Sending all GRE scores versus using ScoreSelect

[weakerthan]

Hey all! I see lots of threads on here where folks ask for advice choosing between multiple GRE scores, and evaluating the specific score tradeoffs there (e.g. is it better to send a score with higher math but lower AW & verbal). But how about the question of sending all of your scores versus just sending your best? I have one score that would clearly be the one to send, if I could only send one. But are any of the following good enough reasons to also send a second score I have from four years ago, which has a slightly worse verbal and the same math and AW?

 

1) Some applications, e.g. MIT and Columbia, require you to upload your online score report with your application, in addition to sending your official scores. As far as I can tell, the ETS website will only show you all of your scores, and not just a single test date. So when the school sees two sets of test scores on your online application, but then only receives one from ETS, will they think that is weird/not forthright? (p.s. there may be a way around this, by requesting a $25 paper score report to yourself using ScoreSelect then scan it. But you'd want to check that this is acceptable with the schools, and leave time for the score report to get to you).

 

2) In my case, I think it would be nice to show them that I got the score I wanted on math twice, over a four year span. That should signal some consistency and look good. But my AW score (same both times) is on the lower end of what I would have hoped for, so I might prefer to send just one score and have the adcoms think that was a fluke sampled from the low end of my distribution.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks!

[Econhead]

...so I might prefer to send just one score and have the adcoms think that was a fluke sampled from the low end of my distribution.

 

You've hit the nail on the head.

 

When you send one score, it is possible for adcoms to look at any one (or all three) score(s) as being a fluke - a random draw from your distribution. Since Econ relies so heavily on quantitative ability, I can't think of a very good example where adcoms would view a high quantitative score as being a fluke. Alternatively, especially with some international students, there are many reasons why a low verbal or AW score might be considered a fluke. -And you want them to think that it is.

 

If you send multiple scores, all with very high quant scores, but all with 3 or 3.5 AW and comparably low verbal, you're displaying that the verbal/AW scores weren't a fluke (as you have already noted).

 

View this recent post (http://www.www.urch.com/forums/phd-economics/153494-gre-score-should-i-send.html) - it discusses sending a higher quant score with a considerably lower (percentile wise) AW score, vs. sending a slightly lower quant score and a considerably higher AW score. The consensus was send the higher AW score. Also, if you are concerned that either your AW or verbal score is too low, consider searching the board for posts that indicate how a higher verbal (or AW) can 'make up' for the other.

[weakerthan]

Thanks Econhead, that all makes a lot of sense. But where does that leave point 1)? Has anybody dealt with this? Do people just send one score from ETS, upload all of their scores to their online application, and not worry about the discrepancy?

[Econhead]

Thanks Econhead, that all makes a lot of sense. But where does that leave point 1)? Has anybody dealt with this? Do people just send one score from ETS, upload all of their scores to their online application, and not worry about the discrepancy?

 

$27 is a drop in the bucket. It makes perfect sense to just order a copy for yourself, scan it, and upload it. I wouldn't do a screen capture or anything else, even if allowed, for no other reason than that which you have stated.

[econ2015]

Here's the problem. As far as I have found, there's no way to obtain a score report for yourself using ScoreSelect. Any score report you order will show ALL your scores:

 

https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/send/asr

 

Quote: "Note: The Examinee Score Report includes all scores in your five-year reportable history and is intended only for your information and personal records."

 

Perhaps schools know this, which is why they require us to upload a score report. What an awful situation. Why do schools require us to upload a scanned score report if we've already had an official one sent (using ScoreSelect) directly from ETS? Maybe they do it so we have to reveal all our other scores.

[weakerthan]

Yeah, I'm not sure that there's actually any way around it. It's strange that ETS is unwilling to offer you as the test-taker a record of a single score, given that they make such a big deal about letting you choose scores that you report to institutions.

 

I sent my most recent score in my official score report, and for the application I guess I'll just upload my online score record that includes all tests. I bet they get this situation a lot. Many people send their scores right when they finish the test, before having knowledge of specific application procedures.