GRE Score Chart

Most universities consider a good GRE score as one of the necessary requirements for admission to the programs they offer. So if you want to make it into one of the top universities, you must have a good GRE score, among other factors . In this article, we will talk about the GRE scores, the GRE score chart, and how GRE scores are calculated. This will give you a rough idea as to how much you should aim for in each section so that you come up with a smart study plan.

GRE Scores

GRE consists of three main sections — Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. The Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored between 130 to 170, which increases by a one-point increment. Analytical Writing, on the other hand, is scored between 0 to 6, which increases by a half-point increment. The GRE score is a culmination of the Verbal and Quantitative sections. Since the score range for Analytical writing differs from these two, the calculation of the Analytical writing scores also differs.If no questions are attempted from a section, you will receive a No Score (NS) for that particular section. 

Given below is a table that will help you understand the GRE Scores easily. 

In order to calculate the GRE score, the ETS first calculates your raw scores. A raw score is the number of questions you likely got right in your GRE exam. The Verbal and Quantitative sections have 40 questions each. For example, if you have answered all the 40 questions correctly, your raw score is likely to be 40. This raw score is then converted into a scaled score, which lies anywhere between 130 to 170 through a process called equating. The exact procedure for converting your raw scores to GRE scaled scores has not been revealed by ETS. The process is carried out based on the difficulty level of the questions you’ve answered. Since the GRE is a section-level computer-adaptive test (for Quant and Verbal), the score of each question is calculated based on its difficulty. Hence, some questions may have more weightage than others. 

For the Analytical Writing section, the two tasks are scored by one trained rater, as well as an e-rater, a computerized program developed by the ETS. The average of these two scores are used as the overall final score. In case of discrepancies between the scores, the ETS assigns another trained rater to recheck the essays, and takes the average of scores submitted by both the human raters. 

GRE Official Score Report

Source:  ets.org

Once you take the GRE exam, the official score report will be available to you in your ETS account within 10–15 days after the date of the test. ETS will send you a notification via email, when the reports are available.

Your official GRE score card will include the following information:

• Personal information such as name, address, contact number etc.
• Your gender
• Your date of birth
• The course which you’ve applied for
• Date of the test
• Percentile rankings and test scores
• Cumulative score records that is reported within the last five years
• Fellowship sponsors and the scores reported to those institutions

The scores on the report are valid for five years from your GRE test date. For example, If you’ve taken your test on August 31st 2021, the scores are reportable through August 31st, 2026. 

Average GRE Scores

As mentioned above, the verbal and quant score ranges from 130 to 170, and AWA score ranges from 0 to 6. 

Here are the average GRE scores based on the performance of test takers between the period of 2017 to 2020.

GRE Score Conversion Chart  

Let us see how the raw scores are converted into individual scaled scores for the Verbal and Quantitative sections. The GRE raw score chart based on the correct answers is given below:

As you can see from the above chart, if you score a 40 in each of the sections, you can anticipate a score between 165 to 170. A sum of these scores will yield you a GRE score between 330 to 340.  

GRE Score Percentiles

The GRE score percentiles indicate how good your test scores are in comparison to the scores of other test-takers. The percentile corresponding to your GRE score tells you the percentage of other test-takers who scored lesser than you.  For instance, if your percentile is 85, that means that 85 percent of aspirants who appeared for the GRE scored less than you in a particular section. However, the GRE percentiles may vary from section to section for the same score. 

Let’s take a look at the GRE score percentile charts for various sections. 

Verbal Reasoning Score Chart 

The Verbal Reasoning score chart is the verbal reasoning score with its corresponding percentile ranking. The GRE verbal score chart is as follows: 

Quantitative Reasoning Score Chart

The quantitative reasoning score chart consists of the quantitative scores with its corresponding percentile ranking. The GRE Quantitative score chart is as follows: 

You will notice the score range 130 to 135 has only 1 to 2 percentile ranking. This denotes that very few candidates have a score that is less than 135. 

Analytical Writing Score Chart

The Analytical Writing score chart indicates the analytical writing scores and their corresponding percentile ranking. The Analytical Writing score chart is as follows: 

As you can see from the above table, the score ranges 0.0 to 1.0 have no ranks available. This means that none of the candidates have scored less than 1.0 in the analytical writing section. 

GRE Cut-Off for Top Universities

Most universities abroad consider GRE scores necessary for admissions to the programs they offer. A stellar GRE score can improve your chances of admission to your dream university. The following table states the GRE scores cut off for the top universities in the world.

We hope these GRE score charts have helped you. Understanding the GRE scores and how the GRE is scored is a rather simple process. Once you familiarize yourself with it, navigating and planning for the GRE becomes easier. 

FAQs

1. How long are GRE scores valid?

The GRE scores are valid for 5 years from the date of the test.

2. Can I see my unofficial GRE scores after taking the test?

You will get the option to report or cancel the score after the test. When you choose Report Scores, you will be able to see your unofficial Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning scores. However, you won’t be able to check your AWA scores. 

3. When will I get my official score report?

You’ll receive your GRE official score report within 15 to 20 days after the test date. ETS will send you a notification indicating this. 

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