GRE Scoring Algorithm

The GRE scoring algorithm is a bit complex in nature. Below are some facts about the test pattern and scoring algorithm.

·        The test is adaptive in nature.

·        The questions asked in GRE are divided into three(Easy,Medium and Hard) categories.

·        The first verbal/quant section contains questions of medium difficulty level as ETS assumes all student to be equally skilled.

·        Within a particular section all questions will be of same difficulty level and there is no adaptivity.

·        The number of questions answered in the first quant/verbal section decides the difficulty level of the second quant/verbal section.

·        Again all question in the second section of each of quant and verbal topics will be of same difficulty level and there is no adaptivity.



The GRE score is a function of number of correct answers in all four sections i.e. Verbal - 1, Quant - 1, Verbal -2, Quant - 2. There is no negative marking and leaving a question doesn't impact the score at all. So go for all questions. Below are some facts about the GRE scoring.

·        The score in both verbal and quant lies between 130 and 170. Hence, the minimum and maximum score by a test taker lies between 260 and 340.

·        Each section contains 20 question. So in total there are 40 questions for both verbal and quant topics. The scoring range is between 130 and 170 which means there are 40 marks distributed over 40 questions.

·        But the scoring is not linear. e.g. Compare two scenarios -

·        Scenario - 1 - If you have marked 7 correct answers in first verbal section and 19 correct answers in second verbal section, your total correct answer in verbal is 26.

·        Scenario - 2 - If you have marked 11 correct answers in first verbal section and 15 correct answers in second verbal section, you total correct answer in verbal is again 26.

·        The above two scenario won't result into same score. Score for Scenario - 1 and Scenario -2 respectively will be 155 and 156, which means if just the GRE raw score is to be the criteria you may swap your position from UTD to UTA. :)

Best of Luck!!!