How to use the GRE Score
- Enter correct answers for each Verbal and Quant section.
- Read the scaled 130–170 score for each measure.
- Check the approximate percentile for each score.
- Add the Analytical Writing score separately on its 0–6 scale.
How the calculation works
Verbal and Quantitative are scored 130–170 with no wrong-answer penalty. The test is section-level adaptive: performance on the first section determines the difficulty of the second, and a harder second section allows a higher ceiling. Because of that, identical raw totals can map to different scaled scores depending on which difficulty tier you reached.
Percentiles matter more than raw scaled numbers, and they differ sharply between measures because the test-taker populations differ. A Quant 165 sits near the 85th percentile, while a Verbal 165 is closer to the 96th, so the same number signals very different strength. Analytical Writing is scored 0–6 in half-point steps by a human reader and an automated system. Programmes weight the measures according to discipline: engineering and economics focus on Quant, humanities on Verbal, and most publish median scores worth targeting directly.
Scaled score = adaptive conversion of raw correct answers to the 130–170 range per measureSource: ETS GRE General Test scoring: 130–170 scale per measure, section-level adaptive design, 0–6 writing scale.
Worked example
34 of 40 Quant correct on a harder second section, and 29 of 40 Verbal.
- Quant raw 34 on the higher tier maps to about 165.
- Verbal raw 29 maps to about 158.
- Quant 165 ≈ 85th percentile.
- Verbal 158 ≈ 79th percentile.
About 165 Quant and 158 Verbal — a strong profile for quantitative programmes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GRE adaptive?+
Yes, at section level: your first section's performance sets the difficulty of the second.
Is there a guessing penalty?+
No. Answer every question.
Why do equal Verbal and Quant scores have different percentiles?+
The populations differ — many strong quantitative candidates take the test, compressing Quant percentiles.
How is Analytical Writing scored?+
0–6 in half-point increments, by one human reader plus automated scoring.
Last reviewed August 31, 2026. We review this page whenever the underlying formula, tax year, published rate or standard changes.