What is considered a good GRE score for CRNA school? Do you wander if your GRE score is good enough to get accepted into a program?
Introduction
I remember the first time I took the GRE exam I felt rushed and not ready because I really needed to get my score in by the CRNA school’s deadline. Needless to say I did not score high enough and had to retake it. But I did get a better score the second try. The funny thing is I did all of that and would later get accepted into a program that didn’t even require the GRE exam.
Read: How To Become A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Even though most CRNA programs say the GRE is just one piece of the puzzle, you still want to do well to be considered a competitive applicant. The earlier you can take the exam the better just in case you have to retake it like I did. And depending on how the CRNA program weighs the results of the GRE exam, it can make or break your chance of getting into the program that you desire.
So, let’s jump in so you can get the score you need to get accepted into a CRNA program. In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into how the GRE exam is structured, what the GRE scores mean, and what score you need to achieve to increase your chance of gaining acceptance to a CRNA school.
GRE exam sections and scores
The overall testing time and GRE exam is about three hours and 45 minutes. There are six sections with a 10 minute break after the third section.
The GRE exam is composed of the following sections:
- Analytical writing: Overview and everything you need to know
- Verbal reasoning: Overview and everything you need to know
- Quantitative reasoning: Overview and everything you need to know
- Unscored: This section does not count towards your total score.
- Research: This section always appears at the end of the test and is not counted in the score. Questions in this section are for research purposes only.
The verbal and quantitative reasoning sections are based on the number of correct responses to the questions. In the analytical writing section, each essay receives a score from at least one trained rater who uses a 6 point scale based on the quality of the essay. Then it is scored by their computerized program.
What is the GRE score out of?
Your GRE total score can range between 130 to 170 with one point increments for the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections. And 0 to 6 in 1/2 point increments for the analytical writing section.
What is considered a good GRE score?
Considering each CRNA program is different, this is a hard question to answer and therefore I have to say it depends.
Again, the admissions committee doesn’t just look at one thing when evaluating applications. They will look at all applicants information including undergraduate GPA, ICU experience, extracurricular activities, leadership, shadowing, CV/ personal statement, etc. when deciding to invite you for a nurse anesthesia school interview.
Furthermore, each nurse anesthesia school receives applications for candidates with different degrees of experience, GRE scores, and academic accolades, etc. Therefore the GRE scores that may be considered great from one school may not be so competitive for another school.
So, in all a good GRE score actually depends on the school you plan to apply to and the strength of the rest of your application.
What school to apply to based on your GRE scores
Most CRNA schools do require the applicants to take the GRE exam. Some schools that require the GRE may not list a benchmark score. Just know that the minimum combined score is 290-300 so you want to aim for higher to be competitive.
And if your GPA is on the lower end, doing well on the GRE may help overcome a low GPA. If the program doesn’t require the GRE it may still serve you well to take it in order to boost your competitiveness.
Final thoughts
Remember, your GRE score is just a part of the application process. However, some programs correlate high GRE scores with successful completion of a CRNA program. Still it’s important to look at your GRE scores when researching which CRNA school to apply to so you maximize your chances of getting an invitation to interview.
P.S. Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts about sticking to monthly themes which will be GRE exams this month. Also be sure to get on the waiting list for the launch of CRNA Chase Academy.
