After looking at it a little closer, I guess my verbal score is pretty accurate but the math section is still a sham. Here’s a little table that shows the results of my practice tests (first four via Princeton Review, the last one from the GRE’s PowerPrep) and my actual GRE results:

So in hindsight I’m glad I didn’t bomb the verbal like I did in practice test #3 (although it should probably be stated this practice test was done between 11:00 pm and midnight.) Realistically, after analyzing the 710 verbal scores, I just shook my head. I guessed better on those two tests. That’s about the difference between a 97% and a 93%. I didn’t know any more, or didn’t use the process of elimination skills any better. I just happened to guess right on more important questions.

The math scores still bug me. Part of the problem I see with the GRE is that aspiring graduates students in history or English Literature (like me) take the same exact test as people going into chemistry and physics. So I’m not ashamed by any stretch to have gotten in the 46th percentile considering the competition and my notoriously bad math skills. I probably should have been in the 20th percentile (or lower) based on whether the hell I knew what I was doing or not.

One thing’s for certain: I won’t have to take the GRE again any time soon. Scores are good for five years and if I don’t get into a program in the next couple, I think that’s nature’s way of saying maybe I’m not cut out for it. However the most important thing is that these scores don’t work against me and put right in the mix for people who have been accepted into the programs I’m looking at.

Enough on this. Until I get the official score report at least.