Got a very bad score in GRE - Need advice

[sam100]

Hi,

I have recently given GRE exam and unfortunately I got a very low score (650 + 300). I was planning to apply for the fall session (2007). But now I have decided to give the GRE exam again and apply for the spring semester. Many people are advising me to take admission to a (low rank) university on this low GRE score and after completing first semester, get transfers to a good university. In this way, I will not loose fall session. I want to know that

In general, what (good) universities look (to accept transfer). Do they look at GRE score or first semester GPA?

What are the chances that a (good) university will accept all or at least some courses of low rank university?

(I am applying in the US universities for the MS program in Electrical Engineering)

Thanks

Sam

[millertime]

With a 300 verbal score, you will have a hard time gaining acceptance to a U.S. university, and possibly even in getting a visa to study here even if you do get in. Schools know that really low verbal scores make it hard to get a visa, so that would factor against you. They don't want to admit students who can't come.

Generally, transfers aren't done in grad school. You'd pretty much have to start over. But I think you're past the deadlines for applying to most schools for Fall 2007 anyway, because deadlines for international applicants are much earlier than for those already in the U.S.

There are fewer opportunities for financial aid for spring admits, so honestly your best bet would be to study (take a prep course like Princeton Review or get a tutor just for verbal), retake, and apply for Fall 2008 unless you can do without scholarships and the like.