Cornell’s campus in Ithaca combines an Ivy-level education with the tranquility of rural upstate New York. If you’re dreaming of scenic tree lines and weekend getaways to New York City, you’re definitely not the only one! Thousands of talented, well-rounded students apply to Cornell each year. A fantastic, well-rounded application is your best bet at getting accepted!
This includes having a mix of a competitive GPA, strong letters of recommendation, and (possibly) work experience. Your GRE score is just another piece of the puzzle that can make or break your application. That being said, what GRE scores should you be aiming for to get into Cornell? Chances are an average GRE score will not be enough.
Average GRE Score for Cornell Engineering
Thanks to US News & World Report rankings, we have the average GRE scores for Cornell’s engineering program. Why are these important? Well, if you’re an engineering student, the answer’s probably obvious.
However, even if you’re interested in another field, these scores help us understand how competitive Cornell’s programs are. For reference, US News & World Report ranked Cornell’s Engineering program as 14th nationwide in 2020.
| Program | Average Verbal | Average Quantitative |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering - Master's | 156 | 166 |
| Engineering - PhD | 158 | 166 |
Estimated GRE Scores for Cornell Academic Programs
Unfortunately, US News & World doesn’t collect GRE information from all programs–only Engineering and Education. Never fear! Based on the scores and program rankings for these programs, Magoosh has extrapolated scores from other programs at Cornell based on their respective rankings.
Of course, this is only an estimate, but gives you a sense of what you should be aiming for when applying. Here we have listed 14 different Cornell programs with national rankings and estimated GRE score ranges.
| Program | US News Rank | Estimated Verbal Range | Estimated Quantitative Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences | 27 | 160-164 | 157-161 |
| Chemistry | 9 | 162-166 | 164-168 |
| Computer Science | 6 | 157-161 | 164-168 |
| Earth Sciences | 19 | 161-165 | 158-162 |
| Economics | 16 | 161-165 | 163-167 |
| English | 8 | 166-170 | 155-159 |
| Fine Arts | 53 | 156-160 | 151-155 |
| History | 11 | 163-167 | 152-156 |
| Mathematics | 13 | 160-164 | 166-170 |
| Physics | 7 | 165-169 | 168-170 |
| Political Science | 19 | 164-168 | 155-159 |
| Psychology | 24 | 159-163 | 152-156 |
| Public Administration | 34 | 160-164 | 153-157 |
| Sociology | 17 | 160-164 | 152-156 |
Resources to get the GRE scores you’ll need
Check out the following links for more help preparing for the GRE:
What Can We Take Away from Cornell’s Average GRE Scores?
Cornell’s GRE scores are pretty high! If you’re applying to a Cornell grad program, here are a few important takeaways:
- For Engineering programs at Cornell, the key score is Quant. Note that for both programs, the average score was 166. A strong Verbal score may help you, but you really want to get your Quant score as high as possible!
- Cornell’s highest-ranked program is Computer Science; when applying to this program, a target Quant score between 164 and 168 will give you a leg up.
- GRE scores at Cornell are likely highest for the Physics program, where we estimate average Quant scores to be between 168 and 170. Whew!
With a GRE score 317 (155 V and 162 Q) 4 internships and 2 research papers all relevant to ml what are my probable universities ?
Hi Ekagra,
Congrats on such a great GRE score! Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid we aren’t the best people to ask about this. This blog post has some more information and context that can help you to find universities that will fit your interests and profile.
Hi, i’ve recently appeared for the GRE and my score is 312 (154-Q and 158- V) , is there a chance for me at NYU , NEU and PSU ?
Hi Sinjini,
Congrats on taking the GRE! Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid we aren’t the best people to answer this question. I recommend that you contact an admissions counselor for your target schools to see where you stand 🙂 Good luck!
Hi! I’m pursuing 3rd year engineering. I want to know what would be the requirements to get into PhD in biomedical engineering. What should be the minimum GRE score? I’m an international student.
That’s a great question, but a tricky one. First, note that most universities will hold international students to the same GRE score requirements as domestic students. (A noteable exception is Duke University. Duke generally has lower score requirements of international students for the GRE, if they are non-native English speakers. And yes, they do have a biomedical engineering grad program.)
Ultimately, GRE requirements will really vary from school to school. So you’ll want to contact individual schools and see what their exact standards are. I can also give you a rough idea of what you might need (a very rough idea) based on this data sheet from ETS. On page 9 of that ETS report, it appears that you will be in the “middle tier” (middle 50-60%) for biomedical engineering majors if you get 150-159 in Verbal, and 150-164 in Quant. So that range will give you a good shot at many schools. A score above that range will make you highly competitive at many schools. Again though, be sure to check with the individual schools you’re applying to.
