Sunday, April 28, 2013

New GRE Score Conversion

By Revised GRE on 12:36 AM


The New GRE point scale is confusing, to say the least. You’ll receive a score from 130 to 170 for each section math and verbal rather than a score based on the previous scale of 200 – 800. What do those scores mean? And what are you supposed to do with them…?


Converting your new GRE score

Many colleges and universities still publish average GRE scores based on the old scale for their admitted students. In order for you to truly understand your score in context you need to convert your new score back to the old scale. I’ve included tables for math and verbal below which will help you with this process.

Math Conversion Table

New ScoreOld Score
170800
169800
168800
167800
166800
165790
164790
163780
162770
161770
160760
159750
158740
157730
156720
155700 – 710
154690
153680
152660 – 670
151640 – 650
150630
149610 – 620
148590 – 600
147570 – 580
146550 – 560
145530 – 540
144500 – 520
143480 – 490
142460 – 470
141430 – 450
140400 – 420
139380 – 390
138350 – 370
137330 – 340
136300 – 320
135280 – 290
134260 – 270
133240 – 250
132220 – 230
131200 – 210

Verbal Conversion Table

New ScoreOld Score
170760 – 800
169740 – 750
168720 – 730
167710
166700
165680 – 690
164660 – 670
163650
162630 – 640
161620
160600 – 610
159590
15857 – 580
157560
156540 – 500
155530
154510 – 520
153500
152480 – 490
151460 – 470
150450
149430 – 440
148420
147410
146390 – 400
145380
144370
143360
142340
141330
140320
139310
138300
137290
136280
135280
134270
133260
132250
131240
130200 – 230

Understanding your score percentile

In addition to knowing your score based on the old scale, it’s also important to understand what your percentile rank is. This score percentile table which comes from the concordance table over at ETS, the makers of the GRE, provides you with the percentiles for each score. You can also see your percentile rank on your official score report.

Should you retake the GRE?

Now that you have a better sense of what your score on the new GRE means, you need to decide whether or not to retake the GRE. If your score is above the average for math and verbal for your target program and school, you should focus on the rest of your application. However, if you are at or below the average, I recommend re-taking the test.