GRE Scores for Top Universities

GRE scores for top universities - magoosh

If you’re aiming for an Ivy League-level graduate education, your test scores are going to play a part in your acceptance. So where do you stand when it comes to GRE scores for the top universities?

What are good GRE scores for grad schools?

The GRE score range you’ll need for top universities will vary across programs, but average GRE scores could potentially range between 147-170 on Verbal and Quantitative, with averages in the 160s for the very top grad programs. Below, I’ve aggregated all of the score charts from all of the individual school posts so that you can see the estimated ranges for average GRE scores by school, and identify where you stand in your application.

Scroll down to see them all, or jump directly to the GRE score ranges for grad schools you’re interested in.


Harvard - magoosh

Harvard GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences1158-162160-164
Chemistry4158-162164-168
Computer Science17158-152164-168
Earth Sciences9159-163161-165
Economics1160-164169-173
English3162-166157-161
History9161-165156-160
Mathematics3159-163170
Physics3161-165168-170
Political Science2162-166161-165
Psychology3157-161156-160
Public Administration3159-163159-163
Sociology2159-163158-162

Check out more about Harvard GRE scores.

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Stanford - magoosh

Stanford GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences1158-162160-164
Chemistry4158-162164-168
Computer Science1156-160169-170
Earth Sciences4159-163161-165
Economics1160-164169-170
English3162-166157-161
Fine Arts32154-158159-163
History5156-160151-155
Mathematics3159-163170
Physics1161-165168-170
Political Science1162-166161-165
Psychology1157-161156-160
Sociology5159-163158-162

Check out more about Stanford GRE scores.

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MIT - magoosh

MIT GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences3158-162160-164
Chemistry1158-162164-168
Computer Science1156-160169-170
Earth Sciences2159-164161-165
Economics1160-164169-170
Mathematics1159-163170
Physics1161-165168-170
Political Science7162-166161-165
Psychology8157-161156-160

Check out more about MIT GRE scores.

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UC Berkeley - magoosh

UC Berkeley GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences3158-162160-164
Chemistry1158-162164-168
Computer Science1156-160169-170
Earth Sciences3159-163161-165
Economics4160-164169-170
English1162-166157-161
Fine Arts15159-163154-158
History1161-165156-160
Mathematics3159-163170
Physics3161-165168-170
Political Science4162-166161-165
Psychology1157-161156-160
Public Administration4159-163159-163
Social Work5155-159153-157
Sociology1159-163158-162

Check out more about UC Berkeley GRE scores.

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Princeton - magoosh

Princeton GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences6158-162160-164
Chemistry7158-162164-168
Computer Science8156-160169-170
Earth Sciences9159-163161-165
Economics4160-164169-170
English3162-166157-161
History2161-165156-160
Mathematics1159-163170
Physics3161-165168-170
Political Science2162-166161-165
Psychology6157-161156-160
Public Administration10156-160154-158
Sociology2159-163158-162

Check out more about Princeton GRE scores.

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Columbia - magoosh

Columbia GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences11155-159155-159
Chemistry11155-159159-163
Computer Science14153-157164-168
Earth Sciences4159-163161-165
Economics9160-164169-170
English8162-166157-161
Fine Arts10162-166159-163
History5161-165156-160
Mathematics11156-160166-170
Physics9161-165168-170
Political Science8162-166161-165
Psychology12154-158151-155
Public Administration22156-160154-158
Social Work5155-159153-157
Sociology11156-160153-157

Check out more about Columbia GRE scores.

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Yale - magoosh

Yale GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences6158-162160-164
Chemistry11155-159159-163
Computer Science20153-157164-168
Earth Sciences14156-160156-160
Economics4160-164169-170
English1162-166157-161
Fine Arts2162-166159-163
History2161-165156-160
Mathematics8159-163170
Physics9161-165168-170
Political Science6162-166161-165
Psychology6157-161156-160
Sociology18156-160153-157

Check out more about Yale GRE scores.

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NYU - magoosh

NYU GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences46155-159155-159
Chemistry51152-156156-160
Computer Science35153-157164-168
Economics11157-161164-168
English20159-163152-156
Fine Arts42159-163154-158
History16158-162151-155
Mathematics8159-163170
Physics28158-162163-167
Political Science15159-163156-160
Psychology30154-158151-155
Public Administration10159-163159-163
Social Work16152-156148-152
Sociology13156-160153-157

Check out more about NYU GRE scores.

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USC - magoosh

USC GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences46152-156152-156
Chemistry46155-159159-163
Computer Science24153-157164-168
Earth Sciences33156-160156-160
Economics38157-161164-168
English32159-163152-156
Fine Arts53156-160151-155
History38158-162151-155
Mathematics37156-160166-170
Physics55155-159160-164
Psychology35154-158151-155
Public Administration4159-163159-163
Social Work72149-153145-149
Sociology34156-160153-157

Check out more about USC GRE scores.