Hi, wondering what the estimated score requirement for Cornell’s Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design (M.S.AAD) program is? Unable to find this bit information anywhere. Thanks!
That’s a good question! On Cornell’s page for their various graduate architecture programs, the only program they specifically list as requiring the GRE is their MS in Computer Graphics. The M.S.AAD program section of that only mentions submitting a portfolio, which is not a requirement for the MS-CG.
So it seems possible that the M.S.AAD doesn’t require the GRE and instead requires a portfolio; this is a common practice for art-oriented grad programs. To make sure, however, I recommend emailing or calling the program (or Cornell admissions), and asking them to confirm whether or not the GRE is needed, and what the score requirements are for the GRE if the test is required.
Hi
I have 160 in Verbal and 161 in Quant and a 4 in AWA. I plan to pursue a PhD in Economics. I have strong academic references and a year of working experience, although I do not have any academic papers to my name. I see my scores at the end of the score range you have estimated, do I still have a shot at Cornell’s graduate programme or should I take the test again?
Hi Divya,
Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid I can’t really give you any solid advice here! I completely understand that this is a nerve-wracking and difficult decision to make. I recommend that you reach out to the admissions counselors at Cornell or try to get in touch with some current students. Each school assesses their applicants in different ways, and talking to them directly might help you to get a better sense of what they are looking for. Good luck!
Hi,
Why did you leave out the Analytical Writing section?
Hi there,
I’m actually not sure why the AWA score wasn’t included in this blog post. Our intent here is to provide an overview of admissions criteria (we have these sorts of blog posts for several top schools), and students should always complete their own research before applying to a school. I imagine that one reason we didn’t include AWA scores is because different departments interpret AWA scores in different ways. I encourage you to contact the specific department you plan to apply to and research their average AWA scores and how they use the AWA in the admissions process!
Hi,
I have a 299 GRE score (148 Verbal & 151 Quant.). I am applying for a Masters of Public Administration for Fall 2018. Although my verbal is low and my quant score falls within in the estimated quant. range, I am currently taking three graduate courses at NYU(public admin.) this semester and have been doing very well. Do you think I should retake the GRE or should I just work with these scores?
Hi Sinclair,
Thanks for reaching out! Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid that I can’t provide you with the exact answer you’re looking for! It’s important to realize that your admission depends on so much more than your GRE scores–if you are a strong candidate in different areas, a lower score might not hurt you that much. However, you should check the Cornell website and see if they have a minimum score requirement for admissions. My best advice would be to contact some people from Cornell, such as current and former students or admissions counselors, to get their take on it. It might make the most sense to focus on crafting a strong application, but you should do some more research before making your decision 🙂
I just took the GRE yesterday (August 10th, 2017) and scored:
160 V and 156 Q
I want to apply to Cornell’s Biochemistry program. Should I aim for higher scores or will these do?
Hi! I’ve just finished my GRE today and I got V156 + Q170 (AW awaiting). I am planning to apply for a PhD position at Cornell’s Engineering department. I am worrying that my verbal score isn’t good enough because the data shows that the average of PhD students at Cornell have an average of 159. But on the other hand my quant score should be acceptable so I’m wondering is there a reasonable chance for me to get into the Doctoral course ?
Hi there,
First of all, CONGRATS on such a stellar score! You don’t see perfect math scores every day, and you should be proud of that! Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I can only be of limited help here–the best course of action would be to contact the Engineering department directly and see what they say! Based on some other information we have in our blog, however, I don’t think you need to worry too much about that verbal score. Check out this blog post for more information: https://magoosh.com/gre/2013/gre-scores-for-engineering-programs/ 😀
what if i have 141quanti and 146 verbal
Do I have any chance at Cornell? For a phd, I mean i have good recommendations but my previous master doesn’t have GPA is just PASS/Fail system
Hi Carlos,
To be honest, with your current scores, Cornell will likely be a reach. I would highly recommend retaking the exam for a higher score. Given the competitiveness of the program, you want to at least be average. Note that your application is as strong as your weakest piece.
I have already taken a GRE test and my score exceeds the average score of Cornell, although my score is not exceptional. I need some advice on the application procedure and which part I should focus on.
Hi Sushant,
Congrats on taking the GRE and scoring well! Our experience is in test prep and not the admissions process for individual schools, so it’s difficult to give you a good answer. I recommend that you look through the admissions section of Cornell’s website and try to schedule a time to talk to an admissions officer. That should give you some more information on exactly what Cornell is looking for in an applicant 🙂