference in quant ability between a 166 and a 170—those 4 points are often just a couple of minor mistakes. And retaking could risk your verbal score dropping, as GRE doesn’t allow you to combine section scores from multiple attempts like TOEFL does.If you’re aiming to boost your score, it could take several tries (and more time and money). But if you have plenty of time on your hands, it could be worth a shot. Just consider if it's really necessary given your already strong score!

thanks for the response I really appreciate it! I will see if I can fit it in and see how I go.