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UCLA - magoosh

UCLA GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences17155-159155-159
Chemistry16155-159159-163
Computer Science14153-157164-168
Earth Sciences14156-160156-160
Economics12157-161164-168
English11159-163152-156
Fine Arts1162-166159-163
History5161-165156-160
Mathematics7159-163170
Physics17158-162163-167
Political Science12159-163156-160
Psychology3157-161156-160
Public Administration10159-163159-163
Social Work9155-159153-157
Sociology6159-163158-162
Library Sciences14159-163152-156

Check out more about UCLA GRE scores.

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gre-scores-for-grad-schools-Cornell - magoosh

Cornell GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences17155-159155-159
Chemistry38155-159159-163
Computer Science7156-160169-170
Earth Sciences20156-160156-160
Economics14157-161164-168
English8162-166157-161
Fine Arts53156-160151-155
History11158-162151-155
Mathematics14156-160166-170
Physics7161-165168-172
Political Science15159-163156-160
Psychology9157-161156-160
Public Administration39156-160154-158
Sociology16156-160153-157

Check out more about Cornell GRE Scores.

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Average GRE Score by Program - UPenn

UPenn GRE Scores

ProgramUS News RankEstimated Verbal RangeEstimated Quantitative Range
Biological Sciences15155-159155-159
Chemistry16155-159159-163
Computer Science17153-157164-168
Earth Sciences59153-157153-157
Economics9160-164169-170
English3162-166157-161
Fine Arts64156-160151-155
History11158-162151-155
Mathematics16156-160166-170
Physics13158-162163-167
Political Science19159-163156-160
Psychology12154-158151-155
Public Administration58153-157151-155
Social Work11152-156148-152
Sociology13156-160153-157

Check out more about UPenn GRE Scores.

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Methodology

Using the limited score data in the US News & World Report’s release on graduate schools (for engineering and education), I created a block scale that assumes a standard difference between the ETS’s average of intended applicants of a specific major and the rank block (ie Ranks 1-10, 11-50, 51-100). Next I added the expected difference to the average score of the intended major and spread 2 points on either side of that to create a nice range. It would look like this:

Program Rank Rank block Intended Score Exp Difference Range
English 1 #1-10 157 11 points 166-170

Of course, you could argue that this isn’t perfect, and I’d have to agree. This is just intended to give you a general idea of average GRE scores for top universities, and what you should be striving for. We suggest contacting the admissions office of the graduate programs you are interested in to know exactly what scores they are looking for. 🙂 From there, you can compare against an online GRE score calculator to find your target score.

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Scores by School: GRE Ranges for Top Universities

As you can see, the GRE scores vary enormously depending on which school and which program you’re applying to. However, if you’re applying to a different program (other than one of those listed above) and you just want to know the general GRE ranges for these schools, we’ve averaged out the GRE scores by school in the table below.

Keep in mind that these are only rough ranges. For precise GRE scores, look on the admissions websites of the particular programs you’re applying to.

UniversityAverage Verbal RangeAverage Quantitative Range
Columbia University155-164153-170
Cornell University157-164153-170
Harvard University155-164158-170
MIT 158-164162-170
New York University154-161150-166
Princeton 158-164156-170
Stanford University158-164156-170
UC Berkeley 157-164155-170
UCLA155-164154-170
University of Pennsylvania154-164150-170
University of Southern California151-161 147-166
Yale University 158-164158-170

Takeaways: GRE Scores for Top Universities

What should you keep in mind as you look at top-tier graduate programs?

  1. Each school’s GRE scores vary significantly by department.
  2. A good GRE score is at or above the 50th percentile scores of admitted students.
  3. Rankings reflect average GRE scores by giving a sense of how competitive a program is.
  4. A great GRE score can help you access scholarship money, as well as more competitive schools.
  5. GRE scores aren’t the only factor admissions committees look at! They also consider transcripts, letters of recommendation, essays/personal statements, and work experience.
  6. Getting your GRE score within the 50th percentile range for your dream schools helps strengthen your application—Magoosh can help!

Most Popular Resources

Author

  • Chris Swimmer

    Chris Swimmer is an analyst at Magoosh who divides his time between marketing and research projects and helping folks out with their math hang ups while studying for the GRE and the GMAT. Follow him on Google+! And you can follow him @chrisrswimmer on Twitter.

More from Magoosh

115 Responses to GRE Scores for Top Universities

  1. Korean student October 5, 2013 at 9:11 am #

    Great!
    It was very helpful.
    Thank you a lot for this info.
    Have a good day!

  2. Shruti October 3, 2013 at 10:16 pm #

    Hi Chris,

    Great blog!

