GRE Score for Different Schools and Programs at Harvard

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Samarpita Goswami
Updated on Jun 30, 2022 10:47 AM IST

GRE scores at Harvard are optional for most of the courses for the 2022-23 academic year. However, there is no question that it always gives an edge in the application process. Scroll through to check out the GRE cutoff for Harvard.

GRE Score for Different Schools and Programs at Harvard

Harvard GRE Scores: There are no two ways about it Harvard is one of the most competitive universities in the world. So, to measure up to Harvards expectations for Masters (MS), your GRE scores can make a big difference.

Harvard University GRE scores are not fixed by the university admission committee. What is also notable here is that GRE scores are not the only criteria for admission to Masters. A competitive school like Harvard does not only rely on GRE scores but gives equal weightage to essays, LORs and interviews.

Before finding out the GRE scores required for Harvard University, students must know that although recommended, GRE scores are optional for the academic year 2022-23. That said, with its record-low 3.1% acceptance rate for the Harvard Class of 2026, it is clear that gaining admission to the university can become significantly difficult without a good GRE score. Here, let us delve deeper into the popular MS programs at Harvard and their GRE cutoff.

Popular MS Courses at Harvard University

The courses at Harvard University are life-changing and create unique learning and leadership opportunities. Students emerge as pre-eminent scholars and influential leaders due to the practical and transformative education policies at Harvard.

Some of the popular MS courses at Harvard University that students from across the world compete to study are given in the table below:

MS Courses

US News University Subject Rankings 2022

Biology and Biochemistry

2

Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology

1

Cell Biology

1

Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems

1

Computer Science

14

Optics

1

Psychiatry/Psychology

1

Social Sciences and Public Health

1

Mathematics

7

Molecular Biology and Genetics

1

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Harvard GRE Scores for Different Schools

Harvard GRE scores for different Harvard Schools vary. It also depends on the course opted for by students. Let us have a quick glance at the GRE scores for different schools of Harvard University:

Harvard School

Average Quant Score

Average Verbal Score

Analytical Writing Score

School of Engineering and Applied Science

167

163

4.5

School of Education

157

158

4.0

Law School

162

161

4.5

School of Design

159

158

4.0

Business School

166

162

5.0

Harvard Kennedy School

160

163

4.5

What is Harvards Average GRE Score?

It is difficult to aim for a particular Harvard GRE score because it varies across schools and disciplines. It is advised that students target the 85th percentile for GRE Quant section andGRE Verbal sections. Even the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) average scores are also high. Here in the following table, you will get an idea of the average Harvard GRE score:

Harvard Course

GRE Quant Score

GRE Verbal Score

GRE AWA Score

MBA

167

163

5.0

Design Engineering

168

162

5.0

Data Science

168

161

4.5

Landscape Architecture in Urban Design

160

156

4.5

Biotechnology

164

162

5.0

Architecture in Urban Design

159

158

4.0

Computational Science and Engineering

167

162

4.5

Architecture

159

157

4.0

Urban Planning and Public Policy

158

157

4.5

Education

156

159

4.0

Urban Planning and Public Administration

159

157

4.0

Health Care Management

159

157

4.5

Public Health

160

157

5.0

Public Administration

160

162

4.5

Public Administration in International Development

159

164

5.0

Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations

155

162

4.5

South Asian Studies

155

162

4.5

Performance Practice

156

161

4.5

Note: These are estimated GRE scores calculated from previous years. For the 2022-23 academic year, submission of the GRE scores at Harvard is optional or not required at all.

How Important are GRE Scores in Harvard Applications?

In spite of the fact that minimum GRE scores are not mentioned in Harvard applications, it is necessary that students assume its extreme importance in the MS application process. The acceptance rates at Harvard are among the lowest and every academic year, it scrutinises and selects the best of the best applicants.

  • As mentioned before,GRE scores are an important determining factor for admission. However, it should also be noted that it is one of the many criteria. So, equal weightage should be put on every component of the application process.

  • Bad GRE scores do not disqualify students from getting admission to Harvard. However, extremely low scores may lead to rejection. As per the university website, Masters at Harvard can be challenging but successful applicants with lower GRE scores have presented evidence of academic ability in other areas of the application.

  • GRE scores can aggravate chances of getting a scholarship which is a major source to fund education at Harvard.

What are Your Chances of Admission to Harvard?

