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I took the GRE in August and scored a 301 and took it recently again and scored a 308. My field of work is primarily in Behavioural Economics so I plan on applying to specialized and general Economics grad school programs. I have a strong profile with internships in various organizations within my field and outside it as well as several publications and a good CGPA.

My questions are:

  1. What are my chances of getting into good/top grad school programs in the U.S/UK?

  2. Should I consider applying to places outside of the US that don't require the score at all?

Thanks in advance!

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  • UK no problem, as the GRE doesn't exist here. – astronat Oct 29 '18 at 14:06
  • Actually, LSE, Cambridge, Oxford require it unfortunately. – Mihir Parekh Oct 29 '18 at 14:13
  • Your math score matters much more than your verbal in these programs. Might be helpful to specify if the weakness extends to your math score. – Dawn Oct 29 '18 at 14:16
  • It does. 143 Q the first time, 153 the next. – Mihir Parekh Oct 29 '18 at 14:17
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    I think this is a duplicate question. Yes, this is a weak score, particularly for a Economics. In general, if you are weak in one area, you need to find programs that care less about this. In addition to finding strong programs not requiring GrE, you can simply apply to a larger number of programs in the hope that you will “hit” on one that likes your particular packet. – Dawn Oct 29 '18 at 14:57
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The only way to know is to apply to one or more programs. If your record isn't strong in some area you may need to apply to several different programs.

But for most institutions, no single number is likely to be an absolute block. You need to make your case. Why is it that you are a good candidate? Why are low scores not reflective of your ability? What can you add to a program you are part of? Some places may block you, but for those that don't, be ready to make your case through your other materials and especially in an interview. Showcase the positive.

I wouldn't take drastic action until I explored the terrain a bit, however.

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  • Thanks for your answer, Buffy. Close to 95% of the places I'm applying to don't have an interview round and in the process of hedging for possible low scores on the test, I managed to find a lot of places that don't require the score at all and are still pretty good. I was just disheartened by the consecutive low scoring despite my hardwork towards the test and was wondering if my chances at a gold standard program are out of reach. – Mihir Parekh Oct 29 '18 at 13:56
  • Hopefully you will be evaluated by people who realize that testing isn't everything and doesn't actually tell you much about some subset of the population. But, like anyone else, the case is yours to make. – Buffy Oct 29 '18 at 13:59

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