Not sure what your GRE score means? You’re not alone —the GREscore range is one of the least intuitive scoring scales out there. It can be hard to tell whether a 150 (or a 165 or a 138) is a high score or a low one. Luckily, we’re here to help!
In this article we’ll go over the GRE score scale for each of the three sections (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing), discuss the general score distribution for the GRE, talk about some program-specific score distributions and averages, and finally turn to how this affects you. What score should be aiming for and how should you set a score goal based on the programs you are interested in?
GRE Score Range
The GRE has three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are both multiple choice and are both scored from 130-170 in one-point increments. This means that there are 41 possible scores. So, the GRE score range is 130-170 for the main sections of Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning. 130 is the lowest possible score, and 170 is the highest.
However, Analytical Writing, the essay section, is scored from 0-6 in half-point increments. So there are 13 possible scores on that section, and the score range is 0-6.
So why 130-170? It’s kind of a bizarre scale, to be sure. While I can’t necessarily tell you why they chose those specific numbers, I can provide some insight into the situation.
Before August 2011, Verbal and Quant were both scored from 200-800 points in 10-point increments, like the SAT. (If you took the old GRE, you can see our old GRE to new GRE conversion chart here.)In making the new score scale from 130-170, ETS accomplished a couple of things:
- They kept the scoring scale in three digits. This helped graduate schools withcomputer systems already keyed to accept three-digit scores.
- They ensured that there was no overlap between the two scales (i.e. they did not include any of the same numbers). This meant there could be no confusion as to whether a score was in the old or new scale.
- They limited the chance of schools overestimating the difference between candidates who actually had very close scores by making 1-point increments in scores. A 152 and a 154 sounds much closer than a 520 and a 540.
That’s the general motivation behind the 130-170 GRE scoring scales. But what do the different scores in that range actually mean?
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GRE Score Distribution
When the GRE was redesigned, one goal was to “normalize” the score distribution—to create a scoring bell curve with most students scoring around the middle of the scale (so, at 150). Then, moving outward from the center, fewer students would score around the extreme ends of the scale.
ETS was mostly successful in their endeavor to center the GRE scorescale at 150. Based on data from test-takers from July 2013-June 2016, the average GRE score on the verbal section is 150, and the average quantitative score is 153.
Here’s a general chart of how scoring shakes out in terms of GRE score percentiles. A percentile is the percent of test-takers that scored below the given score, so higher your percentile score, the better you did.
GRE Score Percentiles
Score (130-170) | VerbalPercentile | QuantitativePercentile |
140 | 12 | 8 |
145 | 27 | 20 |
150 | 48 | 38 |
155 | 69 | 59 |
160 | 86 | 76 |
165 | 96 | 89 |
170 | 99 | 97 |
Source: ETS GRE score guide
For Analytical Writing, the average score is 3.5. Here’s the percentile distribution among scores for Analytical Writing:
Analytical Writing Score Percentiles
Score | Percentile |
1.5 | 1 |
2.0 | 2 |
2.5 | 8 |
3.0 | 18 |
3.5 | 42 |
4.0 | 60 |
4.5 | 82 |
5.0 | 93 |
5.5 | 98 |
6.0 | 99 |
Source: ETS GRE score guide
So how many students score at the extreme ends of the scale? We can figure this out based on the GRE percentile chart.
On Verbal, one percent of students score from 130-132, and one percent score from 169-170. Between July 2013and June 2016, over 1.7 million students took the test. So about 17,000 students in that time scored between 169-170 on Verbal and another 17,000 scored from 130-133. This means that fewer than 17,000 students actually scored at each of the most extreme ends of the scale, 130 and 170.
On Quant, one percent of students score from 130-134, and three percent score 170. So between July 2013and June 2016, about 17,000 students scored between 130-134, and about 51,000 scored a 170.
On Analytical Writing, one percent of students (about 17,000 from July 2013-June 2016) scored a 6.0.
ETS also provides discipline-specific data on how many students score at the extreme ends of the scale. This data is based on students’ self-reported areas of prospective graduate study.
