GRE Scores

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 Scores is by comparing them to other students and seeing what your preferred colleges require. The table below lists your percentile compared to other students.  For example, if you scored a 560 on your GRE Verbal Reasoning score, this implies that your percentile score is 76 (i.e., you scored better than 76% of the other students who took the GRE Test).  For student 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.

GRE Score Percentiles 

Scaled score	Verbal Reasoning %	Quantitative Reasoning %
800	99	94
780	99	90
760	99	86
740	99	81
720	98	76
700	97	72
680	96	67
660	94	63
640	91	58
620	89	53
600	85	48
580	81	44
560	77	40
540	71	35
520	66	32
500	61	28
480	55	24
460	50	21
440	44	18
420	38	16
400	33	13
380	27	11
360	22	9
340	17	7
320	12	6
300	7	4
280	4	3
260	2	2
240	1	1
220	0	1
200	0	0

Analytical Writing score	Writing %
6	97
5.5	90
5	77
4.5	58
4	37
3.5	20
3	8
2.5	3
2	1
1.5	0
1	0
0.5	0