I really need advice. I have studied everything under the sun and moon for GRE. From Manhattan Prep 5 lbs, to Kaplan, Princeton Review, and GregMat. I really am studying a lot while balancing my mental health, and working full time. I only got a score of 303. 154 in Quant and 149 in English. Also I feel so stupid because even my almtar school rejected me with a low score. My undergrad gpa is a 3.72 out of 4.0. I know I can do the work. I have been awarded 5 awards at work and since 2017 been promoted 4 times. I am 26 year old and I am an AVP for a financial services company. I do so well on the practice test (yes I take the test like the conditions I do on real test day). I just feel everyone does well on standardized tests but me. No matter how much I studied for this exam (its been 2.5 years). I lost the hope to go on and my dreams of getting an MBA from UCLA or USC are dashed. I feel like a failure. I do not what to do., this test keeps defining where I stopped enjoying life and I just keep studying and continuing my extracurricular activities.
First of all, take a breather and ask yourself, why are you even getting an MBA? Because, from my perspective, its just a means to an end. I want to substantially increase my salary package, I’m getting an MBA! I want to learn how to monetize my creative skills, I’m getting an MBA! There’s a promotion I’m eyeing but I need an MBA to qualify, I’m getting an MBA! My point is, just because you don’t get your dream school, its not the end of the world. There are always multiple avenues you can explore to get what you truly want. If one avenue is not working out (Ivy league schools) then pursue another and never lose hope. I mean, you seem like a very competent individual, have won 5 awards, pretty good undergrad CGPA, promoted 4 times (Ambitious as well). Fret not, realize what you really after and chase that. And know that at the end of the day, its just a stupid test.
Hey there -
I’m sorry to hear about what you’re going through. It must feel frustrating to have to deal with the disappointment, especially when you’ve succeeded in so many other things. Yes, you have things to be grateful for but there’s this constant lack of something for two years for something you’re investing so much time and effort into.
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I’m not trying to be sarcastic - I’m just trying to say that even though no one can possibly understand what you’re going through - the gist of it makes sense. It’s valid to feel how you’re feeling and I don’t want you to feel like I’m demeaning your problem or individuality here.
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Yeah, standardized tests suck. The worst part about systems - be it education or finance - is that it reduces people to numbers. And people generally feel that way when they’re investing so much time and effort into the value that number gives. In your case, the score you need is tied to the outcome of getting into an MBA program that you’re hoping to get into, The tragedy is that we can’t choose how universities would like to assess people.
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But the real problem (besides the concept of examinations) is that we as individuals tie our efforts so much to the outcome. We forget about the meaning of the process, and don’t enjoy the process - for us it’s just a means to an end, which in this case is that GRE score.
Obviously, as a 26 year-old you have much more experience with your mental health, but I still think this is worth considering. Yes, you’ve tried all of these things but when was the last time you enjoyed the process? When was the last time you took a step back to rejuvenate and replenish your energy so that when you focused on the process, you felt energized rather than drained and struggling to prepare?
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Something worth admiring about you is that you’ve shown grit - a quality that anyone prepping for any test needs. You’ve persevered through the long run in a time frame when most people just give up in defeat.
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If you get this, here’s what I think you need - a way to relax.
It could be better sleep, it could be something fun, but the important part is that it should give you some space and a break from prep. Because - preparing for the GRE is just part of your life, just as education and work are. If your life revolves around just one of these parts, you’re at the mercy of it - you constantly seek the permission of how this part of your life is going to focus on you. If it doesn’t go well, you invest so much into it that you neglect your own well-being. Maybe you aren’t doing this, but this is something I see happen a lot.
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It must be frustrating to be going through this, and there’s no way to go around the pain. It’s going to hurt for a while, and I’m really proud of you for taking the courage to express it. Most people don’t do that. That takes strength. That takes grit. That takes honesty and humility - all qualities that you could maybe include in your SOP when you tell the admission counsel not the striggle, but the positive lesson it’s taught you.
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When you take some time and space to process this, either through professional help, a friend, or a community, I think you get a better understanding of the outcome. You understand why things might be in a humble sense, and in turn genuinely accept what’s happened before you get back up again. There’s a Japanese saying - “Nanakorobi Yaoki”, that means “Fall seven times, rise up eight.”
I say this quote because I get the sense that for your own reasons, this MBA isn’t just about a label, but in fact has some importance in your life. As long as you genuinely want this goal, and have the right reasons (which aren’t being a burden on your lifestyle) I respect you for keeping at it.
Just take a temporary break for now. A low score doesn’t mean you haven’t worked hard. You need time and space to process and understand this - which must be difficult already working full time.
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At the end of the day - this is easier said than done. I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t understand what you were going through - there’s only so much for me to go on. But I genuinely believe that if you take a break and come back at it - you’ll feel stronger and fresher about the GRE. If you’ve ever played a video game, you know that sometimes we’ll struggle on a level of a game and walk away from it - only to beat it on the first try when we revisit it the next day.
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Hope this helps, and take care! : )
Thank you for taking the time to reply to me I do agree it is a big loss for me, as the same this happened to me during the ACT/SAT. Even though I was motivated to study to try to get into a dream school, being rejected by even a safety School is never easy. I am not sure what path to take as I hate my job, boss, and pivoting careers into entertainment marketing was my dream, but dreams change. When I was 7 all I wanted was an MBA (weird for a child) but that is literally what I heard growing up and it just interested me. I appreciate all the advice both you and @bilalkmisavailable have given me. Sometimes I feel I am stupid to ace this exam and there is nothing more I can do.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re having a hard time. I wish there was more I could say, but I’m no career expert. All I can really say is that sometimes we need to be patient. It sucks, but I guess it goes to show that it’s more about how much faith we have in the better days ahead. There’s always a way to be greater than what we suffer - to become our own hope.
Besides all the advice - I really hope you find the strength to get back up again. Good luck. : )