GRE Score Range – The GRE is a standardized test like most other standardized tests. It’s a test that’s taken by many people who have applied for graduate and professional schools or are looking to take the next step in their careers. The graduate school admission process can sometimes be really competitive, and the GRE score range can be one of the obstacles standing in your way. But what exactly is this score range? How do you know what it means for your application?
The GRE score range has a major impact on the admission to graduate programs. Nowadays, college admissions tests are no longer an option for most people. One such test is the Graduate Record Exam, otherwise known as the GRE. It’s a standardized test designed by ETS, or Educational Testing Service. It was designed to measure general knowledge and skills of students seeking academic degrees in graduate studies. The test is taken by many students who want to apply for PhD programs and by those who want to earn master’s degrees from US universities.
To prepare for these tests, it is important that you know how your score will be evaluated in this exam. Find out what the GRE score range means for your application with these straightforward answers about the GRE score range and gre scores.
What is a good score for the GRE?
The GRE score range from 130-170 scale, in one-point increment for both a quantitative and verbal section. For analytical writing, the score range is 0-6, in half-point increment. On the other hand, every subject test yields a score on a 200-990 score scale, in 10 points increments.
According to the ETS performance statistics, the average GRE score for Quantitative reasoning is 150.37, Verbal reasoning is 153.66, and Analytical writing is 3.60. Thus, the total score will be 303 (45th Percentile).
Similarly, for the subject test, the average GRE score for chemistry is 689, mathematics is 664, physics is 714, and psychology is 619. So, anything above the average subject score can be considered a good GRE score.
Here is an overview of what is generally considered as a good GRE score, an average, and an excellent one for the general test:
| What is a good GRE score? | Below Average Score | Average GRE score | Good GRE Score | Excellent GRE Score |
| GRE Percentile | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
| GRE Scores | 292 | 300+ | 318 | 329 |
Guide to GRE Scoring
You’ll receive three GRE scores on your score report, one for Quantitative Reasoning (math), one for Verbal Reasoning, and one for Analytical Writing (the essays).
GRE Scores Range
| SECTION | SCORE RANGE |
|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 130–170, in 1 point increments |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 130–170, in 1 point increments |
| Analytical Writing | 0–6, in half point increments |
GRE Score Percentiles
Every GRE score has two components: a scaled score (i.e. 130–170) and a percentile rank. Your percentile rank is more important than your scaled score. Your percentile rank indicates how your GRE scores compare to those of other test takers. 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.
The essays are scored a little differently than the Verbal and Quantitative sections. The corresponding percentiles are as follows:
| SCORE | ANALYTICAL WRITING PERCENTILE |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | 99 |
| 5.5 | 98 |
| 5.0 | 93 |
| 4.5 | 82 |
| 4.0 | 59 |
| 3.5 | 42 |
| 3.0 | 17 |
| 2.5 | 7 |
| 2.0 | 2 |
| 1.5 | 1 |
| 1.0 | <1 |
In other words, a score of 5 on the essay portion of the GRE means you performed better than 93 percent of test takers.
What are good GRE scores for MY goals?
The first step in figuring out how to prepare for the GRE is figuring out how your scores will be used. The only way to do that is to contact the programs to which you plan to apply. Here are some questions you should be asking.
1. What GRE scores do I need to be accepted?
You need to have a target score so you can figure out how much work you need to put in between now and test day. If the school doesn’t have or won’t quote you a cutoff score, use our grad school search and business school search to find out the average scores for last year’s incoming class.
2. Will you look at all parts of my GRE score?
Some programs may care about your math score, but not your verbal score, and vice versa. If a program doesn’t care about your math or your essay score, then you know exactly where to put your prep time.
3. Are GRE scores used for anything else?
If your scores will used for course placement or for scholarship consideration, it would be good to know that now, while you still have time to prepare.
4. How important are my GRE scores in terms of my entire application?
How much weight a program places on your score is often a function of how competitive admission to the program is. If it is a competitive program, every number will count.
5. What do you do with multiple GRE scores?
You might decide to take the GRE a second time. It would be good to know, however, the importance of that first score. If a school is going to take your highest GRE score, then you can relax a bit on test one, knowing that you can take it again if you need to.
Other Grad School Admission Factors
The reality is that good GRE scores are just one of the factors that can affect your admission chances. Grad and business schools are looking for the whole package, including:
- Standardized test scores
- your GPA
- undergraduate coursework
- professional and hands-on experience
- letters of recommendation
- statement of purpose, etc.
Find out exactly how your GRE scores will be used so you can craft the right application strategy for your dream school.
How will you score?
Take a GRE practice test with us under the same conditions as the real thing. You’ll get a personalized score report highlighting your strengths and areas of improvement.