Stanford University is a world-renowned university in California, US and well known for its research and academic excellence. Its ranking is among the top universities in the world. If you are seeking admission to this University, it’s going to be a challenging task. Not only is their international student acceptance rate is as low as 5%, the GRE scores required to qualify for admission also are very high.
Stanford University is renowned for its Graduate program in Business, Economics, Engineering, Medicals, Political Science and Education programs are known all over the world. Getting into the world’s best colleges like Stanford is not a cakewalk. If you have reached the necessary GPA and you are planning to apply for this reputed US University, be aware that an average GRE score is off the radar. That means a 153 in Math’s and a 150 in Verbal in the GRE result, isn’t going to do very much to help your application.
You can improve your chances of getting into this elite University by getting a high GRE score. You would also need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort on the other components of the application. Stanford’s graduate programs are all ranked in the list of top 5 in the whole world. You would require a highly competitive score to be able to get into fields like computer science, engineering,physics, mathematics,and chemistry. Other areas like education and psychology would require a lower average quantitative score.
A Good GRE scorecard for Stanford
Although Stanford University’s official website does not mention a minimum GPA for its programs, you need to have the upper hand with at least a 3.7 GPA and above. You don’t have a standard average GRE score as it differs based on the choice of your program. The average scores range from 158 to 166 for Verbal, and 157 to 168 for Quant.
STEM programs at Stanford have high average Quant scores than the Verbal scores, while other programs require higher average Verbal scores. Below is a list of the required GRE scores for different applications at Stanford.
| Graduate Program | Average GRE Quant Score | Average GRE Verbal Score | GRE Scores Required |
| Business | 165 | 165 | GMAT or GRE required |
| Computer Science (Masters) | 166 | 162 | Yes |
| Computer Science (Ph.D.) | 168 | 165 | Yes |
| Engineering (Masters) | 167 | 159 | Yes |
| Engineering (Ph.D.) | 167 | 161 | Yes |
| PA Studies (Masters) | 159 | 158 | Yes |
| Political Science (Ph.D.) | 163 | 166 | Yes |
| Statistics (Ph.D.) | 166 | 159 | Yes |
| Economics (Ph.D.) | 168 | Not stated | Yes |
| Education (Masters) | 157 | 160 | Yes |
| Education (Ph.D.) | 160 | 161 | Yes |
| Biology (Ph.D.) | Optional |
You can understand from this list that the GRE scores required for various programs at Stanford are very high as compared to other universities offering graduate programs. The national average for test takers is 150 score in Verbal category and 153 in Quantitative category. Accordingly, you should aim significantly higher than that if you are planning to get into Stanford.
If you wish to apply for a particular program, try to find the average GRE scores for that program from the chart above. Set your GRE test score as per the requirement and aim to get higher than the standard. Not all programmes have their GRE eligible scores listed here. Try to look for that information on the University’s website and set your target.
You should be aware of the average GRE score for the Stanford program you want to apply to at Stanford. However, the GRE result alone is not the key to get into Stanford.
You need to develop a robust application in all areas of your application for admission because top GRE scores will not be enough to get you admitted to Stanford. If the other areas of your application are not in place, prepare your application thoroughly, focusing on all areas like your essay, research work, and your work experience.