In all disciplines the number of students scoring at extreme ends of the scale is very low. On the Verbal section, 0.2-2.1% of test-takers in each discipline received perfect 170 scores. On Quant, the numbers of perfect 170 scores range from .4% to a whopping 9.0% in the physical sciences. On the low end, no discipline had more than 4.7% of test-takers score in the 130-134 range for Verbal, and no more than 1.5% for Quant. And again, this is all scores from 130-134, not just the 130 scores at the very bottom of the scale.
In sum, scores at the very low end and the very high end of the scale are generally rare, though there is some variation between disciplines.

Program-Specific GRE Score Distribution
The score percentile tables in the previous section apply to test-takers going into all programs and disciplines. But, as mentioned previously, students intending on going into different graduate courses of study have different score distributions.
Below isa chart with the average GRE scores for test-takers going into specific disciplines. This will give you an idea of how other people intending on pursuing similar graduate programs are scoring.
Average GRE Scores by Intended Discipline
Discipline | Average Score Verbal | Average Score Quant | Average Score Writing |
Life Sciences | 151 | 151 | 3.8 |
Physical Sciences | 150 | 158 | 3.4 |
Engineering | 149 | 159 | 3.3 |
Social Sciences | 153 | 151 | 3.9 |
Arts and Humanities | 156 | 150 | 4.1 |
Data from Percentage Distribution of Scores Within Broad Graduate Major Field (ETS).
As you would expect, those intending to pursue studies in the humanities and social sciences scored higher than the overall average on Verbal. Similarly, those pursuing scientific or engineering study scored higher than average on Quant. Prospective engineers scored the lowest on Analytical Writing. Prospective Arts and Humanities students scored the highest.
So now you can see the average for your chosen discipline. But what does this mean for you? Is it enough to just beat the average in your discipline? What score should you be aiming for?

What GRE Scores Should You Aim For?
At the most basic level, you should be aiming for the highest score you can achieve. (Kind of a no-brainer.)On a more practical and useful level, though, you’ll want to set a goal score. If you meet (or exceed) your goal scorethreshold,you don’t need to take the test again.
People often talk about “good GRE scores” as though that’s something that isabsolute across disciplines. To some extent it is—a 170 is always going to be good in any discipline, for example. But to a large extent, a “good” score on the GRE is discipline-specific and even program-specific.
For example, a 160 on Quant would be a stellar score on that section if you want to get a Masters in Art History, but it’s not particularly impressive if you’re trying to get a PhD in Physics. Of course, your Quant score probably also matters a lot less to the Art History department than your Verbal score. Similarly, a 155 might be a good score on Verbal at a mid-ranked Art History program, but a top program may well expect a 165+.
Your goal score should be one that gives you a good chance of getting accepted to all the graduate programs you are interested in. (Based on your test scores, at least—there are graduate programs for which the GRE is comparatively less important or even unimportant, and in general even a stellar score won’t do much to get you in if you don’t meet the program’s other requirements.)
So how do you set a goal score? Read on!

How to Set a GRE Goal Score
You’ll set a goal score based on the programs you are interested in. Unfortunately, this is much harder for graduate school than it is for undergraduate applications, simply because there is often less information available from the program about what scores they are looking for.
Most undergraduate institutions provide a statistic called the middle 50%, which gives the SAT and/or ACT scores of the middle 50% of admitted students. (So, the 25th and 75th percentile of admitted students.) For many graduate schools, you’ll be lucky if the program reports even an average score for admitted students.
With that in mind, here’s a three-step process to setting a goal score.
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Step 1: Find Information
If there is information to be found, it can usually be found either on the “application requirements” pagefor that school or on the “frequently asked questions” about admission and applications. You can also find any available info by Googling “[name of school] [name of program] GRE scores.”
The kind of information you’ll get from this method varies. Some schools will tell you the average GRE score of those accepted. For example, for the LSU Master’s in Analytics, they report that “the average GRE and GMAT scores accepted are around 315 and 640 respectively.” That would be 315 for Verbal and Quantitative together, or about 157-158 on each section.
