Vent: STRESSED... a little on the longer side

LouD042109

I probably shouldn't be stressing as much as I am but I just can't help it. Last Wednesday I took the GRE required for admission into the graduate program that is a part of my five year early childhood education program. I studied for the exam but like any other exam I take I felt like I wasn't going to make high enough scores. I get really bad test anxiety. Usually, I end up recieving a high enough score and stressed about nothing. I went into the test thinking "after this I can focus on my wedding. If I pass, I won't have to think about this test ever again." At the end of the test they give you your unofficial scores, and let's just say my day was completely ruined. I couldn't stop thinking about how I would have to worry about the test again and I have to pay ANOTHER 175.00 to take the exam again. The next day I accepted the fact that I had to take it again. I took a couple of days to focus on me and my wedding, got the venue taken care of, bought shoes, went to SeaWorld with my FI...did not think about the GRE.

I feel like the GRE is haunting me. I really want to go dress shopping but I feel like I can't do anything about my wedding until I know I have the GRE taken care of. Bad part is I can't even take the test again until 30 days after the last test was taken. So, I am sitting here looking at the calendar trying to find a good Saturday to make a dress appointment and can't without thinking about what day I have to set aside for the GRE...plus studying for the stupid test. I am stressing over time. I feel like my time is ticking away to have my GRE scores into admissions dept. and to have my dress ordered. Really wish I made a higher score. 

I am not a big fan of the GRE or the way graduate admissions work. It's not because I don't like tests. I think that to get into graduate school you should have to be tested on your undergraduate degree studies. For instance, I should have to take a test on Early Childhood studies to get into to the Early Childhood Graduate program. I have already taken a test similar to the GRE called the General Knowledge exam. Seriously, the same exam just a bit harder. I had to take that to begin my five year program. I just think gradutate admissions should be worried about my knowledge in my field of study and not my general knowledge times two.

Sorry this is so long and more about student life. I really needed to vent. Thanks in advance for being there!

[Deleted User]

I know it's easier said than done, but try really to just breathe and not stress!

Maybe there's a way you could make the dress appointment for a weeknight, or a Sunday instead of a Saturday? That way, you leave your Saturday open for the test (since I'm assuming the test has to be done on a Saturday)...

SB1512

Awe I feel your pain I hated that exam as well.  For my first master's degree a lot of the schools I looked at required the GRE and even after taking it 3 times I came very close to getting the score I wanted/needed but was still about 25 points short.  The math was what killed me.  However, I still ended up getting into all the schools I applied to because what I learned is that many many places that require the GRE have some sort of formula they use involving your GRE and your GPA.  One school I was looking at even listed the formula right on their admissions page.  So, even though my scores sucked, my GPA as well as any essays I had to write were enough to get me in.  Thankfully the master's program I am in now did not require the GRE because I had no desire to take that test again.  Can you talk to the admissions department of your school/program to find out exactly how much weight is placed on the GRE and whether or not they use any sort of formula that takes your GPA into account?  I mean grad school is pretty writing intensive (at least in my 2 experiences) so if anything maybe they are only concerned with the writing and language scores and not so much the math (unless you are going to school for math)? 

Sjmiller418

Aww I'm sorry you didn't get the score you wanted the first time. I'm currently kinda studying for the GRE but have not yet taken it. Im using an online program through bench prep which is actually on sale right now through groupon. I really like it because it works on my computer and iphone to study so even when I'm like waiting 15 minutes for something I can practice some flash card vocab or what not.

Did you take the test computer version or written? My friend who recently took it first took the computer version and did not do very well but then she took it again the written version and did much better. So maybe trying the other version would help? Also maybe try a class? I know a bunch offer money back garuntees if your score doesn't improve by so much that maybe that could help?

Could you try to make your dress appointment on a saturday before those 30 days are up? then its not even an option to be taking the gre that day.

Good luck! And dont let the GRE get you down about dress shopping, it will be so much fun!

LouD042109

Thanks ladies!

I think I will make my dress appointment before the 30 days are up. 

I took the computer based GRE. The math is actually not my problem, it's the verbal reasoning section that gets me everytime. Reading comp and vocabulary are not my strongest subjects. I didn't know that some programs take your GPA into account. Thanks for sharing that information. I will def call and find out. I hope and pray that they do take my GPA into account. 

cnf2013

My Masters program didn't require the GRE, thank God. I watched one of my BM's nearly stress herself stupid over it. She carried like a 3.8 throughout her entire undergrad degree and graduated with honors and is crazy smart and she took it like three or four times before she got the score needed for her Phd program. 

Keep your chin up, study for it, but let yourself have some fun too. Go dress shopping and take a mental break from it once and a while. The less you stress about it the more efficient your studying will be. If you turn into a disheveled stress ball nothings going to stick. 

Good luck! We'll all cheer you on!

anastassiiat

I agree with all of the PPs. The only other thing that I wanted to add, could you maybe ask your FI or a friend help you out with the section that you are having troubles with? When I took GMAT a few years ago I wasn't very confident about my essays since English is not my first language, so I had my FI (well, bf at the time) read over my essays and point out what he thinks I should have done differently. So maybe if you can have someone work with you it will make it a bit easier for you? Good luck on the test and on getting into the program you want.