What is a ballpark GRE score for top graduate programs?

<p>For economics, in my case. Schools like MIT, Harvard, Columbia, U Chicago, etc. Thanks.</p>

<p>This may or may not be relevant, but at SAIS, if you get a 710 Q or above, your introductory macro & micro requirement is waived.</p>

<p>I guess I mean like, applying to top colleges an acceptable SAT score was 1400, and 1470+ was considered standard. Are GRE scores similar to SAT scores in that regard? Thanks.</p>

<p>770 quant is a bare minimum... but ideally, for those programs you mentioned you should really have 800. Verbal and writing don't matter as long as they aren't below 500 and 4.0. </p>

<p>Especially for top programs like the ones you mentioned, the GRE score is probably the LEAST relevant part of your application.</p>

<p>So...what is relevant? According to MIT's website, you don't have to be an econ major to go to graduate school for economics. So how does GPA factor in?</p>

<p>What is relevant? After a long time looking into this very question I would say: (from most important to least important)</p>

<ol>
<li> Letters of recommendation</li>
<li> Economic research experience</li>
<li> GPA</li>
<li> Quantitative rigor of your undergraduate coursework</li>
<li> Whether or not you got higher than 770 (or so) on the GRE quant.</li>
</ol>

<p>The thing about the GRE is that if you score 720 or something on the quant section, then your application goes straight to the recycling bin without being read. So in that sense the GRE is important because if your score is <em>bad</em> you just get disqualified right away. If you have 800 though it doesn't really increase your chances, it just makes sure that they read the rest of your application. The vast majority of people who bother applying to MIT or similarly selective schools have GRE scores 780 or higher. The GRE also serves to validate your GPA. If you have a GPA of 3.8 and only manage a 750 on the GRE then they can deduce you either brown-nosed your way through undergrad or you went to an easy school. (Or you had a bad day and bombed the GRE, but were too lazy or disorganized to take it again and submit the new score.)</p>

<p>The reason they say you don't have to be an econ major to go to grad school for economics is that American undergrad econ programs are often very light on math. People who major in physics (and closely related fields) are often better prepared for the math requirements of a Ph.d program in economics than American econ majors.</p>

<p>What exactly do you mean by economic research experience? As in independant studies?</p>

<p>"What exactly do you mean by economic research experience? As in independant studies?"</p>

<p>Perhaps, though I'd rank those at the bottom. Research experiance as in working as a research assistant for a professor and/or co-authoring with them, or, namely, doing publication-quality work.</p>

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am brazilian and i’ve been thinking in some Phd program in USA. I want work with game theory and i am very interested in the phd program of NYU.
Someone knows how much is the average of the GRE for apply in NYU?
What are the best universities who work with game theory in USA?
I need learn one more language except english and portuguese?
How much is the doctoral scholarship in NYU?
Well, i don’t have much information to apply in the USA, then all the help is welcome.
Thanks</p>

<p>I think that 1200+ is generally accepted as the ballpark figure for top graduate programs, although of course which section is more important will vary depending on your program. Since this is economics, your quant score will need to be really high (770+ as someone mentioned, you may be considered with a 750 but anything lower than that probably not)…but depending on the program your verbal score may matter, since economists DO have to write and read a lot and sometimes master other languages.</p>

<p>To the last commenter, NYU says this about their GRE scores:</p>

<p>The GREs typically set out necessary rather than sufficient conditions. We look for strong quantitative skills. We know that the GRE does not test those skills adequately, but if you score below some threshold (say, below 740) you either had a bad day or there is a problem with the mathematics background somewhere. Do we immediately condemn you on those grounds? Not at all, but if you have low GREs you will have to have that much of a stronger application elsewhere to “make up” for it.</p>

<p>and this about funding</p>

<p>NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences provides for full financial aid for every entering Ph.D. student for a minimum of five years (conditional on satisfactory academic performance). Typically, the first 3 years of this financial aid package is pure fellowship, and the remaining 2 years must be spent as a TA or an RA.</p>

<p>“Full financial aid” means tuition, fees, a competitive stipend (in the upper $20K range) and health insurance, as well as a one-time $1,000 start-up fee to help you transition. NYU also offers health insurance and tuition remission for two additional years, so you will actually get those for seven years if you are still working on your dissertation. This is highly unusual and is really good support.</p>

<p><a href=“http://gsas.nyu.edu/docs/CP/769/FAR4Announcement.pdf[/url]”>http://gsas.nyu.edu/docs/CP/769/FAR4Announcement.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thanks Juillet
I am thinking about that.</p>