I scored 161 in Quant and 145 in Verbal on the GRE. Is a retake worth it?

Question

Aarushi S · Accepted Answer

A 145 in Verbal raises a flag, even if the Quant score is solid. Many schools won&rsquo;t reject based on Verbal alone, but it could hurt in borderline decisions or scholarship reviews.
&bull; Programs with writing, essays, or discussions may view a 145 as too low for academic readiness &bull; Even mid-ranked schools often prefer at least 150+ in Verbal to feel confident about a student&rsquo;s reading and reasoning &bull; If undergrad grades and TOEFL/IELTS are strong, that helps&mdash;but a GRE Verbal boost can still tip things in your favor &bull; A retake makes sense if there&rsquo;s at least 3&ndash;4 weeks available, especially if the goal is MIM, MBA, or MS programs with verbal-heavy coursework &bull; Focused daily prep with ETS materials and verbal-specific tools can improve scores by 5&ndash;8 points with consistent effort
If the rest of the profile is strong, a better Verbal score can make the whole application look more balanced and ready.

Mansih K · Answer

A GRE score with 161 in Quant and 145 in Verbal might hold back applications to competitive programs, especially if Verbal is below the 30th percentile. Retaking the GRE is worth it if targeting a 320+ score or aiming for top business, public policy, or data science programs.
A low Verbal score can raise concerns about communication and critical reasoning skills, especially if applying to programs taught in English. Many universities look for a balanced score&mdash;even a Verbal in the 150&ndash;155 range paired with strong Quant can make a big difference.
If there's still 4&ndash;6 weeks before deadlines, focusing on Verbal through structured platforms like GregMat or Magoosh, and retaking the test, can be a smart investment.