How to Check the Official and Unofficial GRE Scores?

The wait for final results after a high-stakes exam can be agonizing. But not for the GRE! As soon as you finish writing, you will receive an unofficial score estimate. But how exactly does that work? What are these scores? How do you see them? How do they differ from the official ones?

This blog talks about everything you need to know about the GRE unofficial scores, including the calculation methods, the key differences, discrepancies with official scores, and even score cancellation policies. Keep reading to ease your post-exam anxiety and gain valuable insights!

What Is an Unofficial GRE Score?

Upon completing the test (both computer-delivered and paper-based), you’ll be presented with your unofficial scores on screen. These scores include your Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning, but not your Analytical Writing score. Keep in mind that you cannot view these unofficial scores again after you’ve exited the test screen.

While the GRE scores you see at the end of your exam are preliminary and unofficial, you still get a quick review of your performance in the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections. However, due to the more involved grading process, your Analytical Writing scores will only be available on your official score report, which arrives within 10–15 days. 

It’s important to note that these preliminary scores may slightly differ from your final scaled scores on the official report. Nevertheless, in most cases, they will be identical. Once you receive your unofficial score report, you’ll have the option to accept or cancel it. Accepting your scores sends them to your chosen universities.

How Is the Final GRE Score Calculated?

Designed to assess skills crucial for graduate study, the GRE consists of three key sections: Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning. Each section is scored independently, as detailed in the following table.

While the total number of correct answers significantly impacts your GRE scores in Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning, several other factors based on your answering capability also play a role. The GRE’s Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections are scored primarily based on your ability to answer correctly, with the number of correct responses determining your final score. These sections are section-level adaptive, meaning the difficulty of the second subsection adjusts based on your performance in the first.

However, the Analytical Writing section’s essays are scored differently. This adaptive format isn’t applied to this section, where trained human raters and ETS’s e-rater software evaluate your essays. 

If their scores are similar, the average becomes your final score. If they differ, another human rater is assigned, and the final score is the average of the two human raters’ marks.

Unofficial vs Official GRE Scores

Two types of GRE score reports exist. One is yours for personal review, and official reports are sent to institutions you designate. 

Your unofficial report details the following:

• Scores
• Percentile ranks
• Test dates 

Along with these, personal information like gender, date of birth, and intended major. It also shows your cumulative score record from the past five years and reports sent to chosen institutions and fellowship sponsors.

While the standard report you receive contains all your results, the official score report sent to the universities you select has a distinct format. This report highlights key information for admissions, including:

• Your intended graduate major
• Your GRE percentile and individual test scores
• Your contact details (name, phone, email, and address)

Importantly, the official report omits any details about other universities you’ve applied to, the number of GRE attempts you’ve made, or any scores you haven’t chosen to share.

Cancellation and Reinstatement Options

Upon completing the GRE, you’ll be presented with your unofficial scores at the test center. You can then choose to either report these scores to your desired universities or cancel them. It’s important to note that once you report your scores, you cannot retract them later.

If you decide to cancel your scores:

Please note that canceling your GRE scores carries significant consequences.

• Score inaccessibility: Once canceled, your scores will be permanently unavailable for online review or retrieval.
• Partial selection is impossible: You cannot choose to cancel scores for specific sections while reporting others.
• University notification blocked: Universities you designated as score recipients will not receive your canceled scores.
• No refunds are issued: Canceling your scores does not entitle you to a refund for the exam fee.
• Retaking requires registration: To retake the exam after canceling your scores, you must register and pay for a new test date.
• Reinstatement is possible, but costly: ETS offers a one-time opportunity to reinstate your canceled scores within 60 days of your test date but requires a $50 reinstatement fee.

By understanding these consequences, you can make an informed decision about canceling your GRE scores.

If you decide to reinstate your GRE scores:

To reinstate your canceled GRE scores, you can conveniently pay the fee online. This process typically takes around two weeks, after which your scores will be sent to your shortlisted institutions. 

Additionally, you can choose up to four recipients to receive the reinstated scores for free during this period.

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From the Desk of Yocket

These preliminary estimates you receive right after finishing the test offer a quick glimpse of your performance in the Verbal and Quantitative sections. However, due to a more intricate grading process for Analytical Writing, its score arrives 10-15 days later than the official report.

While the unofficial scores are mostly accurate, slight discrepancies with the final version can occur. You have the option to accept or cancel these scores before they’re sent to universities. Hence, breathe easy after your GRE, understand your unofficial scores, and wait patiently for the official report to arrive!