She scores!

I've taken the GRE - it's a done deal.

It was quite an experience. The testing center is in a business park in the southern part of Culver City - just about to Inglewood. You go into what looks like a typical office suite, check in with a smiling receptionist. Today, it being Halloween, she was dressed in costume.

Then it gets a little weird. First, she asked if I'd left my cell phone in my vehicle. When I said "no," she told me to go back out into the parking lot and do so. When I returned, she took my driver's license and inspected it.

I completed a document where I acknowledged I was myself, swore to uphold confidentiality, and signed my name. Then I had to put all personal belongings except my ID in a locker, and was directed to speak with a proctor.

The proctor had me sign in,  compared my signature to that on my ID and took my photo. Then she asked me to turn out my pockets, raise my pants cuffs so my ankles were visible, and she scanned me with a wand. Then she gave me a booklet of scratch paper and three sharpened number 2 pencils, and escorted me to my computer terminal.

Each test section lasted 1/2 hour. First came the two writing tasks. I think I did pretty well with them. Next came a math section with 20 questions, and my brain froze. But I completed it, guessing and fumbling, and then on to a verbal section, also with 20 questions.

A ten minute break and then another math section, following by a verbal section. The test gauges your responses to the first section and adjusts the difficulty to your ability. I noticed the second math section was easier, and the second verbal section was a lot harder.

Finally, you draw a wild card - one more section, randomly. I'd hoped it would be verbal but it was math. Oh well.

I'm a disgrace with math, especially on tests. Even though I studied, I felt like I was back in seventh grade. My brain turned to mush. I forgot the Pythagorean Theorem.

When you finish, the computer gives you the score for verbal and math immediately - the writing section takes humans to score - they should come in five to ten days.

My verbal was 167 out of 170 - not bad at all!! My math was 147 out of 170 - a bit below average. But who cares? I'm applying for Creative Writing programs!! Bitchez!!

We'll wait and see how it all turns out. But the best thing? It's DONE!!