GRE Scores - Determine How Good Your Score Is

Students are often confused about how to interpret GRE Scores.  Common questions include: "What is a good GRE Score?" and "What GRE Scores do colleges require?"  To answer these questions, it is important to understand the different components of the GRE Test and how GRE test scores are calculated.

The GRE Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections are scored on a scale of 200-800, with 10 point increments. The GRE Analytical Writing section is scored on a 0-6 scale with half-point increments.  Your scores on the Verbal and Quantitative sections are based on your performance on the questions you were given and on the total number of questions answered in the time allotted.

The verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE Test are administered in a "computer-adaptive testing" (CAT) format.  The CAT format adapts the difficulty of the questions based on how a user answers the questions.  An average level question is given first, and then more difficult questions are given if the first question is answered correctly, or easier questions are given is the first question is missed.  The intent of the CAT approach is to adapt the questions based on the user's aptitude. With the CAT approach, you are not allowed to go back and change answers to previous questions, and you must answer each question to proceed.

Interpreting your GRE Scores

The best way to understand your GRE TestScores is by comparing them to other students and seeing what your preferred colleges require. The information below summarizes your percentile compared to other students.  For example, if you scored a 600 on your GRE Verbal Reasoning score, this implies that your percentile score is 85 (i.e., you scored better than 85% of the other students who took the GRE Test).  For students who took the exam between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2007, the average (mean) GRE Scores were 462 for Verbal Reasoning, 584 for Quantitative Reasoning and 4.0 for Analytical Writing.


Summarized listing of GRE Scores and Percentiles

Scaled Score | Verbal Reasoning % | Quantitative Reasoning %800            99                   94
700            97                   72
600            85                   48
500            61                   28
400            33                   13
300            07                   04

One thing is clear about GRE Scores - in order to do well on the GRE Test, you must be prepared.