    I took my GRE a few days ago after getting about 2 days to study for it. Though I’m not too happy with my score, its the best I could do with 2 days.

    I have a score of 156 in quant and 156 in verbal. I’m looking for a masters with focus in electrical engineering, having studied that for my engineering bachelors as well (I have an 8.32/10 overall in my 4-year bachelor degree).

    I also have over 4 years of solid experience as an engineer in one of the best electrical companies in the world. Given that, do you think I could apply to universities like Georgia Tech, Penn State and UMich Ann Arbor? Or is that too ambitious?

    Thanks!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 2:17 pm #

      Hey Shruti! Your quant is probably a bit on the low side for those schools. That’s not to say there’s no chance. I am wondering, however, under what circumstances would one only have 2 days to study for the GRE? I can’t imagine scheduling the GRE with only two days to study.

      Best,
      Chris S

  3. David October 3, 2013 at 6:29 am #

    Chris,

    Thanks for putting this together and being so responsive to the comments. I learned just as much from you responses to questions as I did from your original post.

    I wanted to ask you though about sub fields. For example I am applying to agricultural and Resource Economics programs for a MS. Specifically I am applying to Virginia Tech, UC Davis, Michigan State, Purdue, and Cornell. I took the GRE Yesterday and got 162 Quant and 155 Verbal. Should I compare myself to the scores for pure economics and would this be competitive? Any suggestions would help!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 2:57 pm #

      Hey David! I think a good way to determine that would be to consider your sub-field in regards to the main area of concentration. Is it more or less quant heavy? Is it more or less competitive? I think this is a good place to start. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  4. Sunny October 2, 2013 at 10:39 am #

    Hi Chris,

    Good to see this list and kudos to your efforts. I have score a 166 in Quant, 156 in Verbal and a 3.5 in Writing. As you can see my writing score is pretty low.
    -So do I rule out UC Berkeley, Stanford, UCLA and the likes and dont apply.
    -Further what is my potential with these scores for colleges like University of SF, San Jose State U, UC Santa Cruz and Santa Clara State U. I am looking to apply to MS in Statistics or Computational Science or Analytics.
    -Should I write the GRE again to better the writing & verbal score or concentrate more on SOP & recommendation in these last 2 months before deadline?

    Look forward to your response. Thanks.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 3:01 pm #

      Hey Sunny! I definitely recommend reaching out the programs to see what information they can give you. It could be that they don’t value the AWA at all. Or it could be considered fairly important. You’ll just need to ask. My guess is that your time would be better spent on SoP and recs. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Sunny October 5, 2013 at 2:46 am #

        Thanks for that input Chris. Appreciate the same.

  5. Amir October 2, 2013 at 10:23 am #

    Hello Sir
    I would like to know that can you suggest me Best University of Computer Science without GRE.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 2:44 pm #

      Hey Amir! Most of those universities will be on the lower end of the rankings. Honestly it seems like something you’d want to Google to see what results come up. Honestly, they probably won’t be the best schools.

      Chris S

  6. sparsh October 1, 2013 at 8:25 am #

    hey chris i just got a score of 305 in GRE and i was planning to apply for a PhD in cornell,however looking at the scores for which they accept i don’t think i probably fit in.However i checked their website and they are asking for 77+ in TOFEL and i haven’t given it yet,so i would be highly obliged if you could tell me as to how to go about.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 2:31 pm #

      Hey Sparsh! The TOEFL is a completely separate test, and is really just there to prove you have a minimum ability to communicate in English. Once you pass a certain threshold, it doesn’t really help you as much. We’ve got a new TOEFL blog up you should check out!

  7. alisha September 29, 2013 at 1:00 am #

    hi , i have my gre score and it is 303 …. 151 in verbal and 152 in quant …. i am an engineering student … and wish to do ms in computer science …. pls guide me with the universities ….. i hv no idea where do i stand , whether i’ll be able to get a gd university or nt . …. pls guide me …. 🙂

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer October 4, 2013 at 2:20 pm #

      Hey Alisha! Here is a good starting point. Then check out US News and then see that list of schools to find out which schools have the focus you want. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  8. Paula September 26, 2013 at 12:22 pm #

    Hi! Your blog is fantastic. I’ve been trying to find what the required score would be for a program such as American Studies in the different schools, but I haven’t been able to find anything. Any ideas on this? I suppose it would be somewhere around English programs, but I’m not sure.