Other programs will tell you GRE percentiles, like the Harvard Graduate School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. They report of their entering class from 2016, “average GRE quantitative scores were within the 90-95th percentiles, and average GRE verbal scores were within the 80-85th percentiles.”Cross-referencing that with the GRE percentiles, that would be scores of about 165-169 on Quant and 158-160 on Verbal.
Still other schools give even more general advice, like the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, which reports that “We do not have a minimum GRE score requirement. Admitted student scores are generally in the 75th percentile or higher.” That would be at least 157 for Verbal and 160 for Quant.
Note that you might occasionally find a graduate program that still lists GRE information for the old GRE, which was scored from 200-800. In this case, consider a different graduate school. Just kidding! You can cross-reference old scores to the current ones with aconcordance table.
If you can’t find any information on GRE scores on school websites, don’t panic!Skip the next two steps and move on to the section below, “What if none of my programs give GRE information?”

Step 2: Assemble Information
So how do we assemble all the different kinds of information we get from these programs into a goal score?What you need to do is keep a chart of all the information you can find on GRE scores from the programs you are interested in.
Let’s go through an example. Say that Arno wants to get a Master’s in Public Health. Arno is interested in the University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Michigan, Boston University, and Emory University.
Here’s Arno’s table before he fills anything out:
School | What They Say | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
UIC | |||
University of Michigan | |||
Boston University | |||
Emory |
Now he needs to look up any GRE information he can find on these schools’ websites.
First we’ll check UIC. On their website they say, “The MPH program is highly competitive, so successful applicants typically have scores of at least 150 on each the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the test.”
Let’s note that down in Arno’s chart.
School | What They Say | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
UIC | At least 150 on each section | 150+ | 150+ |
University of Michigan | |||
Boston University | |||
Emory |
Moving down the list, let’s check out the University of Michigan. They don’t have the information we are looking for in their FAQs, but they do have “Class Cohort Figures,” which tells us the average GRE score for previous cohorts of the program. The 2015 cohort, the most recent one listed, had a Median Verbal Percentile of 81.5% on the GRE and GMAT, and a Median Quantitative Percentile of 73.5%.
Checking our ETS percentile chart, this corresponds to a Verbal score of about 159 and a Quant score of about 159. Let’s note that down.
School | What They Say | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
UIC | At least 150 on each section | 150+ | 150+ |
University of Michigan | 81.5 percentile verbal and 73.5 percentile quant | 159 | 159 |
Boston University | |||
Emory |
Next we’ll look at Boston University. In their Admissions FAQs, they say, “the most competitive applicants typically report GRE scores at the 50th percentile or above for each section.”
Checking our percentile chart, that would correspond to a Verbal score of 151 and a Quant score of 153. Let’s mark it down.
School | What They Say | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
UIC | At least 150 on each section | 150+ | 150+ |
University of Michigan | 81.5 percentile verbal and 73.5 percentile quant | 159 | 159 |
Boston University | 50th percentile or above | 151 | 153 |
Emory |
The last school on our list is Emory. An infographic on their admissions page states that average Verbal and Quant scores are both 158 and 159, respectively.
School | What They Say | Verbal Score | Quant Score |
UIC | At least 150 on each section | 150+ | 150+ |
University of Michigan | 81.5 percentile verbal and 73.5 percentile quant median scores | 159 | 159 |
Boston University | 50th percentile or above | 151 | 153 |
Emory | Average 158 Verbal and 159 Quant | 158 | 159 |
We have our filled-out chart for Arno now. What’s next?

Step 3: Set a Goal Score
Once you have a filled-out chart, scan it for the highest score in each column.
In the case of Arno, that would be 159 on both Verbal and Quant. A 159 on each section would have Arno positioned pretty well for all of his schools. Of course, if he wants to be even more competitive, he could aim even higher—say, a 161 on each section. This would make him competitive even at his most selective school, University of Michigan. But if he hits that 159 on each section he could stop testing and focus on other parts of his application and still feel confident in his shot at most of his schools.
Here’s a blank chart for you to print out and use (click image for PDF):
That’s the breakdown on how to set a goal score if there is information available online about GRE scores of successful applicants and/or current students. But what if there’s no info to be found?

What If None of My Programs Give GRE Information?
