Before I go into any details regarding the GRE scores required by Stanford University, I must stress that nearly all top universities say that there is no ideal GRE score to get into their programs. This is a relief for most students, especially those who do not have a very high GRE score. However, at the same time, most top programs, like those at Stanford, list the average GRE scores of successful applicants. And to our chagrin, those are very high.
Hence, it is improbable that someone with low GRE scores will quickly get in that easily.
Stanford is nearly every applicant’s dream school. To get into Stanford, you require a good GRE score, but you also need a stellar profile. For example, you can persuade the admissions panel by showing that you would be a valuable addition to the school. You can do that through multiple ways; research, publications, relevant work experience, and significant social work, etc. are to name a few.
“You have to woo them. High GRE scores allow you the freedom to express yourself in the application. It gives you a solid basis to talk and tell the people at the other end what exactly you are capable of.” – says Stanford’s admissions.
In most cases, an average GRE score will not be enough to get into Stanford. For example, the average GRE scores for Engineering at Stanford are 167 quant, 161 verbal, and 4.5 writing. Someone with a 160 on quant will most likely have to work extremely hard on presenting themselves through their application.
We have tried collecting data by requesting programs at Stanford to share the average GRE scores for successful students. Some programs shared it while some did not. For those that did not, we selected a sample of students currently studying at Stanford. Then we contacted them and used their scores to estimate the average GRE scores at Stanford.
Of course, this is not perfect, but it will give you a good idea of where you should be targeting.
| Program | Rank | Average GRE Quant Scores for Stanford | Average GRE Verbal Scores for Stanford | Average GRE AWA Scores for Stanford |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Biological & Biomedical Sciences | 1 | 160 | 160 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Chemistry | 4 | 159 | 155 | 4 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Computer and Information Sciences | 1 | 166 | 157 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Earth, Atmospheric and Marine Sciences | 4 | 156 | 156 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Mathematical Sciences | 2 | 165 | 158 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Physics and Astronomy | 1 | 167 | 164 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Economics | 5 | 161 | 156 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Political Science | 2 | 155 | 160 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Psychology | 1 | 156 | 159 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford Sociology | 4 | 150 | 154 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford ARTS AND HUMANITIES | 36 | 151 | 158 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford English Language and Literature | 2 | 153 | 161 | 5 |
| Average GRE Scores for Stanford History | 4 | 150 | 158 | 5 |
How to get to your target score?
Before I give you tips on preparing for GRE, I must emphasize that even a perfect 340 on the GRE is no guarantee to get into Stanford. Keep in mind that the admissions panel wants students who can deal with the unimaginable stress at Stanford. You merely need to prove that you have what it takes to tackle all those hurdles. Getting an average GRE score will not help you much since GRE is a tough and stressful exam – not doing well on the GRE gives the wrong gist.
Just make sure that while preparing for the GRE, you give yourself enough time to work on your weaknesses. Moreover, make full use of useful resources such as the GRE official guides.
Do I have a chance of getting into Stanford?
Every student asks us this question. Well, I can’t tell you what your chances are by merely looking at your GRE scores. As I said earlier as well, many other factors come into play. But my advice is to work hard and ensure you prove your mettle in every area and facet of life. Try to look at the student profiles of successful Stanford applicants and look at forums where students share their experiences. Eventually, you will prevail if you are motivated enough to make it to these top schools. Good Luck!
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