What is a "good" GRE score?

[Klynne]

I just took my GRE's and I don't know what I got on my writing yet but I do know I got a 149/170 on Verbal and 141/170 on the Math. I have no idea if that's a "good" score. I'm applying to Emerson and Suffolk. I'm applying to Emerson's Creative Writing MFA program and Suffolks PR and Advertising MA program. Help?

[dendy]

A 149 verbal is ~40th percentile. A 141 Math is ~11th percentile. Those are both "bad" scores. I would expect scores like that from someone who did no studying for the test whatsoever and hasn't taken math since high school.

[lilgreycells]

A good way to see if your scores fit the institutions you are applying to is to explore their websites and find some sort of student profile. You can normally find one that highlights the middle 50% or the average GRE score for the incoming class. If you can't find that you could always ask as well. That way you you have a better handle on what your specific institutions are looking for. I took the old GRE but I would agree that if the percentiles reported by dendy are correct you more than likely would need to retake the GRE. Good luck!

[LMac]

ETS publishes percentile scores on their site. This way you can see where you rank among test takers. Also, check to see if the program you're applying to pubilshes data about accepted students. This will help you determine if you're in the range you need to be in

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/understand/

[alf10087]

I think more than 160 is considered good on almost every circumstance and for every major, unless you're applying to top schools where it may be a regular score.

[bamafan]

170/170/6.0.

All kidding aside, it really depends on the program and subject. For math/engineering, I think most people get 160+ in quant, typically 165+ for top programs.

Given that you're applying to a writing/humanities and a PR type program, you'll want to retake it. That verbal is too low.

[midnight]

Klynne, soon after all of your scores are available on the ETS site, you'll be able to check out a diagnostic breakdown of your test performance. That will help you focus on your weaknesses when studying.

[dat_nerd]

Klynne, soon after all of your scores are available on the ETS site, you'll be able to check out a diagnostic breakdown of your test performance. That will help you focus on your weaknesses when studying.

Diagnostic breakdown as in which types of questions, such as quant comps, you got wrong or right?

[pghbioteacher]

Diagnostic breakdown as in which types of questions, such as quant comps, you got wrong or right?

I believe what midnight streetlight was implying was that you'll be able to see your percentile rank for each of the three sections, relative to other who sat for the exam. There is not, however, any within-section breakdown.

Some of the subject tests give you a higher resolution breakdown- I just took the Biology Subject Test, and I was informed of my total score/percentile and my score/percentile for each of the three major domains of biology (cell/molecular, organismal, and eco/evo).

Also- I would CERTAINLY recommend retaking the exam. Your scores indicate that 60% of the people who took the exam did better than you did in the Verbal section and that 89% did better than you on the Quant section... Study and retake.

[Chai_latte]

Klynne, soon after all of your scores are available on the ETS site, you'll be able to check out a diagnostic breakdown of your test performance. That will help you focus on your weaknesses when studying.

Really? I didn't know they did that. Is that just for the revised GRE, or was that the case w/ the old one as well?

[1Q84]

Klynne, soon after all of your scores are available on the ETS site, you'll be able to check out a diagnostic breakdown of your test performance. That will help you focus on your weaknesses when studying.

Lies! I mean... where can I find this?

[midnight]

Lies! I mean... where can I find this?

https://grediagnostic.ets.org/GREDWeb/gred/signIn.jsp

It's awesome and really gives you insight on where you need to improve.

[chemaholic]

Thanks for sharing this, @midnight streetlight!

[midnight]

Thanks for sharing this, @midnight streetlight!

You're welcome! I didn't know about it until someone else here posted it. Strange that ETS even offers it and then kind of makes it a secret.

The diagnostic analysis also shows how long you spent on a particular question, which can be incredibly helpful when it comes to time management during a retake.

If I were doing a retake, I'd have to focus on reading comprehension. I scored 164 but missed only one non-RC question on the verbal. Yikes!

Edited December 2, 2012 by midnight streetlight