Geez, I'm not sure when I remember running across a supposedly educated adult who had worse spelling. And I can see at least one error that spell check would not fix. (You wrote "her" instead of "here".)
Furthermore I'll note that 650 verbal puts you in the top 10% of people taking the GRE. While that's good, I wouldn't call it excellent. Especially not if you are particularly well prepped for that test and are therefore likely to be outperforming your native ability. (The fact that you're teaching people how to pass it suggests that you are.)
Finally I'll agree with others that I find it hard to reconcile your spelling with being good verbally. While it is theoretically possible, it strikes me as very unlikely.
Regards,
Ben
First, her instead of here is a typing error, I know the spelling difference. I have also said that some of my errors are due to typing and just quickly submitting. I'm sorry if this is getting bothersome, I will be more careful in the future.
As for the GRE, I'm sorry the 650 was my score three years ago, the score when I took it last was 670 which puts me in the top 5%. Of course the verbal section has nothing to do with spelling at all. The only place where spelling is visible is on the writing section,
on which I recieved a 6 out of 6. As far as verbal goes, I am quite capable of reading, and my girlfriend continously tells me I am too annoying about correct grammar. Additionally, the percent is a self selected group. For instance, my 780 in math is only in the top 11%, but it is better than that in the general population. As for the tests in general, anyone that works for TPR will point out that SAT and GRE are really tests of how well you test, not how intellegent you are or even your math or verbal skills. I merely pointed out that score because it would explain, at least in part, my acceptance to MA and PHD programs.
As for concerns with my verbal skills, my recent email from my editor state "These entries are quite excellent". The only concern for editing noted was not my verbal skills, but concern that the target audience would need more clarification on who Albright was.
If this has turned into a thread of asking me about by verbal vs. spelling skills, I should note that while I was classified as having a learning disability in high school for my spelling, I was still able to be in Enlish AP at the same time. They are two sperate areas to me. My spelling does not necessarily represent my intelligence (I have known quite a few very intelligent people, including medical doctors, who do not have excellent spelling) but is a completely different problem.
It is very nice that you find it difficult to reconcile my spelling with my verbal ability, but there is the other evidence, including the acceptence of my publication, my acceptance to schools, or my verbal scores on tests. These certainly do not indicate a poorly educated individual, as your first line seems to imply I may be. If you really wish for for some proof of my education, look up my degree at Rutgers or my attendence at Columbia. I fail to see the reason to attack my level of education or my verbal ability, when neither has anything to do with my origional post on this thread.
I actually find this an upsetting turn of the thread, as my only point was that grad school/PHD is a good thing for many people, and that fears of price and lost years to one's career can be seen as unfounded. I fail to see how poor spelling prevents me from posting a view representative of someone involved in two graduate programs, as I am involved in two graduate programs. I never meant to sit here and say, look at me I am so intelligent, but to offer the opinion of someone who is going through those lost years of career time. In fact, I fail to see where I made arguments based on intelligence and not experience of either my girlfriend (who btw has excellent spelling) or I.
