GRE Score Percentiles for 2023 – 2024

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GRE Exam

Before we talk about the GRE score percentiles, it’s important to understand the GRE exam format and GRE syllabus. For now, here’s a quick overview.

The GRE General Test comprises the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. The total test duration is 3 hours 45 minutes.

The GRE test scores that are reported include:

a. The verbal reasoning score. This can range from 130-170 in one-point increment.

b The quantitative reasoning score. This can range from 130-170 in one-point increment.

c. The analytical writing score. This can range from 0-6 in half-point increment.

The GRE score report also gives you the percentile rank for each of the above test scores.

The scaled score leaves you wondering whether the scores you’ve got would be considered a good score or not. How do you compare your test performance with others who have taken the test? The percentile ranks are a good way to know where you stand.

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So what exactly are these percentile ranks?

Percentile scores are used to compare your scores with the scores of other test takers within a selected comparison group. Here, the percentile ranks indicate the percentage of test-takers who’ve receive a score below yours. For instance, if your score was reported to be in the 80^th percentile, it would mean that you scored better than 80 percent of the test takers around the world.

These ranks are based on the GRE scores of those who tested earlier within a three year period. For those testing in 2016-17, the percentile ranks are calculated on the performance of those who were tested between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2021.

GRE Score Percentiles for 2023 – 2024

Scaled Score	Verbal Reasoning Percentile Rank	Quantitative Reasoning Percentile Rank
170	99	96
169	99	93
168	98	90
167	98	87
166	97	84
165	95	81
164	94	78
163	92	76
162	90	73
161	87	70
160	85	67
159	81	64
158	78	61
157	74	57
156	71	54
155	66	51
154	62	47
153	58	43
152	52	40
151	48	37
150	43	33
149	38	30
148	34	27
147	30	23
146	27	20
145	24	17
144	21	14
143	18	12
142	16	10
141	13	8
140	11	7
139	9	5
138	8	4
137	6	3
136	5	2
135	4	2
134	3	1
133	2	1
132	2	1
131	1	–
130	–	–

Score Percentiles for Analytical Writing

Analytical Writing
Score	Percentile Rank
6.0	99
5.5	97
5.0	91
4.5	79
4.0	54
3.5	37
3.0	13
2.5	6
2.0	2
1.5	1
1.0	–
0.5	–
0.0	–

Source: ETS

How are the GRE percentile scores calculated?

The GRE test can be either computer-based or paper-based. Both the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning have two sections with 20 questions per section. The difficulty level in the second section depends on your performance in the first section. All questions in a section contribute equally to the score. Based on the number of questions you answer correctly within a section, a raw score is obtained which is then converted into a scaled score.

In the analytical writing section of the computerised test, each of the two essays is reviewed by an experienced reader and receives a score on a six point scale. The essay also receives another computerised score from a program developed by ETS – the‘e-rater’. In this section, you’d be required to tackle an issue and an argument separately, with thirty minutes for each. You’d be required to evaluate and critically analyse the given topic and present a concise and logical essay.

The GRE test can be taken multiple times. The scores are valid for a period of upto five years from the date of testing.

The GRE test also provides you with the ScoreSelect option which means that you have the freedom to decide which score you wish to send to the schools of your choice.

Whether you’re targeting the top schools and trying to find out the ideal Harvard GRE score or a Stanford GRE score or you have an engineering background and interested in knowing the GRE score for MIT, a high GRE score percentile would undoubtedly be one of the criteria for getting into these top schools.

However, in addition to this, you also need to focus and spend enough time on the other aspects of the application – Statements of Purpose (SOP) in case of MS programs or the MBA essays. Read more on how to write a super-strong SoP.

How to improve your GRE Percentile Score

We have prepared a list of free online resources to help you get better percentile scores.