GRE scores
(This post has been revised to focus on political science. I update the post as I get new info. See U.S. News & World Report department rankings at end of post.)
What are the GRE expectations for poli sci programs?
There doesn't seem to be any site that has a comprehensive list, or even averages across disciplines. Of course, GRE scores are just one of many factors considered in an application packet, but the test is the source of much stress for grad school applicants.
So here are some numbers, scoured from a number of departments' web sites and other literature.
The University of Virginia Department of Politics says it "does not look favorably upon" scores below 1200 combined in the verbal and quantitative sections, and another school indicates "Students should have at least one GRE score in the 90th percentile." The 90th percentile is around 630, according to some sites I've seen.
Of course those are minimums, like a 3.0 GPA, while scores of accepted students are often considerably higher.
But that same site said the average scores of someone accepted into Columbia's Education program are 628 quantitative and 526 verbal - much lower than poli sci averages.
Some other schools' GRE expectations:
UC-Berkeley's political science department, compared with Chicago, describes slightly higher GRE averages among the students it recently accepted: 688, 722, and 5.5.
Chicago's political science Ph.D program lists the following averages for accepted students: verbal 666, quantitative 732, and analytic writing 5.3. (Updated for 2007. Note that when I originally checked Chicago's average admitted student scores in 2005, they were 637, 704, 5.1.)
Claremont Graduate University says 500 is a minimum, but that the closer to 800, the better. No huge surprise there. It also says there are many other factors considered.
University of Colorado - Boulder tells potential applicants that part of the minimum criteria for admission is a combined score of 1100 on the GRE, with at least a 500 verbal. These are minimums.
Emory University says students admitted to its poli sci grad program get a combined score of 1300 on the verbal and quantitative.
Florida State University, on this page indicates the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile scores of students admitted and offered funding for 2007/08: 1240, 1300, 1350. For GPAs, it's 3.38, 3.61, 3.87.
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies M.A. program says here that "The average GRE Verbal score is 639, with the middle 50% of enrolled students achieving a range of 590 to 700. The average GRE Quantitative score is 687, with the middle 50% ranging from 630 to 750." That's quite informative.
University of Michigan says (in a document here that seems somewhat dated) "most students have mathematical and quantitative scores in the high 600s or 700s, and verbal scores in the middle 600s and 700s." Not too specific.
Notre Dame's department of political science says of the cohort of graduate students beginning in 2005, these are their median GRE scores: 700 verbal, 720 quantitative, 6.0 analytical.
Ohio State University says here that "The average combined verbal and quantitative GRE scores of entering students typically is 75%." I assume that means the 75th percentile? Of the newer writing section, they say 3.5 is the baseline.
The clarity of the above schools is refreshing. Many schools' sites I checked did not list such information.
Here are the 2009 U.S. News & World Report political science grad school rankings, with "score" (out of 5):
1 Harvard University 4.8
1 Princeton University 4.8
1 Stanford University 4.8
4 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor 4.7
5 Yale University 4.6
6 University of California--Berkeley 4.5
7 Columbia University 4.4
7 University of California--San Diego 4.4
9 Duke University 4.2
9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.2
11 University of California--Los Angeles 4.1
11 University of Chicago 4.1
13 University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill 4.0
13 Washington University in St. Louis 4.0
15 University of Rochester 3.9
15 University of Wisconsin--Madison 3.9
17 New York University 3.8
17 Ohio State University 3.8
17 University of Minnesota--Twin Cities 3.8
20 Cornell University 3.7
21 Northwestern University 3.5
21 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign 3.5
21 University of Texas--Austin 3.5
24 Texas A&M University--College Station 3.4
24 University of California--Davis 3.4
26 Indiana University--Bloomington 3.3
26 University of Washington 3.3
28 Emory University 3.2
28 Michigan State University 3.2
28 Pennsylvania State University--University Park 3.2
28 University of Maryland--College Park 3.2
28 University of Pennsylvania 3.2
33 SUNY--Stony Brook 3.1
33 University of Iowa 3.1
33 University of Virginia 3.1
36 Rice University 3.0
36 University of California--Irvine 3.0
36 University of Notre Dame 3.0
39 Florida State University 2.9
39 George Washington University 2.9
39 Georgetown University 2.9
39 Johns Hopkins University 2.9
39 University of Colorado--Boulder 2.9
39 University of Pittsburgh 2.9
39 Vanderbilt University 2.9
46 Brown University 2.8
46 University of Arizona 2.8
48 Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--New Brunswick 2.7
49 University of California--Santa Barbara 2.6
49 University of Florida 2.6
51 Arizona State University 2.5
51 Claremont Graduate University 2.5
51 George Mason University 2.5
51 SUNY--Binghamton 2.5
51 Syracuse University 2.5
