Average general GRE scores at Stanford

[yeshuamo]

Stanford's Physics profile on GradSchoolShopper.com lists their incoming class's GRE scores as:

"The average GRE scores for admitted students in 2014–15 were: Verbal-171, Quantitative–176; Analytical–4.42; Physics Subject–928."

How do we interpret these general GRE scores? Everywhere I look, general GRE is counted out of 170, and that is the scale I've used in my test prep. I'd love to shoot for their average, if only I knew what that average meant.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

A GRE score of 170 corresponds to the 99th and 98th percentile on the verbal and quantitative portions respectively. Higher scores must indicate higher percentiles. See:

http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide_table1a.pdf

 

[StatGuy2000]

Has the general GRE always been counted out of 170? (it's been over a decade since I've been out of graduate school, so my memory is faulty) I'm curious as to whether the quote from the OP may have been based on earlier versions of the GRE.

 

[Stengah]

That has to be a typo, the max score is 170. They switched to this system a few years ago, the scaled scores range between 130-170. https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/

 

[yeshuamo]

I agree with Stengah. I think that that is a typo.

 

[radium]

Unless you get scores which call into question you math skills or suggest you lack basic reading comprehension and/or the ability to write a coherent sentence, physics grad schools don't really care about the general GRE, at least if you get in the mid 160s for math (which you should easily be able to do if you want to go into physics). This was even demonstrated for us at a grad school application info session by showing a scatter plot. Like the professor said, it clearly showed no correlation to acceptances beyond certain scores.

 

[yeshuamo]

@radium this is great news. I'm above the ninetieth percentile for all three general sections, so what you're saying means that I can move on to working on more important things.

 

[radium]

Yes exactly. Not that you have the general GRE out of the way, you should start studying for the PGRE (which is much more important), work on your statements for each school, and focus on the research you are doing (and courses when they start up again).