{"id":2568,"date":"2024-12-05T20:45:22","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T15:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.wizako.com\/gre-preparation\/blog\/?p=2568"},"modified":"2025-01-23T12:41:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T07:11:38","slug":"gre-score-total-score-section-score-percentile-ranking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.wizako.com\/gre-preparation\/blog\/about-gre\/gre-score-total-score-section-score-percentile-ranking\/","title":{"rendered":"GRE Scores Explained: Total Score, Score Range, Section Scores, Percentile"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What is the GRE Score Range?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Unlike your typical college exams where you might get a straightforward 85 out of 100, the GRE <\/a>uses a rather unique scoring system that can seem a bit puzzling at first. Let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense!

For starters, your GRE score isn’t just one number \u2013 it’s split into three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and the Analytical Writing Section(AWA). Here’s the interesting part: each section has its own scoring scale and increments.

Let’s look at how the scores work:<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Section<\/th>\n\n\n\nScore Range<\/th>\n\n\n\nScore Increments<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n
Verbal Reasoning<\/td>\n\n\n\n130 – 170<\/td>\n\n\n\n1 point<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n
Quantitative Reasoning<\/td>\n\n\n\n130 – 170<\/td>\n\n\n\n1 point<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\n\n
Analytical Writing AWA<\/td>\n\n\n\n0 – 6<\/td>\n\n\n\n0.5 points<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
Now, you might be wondering, “Why such odd numbers like 130 to 170?” Good question! ETS (the folks behind GRE) designed it this way to avoid confusion with other standardized tests and percentile scores. Think of 130 as your starting point \u2013 everyone gets at least this many points just for showing up and completing the test. Instead of receiving your GRE raw scores showing the number of correct and incorrect answers, you’ll only see your performance within designated score ranges.

The Verbal and Quant sections are scored in one-point increments, so you could get a 138, 139, 140, and so on, all the way up to 170. The AWA section works differently \u2013 it’s scored from 0 to 6 in half-point increments, so you could get a 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, etc.

Here’s what’s really important to understand: a score of 150 isn’t like getting 50% right in a typical test! The GRE uses a unique scoring system where the same score can mean different things across sections. For instance, a 150 in Verbal puts you in the 39th percentile, while a 150 in Quant lands you in the 25th percentile. We’ll dive deeper into what these percentiles mean later, but for now, remember that GRE scores work quite differently from the traditional percentage-based scoring you might be familiar with.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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Section-Wise Score Ranges (Verbal, Quant, AWA)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Verbal Reasoning (130-170)<\/strong>: The GRE has two Verbal sections. It’s section-adaptive, meaning your performance in the first section determines the difficulty of the second section. A harder second section indicates strong first-section performance and typically leads to a higher score. Your final score considers both the number of correct answers and the difficulty level of your second section.<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Quantitative Reasoning (130-170)<\/strong>: The Quant section follows the same clever adaptive format. Your first section performance is like an audition \u2013 do well, and you’ll get promoted to harder questions in the second section. Remember, getting that harder second section is a good sign! Just like in Verbal, your final quantitative score isn’t just about how many questions you got right \u2013 it’s also about the difficulty level you reached in that second section.<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Analytical Writing (0-6)<\/strong>: The AWA section takes a different approach. Here, you’ll write one essay analyzing an issue. What’s unique about the scoring? Your essay gets read by both a human grader and a sophisticated computer scoring system. They’ll rate your work on a scale from 0 to 6, using half-point increments.

This scoring system might seem complex, but it’s actually quite brilliant \u2013 it adapts to your ability level and gives you the chance to really show what you know. Ready to dive into Section 2 and understand how all these scores come together?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n