GRE Cutoff 2023 - Course Cutoffs, Good GRE Score

GRE Cutoff 2023

ETS, the conducting body of the GRE test, does not set any GRE cutoff. However, admissions through GRE scores are based on the minimum scores accepted by a particular university to which a candidate might be seeking admission.

Some of the most common GRE cutoff questions from international applicants include what is a good GRE score, what is the GRE cutoff, what average scores are to pursue graduate degree programmes in various fields and more. Find out all about GRE cutoff 2023.

The Graduate Record Exam, also known as GRE, is the leading assessment exam for international admissions. Scores of the GRE are accepted by universities across the world such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada and many more. Some of the popular universities that accept GRE scores include Oregon State University, Suffolk University,  University of Massachusetts, University of Illinois, Chicago, University of Dayton, etc.

What is GRE Cutoff?

There is no defined GRE cutoff released by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) but each foreign university inviting international students would fix a different GRE cutoff for different Masters programmes. The exam has been developed to test the analytical, verbal reasoning score and mathematical skills of candidates who wish to pursue post-graduation abroad.

Overall, there is not really any good or bad GRE score and would completely depend on the higher education institution(s) that you are applying to.

What is a Good GRE Score?

A solid GRE score is essential for admission to the university of your choosing. But how do you know what a good score is? Any score above 300 places you in the 90-100 percentile, which is considered an exceptional result. A decent score would be an average of all the components, which would be 300 or slightly higher, putting you in the 70-75 range. 

Anything less than 300 would be considered average, putting you in the 50-60 range. These statistics may be difficult to comprehend, but keep in mind that your target score should be influenced by the University's standards and the specific program to which you desire to apply. This is when the GRE cutoff scores come into play. These cutoff scores assist you in determining which score will help you close the deal with the universities.

Here are some good scores or GRE cutoffs for specific fields to give you an idea of what you should aim for depending on the field you choose to pursue:

• Analytical Writing: The analytical writing score is calculated independently of the quants and verbal component, with a maximum score of 6. In analytical writing, a minimum score of 4 can be deemed adequate.

• MBA: Do you intend to pursue your MBA abroad? GRE scores are accepted differently by different B schools. To get into top B-schools in the United States, you must score at least 320. A score of at least 330, on the other hand, should be sufficient for admission to Ivy League universities.

• MS: A total score of 325 or higher should help you gain admission to the best universities. However, a score of 300 or higher is sufficient for MS.

• Nursing: A GRE score of 305 to 316 is considered a good GRE score for anyone seeking admission to a nursing program.

• Engineering: Universities will value your Quantitative scores more than your Verbal scores. If you want to pursue an Engineering degree, a score of at least 160 on the Quants portion should suffice. However, if you want to get into the best colleges, you should strive for at least 166.

• PhD: Again, this is dependent on a variety of conditions. However, a score of around 310 should be sufficient for admission to a PhD program.

• To Get a Scholarship: Obtaining a scholarship is not only determined by your GRE scores. Good GRE cutoff and scores, on the other hand, will undoubtedly be beneficial. Aim for a score that is greater than the average for the university to which you are applying. That, combined with other factors, should be sufficient to secure you a scholarship.

How are the GRE Sections Scored?

GRE Verbal and Quant Section scores are determined by the performance of the questions provided as well as the number of questions completed in the allotted time. The GRE Verbal and Quant parts are section-level adaptive. This means that the level of difficulty of the second responsible segment is determined by the preceding accountable section's performance. Each section's questions contribute equally to the final score. The amount of successfully answered questions yields a raw score, which is subsequently transformed into a scaled score by a process known as equating.

Each essay in the Analytical Writing Section is graded on a 6-point scale by an experienced reader. The identical essay is then graded by the e-rater automated tool created by ETS. If the human and e-rater ratings are almost identical, the final score is the average of the two. If the variance is significant, the essay is rated by another professional reader, and the final result is the average of the two human ratings. The average of the two essay scores on a 0-6 scale in half-point increments produces the final AWA score.

GRE Cutoff for Top Universities Abroad

Most universities across the world have strict admissions policies for specific programs. A solid GRE score is one such requirement. While there is no formal cutoff score for the ETS exam, most colleges have one, and it varies depending on the program requirements. Top-ranked universities require better GRE scores in order to enrol qualified students on their programs. The GRE cutoff for universities in the United States is higher than for the rest of the world, thus candidates applying to the US should study hard for the exam.

The following are the GRE cutoff 2023 that are required for admission to some of the most favoured universities in the United States:

Factors Determining GRE Cutoff

Some graduate universities are extremely competitive, with the majority of successful applicants having GRE scores that are higher than the 85th percentile. Other programmes have a lower level of competition. Some programmes do not even require GRE scores in certain disciplines. To establish the GRE score you will need to have a high probability of acceptance, first investigate the program(s) you will be applying to. 

As a general rule, most institutions are more concerned with the Quantitative and Verbal scores and are only concerned with the AWA score if it is less than 4.0, indicating a potential weakness in your writing abilities. This, however, varies greatly. Programs that focus on writing, such as English literature, journalism, and communications, may place a greater emphasis on your AWA score.

The following criteria influence the GRE cutoff:

• The total number of candidates taking the GRE exam

• Total number of GRE-qualified candidates

• Total number of available seats

• The examination's level of difficulty

GRE Score Range

In order to understand the GRE cutoff at various universities for various programs, it is necessary to know about the GRE score range too:

What is GRE Percentile Mean?

Your GRE percentile indicates how your result relates to all other GRE test takers. The greater your GRE percentile, the higher your overall result in comparison to other test-takers. A 99th GRE percentile score, for example, implies you outperformed 99% of test-takers and are in the top 1%. A score of 170 on Quants correlates to the 97th percentile, whereas the same score on Verbal belongs to the 99th percentile. On the other hand, a score of 165 would place you in the 89th percentile on Quants and the 96th percentile on Verbal. The percentiles on the Quants decline more sharply than on the Verbal.

The average (Mean) GRE score for verbal reasoning is 150.0 (rounded to one decimal point), 152.6 for quantitative reasoning, and 3.5 for analytical writing abilities. The majority of the results are in this range, and an increase of 3 or 4 points increases the percentile value by a large number, providing the test taker with a higher chance of admission to top GRE CutOff Scores/colleges.

Country-wise GRE Cutoff Scores for Universities

The GRE cutoff scores for institutions might vary substantially depending on the country. Here's an overview of what a competitive score looks like in various prominent countries:

Average GRE Scores for Master’s Degree in the US

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores for aspirants to pursue their Master's in the USA:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Engineering

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue MS in Engineering:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Computer Science

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue MS in Computer Science:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Psychology

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue MS in Psychology:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Physics

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue an MS in Physics:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Chemistry

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue MS in Chemistry:

Average GRE Scores for MS in Mathematics

Tabulated below are the average GRE cutoff scores of top universities to pursue MS in Mathematics: