How to interpret your GRE Scores

What is the GRE?

The Graduate Record Examination or GRE or for short is a standardized test that is administered to all students who aspire to complete their Post-Graduation in USA. The test is conducted under the purview of the Education Testing Service (ETS).  The test itself is divided into two types, known as the GRE General test of English and the GRE Subject test. Most of the business, graduate and professional schools require prospective students to attempt the General test, which consists of Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing Skills. These subjects are not related to any subject or a particular field of study. The Subject test, on the other hand, tests the candidates on the general subjects as well as the specific subject in which he plans to pursue his master’s program, For example, a student who intends to do his masters with a major in Mathematics will be required to take the Subject test in mathematics.

How do Colleges use GRE to determine admission

GRE test scores are used by selection panels in colleges and universities as an additional layer of scrutiny and vetting to the transcripts and other records submitted by a candidate for admission into a graduate program. The scores help colleges to find a common benchmark by which they can compare the eligibility of the applicants to their college. Each college decides on the score which it considers as minimum acceptable as a criterion for admission for a student who aspires to be admitted to the university

Advantage of Taking GRE for Students

The advantage of taking the Graduate Record Examination for students is that those who for reasons beyond them were not able to score high marks during their undergraduate program can still hope to enter the college of their choice by getting a good score on the test. In other words, not only does the test provide a standardized platform for universities to test applicants from different educational backgrounds, but also provides the students whose performance during under graduation is not up to par with a second chance in which they can redeem themselves. These students can through an excellent score in the test enter a college or university that they aspire to. The scores are one of the most vital segments of a college admission process and are assigned maximum weight by universities at the time of evaluating a student’s application. However, the weights that are assigned to the scores, as well as minimum acceptable scores are the prerogative of the universities and can vary between programs. As such it’s important to determine what can be called a good score.

What is a good GRE Score?

Different universities set different criteria when it comes to the test scores. Some universities and programs place different weights on different sections of the test when it comes to eligibility for different subjects. For example, if a student wishes to Study a Course in English Literature, the university would assign a higher weight to the verbal score than the quantitative score. Conversely, if a student were to seek admission to a course in engineering, his quantitative score would be given more weight. Having said that, it is indeed, possible to find a few ballpark scores by which a student can assess his performance and evaluate his chances of getting into a top university. The score can be classified broadly into four categories. Excellent, good and average

1. Excellent Score

An excellent score on the GRE, comprises of a total score greater than 328, with a score above 163 in verbal and above 165 in quantitative.

2. Good Score

A good score has a total that falls between 313 and 327, with the candidates scoring between 158 and 162 for verbal and 159 and 164 for Quant. A score of this order is considered competitive one, and the candidate can hope to get admission to many universities, though the Ivy League maybe not in his scope of admission

3. Average Score

An average score comprises a total score that falls between 305 and 316 with a verbal score between 152 and 157, and a quant score between 153 and 158. These scores, though average, can still help the candidate to get admission into many Universities in USA, though these universities will not be considered among the top universities. One possibility for a candidate who scores an average score is to retake the test with better and more targeted preparation and get a better score.

Knowing the difference between a good score and an average score can help you in determining your targeted score and to prepare accordingly. Global Tree has an in-house coaching department which can help you achieve your targeted score. To know more contact Global Tree at Begumpet, Hyderabad, one of the Best Coaching Centers for GRE, GMAT, IELTS and other standardized tests in India.