The GRE scoring system assesses candidates' abilities in reasoning, problem-solving, and writing, as perceived by both candidates and graduate schools. Each section is scored differently, with Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning reported on a scale from 130 to 170, and Analytical Writing is scored from 0 to 6 in half-point increments. These results can be interpreted using percentiles to compare your performance to that of other test takers. Let's explore how it all works.
GRE Test Structure and Scoring Overview
Before you can work out what makes a GRE score "good", you need to understand how the GRE scoring system works. After all, the GRE consists of three major components: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing, each with its own score scale and evaluation method. These combined scores will create a profile score for your reasoning, problem-solving, and writing abilities, which will be used for graduate admissions.
Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning
The Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning measures use the same scale, ranging from 130 to 170 points. This means that the lowest possible score for either section is 130, while the highest is 170. While some exams use raw scores and convert them to percentages, the GRE uses a process called equating. This is a statistical method that adjusts scores to account for the variations in difficulty across different test versions. This makes it fair regardless of the day or test you get.
is the lowest possible score you can get.
The raw score is just the number of questions you get correct, with no penalty for wrong answers. Once you have a raw score, it's converted into your scaled score using ETS's equating system. Since the GRE is adaptive at the section level, your performance on the first Verbal or Quantitative section will influence the difficulty of the second section. However, all questions within a section count equally towards your score.
is the highest possible score you can get.
A Verbal score of 150 places you roughly in the middle range, showing average performance compared to other test takers.
A Quantitative score of 165 reflects strong ability, often above the 80th percentile, and is considered competitive for STEM or business programs.
A score of 170 is rare, but achievable with careful GRE exam preparation and strong reasoning skills.
Your scaled Verbal and Quantitative scores might be reported separately, but graduate programs often view them together. Some schools may want to weight Quantitative more heavily, especially for technical degrees. A strong Verbal score, however, might be preferred for humanities or social sciences. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with these scales, setting a realistic target for yourself so you can see where your strengths will matter most in admissions decisions.
Your GRE raw score (the number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score through a process called equating. This ensures fairness across test versions by adjusting for minor differences in difficulty, so a score of 160 represents the same level of ability regardless of the specific test you took.
Analytical Writing
The Analytical Writing (AWA) measure is scored differently. Instead of the 130-170 scale, AWA essays are graded from 0 to 6, in half-point increments. This means you could earn a 3.5, 4.0, or 4.5, depending on the quality of your essay. Don't let the half-point increments fool you, though; each increment can significantly affect how admissions committees view your writing ability.
is the highest possible score you can get.
The scoring process for Analytical Writing is different, too. Every essay is evaluated by at least one human rater and an e-rater (ETS's automated scoring system). If there's a discrepancy of a noticeable margin, a second human rater steps in, and the two human scores are averaged instead. Thus, the system strikes a balance between objectivity and consistency.
To put the scores into perspective, a score of 4.0 is approximately equivalent to the 50th percentile. This is the average for GRE test takers. For competitive graduate schools, a 4.5 or 5.0 is often expected. A 5.5 or 6.0 typically puts you in the top 10% of test takers.
In the Analytical Writing section, you only have one task: Analyze an Issue. You have 30 minutes to plan, write, and review your essay. Since the AWA relies on a single piece of writing, make sure you carefully prepare and practice as much as you can.
Generally, admissions committees focus more heavily on Verbal and Quantitative scores, but your writing score will still influence their decision. Strong analytical writing, after all, shows that you can handle graduate-level coursework, write research papers, and present arguments clearly.
Score Interpretation and Percentiles
GRE scores are used to compare you to thousands of other test takers. The scaled scores for Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing can give you a clear idea of where you fall on the GRE scoring system, but percentiles can give you better context as a comparison against your peers to see if studying for the GRE worked. Admissions committees often consider both the scaled scores and percentiles when evaluating candidates.
After all, the percentiles can shift slightly each year as they're based on test takers' performances over a rolling three-year period. For example, a Verbal score of 160 might have been the 85th percentile one year, but drops to the 83rd if students generally scored better in subsequent years. ETS regularly updates percentile tables to ensure that scores are more accurate and admissions committees have the most up-to-date comparisons available.
Understanding Percentile Ranks
The percentile rank indicates the percentage of test takers who scored lower than you. If you're in the 90th percentile, you performed better than 90% of other students who took the GRE. Percentiles are essential to rank you against others to give you a clearer idea of your real performance, which is helpful if you're a college or university that has to choose which students are worthy of admission.
Percentiles indicate how your score compares to those of other test takers. Graduate schools use these ranks to judge your competitiveness in their applicant pool, which means a score's percentile is often as important as the score itself.
Graduate schools can't simply look at scores in isolation. They need to compare them to other applicants. Programs that regularly admit students with Quantitative scores in the 160-167 range will view 155 differently than a school whose average admitted score is 150. There are also program expectations. STEM fields and business schools emphasize Quantitative scores, while the humanities and social sciences prefer verbal scores. Analytical Writing might be the score that tips the scales.
So, what exactly constitutes a "good" GRE score? A good GRE score is the one that gets you into the graduate program you want to do. However, scores in the 75th percentile, which represent the top 25% of test takers, are generally considered very competitive. A Verbal 158 and Quantitative 162 would put you in a strong standing for many graduate programs. However, there are top-tier MBA and engineering programs that require Quantitative scores of 165 or higher to be competitive.
Percentiles help set realistic expectations. If you're scoring around the 40th percentile when you start your GRE exam prep, you'll struggle to get into the 90th percentile. Consistent effort and practice can help you reach the 70th percentile. However, you can constantly adjust your goals if you encounter unexpected progress or face any problems. You can start creating and adapting your study plan before you schedule your GRE, but you should always have the exam date in mind for any study plan you create.
Ultimately, the GRE score interpretation isn't only about numbers. Find the score that you need to get into the programs you're applying to. Similarly, you can choose programs and schools according to what you're likely to achieve. Aim for a GRE score for the schools you want to get into, and apply to the schools that you'll likely get into.
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