What is a good GRE score?

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vivace
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 3:10 pm

What is a good GRE score?

Post by vivace » Fri May 19, 2006 3:17 pm

Hi everyone, I am new here. I just finished my junior year as a physics major and am planning to take the Physics GREs in November. I'm doing an REU this summer at a great university and I also have been doing research at school since freshman year, including one publication. I have just begun studying so I don't know much about the exam. What is a considered a good score on the exam if I'm trying to get into the top 10 physics graduate programs? 900 and above? Also, do you have any recommendations for study books for thermo and/or particle physics? I have not taken statistical and thermal physics or nuclear physics yet, so I need to learn these subjects on my own.

Thanks a bunch!

Relativist
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 3:58 pm

Post by Relativist » Sat May 20, 2006 12:04 am

I would suggest checking the web sites in each school. Some do list the average score for admitted students - I'd shoot for the average, and hopefully higher.

tleilax
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Dec 10, 2005 2:56 pm

Post by tleilax » Mon Jun 19, 2006 11:49 pm

There is an old thread which addresses this question...

The way I understand it, what a "good score" is depends a lot on whether you are a domestic or international student. I think it would be hard to get into a top 10 program with a GRE score of less than 950 or so if you are an international, though as I am not international I can't really say (anyone who knows internationals who have gotten in with lower scores, feel free to contradict me). What I can say is that as an American with a GRE of 830 (83rd percentile) I was accepted to two top 5 programs. I could be an atypical case though.



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