What is a good GRE score?

The GRE General Test is a broad assessment of your critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills as a gateway to graduate school. One of the most frequently asked questions is, “What is considered a good GRE score?” The answer is, “It depends.”

Good GRE scores depend on the program and the field you are trying to apply for. As it varies from school to school, it pays to check the requirements or minimums before anything else.

The revised GRE is on a 130-170 scoring scale for verbal and quantitative. The scaled score is in increments of 1 point. On the other hand, the AWA scoring is between 0-6. You will be writing two essays which will be scored in .5 increments by two graders. You will be graded an NS or no score if you do not type in any text or a 0 if you type in a foreign language or something completely offshoot.

As there are only few possible scores that you can get on GRE, one question answered correctly can make or break your exam results.

Highest GRE score

At 163–170 score for the Verbal exam, 165-170 score for Quantitative, and 5.0-6.0 for the Writing exam, you will be in the top 10% of all test takers and will most likely admit you to the school of your choice.

High GRE score

A high GRE score or a competitive one consists of a 158-162 score for the Verbal exam, 159-164 score for Quantitative, and 4.5 for the Writing exam. These scores can put you in the top 25% of all test takers and will put you in a highly competitive place in admissions.

Good GRE score

At 152-158 score for the Verbal exam, 153-158 score for Quantitative, and 4.0 for the Writing exam, you will be in the top 50% of all test takers. These scores may be good enough but they will not be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs.

Below average GRE score

These scores are enough to get into a number of graduate programs but probably not to the highly competitive ones. The scores are at 151 or below for the Verbal exam, 152 or below for Quantitative, and 3.5 or below for the Writing exam.

To have a better shot at the program of your choice, try aiming for a high GRE score, at least, or aim higher and go for the highest possible score. But you should know that many factors affect your graduate school application with your GRE score being just one of them. Your undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, research, and personal essays will all contribute to your acceptance to your preferred school. Of course, getting a high GRE score will increase your chances at getting into the school of your dreams so aim higher and shoot for the highest GRE score possible for you. Make all necessary preparations, take a deep breath, and answer one question at a time.