51 University of California--Riverside 2.5
51 University of Georgia 2.5
51 University of Kansas 2.5
51 University of Nebraska--Lincoln 2.5
51 University of North Texas 2.5
51 University of South Carolina--Columbia 2.5
[end 2009 rankings]
For comparison, here are the 2005 U.S. News & World Report grad school rankings for poli sci Ph.D programs:
Rank/School Average assessment
score (5.0 = highest)
1. Harvard University (MA) 5.0
2. Stanford University (CA) 4.9
3. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 4.8
4. Princeton University (NJ) 4.7
5. University of California–Berkeley 4.6
Yale University (CT) 4.6
7. University of California–San Diego 4.4
8. Duke University (NC) 4.3
University of Chicago 4.3
10. Columbia University (NY) 4.2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.2
University of California–Los Angeles 4.2
13. Ohio State University 4.0
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 4.0
University of Rochester (NY) 4.0
16. University of Wisconsin–Madison 3.9
Washington University in St. Louis 3.9
18. Cornell University (NY) 3.8
New York University 3.8
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 3.8
21. Northwestern University (IL) 3.6
22. Michigan State University 3.4
Texas A&M University–College Station 3.4
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 3.4
25. Indiana University–Bloomington 3.3
University of Iowa 3.3
University of Texas–Austin 3.3
University of Washington 3.3
29. Emory University (GA) 3.2
Rice University (TX) 3.2
SUNY–Stony Brook 3.2
University of California–Davis 3.2
University of Maryland–College Park 3.2
University of Pennsylvania 3.2
35. Pennsylvania State University–University Park 3.1
University of California–Irvine 3.1
37. Florida State University 3.0
Johns Hopkins University (MD) 3.0
University of Arizona 3.0
University of Virginia 3.0
41. Georgetown University (DC) 2.9
George Washington University (DC) 2.9
Rutgers State University–New Brunswick (NJ) 2.9
University of Notre Dame (IN) 2.9
University of Pittsburgh 2.9
46. Brown University (RI) 2.8
University of Colorado–Boulder 2.8
48. Arizona State University 2.6
Claremont Graduate School (CA) 2.6
Syracuse University (NY) 2.6
University of California–Santa Barbara 2.6
University of Florida 2.6
Vanderbilt University (TN) 2.6
54. University of Georgia 2.5
University of Kansas 2.5
University of South Carolina–Columbia 2.5
University of Southern California 2.5
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 2.5
Note: You might also want to check out Washington Monthly's university rankings, based on alternative criteria. Pretty different.
What are the GRE expectations for poli sci programs?
There doesn't seem to be any site that has a comprehensive list, or even averages across disciplines. Of course, GRE scores are just one of many factors considered in an application packet, but the test is the source of much stress for grad school applicants.
So here are some numbers, scoured from a number of departments' web sites and other literature.
The University of Virginia Department of Politics says it "does not look favorably upon" scores below 1200 combined in the verbal and quantitative sections, and another school indicates "Students should have at least one GRE score in the 90th percentile." The 90th percentile is around 630, according to some sites I've seen.
Of course those are minimums, like a 3.0 GPA, while scores of accepted students are often considerably higher.
But that same site said the average scores of someone accepted into Columbia's Education program are 628 quantitative and 526 verbal - much lower than poli sci averages.
Some other schools' GRE expectations:
UC-Berkeley's political science department, compared with Chicago, describes slightly higher GRE averages among the students it recently accepted: 688, 722, and 5.5.
Chicago's political science Ph.D program lists the following averages for accepted students: verbal 666, quantitative 732, and analytic writing 5.3. (Updated for 2007. Note that when I originally checked Chicago's average admitted student scores in 2005, they were 637, 704, 5.1.)
Claremont Graduate University says 500 is a minimum, but that the closer to 800, the better. No huge surprise there. It also says there are many other factors considered.
University of Colorado - Boulder tells potential applicants that part of the minimum criteria for admission is a combined score of 1100 on the GRE, with at least a 500 verbal. These are minimums.
Emory University says students admitted to its poli sci grad program get a combined score of 1300 on the verbal and quantitative.
Florida State University, on this page indicates the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile scores of students admitted and offered funding for 2007/08: 1240, 1300, 1350. For GPAs, it's 3.38, 3.61, 3.87.
Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies M.A. program says here that "The average GRE Verbal score is 639, with the middle 50% of enrolled students achieving a range of 590 to 700. The average GRE Quantitative score is 687, with the middle 50% ranging from 630 to 750." That's quite informative.
University of Michigan says (in a document here that seems somewhat dated) "most students have mathematical and quantitative scores in the high 600s or 700s, and verbal scores in the middle 600s and 700s." Not too specific.
Notre Dame's department of political science says of the cohort of graduate students beginning in 2005, these are their median GRE scores: 700 verbal, 720 quantitative, 6.0 analytical.
