What Is The Average GRE Scores For US University Admissions?

GRE is one exam which keeps lot of students in their final year of engineering graduation as well as working professionals looking to go for higher studies, busy and excited. Although the highest varies for verbal and quantitative, effectively any score of above 700 in quantitative and any score above 550 in verbal is good enough to be at least considered by some of the institutes. The more reputable universities like Harvard often look for higher GRE scores, but there is no fixed cut off or a mark which students have to reach to get admissions to their favorite US universities. This is what makes the GRE or the Graduate Record Examination unpredictable and a tough nut to crack.

The average score of GRE required varies between Universities. Interestingly, within the same university too, there could be quite a huge difference in the scores of candidates who have been successful. This is why pundits often do not recommend retake of GRE exam to students just to increase their verbal or quantitative score by 25 marks. Retake is a good option only if there was a major problem and you scored much less than what you usually score in your preparation examinations. The scores in verbal and quantitative do not get you success in the US university admission by itself. In fact, you would not know how good a good score is. Students would do better in trying to notch up other credentials that will help them get the admission. References and recommendations from professors and accomplished people you have dealt with, your experience at workplace and past projects could often be far more relevant in getting university admission.

A look at the top 10 colleges’ average quantitative scores in GRE doesn’t throw surprises. The average at MIT is 777 while the average at Stanford is 780. The University of California needs an average of 772 and these 3 are widely considered to be the best graduate schools. However, the California Institute of Technology needs and incredible 800 while Cornell has an average of 775. The University of Southern California requires the lowest at 753.

The average GRE scores in verbal required by most of the reputed universities is very close and almost fall within the same range. The University of Texas Austin, for example has an average verbal score of 537 while the University of California needs on an average just 525 in the verbal section of the GRE exam. Yale goes further down with its GRE verbal average at 522. There are colleges that require higher scores. Ohio State University, for example, requires 539 while Carnegie Mellon needs 550 and Georgia Institute of technology needs 546. Harvard requires amongst the highest average scores in verbal section of GRE at 555.

Thus there is no  fixed score and Universities for admission consider various permutations and combinations of marks in quantitative and verbal sections in GRE along with the general profile of the applicant, previous education and institutions, references, past GPA and work experience if any.

Category: Career Guide