GRE General Scores Guide

To properly prepare for the GRE, it is crucial that you know the scores you need to achieve your goal: this includes understanding how the GRE General Test is scored.

Read on to learn more about GRE scores.

How is the GRE scored?

Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores are based on the number of correct answers in the operative sections of the test.

Raw score: The number of questions answered correctly.
Adaptation at section levelThe test adapts the second section of questions based on your performance in the first section. This means that if you perform well in the first section, the second section will be more difficult, and vice versa. In each section, all questions have the same weight.
Scaled scoring and equating: The raw score is converted to a scaled score through a process called equating. As mentioned above, each question in each section is weighted equally; equating is the way in which the examinee is rewarded for correctly answering the most difficult questions, those in the most difficult modules. Equating adjusts for differences in difficulty between different versions of the test and for variations introduced by section-level adaptation. Equating takes into account not only the difficulty of the module, but also the differences found in the various tests.

What is the GRE score range?

Verbal reasoning:130-170
Quantitative reasoning:130-170
Analytical writing: 0-6

What is a good GRE score?

When it comes to the GRE, good is a relative term. Since the GRE is accepted by many academic and professional institutions, the required score varies. In fact, some universities may only look for one of the 3 scores. To properly prepare for the GRE, it is important to know what scores you will need to achieve your goal. The GRE score report has 2 issues: Scaled Score:This is the measure of your raw score, which ranges from 130 to 170. Percentil: The percentile rank is more important than the scaled score because it shows how your performance compares to that of other test takers.

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How long does it take to get GRE scores?

Although you can see your Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores immediately after you take the test, official GRE General Test scores can be found in your ETS account 8-10 days after your test date. You will receive an email from ETS when they are available. Scores will be sent to institutions, pre-selected prior to testing, when official scores are released.

How is the GRE Analytical Writing scored?

The Analytical Writing section score reflects the overall quality of the written portion of the exam, evaluated by both human raters and software, and is reported as a single score on a 6-point scale.

E-rater softwareThe tests are partially scored using the e-rater® software, a computer program developed by ETS. This software evaluates various characteristics of writing proficiency.
Human scorer: In addition to the computerized scoring system, all test responses are reviewed by specialized evaluators.

The holistic approach to scoring takes into account the overall quality of the essay in response to the task at hand. This includes coherence, development of ideas, support for arguments, grammar, and mechanics of writing.

Here is a basic breakdown of the score, but for specific details on each score, see
the STD scoring guide:

Score 6:Outstanding

Score 5:Strong

Score 4:Adequate

Score 3:Limited

Score 2: Severely defective

Score 1:Fundamentally deficient

For $60, you can request a review of your Analytical Writing. Please note that this process takes about 4 weeks.

Do you know which questions you answered wrong on the exam?

ETS has a complementary GRE Diagnostic Service. Log in to your ETS account to see more information about your performance on the questions in the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections of your test. In other words, you can see the type of question that was answered incorrectly, the difficulty level of your test and how much time was spent on each question. For test takers in New York, ETS offers a Question and Answer Review Service that allows test takers to review incorrect Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning questions for an additional fee.

Do schools see all my scores?

Before taking the test, you can send scores to up to 4 institutions. If you want to send scores to more than 5 institutions or want to wait to see your performance before sending scores, you can order Additional Score Reports (ASR) for a fee of 35 USD. ETS now offers ScoreSelect®, which allows test takers to submit Most Recent, AllAny. Scores can be sent up to 5 years after taking the test.

Conclusions

Once you know what results you need, you can develop a plan for achieve your goals. After the register and commit to a test date it’s time to set up your study plan. Talk to an EPIC PREP test prep expert and find out what your starting score is and how to get your best test results.

We hope this article has answered your questions. If you have any questions regarding your GRE preparation, give us a call and we will be happy to explain how EPIC PREP can help you achieve your goals. On the other hand, if you prefer to read on, we leave you a link to our GRE courses.

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