Some programs do not give any kind of GRE score information for prospective applicants. They may even affirmatively state that they don’t publish the information.
In this situation, you first need to consider: Do my scores actually matter that much? If you think, yes, they do matter, you can use ETS data to get an idea of what a good GRE score is to be a competitive applicant.
First: Do My Scores Actually Matter That Much?
Programs won’t request GRE scores if they truly don’t matter at all. However, some programs, like writing MFA programs, only request GRE scores so that you can be admitted to the graduate school overall, while they make the actual admissions decisions based on your writing sample. Essentially, your GRE scores just need to show you have a basic level of competence at dealing with high-level academic work. In this case, you shouldn’t stress about your scores too much, but focus more on the part of your application most relevant to admissions. If you’re concerned, you can call or e-mail the overall graduate school admissions office to discuss minimum score expectations. You can also talk to the specific department/program you are interested in.
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PhDs are another area where GRE scores are asmaller part of your overall application. However, this isn’t because PhD programs don’t care about your GRE scores.This isbecause they also care about a lot of other things: your publication history, research history, work experience, teaching experience, and so on. Furthermore, because PhDs are often very competitive, a good GRE score can be essential to setting you apart from other applicants. Of course, the score on the relevant section is the most important part. When applying for a PhD in Comparative Literature, for example, it probably won’t be a huge deal if your Quant score is 145. But they will expect a high score in the relevant section for you to be a competitive applicant.
PhD programs also often request GRE Subject Tests to further test your mastery in the relevant subject area.The UCLA Department of Mathematics, for example, reports that “On the average, those we offer admission to have GRE subject scores in or above the 80th percentile.” In this case, you also need to focus on getting a high score on your GRE subject test in math. Of course, if you can get an 80th percentile score on the Math subject test, you’ll doubtless do well on the Quant section of the GRE anyways!

How Do I Get More Guidance?
If you feel your scores are important, or you aren’t sure, or you just want more guidance, I strongly advise you to call the admissions offices of the programs you are interested in. They maybe able to provide more concrete knowledge about what GRE scores you should be aiming for.
You can also check out Grad Cafe’s grad school discussion forums or a Reddit page for your program of interest and/or area of study.
Another thing you can do to get an idea of what scores might make you a competitive applicant is to look at ETS data for prospective graduate students in your area. The linked document includes average Verbal, Quant, and Analytical Writing scores for test-takers who stated they were interested in pursuing specific fields.
Let’s say Ginevra is applying to journalism programs, but none of her top-choice programs give GRE scores. If she looks at the ETS data for students who say they are going into journalism, she can see that mean Verbal scores are 152 and mean Quant scores are 150.
Of course, these are the mean scores of potential applicants, not the mean scores of admitted students. So if you want to be truly competitive, aim to score at least five points higher than this mean—so, a 157 on Verbal and a 155 on Quant. This will make you competitive as compared to the general mass of other students applying to similar programs. It’s important to note that this will really only make you competitive at mid-range schools and lower. If you’re going for competitive programs, you need a top score in the relevant section(s) no matter what because they want the absolute top students.

Key Takeaways for the GRE Score Range
The GRE score range is 130-170, scored in one-point increments, for the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections. On the Analytical Writing section, the scoring range is 0-6 in half-point increments.
The Verbal and Quantitative sections are meant to have an approximately normal distribution centered around 150. The average verbal score is 150 and the average quantitative score is 153.
As you might expect, average scores on Quant are higher among students going into math and sciences, and average scores on Verbal are higher among students going into the humanities.
In setting a GRE goal score, you want to set a goal that will give you a competitive chance of getting in to all the programs you are applying to.
To set a goal score:
- Look up any information on GRE scores of successful applicants you can find on the admissions websites of programs you are interested in.
- Record that info in a chart.
- The highest scores on each section should be your goal score!
If none of your programs provide GRE score information:
- Consider if your GRE test scores are particularly important to admission. If you aren’t sure, call the admissions office.
- You can also get an idea of what score would make you a competitive applicant by looking at ETS data on the mean scores of prospective students in different disciplines.
Now you understand GRE scores, and you’re ready to set some GRE score goals!