    Thanks a lot!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 3:25 pm #

      Hey Paula! I’m admittedly not even sure what an American Studies program would entail. Maybe it’s closer to history, maybe closer to English? Cross check the requirements with other programs to see what exactly the focus of the program is and then use that as a guide to determine approximate scores. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Paula September 27, 2013 at 7:31 pm #

        Thank you very much for your answer Chris! I’ll bear that in mind 🙂

  9. Shirly September 26, 2013 at 5:15 am #

    Dear Chris!
    Thank you for all of your guidance in this blog!!!
    I really could use your advice regarding my application- I am an international applicant and English is only my second language 🙁 therefore I only managed to score

    151 on the verbal
    156 on the math
    3.5 on the AWA

    My GRE psychology subject test score is 840 which is the 99th percentile

    I aim for top schools for a PhD in psychology (I have a masters in Psychology from my country with distinction +- 3.8 GPA= 94.5/100 in our scale)

    In the past 2 years I have applied to many schools but got rejected every time 🙁 so this upcoming round is the last year I decided to try before I give up

    I practice hard now (with Magoosh) to take the test again in a few weeks but just in case I won’t be able to score higher- How can I improve my application, with taking into account my not so good English and therfore not so good verbal scores but a really high GPAs and undergrad + grad level experience?

    Thank you so much- I have no one to consult with and your advice would be of an immense help !

    Thanks a lot in advance,
    S.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 3:20 pm #

      Hey Shirly! While scores make up an important portion of the application, you should also remember that your Statement of Purpose, research fit, and research experience are immensely helpful when applying for schools, in addition to your letters of recommendation. Focus on all of those things and that will help. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  10. Sandeep September 26, 2013 at 12:41 am #

    Dear Chris ,

    Please please provide GRE scores for Economics programs.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 3:11 pm #

      Hey Sandeep! They’re up there, so I’m not sure exactly what you’re not seeing? Check out this post as well: GRE Scores for Social Science Programs. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  11. kartik rao September 25, 2013 at 6:26 am #

    I am planing to take GRE in november. I want to apply for fall 2014 CS/MIS.
    What are application deadlines for MS in CS/MIS for good universities ?
    Till when should i apply ? Am i supposed to send packets (transcripts, LOR, SOP) before deadlines ? Help me out please !
    I am expecting score between 300-315, what universities will I be able to apply in December ?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 3:30 pm #

      Hey Kartik! Honestly, that’s pretty basic information you can find on program websites. You should be looking there for that kind of information. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  12. Yuni September 22, 2013 at 11:51 pm #

    Hi

    If my overall score is within the range but either verbal or quantitative score is below the range. Will it affect the application result?
    For instance, I want to apply phd at political science in MIT. My verbal is only 157 but my quantitative is 170. But according to the table above, verbal should be over 165 while quantitative only requires 155. Will this be a big problem for this program?

    In addition, i was wondering if the analytic score is important. If my analytic score is low, can it be offset by submitting a good writing sample?

    many thank~

    Yuni

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 2:59 pm #

      Hey Yuni! I think you should reach out to the program and see if they can give you more information on how they weight the scores. That should help shed some light!

      Best,
      Chris S

  13. Amit September 22, 2013 at 1:08 am #

    Hi Chris, thank you for the list. I have been looking through the business school list as well, and am having a hard time categorizing the field that I am looking to pursue my masters in.

    Under which category do u think, Masters in Analytics (Marketing or other) would come? I would really appreciate if you could give an approx. idea of the GRE score ranges for them as well

    thanks

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 2:55 pm #

      Hey Amit! For in-between type programs, you’ll really have to do your research. I suggest checking out the Grad Cafe and Urch to see what people have to say there, but then also check out related programs and their required coursework. A lot of times there’s enough freedom built into programs that you can make it your own, if that makes sense. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  14. Prachi September 21, 2013 at 2:28 am #

    Hi Chris ,

    My score is 153 in verbal and 165 in maths , I am aiming for MS in computer science.

    Is the score good enough to apply in top notch universities. My Gpa in undergrad is 9/10 and I have 2 years of experience.

    Thanks in advance!
    Prachi

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 2:45 pm #

      Hey Prachi! Your scores are pretty good. Remember there’s a lot that goes into applications, but if you have some programs that really interest you, then why not go for it?

      Best,
      Chris S

  15. rosy September 20, 2013 at 9:16 pm #

    Hi,

    I gave my GRE paper three weeks back and my scores were 150 verbal and 155 quantitative and 3 in analytical writing. I wanted to know with these scores in which california universities I should apply. I am in Los Angeles

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 27, 2013 at 2:42 pm #

      Hey Rosy! It all depends on what you’re aiming for! Those scores are admittedly probably a bit low for schools like UC Berkeley and UCLA, but I’d check around to other UC schools and some Cal State schools to see what they offer. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  16. Vaibhav September 18, 2013 at 2:26 am #

    Hey Chris

    Firstly I would like to thank you for you inexplicably helpful blog posts.

    I just received my GRE scores and the result breakdown is

    Quant – 169
    Verbal – 161
    AWA – 4.5

    Do you think that I could get admits from any of the top 10 colleges for a Masters degree in Computer Science?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 20, 2013 at 3:23 pm #

      Hey Vaibhav! The quick answer is “potentially”. Remember that there’s a lot going into these applications than just your GRE scores. 🙂 Your score profile fits, though.