To analyse the chances of admission to Harvard, it is first necessary to understand what are the factors on which admission to a graduate program at the university depends:

  • GRE Scores: The GRE scores need to be in the top bracket for admission to Harvard with 165 on quant, 160 on verbal and 5.0 in the writing section. It is necessary to target a high verbal and quant score. The AWA score, on the other hand, helps to differentiate students with the same verbal and quant scores. Notably, high Quant scores on the GRE are required for programs that are based on Mathematics to a significant extent. So, students must target to get 166-167 in that section.

  • GPA: Harvard also evaluates candidates on the basis of their past academic record or Grade Point Average (GPA). So, a high GPA score of 3.8 or above, on a scale of 4.0 is crucial to studying MS at Harvard.

  • Other Aspects: Apart from high GRE scores and a high GPA, students have to cater to the other aspects of the admission too. Besides GRE scores and GPAs, a well-written statement of purpose (SOP), Letters of Recommendation (LORs), Demonstration of English Proficiency, research experiences and participation in extracurricular activities will also have a significant impact on your application process.

It is essential to make every part of the application strong. Students must make a diligent effort in every part of the application to present their candidature strongly in front of the department of their choice.

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FAQs

Does Harvard require GRE for masters?

Harvard University may or may not require GRE for masters as it depends on the course or program you are choosing. The courses at Harvard may provide any one of the three instructions for GRE scores:

  • GRE scores are required and you must submit the scores.

  • GRE scores are optional. You may or may not submit the GRE scores.

  • GRE scores are not accepted. In these courses, GRE scores will not be reviewed at all.

What is the GRE cutoff score for MS at Harvard?

The GRE cutoff score for MS at Harvard range between 160-164 in quantitative reasoning and between 158-162 in the verbal section. The GRE analytical writing assessment scores for MS at Harvard range from 4.5 to 5. However, one must note that the GRE cutoff scores are not the same for all MS programs. 

What are the GRE cutoff scores for Harvard Kennedy School?

Harvard Kennedy School’s GRE cutoff scores are 160 for quant, 163 for verbal and 4.5 for analytical writing. The school itself does not propose any minimum GRE scores, however, after analysing the performance of the previous batches, these scores have been estimated. One must follow the same in order to target admission to Harvard Kennedy School.

What are the GRE cut off scores required for Harvard Business School?

The GRE cut off scores that are required for Harvard Business School are 166 in the quantitative section, 162 in the verbal section and 5.0 in the analytical writing assessment. Here, one should target for a higher quant score than a verbal score as business courses are mostly based on mathematics.

What are the GRE cut off scores for Harvard Graduate School of Education?

The GRE cut-off scores for Harvard Graduate School of Education are 157 in the quant section, 158 in the verbal section and 4.0 in the AWA section. As you can see, the GRE score requirement at Harvard School of Education is comparatively lower than that of other schools but students must try to get more than the cut-off score for easy consideration for the selected program.

What are the GRE cut-off scores for Harvard Law School?

A score of 161 in the quantitative section and 162 in the verbal section are the GRE cut-off scores for Harvard Law School. In addition, a score of 5.5 is required in the GRE analytical writing assessment section to get into the school. GRE scores for the law course form an integral part of the application as only 7% of the applicants finally get accepted for the course.

What are GRE cutoff scores required for Harvard Computer Science?

The GRE cutoff scores required for Harvard Computer science are 155-159 in the verbal section and 161-165 in the quant section. The quant scores are higher for computer science than the verbal score. That said, students should target the same high GRE score for both these crucial sections which will determine their admission.

What is the GRE cut off score for Harvard MPH?

The Harvard Masters of Public Health cutoff for the GRE quantitative section is 160, 157 for the verbal section and 5.0 for AWA. The school has started accepting GRE scores again after it had stalled it in the admission cycle of 2021-22. Therefore, it is crucial that students focus on getting high scores on GRE to get admission to the Masters of Public Health at Harvard.

What Harvard GRE cut off scores for PhD in Physics are required?

The GRE cutoff score for PhD in Physics at Harvard is extremely high with 167 being the quant cut off score and 161 being the verbal cut off score. The competition is extremely high for doctorate degrees in Physics and students should prepare well in advance to score well on GRE.

What is the Harvard GRE cut off scores for Psychology?

The GRE cutoff score for Psychology at Harvard is between 161-165 in verbal and 155-159 in the quant section. The GRE General scores are optional which means that students can submit them if they wish to. In order to cope with the high competition, it is necessary that students submit their GRE scores. 

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