What’s Next?
Need more information on what makes a good GRE score? We can explain GRE score percentiles in-depth.
Check out our articles on the lowest possible GRE score and the highest possible GRE score.
Looking for an overview of all GRE sections? How about some some essential tips and tricks for test day?
Related
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Author: Ellen McCammon
Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon
FAQs
GRE Score Range: What Does Your Score Mean? • PrepScholar GRE? ›
General Test Score Interpretive Information
The range of scores for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning measures of the GRE® General Test is 130 to 170, in one-point increments. The range of scores for the Analytical Writing measure is 0 to 6, in half-point increments.
General Test Score Interpretive Information
The range of scores for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning measures of the GRE® General Test is 130 to 170, in one-point increments. The range of scores for the Analytical Writing measure is 0 to 6, in half-point increments.
Percentile | Verbal Score | Quantitative Score |
---|---|---|
85 | 160 | 165-166 |
80 | 158 | 163-164 |
75 (good) | 157 | 161-162 |
50 (median) | 151 | 154 |
A Verbal Reasoning score of 159 or a Quantitative Reasoning score of 163 would place you around the 80th percentiles respectively.
How do I read my GRE scores? ›The GRE is scored on a 130-170 scale in the verbal and quantitative sections. The writing section is scored on a scale of 0–6 in half-point increments. But you don't receive only scores; you also receive a percentile rank, which rates your performance relative to that of a large sample population of other GRE takers.
Is 293 a good GRE score? ›A GRE score average of 290 to 300 can take you to a quality university in the USA, which would surely help you take off your career ladder.
Is 270 a good GRE score? ›Average GRE scores would range anywhere from 280 to 300. And, since 260 is the minimum GRE score, anything below 260 will not guarantee you admission to the university of your choice. However, these GRE scores vary from university to university. It also differs depending on the course of your choice.
What is average GRE score students get? ›The average GRE scores in 2021-2022 were about 151 (151.3) for verbal reasoning and 157 for quantitative reasoning. The average analytical writing score was 3.4, but this section is not included in your total score.
Is it easy to get a 170 in GRE? ›Scoring a perfect 170 in GRE quantitative is not easy, but it is definitely achievable with the right preparation and strategies.
What is the GRE score required for Harvard University? ›School | Verbal Reasoning Average Score | Quantitative Reasoning Average Score |
---|---|---|
Harvard Business School | 162 | 166 |
Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences | 163 | 167 |
Harvard Graduate School of Design | 158 | 159 |
Harvard Graduate School of Education | 158 | 157 |
Why is the lowest GRE score 130? ›
Very few people receive the lowest possible GRE score. When we look at the GRE percentile chart, we can see that 131-132 are both 1st percentile scores for Verbal. This means that so few people receive a score of 130 on verbal that it is numerically negligible.
What is a competitive GRE score for Phd? ›What are good GRE scores for grad schools? The GRE score range you'll need for top universities will vary across programs, but average GRE scores could potentially range between 147-170 on Verbal and Quantitative, with averages in the 160s for the very top grad programs.
How hard is it to get a 330 on GRE? ›However, it is also important to remember that a 330+ score is in the 98th percentile of all GRE scores. This means that only 2% of the test takers can achieve this score and over 98% of people are below this score. It can be as difficult to increase your score from 320 to 330 as it is to score 320 in the first place.
What is an average GRE score 2023? ›Average GRE General Test scores
Verbal Reasoning - 150.61. Quantitative Reasoning - 154.34. Analytical Writing - 3.60.
He adds that a score near or above 160 is generally good enough to get into most programs, though some top programs with a math focus might still want to see higher scores around 165. For verbal scores, anything in the high 150s or above is a good score, Starr says.
Is a 290 bad on the GRE? ›Is GRE Score Between 290-300 Good Enough? A GRE score between 290 and 300 is neither poor nor particularly well-regarded. You must achieve a score of at least 300 to be admitted to a highly renowned Ivy League institution. But there's no reason to give up.
Is 300 a low GRE score? ›The GRE's point scale runs from 260 to 340. High GRE test scores are essential for admission into the best universities abroad, although they might not be the only criteria. Having a GRE score of 300 can get you into a decent school. A GRE score of 310 or above is generally is highly regarded by universities.
