Determining what a good score is for you will take some time and research. But if you can identify your target score early in your GRE prep, you’ll be more likely to hit that target since you can focus your study plan accordingly. It’s well worth it! Just follow the steps below to determine your target score…
Identify your program
A good score on the Revised GRE varies significantly by program. For instance, applicants admitted to the top 10 Engineering programs last year had an average GRE quant score of 770. That score is the 86th percentile, about a 161 on the Revised GRE. However, applicants admitted to the top 10 Education programs had an average GRE quant score of 660, 61st percentile, about a 152 on the new GRE. That’s a quite a difference!
Use sources such as the US News and World Report to research the average GRE scores for your particular major.
Identify your target school
Are you aiming for a top 10 school or a top 50 school in your program? Do you have a specific dream school? By answering these questions, you can better determine what type of score you’ll need on the new GRE. Let’s build upon the Engineering example above. Applicants admitted to #1 ranked MIT had an average quant score of 780, while those admitted to #22 ranked Maryland had an average quant score of 740. That’s a 5 point difference on the new GRE scoring scale (163 vs. 158). Clearly, good scores vary from school to school.
Use this GRE scores percentiles chart borrowed from ETS to determine how the averages from previous years compare to the new GRE scoring scale.
You can also use this school finder to help you find and request more information from schools for free.
Talk to current students and the admissions committee
Some schools care more about quant and others care more about verbal. Find out which a target program/school is interested in by talking to the admissions committee and current students. Go to their website and find a contact to email. Let them know you are a prospective student and provide some background about yourself. In many cases, schools will try to connect you with a current student who has a similar background to you. Use that opportunity to learn about the admissions process and the program as a whole.
Aim for a better than average GRE score
The admitted students who perform below average on the GRE may have extraordinary stories, great GPA’s, and/or fantastic work experience. To improve your odds of acceptance, do better than average. But there’s no need to overdo it. If you are aiming for a program that has an average quant score of 155, and you score 160, you likely don’t need to take the GRE again, even if you think you could get 165. You have already demonstrated that you have quantitative aptitude and now it’s time to focus on the rest of your application.
Prep for the GRE with your target score in mind
By researching GRE scores ahead of time, you can determine what areas to focus on for your GRE prep. For instance, if your program is more interested in quant, then spend more time working on quant. We have a quite a few GRE study plans to help you with your prep. They provide options for students preparing for 1 week, 6 months, or anything in between. Keith, one of our customers, recently increased his quant score from 152 to 165 using Magoosh.
So what is a good score on the new GRE?
As I mentioned scores depend on your particular target school and program. But in general scores above the 75th percentile in either section are good – that’s a 157 or higher in math and in verbal. Scores at least one standard deviation from the mean are even better, 160 in math and 159 in verbal. And scores two standard deviations from the mean put you in the top 5%, 166 in math and 165 in verbal, at which point your GRE score will certainly not be an impediment.