      Best,
      Chris S

  17. Clarissa September 13, 2013 at 4:43 pm #

    I’m thinking about applying to the University of Minneapolis, Twin Cities, or U of Michigan, for a history M.A. I got a 161 in verbal, but didn’t do so well on the quant. is that good enough? What are their scores like?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 13, 2013 at 5:57 pm #

      Hey Clarissa! I’d expect the ranges to be 165-169 in verbal and 152-156 in quant for Michigan and for Twin Cities it’s 160-164 verbal and 149-153. That is probably closer to your range. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  18. Prakhar September 11, 2013 at 4:16 am #

    Hi Chris,

    I took GRE last week and scored 152 – Verbal, 167 – Quant, and 4.0 – AWA. I want to apply in Top 20 colleges for MS in Financial Engineering.

    With these scores, do I have any chance in getting into top universities, or should I take the GRE again?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 13, 2013 at 5:50 pm #

      Hey Prakhar! Your Verbal score is probably a bit on the low end but I can’t imagine your score being the thing that holds your application back. If you need to dedicate time elsewhere, that’s probably a good, but if you’re really concerned, I’m sure you could boost your Verbal by 5-10 points. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  19. Benjamin September 8, 2013 at 8:31 am #

    Hi Chris!

    I’m in a history master’s program with my GPA at 3.93. I’m taking the GRE next month and am worried I won’t score a 165-169 on the verbal to get into the schools I’m applying to – UCLA, UC Berkeley. My question is if I score any lower than 164 then will have zero chance of being accepted to the schools I’m applying to?

    Thanks,

    -Benjamin

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 13, 2013 at 5:48 pm #

      Hey Benjamin! Saying you have zero chance is not the correct way to think about how adcoms view your applications. They look at things holistically. That means if you get below their average GRE score then they’ll be looking somewhere else in your application where you excel. There are a lot of moving parts in applications, so make sure you’ve got everything presenting you in the best light. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  20. JT September 6, 2013 at 10:08 am #

    Chris-

    I am finishing up my Masters in history at a small Catholic school this semester. I took the GRE last week and scored 164-Verbal, 154-Quant, and 3.5-Writing. The last number is jarring, and yes, it is freaking me out! My cumulative GPA is 3.75, and my initial plan was to apply to PhD programs at schools ranked between thirty and sixty nationally. Is my writing score likely to prevent me from being accepted?

    Thanks-
    JT

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 6, 2013 at 6:35 pm #

      Hey JT! For the sake of the legitimacy of the application process, I really hope that schools you apply to weigh your Masters research writing more heavily than your AWA. While I make no guarantees, adcoms will probably look at that score, think it’s a bit low, but shrug their shoulders as they proceed to learn more about your Masters writing. The AWA isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t necessarily reflect academic writing skill. There are of course ways to improve and you can check them out on this site, if that’s the route you want to take. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  21. Michelle September 2, 2013 at 11:56 am #

    I’m going to be applying to landscape architecture programs. Do you have any info on what average GRE scores are accepted for the top tier Landscape Architecture programs, specifically UPenn?

    Thanks for your help!

    Michelle

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 6, 2013 at 6:25 pm #

      Hey Michelle! I unfortunately don’t. Check around on forums like the Grad Cafe. My gut is that the importance is pretty low, and math is above average (high 150s maybe?) since you have to have some math skills. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  22. Eva September 1, 2013 at 3:45 pm #

    Hi Chris,

    I’m sure I must have missed things, but why are there no “engineering” section scores? (ME, EE) As an Mech E planning to apply to a robotics program (so at least somewhere in the engineering region), it’s rather disheartening to not find information on that on your great site.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer September 6, 2013 at 6:14 pm #

      Hey Eva! I plan to add them in soon, but for now you can check on this page:

      GRE Scores for Engineering Programs
      As well as on the individual school pages linked to above. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  23. Raaghav August 30, 2013 at 10:15 am #

    Hi Chris,

    First of all thanks for maintaining this blog post 🙂

    I gave my GRE yesterday and scored 320 (157V + 163Q)
    Based on the data presented by you above ,it seems I do qualify for most of them.
    Should I really stand a chance in these universities as I felt my quants were on the lower side ? Should I go ahead and apply or re-take ?
    I intend to do my Masters in CS (Networking).

