Dear Scores and Scholarships:
We are assuming that you are interested in exploring the chances of financial assistance - of which scholarship is one form - given a particular score on the GRE (Graduate Record Exam - a standardized entrance exam). However, we are not sure to which country you are referring, so we will assume the country of interest is the US for the purposes of our reply.
Scholarships, only one form of financial assistance, are few in number and many are restricted to the legal residents of the US. Research assistantships and teaching assistantships are more common forms of financial assistance. Although the competition is fierce, these assistantships are available to international students. A research assistantship requires that the student to conduct research on a specific project under the supervision of a designated professor. A teaching assistantship requires that the student perform one or more of the following designated tasks: tutoring, supervising labs, grading homework, and so on.
For those not familiar with the GRE: The GRE consists of three component parts - Quantitative, Analytical, and Verbal - each of which is scored on a scale of 800; thus, the aggregate GRE score is out of 2400. Your prospective schools are interested not only in the aggregate GRE score, but also in your scores on the three individual components. So, the GRE score of 2100 may have different impact depending on the scores on its constituent parts.
As you may know, the GRE score is only one component of the admissions criteria. Other elements include: your academic performance, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and so on. The GRE score alone can not determine your chances for financial aid, or for admission for that matter. A GRE score of 2100 is considered good. We have seen international students in the US with such a score who have secured assistantships in the past. With a GRE score of 2100 and above, you stand a reasonable chance of obtaining financial assistance, provided other elements of the admissions criteria reflect similar performance.
You can use the
iMahal College Finder to identify colleges that best match your performance and personal needs. You should however keep in mind that the
iMahal College Finder produces a customized list of colleges for your inputs, based on the historic GRE statistics for admission only. The
iMahal College Finder does not produce a list that rates the colleges for your possibility of securing financial aid.
Both admissions and financial assistance are determined by the supply and demand dynamic at any school. The more candidates there are, the more competitive the situation is. In addition, since opportunities for financial assistance are far fewer than those for admission, it is much easier to get admission than to secure financial assistance. If obtaining financial assistance is imperative, you may wish to balance the reputation and prestige of target schools with your need for assistance.
Dear Mentor:
