General GRE score sending deadlines

[Amith2006]

I seek the advice of the Physics fraternity regarding sending the general GRE scores. I have done my Masters in Physics and wish to do P.hD in the US. I have already received my TOEFL score which is 96 though not very good I suppose. I have done well in my Physics GRE exam and I expect it to be 900+. Last year I appeared for general GRE and managed to score just 1190(Verbal-480; Quant-710). I am planning to retake the general GRE exam in late December. Will it be fine, if I send my application with the current scores and send the latest scores later in January? Or shall I send the general GRE scores only after I receive my latest scores? Well, I know that my application will only be considered after I send all my scores but is it plausible that they reject my application because January is bit too late to submit the scores? Also, I am not really thinking about the top 10-15 universities who insist that GRE exam scores written no later than November will be accepted.

 

[TMFKAN64]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most application deadlines are January 1. In that case, your application won't be incomplete, since you've already taken the general GRE, and they will look over what they have from you when they get around to it.

I suppose there is a chance that they won't start looking through applications for a while, or yours is on the bottom of the pile, and when the new test scores come in, they will merge them in. I really tend to doubt it though.

In any event, the general GRE isn't really that important. If you've done well on the physics GRE and have good recommendations and GPA, you should still be OK.

 

[charng]

As a fellow physicist, I understand the importance of GRE scores in the application process for PhD programs in the US. Based on my experience and knowledge, I would advise that you retake the general GRE exam in late December as planned and then send your application with the current scores. This will ensure that your application is received by the deadline and can be reviewed by the admissions committee.

While it is ideal to have all your scores submitted by the deadline, it is not uncommon for students to have pending exam scores. In your case, since the deadline for most universities is in January, it should not be a problem to submit your latest scores at that time. However, it is always best to check with the specific universities you are applying to about their specific score submission deadlines.

It is highly unlikely that your application would be rejected solely because you submitted your latest scores in January. Admissions committees understand that students may have pending scores and typically give some leeway in terms of submission deadlines. Additionally, your strong performance in the Physics GRE exam should compensate for your lower general GRE score.

In conclusion, I would recommend sending your application with your current scores and submitting your latest scores as soon as they are available. This will ensure that your application is reviewed in a timely manner and give you the best chance of being accepted into a PhD program. Best of luck in your application process.