    Thanks,
    Raaghav.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 30, 2013 at 3:21 pm #

      Hey Raaghav! I’d say that you’re definitely still in the running with those scores! Just make sure the rest is up to par. Of course if you’re really nervous about where you stand, you can retake it, knowing a little better where your faults are. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  24. ana August 28, 2013 at 7:18 am #

    Dear sir,
    I just took my GRE. Score 305 ( V- 151 Q-154) . My gpa is 3.7 out of 4 scale. I am looking for public health course for masters. Which universities can I apply to. please guide me. 🙂

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 30, 2013 at 3:12 pm #

      Hey Ana! See my comment to Ashok about making recommendations for universities! Unfortunately it’s work you have to do. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  25. Sanjana August 15, 2013 at 11:41 am #

    Hey Chris! If I add the upper limits of the cut offs you’ve posted, for NYU, USC, UCLA, i.e, 162+164, it comes to only 326. Is that good enough for these top schools? Is making the cut off enough?

    • Sanjana August 15, 2013 at 11:43 am #

      I forgot to mention Economics. Sorry.

      • Chris Swimmer
        Chris Swimmer August 16, 2013 at 11:36 am #

        Hey Sanjana! Remember these aren’t cut offs. There are probably people who score well above that range, and there are probably people who score below. The scores are just a general guideline to give you an idea of the appropriate range. Of course you should really aim for the higher end, or higher. 😉

        Best,
        Chris S

        • Sanjana August 16, 2013 at 12:05 pm #

          Thank you so much for the information. Another little query. Do the PowerPrep II mock tests conducted by ETS indicate more or less the kind of scores I will obtain in my actual GRE? I got a 169 in Quant and 152 in Verbal. Is the Verbal way too low for me to aim for moderately ranked universities?

          • Chris Swimmer
            Chris Swimmer August 23, 2013 at 11:57 am #

            Hey Sanjana! The PowerPrep II mock tests are put out by ETS, so you can feel confident in those scores. Your quant score is great, the verbal is definitely low for top universities. That’s obviously where you need to focus your studies. Have you checked out our study schedules? I don’t know when you’re taking your test, but there will be a verbal schedule to adapt to your timeframe and verbal needs! 🙂

            Best,
            Chris S

        • ashok August 26, 2013 at 10:04 pm #

          hi chris i got score quant in 161 and in verbal 151 can u tell me some good universities for tis score regarding electronics plz advaced thanks

          • Chris Swimmer
            Chris Swimmer August 30, 2013 at 3:07 pm #

            Hey Ashok! Unfortunately I don’t provide specific recommendations for schools. Why? Because there’s so much more that goes into picking a school than simply figuring out where your scores align. Look for schools doing research that really interests you, in places that interest you. Basically do your homework. If you don’t, the schools will know it when you apply. 🙂

            Best,
            Chris S

  26. Pritesh Somani August 13, 2013 at 1:51 pm #

    Hi Chris

    I am an undergraduate senior in Civil Engineering at UW-Madison. I took GRE last month and I got 164, 154 and 3.0 for quantitative, verbal and analytical writing respectively. I am planning to apply to grad schools like UW-Madison, MIchigan, Texas-Austin and Purdue for next Spring. However, my cumulative gpa is 2.57 and major gpa is 2.9. What are my chances according to you, Chris?

    Thank you

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 16, 2013 at 11:29 am #

      Hey Pritesh! I don’t really offer “chances”, I just provide a guideline for scores. However, you’re in a great position! You’re already at the school you want to apply to. That means you have great access to professors who can offer advice way better than I could ever. Learn as much as you can from them to see where you stand.

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Pritesh August 16, 2013 at 11:34 am #

        Thanks Chris!! I know it cannot be predicted. But when I said chances, I was taking into account my cum gpa and major GPA. I still have one more semester though.

        Thanks

        Pritesh

  27. manu August 11, 2013 at 7:33 am #

    Chris,
    Well done. This is so helpful. You doing a great work here,

  28. Cedric Yu August 3, 2013 at 12:13 am #

    Hi I am from Hong Kong and going to Physics PhD in the US. I have just taken the GRE General, got 153 in verbal and 169 in Quantitative. (Writing score not available yet)
    Do these top universities have a different score range for non-native English speakers?

    With these scores, is there room for being considered by top universities?
    Thanks in advance

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 9, 2013 at 5:01 pm #

      Hey Cedric! There are a lot of things that adcoms consider and their approach to non-native English speakers differs from program to program. Since physics is project intensive, I’d check around to see which projects are most interesting to you and reach out to professors running those projects.

      Best,
      Chris S

  29. Pritesh August 2, 2013 at 11:59 pm #

    HI,
    Can you provide the minimum GRE Score and Universities for Environmental Science?

  30. Mrinalini August 2, 2013 at 12:22 pm #

    Hey! Thanks for this! Is there any where to see the GRE scores that the business schools in the above universities are accepting ?

  31. Shreya Motwani August 2, 2013 at 11:50 am #

    Please provide GMAT scores for these universities too. It will be really helpful.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 16, 2013 at 11:16 am #

      Hey Shreya! Sorry for the long response, but check out this post Average GMAT Scores. It’s not quite as thorough, but it gives an idea of GMAT scores!

