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GRE Scoring

GRE is administered by a private company called ETS. Clearing the GRE is important for a candidate to take admission into a college in US, UK, Canada or Australia. GRE is a standardized test and it judges students impartially. A high GRE score is required for getting admitted in a good college.



The result of the new revised GRE test will be reported on a 130-170 score scale with 1-point increments, and this will replace the old system of reporting score on a 200-800 score scale with 10-point increments. Like before, the Analytical Writing section will continue to be scored on a scale of 0 to 6 with 0.5-point increments.

Information about GRE Scoring:


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The GRE scoring details of a candidate can be sent to at least four colleges. Students appearing for the computer based GRE test are required to fill in at the test centre itself the names and details of the institutions they wish to send their score report to. Those appearing for the paper based GRE shall have to give the details of the institutes that they choose for reporting their scores to at the time of registration. You can request for additional reporting of scores for a certain amount of fee.

ETS holds the responsibility of sending the GRE scoring reports to the recipients. The GRE score reports help admission authorities determine who has to be given admission solely on the basis of merit. The average score required can vary from college to college and also from subject to subject. For instance, the score requirements for PhD programs are different from those for other graduate programs.

After taking the GRE, you shall be sent the scores for the three sections of GRE within 10 to 15 days. Both types of scores, i.e. of the old format and of the new one, are valid for a period of five years. Due to the introduction of the new format, score reporting for the first few months is expected to be delayed. You should refer to the score reporting schedule to get the details of when your reports are expected to be out. For example, if you take the test between 1st August and September 30, you should expect your score reports around mid-November. By the end of 2011, the normal score reporting schedule should resume.

GRE Scoring: Analytical Writing Section

A single score is reported for the AWA section, even though there are two separate tasks in the section. The average of two separate scores for each essay is taken into consideration. The final score varies between 0 and 6.

A score of 5.5 or 6 tells us that the candidate is focused, logical in his ideas and has superior intelligence. A score of 4.5 or 5 tells us that the candidate can thoughtfully interpret complex ideas. A score of 3.5 or 4 tells us that the candidate can logically distinguish complex ideas. A score of 2.5 or 3 tells us that the candidate is lacking in the skills of development and organization. A score of 1.5 or 2 tells us that the candidate is weak in writing skills and logical thinking. A score of 0.5 or 1 tells us that the candidate is off track and irrelevant. A score of 0 tells us that the candidate is not capable of assessment.

GRE Scoring: Verbal and Quantitative Sections

GRE scoring scale for verbal and quantitative sections varies from 130 to 170. To calculate the score, the number of correct answers is taken into consideration. There are no partial credits given, there is also no penalty for the unanswered questions. So try to attempt all the questions. After you finish the computer based exam you shall be asked whether you want to retain your score or not. If you intend to retain it, you shall be shown the result immediately.

GRE Scoring Pattern:

There are a few GRE scoring patterns of which the candidate must be aware. According to GRE scoring pattern, there is a total score and there are sectional scores. Sectional scores are scores obtained in each of the different test sections, and the total score is the total of the sectional scores. As score requirements for different graduate programs are not equal, the sectional scores come in handy to the admission authorities.

In addition to these two GRE scoring patterns, there is another GRE scoring pattern which is known as percentage below. The percentage below symbolizes the percentage of test takers whose scores were less than that of the candidate. According to the GRE scoring pattern the percentage below GRE scoring pattern is very useful as it allows the admission authorities to compare the candidate with the other candidates, and also with students who are already studying in their graduate schools.

Go to page: Gre Scoring - Page 1: Gre Scoring Rules - Page 2




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