Can I get into grad school with a 280 GRE? ›As per various surveys, it is seen that a GRE score of 300 and above accounts for the best universities. Whereas an average GRE score between 280 to 300 does not put you in top programs but will help you get into some of the best universities in the USA provided that you have a good academic score and a strong profile.
What is a failing GRE score? ›What's a bad GRE score? A bad GRE score is one that excludes you from the program that you want to attend. That's all! But, for more context, the bottom 10% of test-takers score below 139 in Verbal and 141 in Quant.
Is 250 a good score in GRE? ›A good score on the GRE depends on where you want to go to graduate school. Ivy League schools will often only accept those who score above a 300 on the complete test, but other schools accept those who score in the 250 range.
What is the minimum GRE score for Phd in USA? ›
An overall GRE score of 320 or above and a 4.5 in GRE AWA are required for admission to the top GRE universities in USA to study MS or Ph.
Do grad schools see all GRE scores? ›Many schools consider your portfolio of GRE performances and place special emphasis on score increases. This means that an admissions board will view all scores, but they will give more attention to those with a noticeable score increase.
What is the minimum GRE score required for US universities? ›In general, scoring 165-170 in a section is regarded as Excellent, while 155-164 indicates Very Good. Anything around 150-154 is Good, while 140-149 indicates Needs Improvement. A score of 130-139 in a section is considered Poor. The GRE cutoff for MS in USA would entirely depend on the university a student chooses.
What if my GRE score is 292? ›Similarly, if you achieve a score of 292 then you have fared better than 25 test-takers out of every 100 of them. Hence, the higher you score on the GRE test, the higher you rank when compared to other test-takers.
What if my GRE score is 311? ›Is a GRE Score Between 310 and 320 Good Enough? Any GRE score above 310+ is considered to be an exceptional score, however, what the colleges or universities consider while looking at your scorecard are the verbal and quant section scores and percentile. The sectional scores and percentile vary.
Can I increase my GRE score by 20 points? ›Here's about how long you can expect to study for a particular point increase: 5 points = 40 hours. 10 points = 80 hours. 20 points = 160 hours.
Does GPA or GRE matter more? ›One of the most important parts of your graduate school application is your GPA. Combined with your GRE score, those two numbers hold the greatest weight when it comes to how likely you are to get into a particular school. Unlike your GRE score, though, your GPA has another facet to it: Your transcript.
Does GRE outweigh GPA? ›High GRE Scores
If you diligently plan, study, and then kick butt at the GRE, a high score could help offset a low GPA. This aptitude test helps measure your readiness for graduate school. A high score may even do more than your GPA to communicate your capability as a graduate student.
GPA shows the academic accomplishment that you achieved during your study. It's more thoughtful and used in most admissions, while GRE is considered a test that can be taken numerous times. Both GRE and GPA have a deep impact on your application process to abroad universities.
Should I reject my GRE score? ›Unless your graduate program requires that you send an unofficial score report, there is no reason to cancel your GRE score.
How many times can you take the GRE? ›
You may take the GRE once every 21 days and up to 5 times in a 12-month period. The test costs $185 each time you take it. Where do I take the test? You may take the GRE at multiple testing centers across the United States*.
How much does the GRE really matter? ›The GRE is regarded as one of the most challenging standardized tests used to compare applicants to graduate schools. More than 1,300 business schools and more than 80 law schools worldwide recognize GRE scores for admission to their programs.
What is the top 1% GRE score? ›As you can see, the GRE score percentiles for Verbal and Quant are not the same. For Verbal, both 169 and 170 are 99th percentile scores—so, scores in the top 1%. On Quant, a perfect score of 170 is only the 97th GRE percentile!
What is the best GRE score for scholarships? ›2. What GRE scores are needed for scholarships? Ans: The ideal GRE score for scholarships is anything above 300, which includes a score of 160 in both the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections. A score of more than 5 in analytical writing will add to the score you need to apply for scholarships.
