Physics GRE Discussion Forums

1 month and 10 days before The Day! got 880 at the 2001 PGRE but desperately need at least 900. To the graduate students that do post here and have been in the same situation: what should I do? It happened to solve the problem right but to mark E instead of D and things like that. Still have some problems at the gamma-beta relations in special relativity. The tricks on GREphysics.net are not enough (i mean the numerical part) If someone has some advices... please help a desperate soul...

880 is not really viewed differently than a 900. I doubt they are statistically different.

You should only retake if you are going to study enough to get a significant score increase.

you are so close to your goal and I think if you keep studying and taking the other sample tests or more problems if you already took the samples you will score higher than 900.
don't worry about it.

Actually, he MUST retake the exam since the scores are only valid for 5 years.

ah, I didn't read carefully enough

WakkaDojo wrote:Actually, he MUST retake the exam since the scores are only valid for 5 years.

I think he meant he took the 2001 (0177) sample practice test.

betelgeuse1: If you want 900+, I wouldn't worry (any more than everyone already worries) about getting 880 on a practice test. Likewise, I wouldn't feel ecstatic getting a 910 on the practice tests. There is lots of variability in what could happen on test day. (Particular questions given, luck with guesses, lack of silly errors, how well you're feeling, scaling etc...), any of which could account for a difference of well more than 20 points. Getting an 880 means you're within range of getting a 900. So keep reviewing your material and focus on relativity questions, and hope the stars align on test day. I agree 20 points wouldn't be a huge difference in admissions, but I think for anyone reading applications, it's natural to magnify differences when the leading digit changes... 900 vs 880... just human psychology. 880 vs 860 is much less significant.

OK! I had no idea that I'm so terrible in english: I'll have to practice more for the TOEFL
I had the last "real" test in 2007 and I got 720. Now I took the 2001 practice test in real testing conditions and I scored 880. I had some problems with the special relativity numerical problems: it took far to much time to do the numerics and I lost some precious minutes there. I expected some advices about special rel.
anyway, thanks a lot!