What is the Highest GRE Score Required by Universities?

The GRE is a standardized test that is attempted by countless students each year to pursue their Graduate and Postgraduate degrees at universities overseas. Each university has its own set of cutoff scores for admissions to the programs they offer. Let us now learn more about the score ranges required at each university.

GRE Score Ranges

The GRE comprises 3 main sections – Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. We have listed the score ranges for each section below:

You must note that the scores you obtain in these sections will usually fall under the following categories: Below Average, Average, Competitive and Perfect scores. The GRE highest score for any candidate is 340. In addition to the GRE scores, your official score report will also contain your GRE score percentiles. The percentiles will give you an idea of the number of test-takers who scored higher and lower than you in the exam.

A good GRE score varies for each program and university. The Quantitative scores are given more importance for courses like – Mathematics, Physical sciences and  Life sciences. On the other hand programs such as Arts and humanities value Verbal scores more. We have listed an estimate of the scores expected by universities for each field of study below.

Now that you are aware of the scores required for the different programs your next  step will be to focus on preparing for the GRE in a dedicated manner.  While preparing, most of you may wonder how difficult is GRE. Well, the simple answer is that the GRE is a difficult exam and it tests you in the following sections – Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. However, it is certainly possible to score well in the exam with adequate preparation. We have listed some strategies which you can use for effective preparation for the GRE exam.

Preparation Strategies for the GRE

• The GRE is a timed exam and hence you will need to be well prepared to solve all the questions within the stipulated period. We would suggest that you practice solving mock exams to help you understand crucial time management strategies.
• The Verbal section of the GRE is considered difficult and hence you will need to spend time improving your vocabulary. Spend time learning new words through flashcards, develop a reading habit and subscribe to well-known journals like – The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, etc.
• Next you will need to concentrate on the Quantitative section, practice solving sample questions regularly and learn the concepts of each topic in the Quant syllabus.
• Finally, with the Analytical Writing section, we would recommend you to be up to date on current affairs. Read sample essays which will help you gain a better understanding of how the essays are scored and how it needs to be structured.

We hope you have gained a better understanding of the difficulty level of the GRE and the scores required for admission into various programs.