      Best,
      Chris S

  32. Ritika July 31, 2013 at 1:30 pm #

    Hi Chris !

    Thanks a lot for these scores, they are going to be of great help when I apply 🙂

    A little off the topic but do all these universities have their deadlines in December ? (For the Fall semester)

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 1, 2013 at 2:17 pm #

      Hey Ritika! Glad you found them useful. Unfortunately deadlines vary from school to school. Some have strict deadlines in December, some have rolling. Sometimes it varies by program. You’ll just have to check with those universities you’re thinking of applying to.

      Best,
      Chris S

  33. James July 31, 2013 at 11:26 am #

    Hi Chris- thanks for this helpful post. I tend to see verbal and math sections listed prominently on yours and other sites. But I’m trying to get a sense of how important the writing section is to some of these programs as well. Do some of the schools you list above care just as much about the writing section as they do verbal and math? And if so, is there a site with average writing scores as well? I’m looking into top programs for American history. I’ve seen links to GRE scores for programs such as engineering, do you all have one for history as well? Thanks again!- James

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 1, 2013 at 2:14 pm #

      Hey James! I’ve left out the AWA section here because the importance of them varies pretty widely amongst various programs and universities. It would be difficult to make an accurate estimation because at schools where it doesn’t matter, the AWA average is skewed. I think the key here is to think hard about what you’re offering in your application and how important it would be for the adcom to know your writing skills. Anyway check out this post:

      GRE Scores for Humanities

      From that you can see the intended history major scores a 4.2 on the AWA on average.

      Hope this helps!

      Best,
      Chris S

      • James August 1, 2013 at 7:39 pm #

        Thanks for the helpful information Chris!

        James

  34. Gareth July 31, 2013 at 2:11 am #

    Hi Chris,

    Could you show us the GRE scores for MBA program as well? Would such data be available? I intend to use my GRE scores to apply for MBA this year.

    Thank you in advance for your help.

    Best,
    Gareth

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 1, 2013 at 2:05 pm #

      Hey Gareth! To my knowledge there’s not much we know at the moment, but I intend to put a post out in the next week or so on GRE score for MBA programs, so I’ll hopefully have a little more info to offer you then! 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Tapsi August 6, 2013 at 2:01 pm #

        Hi Chris,

        Please post GRE scores for Business Schools ! We are eagerly waiting for the data.

        Thanks
        Tapsi

  35. Gurpreet July 27, 2013 at 6:12 pm #

    Hi,

    What are the expected scores to get into Duke’s PhD programme?

    Thank you 🙂

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer August 1, 2013 at 2:03 pm #

      Hey Gurpreet!

      There are quite a few few programs at Duke, so the score range would vary. I’ll keep Duke in mind when considering adding more!

      Thanks,
      Chris S

  36. Julia July 26, 2013 at 7:15 am #

    Hi! I am trying to set a goal score that would make me an irresistible candidate for Duke’s public policy program. Thoughts?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:22 pm #

      Hey Julia! Some quick research shows 160-164 in verbal and 152-156 in quant, though some of there more specific programs are ranked pretty high. And remember, there’s no *one* score that makes you irresistible. 😉

      Best,
      Chris S

  37. Eric Flanagan July 25, 2013 at 8:23 pm #

    Thank you so much for posting this! I am looking at several top-tier schools and wanted to know what my target should be for my intended major. Using your product it looks like I will meet or exceed that target. The information in this post is a really good barometer however of where I’m at in relation to where I need to be!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:09 pm #

      Glad it helped!

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Maharshi Simlai August 20, 2013 at 6:01 am #

        Hello first off I’ve had 60% in undergrad course, I’ve 3 backlogs cleared with distinction in the 1st attempt.i’m expecting GRE score around 305-310.Toefl 90-95.which universities should i apply?can i apply for top 10-20 univ if i have job experience from a big company?I want to pursue MS in ROBOTICS.which universities would u recommend?what are the requirements for Penn CIS university?help would be greatly appreciated

        • Chris Swimmer
          Chris Swimmer August 23, 2013 at 1:14 pm #

          Hey Maharshi! You’re GRE is probably on the low in for top schools and you’ll need to check with specific schools about the TOEFL, as most schools have minimum scores (not for GRE, though). It seems like you need to do some more general research before applying. Find out which schools are doing the things that interest you the most and then work from there.

          Best,
          Chris S

  38. Sampada July 24, 2013 at 2:50 pm #

    Hey hi there ,
    I just want to know score requirement for ms in ITM at UTD , university of Texas at Dallas ….

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:16 pm #

      Hey Sampada! Unfortunately I don’t know much about scores at that school or the program. 🙁 Definitely try reaching out to them and asking around on message boards to see what you can find!