Ohio State University says here that "The average combined verbal and quantitative GRE scores of entering students typically is 75%." I assume that means the 75th percentile? Of the newer writing section, they say 3.5 is the baseline.
The clarity of the above schools is refreshing. Many schools' sites I checked did not list such information.
Here are the 2009 U.S. News & World Report political science grad school rankings, with "score" (out of 5):
1 Harvard University 4.8
1 Princeton University 4.8
1 Stanford University 4.8
4 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor 4.7
5 Yale University 4.6
6 University of California--Berkeley 4.5
7 Columbia University 4.4
7 University of California--San Diego 4.4
9 Duke University 4.2
9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.2
11 University of California--Los Angeles 4.1
11 University of Chicago 4.1
13 University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill 4.0
13 Washington University in St. Louis 4.0
15 University of Rochester 3.9
15 University of Wisconsin--Madison 3.9
17 New York University 3.8
17 Ohio State University 3.8
17 University of Minnesota--Twin Cities 3.8
20 Cornell University 3.7
21 Northwestern University 3.5
21 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign 3.5
21 University of Texas--Austin 3.5
24 Texas A&M University--College Station 3.4
24 University of California--Davis 3.4
26 Indiana University--Bloomington 3.3
26 University of Washington 3.3
28 Emory University 3.2
28 Michigan State University 3.2
28 Pennsylvania State University--University Park 3.2
28 University of Maryland--College Park 3.2
28 University of Pennsylvania 3.2
33 SUNY--Stony Brook 3.1
33 University of Iowa 3.1
33 University of Virginia 3.1
36 Rice University 3.0
36 University of California--Irvine 3.0
36 University of Notre Dame 3.0
39 Florida State University 2.9
39 George Washington University 2.9
39 Georgetown University 2.9
39 Johns Hopkins University 2.9
39 University of Colorado--Boulder 2.9
39 University of Pittsburgh 2.9
39 Vanderbilt University 2.9
46 Brown University 2.8
46 University of Arizona 2.8
48 Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey--New Brunswick 2.7
49 University of California--Santa Barbara 2.6
49 University of Florida 2.6
51 Arizona State University 2.5
51 Claremont Graduate University 2.5
51 George Mason University 2.5
51 SUNY--Binghamton 2.5
51 Syracuse University 2.5
51 University of California--Riverside 2.5
51 University of Georgia 2.5
51 University of Kansas 2.5
51 University of Nebraska--Lincoln 2.5
51 University of North Texas 2.5
51 University of South Carolina--Columbia 2.5
[end 2009 rankings]
For comparison, here are the 2005 U.S. News & World Report grad school rankings for poli sci Ph.D programs:
Rank/School Average assessment
score (5.0 = highest)
1. Harvard University (MA) 5.0
2. Stanford University (CA) 4.9
3. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 4.8
4. Princeton University (NJ) 4.7
5. University of California–Berkeley 4.6
Yale University (CT) 4.6
7. University of California–San Diego 4.4
8. Duke University (NC) 4.3
University of Chicago 4.3
10. Columbia University (NY) 4.2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.2
University of California–Los Angeles 4.2
13. Ohio State University 4.0
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 4.0
University of Rochester (NY) 4.0
16. University of Wisconsin–Madison 3.9
Washington University in St. Louis 3.9
18. Cornell University (NY) 3.8
New York University 3.8
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 3.8
21. Northwestern University (IL) 3.6
22. Michigan State University 3.4
Texas A&M University–College Station 3.4
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 3.4
25. Indiana University–Bloomington 3.3
University of Iowa 3.3
University of Texas–Austin 3.3
University of Washington 3.3
29. Emory University (GA) 3.2
Rice University (TX) 3.2
SUNY–Stony Brook 3.2
University of California–Davis 3.2
University of Maryland–College Park 3.2
University of Pennsylvania 3.2
35. Pennsylvania State University–University Park 3.1
University of California–Irvine 3.1
37. Florida State University 3.0
Johns Hopkins University (MD) 3.0
University of Arizona 3.0
University of Virginia 3.0
41. Georgetown University (DC) 2.9
George Washington University (DC) 2.9
Rutgers State University–New Brunswick (NJ) 2.9
University of Notre Dame (IN) 2.9
University of Pittsburgh 2.9
46. Brown University (RI) 2.8
University of Colorado–Boulder 2.8
48. Arizona State University 2.6
Claremont Graduate School (CA) 2.6
Syracuse University (NY) 2.6
University of California–Santa Barbara 2.6
University of Florida 2.6
Vanderbilt University (TN) 2.6
54. University of Georgia 2.5
University of Kansas 2.5
University of South Carolina–Columbia 2.5
University of Southern California 2.5
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee 2.5
Note: You might also want to check out Washington Monthly's university rankings, based on alternative criteria. Pretty different.
