A few years ago, ETS decided to change the format of the GRE, in turn altering how the exam was scored. To this day, many students are still confused about converting the old GRE scores to the new GRE format.
The old GRE used a score scale of 800, whereas the new only goes up to 170. So, what do these scores mean, and what can we do with the old ones?
Well, in this article, we have compiled all the information you need about the old and new GRE scores. We have also included a chart for converting said scores to the new system.
The Difference Between Old GRE Scores and New GRE Scores
If you took your GRE before August 2011, you may have noticed the scoring system completely changed.
The old GRE General Test used a scoring scale of 200 - 800, whereas the new GRE scale uses 130 - 170. This came into effect for both the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning portion of the test.
The 0 - 6 scoring system for the Analytical, however, was not changed.
Along with changes in how they presented the scores, how the GRE is scored was also altered.
No longer did they calculate the score question-by-question, instead they decided to do it by section.
These days, you will receive separate scores for both the Verbal and Quant section.
It’s been over 5 years since the last GRE was taken in the old format, so all old GRE scores have expired.
You can still get the old GRE scores you got before this period. However, schools will not accept the old format.
GRE Verbal And Quant Score Conversion Charts
In 2017, the official ETS website released an updated version of their conversion charts.
They listed both Verbal and Quant scores, allowing students to compare their old scores to new [1].
Verbal Reasoning Concordance Chart
*The scores below are based on the performance of students who took the test between July 1st, 2013 - June 30th, 2016. The official ETS updates the percentile rank yearly.
| Previous GRE Scale | New GRE Scale | % Rank* |
| 800 | 170 | 99 |
| 790 | 170 | 99 |
| 780 | 170 | 99 |
| 770 | 170 | 99 |
| 760 | 170 | 99 |
| 750 | 169 | 99 |
| 740 | 169 | 99 |
| 730 | 168 | 98 |
| 720 | 168 | 98 |
| 710 | 167 | 97 |
| 700 | 166 | 96 |
| 690 | 165 | 95 |
| 680 | 165 | 95 |
| 670 | 164 | 94 |
| 660 | 164 | 94 |
| 650 | 163 | 92 |
| 640 | 162 | 90 |
| 630 | 162 | 90 |
| 620 | 161 | 87 |
| 610 | 160 | 85 |
| 600 | 160 | 85 |
| 590 | 159 | 81 |
| 580 | 158 | 79 |
| 570 | 158 | 79 |
| 560 | 157 | 74 |
| 550 | 156 | 71 |
| 540 | 156 | 71 |
| 530 | 155 | 67 |
| 520 | 154 | 63 |
| 510 | 154 | 63 |
| 500 | 153 | 59 |
| 490 | 152 | 54 |
| 480 | 152 | 54 |
| 470 | 151 | 50 |
| 460 | 151 | 50 |
| 450 | 150 | 45 |
| 440 | 149 | 41 |
| 430 | 149 | 41 |
| 420 | 148 | 37 |
| 410 | 147 | 33 |
| 400 | 146 | 29 |
| 390 | 146 | 29 |
| 380 | 145 | 25 |
| 370 | 144 | 22 |
| 360 | 143 | 18 |
| 350 | 143 | 18 |
| 340 | 142 | 16 |
| 330 | 141 | 13 |
| 320 | 140 | 10 |
| 310 | 139 | 8 |
| 300 | 138 | 7 |
| 290 | 137 | 5 |
| 280 | 135 | 3 |
| 270 | 134 | 2 |
| 260 | 133 | 1 |
| 250 | 132 | 1 |
| 240 | 131 | 1 |
| 230 | 130 | – |
| 220 | 130 | – |
| 210 | 130 | – |
| 200 | 130 | – |
Quantitative Reasoning Concordance Chart
*The scores below are based on the performance of students who took the test between July 1st, 2013 - June 30th, 2016. The official ETS updates the percentile rank yearly.
| Previous GRE Scale | New GRE Scale | % Rank* |
| 800 | 166 | 92 |
| 790 | 164 | 88 |
| 780 | 163 | 86 |
| 770 | 161 | 80 |
| 760 | 160 | 78 |
| 750 | 159 | 75 |
| 740 | 158 | 71 |
| 730 | 157 | 68 |
| 720 | 156 | 64 |
| 710 | 155 | 60 |
| 700 | 155 | 60 |
| 690 | 154 | 56 |
| 680 | 153 | 52 |
| 670 | 152 | 48 |
| 660 | 152 | 48 |
| 650 | 151 | 45 |
| 640 | 151 | 45 |
| 630 | 150 | 40 |
| 620 | 149 | 37 |
| 610 | 149 | 37 |
| 600 | 148 | 32 |
| 590 | 148 | 32 |
| 580 | 147 | 28 |
| 570 | 147 | 28 |
| 560 | 146 | 25 |
| 550 | 146 | 25 |
| 540 | 145 | 21 |
| 530 | 145 | 21 |
| 520 | 144 | 18 |
| 510 | 144 | 18 |
| 500 | 144 | 18 |
| 490 | 143 | 15 |
| 480 | 143 | 15 |
| 470 | 142 | 12 |
| 460 | 142 | 12 |
| 450 | 141 | 10 |
| 440 | 141 | 10 |
| 430 | 141 | 10 |
| 420 | 140 | 8 |
| 410 | 140 | 8 |
| 400 | 140 | 8 |
| 390 | 139 | 6 |
| 380 | 139 | 6 |
| 370 | 138 | 4 |
| 360 | 138 | 4 |
| 350 | 138 | 4 |
| 340 | 137 | 3 |
| 330 | 137 | 3 |
| 320 | 136 | 2 |
| 310 | 136 | 2 |
| 300 | 136 | 2 |
| 290 | 135 | 2 |
| 280 | 135 | 2 |
| 270 | 134 | 1 |
| 260 | 134 | 1 |
| 250 | 133 | 1 |
| 240 | 133 | 1 |
| 230 | 132 | – |
| 220 | 132 | – |
| 210 | 131 | – |
| 200 | 131 | – |
Problems With The Conversion
There are a few things you should keep in mind when using the above GRE conversion charts.
As you can see, since the old GRE had a total of 61 possible points, and the new GRE only has 41, there are a few overlapping scores [2].
The official ETS website notes that score users should take “special care” when evaluating test-takers who received 800 on the Quant portion of the test.
This is because the old GRE score only converts to 166 in the new GRE instead of 170. The ETS points out that old test-takers received the highest possible score they were able to achieve at that time.
“Scores are reportable for five years following your test date. For example, scores for a test taken on July 3, 2021, are reportable through July 2, 2026.” - ETS
The reason they changed the scoring system for the Quant portion was to make it easier to distinguish the ability of test-takers.
So, there isn’t anything to say that new test-takers who achieve 170 are better than old test-takers who achieved 800.
It’s good to consider the ways in which the test-taking methods changed also.
For example, you weren’t allowed to skip questions and come back to them in the old GRE, unlike the new.
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What Can I Do with the Converted GRE Scores?
If you took the old GRE, you will mainly want to use the conversion charts to see how you would do in the new GRE.
That being said, since the testing method has also changed, the conversion charts may not be the greatest depiction of the scores you would receive currently.
If you’d really like to see how you would do on the current GRE, it would be a good idea to take an official GRE practice test.
You may even find yourself scoring higher since it has been said the Verbal Reasoning section has become slightly easier over the years.
References:
- https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/concordance_information.pdf
- https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide.pdf
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