No native speaker

**requi** · 08-09-2007, 03:24 PM

How much important the vb and aw sections are for an international apllicant and no native speaker?

**whxyj** · 08-09-2007, 05:19 PM

i am a international undergraduate at a liberal arts college in US, and I am wondering the same question since my vb and aw are extremely ugly.

**buckykatt** · 08-09-2007, 05:26 PM

See this thread (Does the GRE's verbal section count for ANYTHING for an adcom?) for some discussion of the verbal score. My sense after reading lots of econ PH.D. program web sites is that, to the extent that verbal GRE scores matter, adcoms discount them for non-native speakers. And, in general, verbal scores may be a factor in admissions, but they're not as important as math scores.

I don't think anyone has had enough experience with the AW score yet to know what to do with it.

**whxyj** · 08-09-2007, 06:00 PM

thx, buckykatt, are u applying this year too?
have u nailed down the school list yet?

**buckykatt** · 08-09-2007, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by whxyj

thx, buckykatt, are u applying this year too?
have u nailed down the school list yet?

I'm probably applying for a master's program this year and then Ph.D. programs in the next year. I have a list of 10 schools spread out among the top 30 that are potential good matches, but right now I'm focused on studying for the GRE.

**TruDog** · 08-09-2007, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by whxyj

i am a international undergraduate at a liberal arts college in US, and I am wondering the same question since my vb and aw are extremely ugly.

Since you've had your undergraduate education in the US, adcoms may expect a higher score from you than someone who has never studied in an English-speaking country.

**buckykatt** · 08-09-2007, 10:08 PM

It might help to know just how "ugly" your scores are. For example, a verbal score of 500 is nothing to brag about, but it seems unlikely to keep you out of even the best programs if the rest of your profile is strong. Below that I might worry, though.

**econGuy08** · 08-09-2007, 11:43 PM

whxyj, I am also an international student in US college. I am also curious about TruDog bring up so to how much more they expect from international students in US colleges.

this is a bit off topic, but I am wondering if other people applying this year already have the list of schools? (I am also applying this year, but I dont have a list of schools yet.)

**requi** · 08-10-2007, 12:28 AM

now i'm studying in a french school (Master of Research- Toulose school of Economics) in which all courses are taught in english. Now i could obtain an high score in the quantitative section of GRE test and a low score in the verbal and aw part. what can i do?

**whxyj** · 08-10-2007, 02:18 AM

econguy08, i think Trudog is saying that for us who are studying in US, gre vb should be higher than other int's students in order to stand out.

econguy08, buckykatt, i haven't finalise my list yet. i guess i am ready for some master programs if i get rejected by phds. I am not aiming so high since I like working on research sections in industry or gov.(top schools focus on their academic placement)

requi, u might tell us how low is thy vb. mine is 520.