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What's a Good GRE Score?

By , About.com Guide

Question: What's a Good GRE Score?
Answer:

Like the SAT, both the verbal and quantitative sections on GRE used to earn test-takers between 200-800 points. The writing section did and still does garner test-takers anywhere from a 0-6. For admittance, most universities don’t consider the writing GRE score as much as the verbal and quantitative scores. Keep in mind that GRE scores are taken into consideration along with your undergraduate GPA, admissions interview, extracurricular activities, etc.

Here are the average GRE scores (in the old format) for each section of the GRE

Please keep in mind that these score are based on the prior format. To see how these scores compare to revised GRE scores, then check out how revised GRE scores compare to prior GRE scores.

However, if you want to get into one of the top-ranking schools in the U.S., you’ll need to score higher than the national averages! Here are the average GRE scores for new entrants into the masters programs for Ivy League Schools:

Although each school doesn’t have a minimum GRE requirement, these GRE scores are the average scores of the best graduate students in the country. You did ask what a good GRE score was, right? Right. Read 'em and weep.

Brown:
Average GRE Scores not published
GRE not required for admission

Columbia
Verbal: 529
Quantitative: 773

Cornell:
Verbal: 607
Quantitative: 770

Dartmouth:
Verbal: 561
Quantitative: 768

Harvard:
Verbal: 555
Quantitative: 768

Princeton:
Verbal: 626
Quantitative: 731

University of Pennsylvania:
Verbal: 531
Quantitative: 753

Yale:
Quantitative: 743
Verbal: 522

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