The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized test as an admissions requirement for MS programme of most Graduate Schools in the United States. A good GRE score would not guarantee an admit into any program. It’s not that you are not qualified, but getting an admit requires dedication and luck.
GRE is created and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in 1949, aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not entirely based on any specific field of study outside of the GRE itself. The GRE General Test is offered as a computer-based exam administered at Prometric testing centers.
A good GRE score is essential to secure an admit from a good MS program and for scholarship purposes. A score higher than 315 does increase the chances of getting admits from universities with an excellent reputation.
People with borderline scores of 300 are admitted into top programs, given their academic and career goals match the ones that their major advisors are pursuing. Many graduate schools assign a major advisor, or you have to find one upon admission. Those advisors are often part of the admissions committee and would look for prospective candidates who fit their requirements and also fits the requirements of the program.
If there is lack of research experience, it may put you bit on the downside, but it won’t hurt you to get some experience before applying. High GRE scores matter when your transcripts and grades are unfamiliar to the admissions committee. Having a high GRE score does not get you into any program. It’s considered as a bonus for applicants who are admitted, because applicants being admitted naturally tend to have high GRE scores.
The particulars of your profile ,the internships and the GPA are good enough for a course of good ranking.
In every sense it is possible because having good GRE scores is very important, but it is not everything. With a good CGPA, TOEFL, SOP, LOR, Internships, Research experience also matters. If you haven’t done any research in your field or published any paper choose a program which satisfies your needs and suits that. That will be a top program for you and not always MIT, Havard, Stanford and all.
Recently, a 17-year old girl from Mumbai who is not even a matriculate got accepted at MIT. Indian universities look for academic toppers but not innovators.
The result is –
There is hardly any technology which has originated in India. This also proves why all path-breaking inventions come from either US or European countries.
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Forget about your GRE score, forget about past academic record. Universities abroad don’t look for academics alone. They believe – A scientist is an innovator and not a class topper, as also you can’t become a scientist by studying science alone.
So talk of out of the box thinking you can bring to the class, and what are the potential areas of research where you see promise. Remember, your past academic excellence has nothing to do with being a great thinker who can solve unresolved issues.