Labels: graduate record exam, gre, gre scores, poli sci, political science, university rankings
posted by bp at
8:12 PM
15 Comments:
GRE scores are scary and mostly irrelvant. Mine were 550v 600q 5a. That didn't stop certain professors from recommending I investigate phd programs for post-MA work. Though I will say that Tufts and Johns Hopkins both rejected me where Univ of Denver gave me a partial scholarship. All depends, as you well know, on where you apply. :-)
By
Anonymous, at 9:39 PM
Cool, that's good to hear. It does seem to be like a GPA - as long as you get above a certain baseline, they'll read your recommendations and writing, and base their decision on those items.
By
bp, at 7:23 AM
Law school was the contrary. Pretty much the entire decision was based on gpa and lsat scores. Which is silly bullshit, obviously. I've got a friend who was denied at my law schol b/c of a lower gpa and lsat score, but graduated at the top of his class at a 4th tier school and is now working for one of the largest firms in Michigan making over $100,000 out the gates.
Always wanted to go to Johns Hopkins PSCI school. I'd never make the cut, though.
Are you planning on an IR MA, or plain vanilla PSCI?
By
t'su, at 10:26 AM
I had a 4.0 GPA and I scored 600v 690q 4a. Do I stand a chance at the top half of the ranked schools?
By
Amateur Adult, at 3:18 PM
I have no idea how admission in Poli Sci PhD works. My GRE scores are 660 verbal and 720 quantitative. Does that seem enough to get financial aid?
By
Anonymous, at 1:20 PM
Sorry about the delay in my responses...
To amateur adult: I'm not sure about the Top 25 schools, if that's what you mean by the top half of ranked schools. I'd say you have a great chance of getting in a ranked school, anyway.
To anonymous: Financial aid is granted to every admitted student in a Ph.D program in the vast majority of cases. Schools don't want you to be waiting tables at night when you should be locked in the library.
That said, your scores are quite solid and you should do well.
In general, though, I should emphasize that GRE scores and GPA are only one aspect of your application. That's maybe the first thing admissions committees look at, but then they have to make a much smaller pile of applications based on factors such as where you went to school, do you have an M.A. or J.D., work experience, writing sample, etc.
By
bp, at 1:24 PM
hey Brian, what school are you attending now? my bf is trying to go to grad school, PH.D in political science, but man it's tough.. so many reject letters.. LOL he has 690v, 690q, 4a, about 3.4gpa
By
Anonymous, at 3:50 AM
This comment has been removed by the author.
By
bp, at 9:27 AM
I know someone who got a low 500 on the quant and still got into a top five program; GRE scores, as most faculty members will tell you, aren't important as long as you don't bomb the test. And, as my buddy's example demonstrates, you can still "bomb" the test and get into a solid program. In other words, if you have a solid admissions package (i.e. great honors thesis, research experience, strong letters, excellent statement of purpose) but low GRE scores, you may still have a fighting chance.
By
Anonymous, at 9:07 PM
What about international students..It's even harder to get a good score if you are taking the test in non-native language...Do they take it into consideration?
By
Anonymous, at 6:08 AM
1) 12 Step University Selection Process based on gre score and 299 frequently asked words in gre verbal.
By
Admin, at 7:21 PM
here's an odd case: just took GRE today, and did well on verbal (670) but i stupidly spent too long in the first half of my quant trying too hard to answer some questions i should've skipped, so i rushed through the 2nd half like crazy; i got a 630q which is 'fine' but i know i could do better. is it worth it to retake? [i don't like the computerized version; i miss being able to scan over a test and answer the ones that are easy and then go back and work on the hard ones later] :(
By
Anonymous, at 12:55 AM
Hi,I gave GRE yest and got 1340 score with verbal 610 and quant 730 . My acads are fair enough.I got 82% in 10th and 92% in 12th . I did Mechanical Engg from Regional College of Engg Nagpur where I scored 83%.However, I wish to apply for a good Computer Science course, since I have 4 years of experience as a software engg.I am yet to give TOEFL which is scheduled on 27th june.I dont have any international papers to my name.What all good universities of US can I apply for and what is approximate last date to apply for spring 2010?
By
Anonymous, at 2:13 PM
Mike,
I took the GRE last week and got the exact same score on both sections because I spent too long on the early quant questions. Haha.
Anyway, I'm leaning toward not taking it again because I may only go up like 20-30 points on the Quant and the Verbal is good. When I find out what I got on the writing that will seal it. 5 or above I am not re-taking it.
I'm looking at public administration programs btw.
By
Jeff, at 9:22 PM
I would like to come back to the question about International Students. The GRE verbal is proportionally much harder for ESL students. Anybody any experiences to share?
Thanks for the post about the low 500 score and still a top program. That is encouraging!
By
Anonymous, at 6:36 PM
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