Is getting 160 GRE hard? ›It's not easy to get the GRE Quant score of 160+. It's an online adaptive exam that 'adapts' to your level of competency. That is, the successive sections get harder or easier based on the performance of your previous section.
Can you prepare for GRE in 2 weeks? ›This answer depends on your goal scores and how far you are from those scores. In any case, you should not spend less than 2 weeks studying for the GRE and will likely reach diminishing returns by 6 months of studying. Ideally, you should spend somewhere from 1 month to 5 months studying.)
Is 3 weeks enough to study for GRE? ›You can't cram for the GRE test. By and large, the exam is a test of patterns, not facts, so if you want to raise your GRE score, you will need sufficient time to practice. We suggest you devote between 4 and 12 weeks to GRE preparation.
Is 1.5 months enough for GRE prep? ›You can take over three to six months to prepare for the exam to get your desired scores. However, if you don't have much preparation time left, then a GRE study plan for 2 months can work for you as well, but you need to be consistent.
What GRE score is required for Stanford? ›On average, a good GRE score to get into Stanford university ranges between 166 and 172 for different programs. In the case of the analytical writing score range for GRE, a score range of 4.0 to 5.5 is appreciable.
How long does it take to get 320 on the GRE? ›To score 320+ in GRE, I strongly suggest you spend at least 30 days for preparation. Almost everyone who has scored 320 or higher has prepared in more or less the same manner. You can change the plan according to the time you can allocate for studies each day and the resources you would like to use for preparation.
How many people get 170 on GRE? ›
Is the Score of 170 on the GRE Quantitative Possible? Yes, 170 on the GRE quants corresponds to the 97th percentile. According to a Report, 3 in 100 students who take the GRE, score this mark. The average GRE Quant score is around 152.
What does a 300 on the GRE mean? ›The GRE's point scale runs from 260 to 340. High GRE test scores are essential for admission into the best universities abroad, although they might not be the only criteria. Having a GRE score of 300 can get you into a decent school. A GRE score of 310 or above is generally is highly regarded by universities.
What is the range of 320 in GRE? ›On average, a 320 GRE score is considered to be a good GRE score. As GRE is one test that is today widely accepted across universities not just for masters in science but for law and business streams as well, it is roughly taken by half a million aspirants every year.
Is a 150 a good GRE score? ›GRE Score Percentiles
For example, a scaled Verbal score of 150 on the GRE translates to roughly the 47 th percentile, meaning that you scored better than 47 percent of other test takers—and worse than the other 53 percent of test takers. Here are the most recent GRE percentile ranks, released by ETS.
Percentile for Quantitative
GRE scores range from 160-170 in the top-level graduate programs because the top percentile of students apply to these programs with the hope of being selected. An average score for the GRE is about 151 for both measures, which is not outstanding.
Generally, the highest possible GRE Harvard score is 340, and the lowest possible score is 260. According to this, any score above 300 or 300 itself will qualify as a good score to meet Harvard GRE requirements.
How hard is a 170 GRE? ›How hard is it to get 170 in GRE Quant? Yes, 170 on the quants equals the 97th percentile. This means that 3 out of every 100 students who take the GRE receive this score. The average GRE Quant score is approximately 152.
How hard is 320 GRE score? ›The 320 GRE percentile is around 80 percent or above! But again, the GRE is a sectional game. If you want admission in a specific course, say engineering, you need to up your game and receive the highest possible score in the quant section.
What does a 320 GRE score mean? ›Now, the 80th percentile score for the GRE is around 320. Most schools in the top 30 consider this a competitive score, which means if you score around this mark, your chances of getting admitted into one of the top 30 universities will be quite significant.
Is 310 a good score in GRE? ›Any GRE score above 310+ is considered to be an exceptional score, however, what the colleges or universities consider while looking at your scorecard are the verbal and quant section scores and percentile. The sectional scores and percentile vary.
Is 315 a low GRE score? ›
For most top-50 schools, a good GRE score is in the mid-to-high 150s on both sections. Based on this data, an overall GRE score of 310 to 315 is a good GRE score for MBA applicants, while a score of 325 is excellent.
Is 140 a bad GRE score? ›...
Score Percentiles for Verbal and Quant.