To study at Harvard, MIT, UCB, or any other renowned universities, taking the GRE exam is a prerequisite. But many test-takers face difficulty in understanding which grad school to choose and what score is a good GRE score to get into them. To find answers to these questions, candidates need to have proper knowledge about the GRE cutoff for top universities.
Note: Most of the universities have opted for ‘test-optional’ measures for standardized exams like GRE, GMAT, SAT, and more. It is recommended for the candidates to thoroughly check the university’s official website to get clarity about the factor.
GRE Score
The GRE syllabus is divided into three sections and the GRE score is explained below:
- GRE Verbal: Measured on a GRE score scale of 130 – 170, in 1 point increments
- GRE Quant: Measured on a GRE score scale of 130 – 170, in 1 point increments
- GRE Analytical Writing: Measured on 0 – 6, in half points increment
GRE Cut off Scores for Universities 2023
Over half a million students take the GRE exam every year in different GRE test centers to secure admission to the top universities in the USA for MS in computer science with GRE scores and fees or in any other course. As the GRE exam is solely for master’s degrees like MBA, J.D, and also Ph.D. degrees, the preparation needs to ace up the GRE score is even harder. From the GRE cut off for universities 2020 we have received the idea of how high the GRE cut-offs can be.
To help the candidates with details about the top universities accepting GRE scores, we have presented a list of universities accepting GRE scores for MS and other programs:
| Top Universities | GRE Quant Average Score | GRE Verbal Average Score |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | 157 | 158 |
| Stanford University | 166 | 162 |
| MIT | 159 | 158 |
| CalTech | 164 – 168 | 159 – 166 |
| UC Berkeley* | 166 | 158 |
| Georgia Tech | 155 | 155 |
| UT Austin | 159 | 155 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 160 | 157 |
| Wisconsin Madison | 166 | 157 |
| Cornell University | 161 – 165 | 149 – 153 |
| Yale University | 160- 167 | 155 – 165 |
| Illinois Urbana Champaign | 159 – 166 | 155 – 162 |
| Duke University | 154 – 160 | 160 – 165 |
| University of Chicago | 161 | 156 |
| University of Pennsylvania | 166 | 155 |
| University of Michigan | 167 | 155 |
| Northwestern University | 157 – 161 | 151 – 160 |
| Purdue University | 164 | 158 – 161 |
| Columbia University | 156 – 170 | 154 – 167 |
| Arizona State University | 162 | 150 |
| John Hopkins University | 160 – 165 | 155 – 169 |
| New York University | 164 | 152 |
| University of South California | 155 – 167 | 151 – 162 |
| UCLA | 163 | 154 |
| Princeton University | 163 | 161 |
*UC Berkeley has completely eliminated GRE score requirement
GRE Average Scores based on Fields of Study
The GRE general test scores are also program-specific which means, each field of study has a set of pre-determined scores. It is important for the candidates to carefully read the admission requirements according to the program they are applying to. It so happens that certain programs have requirements of universities for GRE score 320-330.
Let us study the same:
GRE Scores for Life Sciences
GRE Scores for Physical Sciences
GRE Scores for Engineering
GRE Scores for Humanities and Arts
GRE Scores for Education
GRE Scores for Business
The above are all the average scores estimated for each kind of programs under which the candidates will apply. It is recommended to contact the official site for further details.
How to Secure the GRE Cutoff of Top Universities?
A good GRE score is any score that meets the GRE cutoff of the selected universities or exceeds it. It is, therefore, the candidates need to sort the selection of their universities and their GRE scores which are pre-determined according to the programs (at times).
Here is a path showing how to secure a chance in universities for GRE score 310 – 320 or higher:
- Jot down the selected universities: Firstly you have to make a table and write down the names of the universities you want to study at.
- Fill out the GRE cutoff: Find the GRE cutoff from the admission section and write them down. Most of the universities have a separate cutoff for GRE verbal and GRE quant depending on the program.
- Minimum Requirement: Certain universities mention the minimum required GRE score which the candidate has to abide by, make a column and write them down. It is generally advised for the candidates that they should aim for scores higher than that.
- Pick the highest GRE cutoff: After filling out all the necessary information, check which university has the highest GRE cutoff. Aim for that particular score and once you achieve the same you can also try for the other universities having lower GRE cutoff.
Now, with all the information about the GRE cut-off for top universities, the candidates preparing for GRE can comprehend the exact scores they would need for each university.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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