      Best,
      Chris S

  39. Adil Lashkari July 24, 2013 at 10:38 am #

    Hey Chris,

    Could you please tell me the GRE scores required for M.S. in “control systems” ( electrical engineering)

    Thanks!!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:17 pm #

      Hey Adil! Check out the engineering scores post I linked to below for more info there. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  40. siddharth diwanji July 24, 2013 at 5:10 am #

    1) CORNELL

    2) RICE

    3) Purdue

    4) Northwestern

    5) pennsylvania

    6) carnegie mellon

    7) Duke

    8) Mcgill (canada) if possible

    thanks again

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:10 pm #

      Thanks for the list! I’ll keep them in mind going forward 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  41. Hartej Grewal July 24, 2013 at 4:32 am #

    With the help of Magoosh I recently scored 312(Q=160,Verbal=152). So can you suggest me some universities for Computers.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:19 pm #

      Hey Hartej! Great job! Glad we helped. 🙂 I’d recommend checking out US News rankings (linked above) to help you out in your decision process. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  42. Dayton Street July 23, 2013 at 11:34 am #

    Could you post the scores for chemistry for the University of Vanderbilt, and the University of Tennessee Knoxville? They aren’t elite schools, but they are dream schools!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 4:33 pm #

      Hey Dayton! As a Nashville native, I’d have to argue with you that Vandy isn’t an elite school ;). Anyway, for Vanderbilt chemistry, you’re looking at around 157-161 in verbal and 158-162 in quant. UTK is a bit lower at 154-158V and 156-160Q. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  43. Sudesh July 23, 2013 at 10:06 am #

    Hi,

    Could you please tell the scores for Georgia Tech.(Engineering Stream).

    Thanking you in advance.

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 4:25 pm #

      Hey Sudesh! Check out this post:

      GRE Scores for Engineering Programs
      And then look in US News to see where the scores fall. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

      • starfire July 24, 2013 at 8:14 am #

        I suppose you forgot to post the link 🙂

        • Chris Swimmer
          Chris Swimmer July 26, 2013 at 6:12 pm #

          You caught me! Fixed now 😛

  44. B Sainath Reddy July 23, 2013 at 10:03 am #

    Could you provide Texas A&M college station as well as university of michigan, ann arbor score ranges

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 4:24 pm #

      Hey Sainath! I’ll keep those schools in mind for future updates!

      Best,
      Chris S

  45. Alyssa July 23, 2013 at 8:44 am #

    Any insight on the score range for Cornell?

    Also, do you know if these ranges tend to be for Master’s programs or doctoral programs…does there tend to be a difference?

    Thanks!

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 4:23 pm #

      Hey Alyssa! I’ll definitely keep Cornell in mind for future updates! These ranges are based on a blend (check out Methodology at the end of the post for how I come up with them!). Truthfully there’s typically only a 1-3 point difference in programs if any at all, so I’d lean to toward the higher end of the ranges if you’re unsure.

      Best,
      Chris S

  46. george July 23, 2013 at 6:05 am #

    What about masters in mechanical/Industrial engineering?

  47. Eliza July 22, 2013 at 9:12 pm #

    Hey Chris, can you suggest GRE score for Ph.D. in environmental sciences in Duke University?

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 3:52 pm #

      Hey Eliza! A quick look up, using the same methodology shows a range of 158-162 in verbal and 155-159 in math. Since you’re going for PhD, I’d probably bump those numbers up a bit. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

    • subu July 24, 2013 at 7:08 pm #

      Hi, i am also looking for scores which are accepted for top colleges in environmental sciences/engineering (PhD)

  48. Darius Becker July 22, 2013 at 6:14 pm #

    Georgetown, Northwestern, and UNC-Chapel Hill, please? 🙂

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 3:46 pm #

      Thanks for the recommendation! Those are great schools and I’ll let you know if they get added in an update. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

  49. Abhishek July 22, 2013 at 12:01 pm #

    Where can I get the average GRE score for masters in Operation and research

    • Chris Swimmer
      Chris Swimmer July 23, 2013 at 3:45 pm #

      Hello! That’s a pretty specific area. I’d definitely look at math and engineering scores and aim for somewhere in that area. 🙂

      Best,
      Chris S

      • Abhishek September 6, 2013 at 10:03 pm #

        How many universities do I get to apply after writing my GRE, and does it happens after I get my score?

        • Chris Swimmer
          Chris Swimmer September 13, 2013 at 5:44 pm #

          Hey Abhishek! You get to send your scores to four scores for free (!), so choose those wisely. After your test, you can also request your scores to be sent, but this will cost you $25 per school. As for your second question, this is from the ETS: “On test day, after completing the test and viewing your unofficial Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores, you will be asked to designate which score recipients you want to receive your General Test scores.” That’s pretty nice of them!

          Best,
          Chris S


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