How Many GRE Questions Can I Miss?

Pick a target GRE scaled score and see the approximate range of mistakes you can afford across both sections.

Target scaled score

To score at least 160 on quant:

Miss 0–6 questions

out of 27 total (12 + 15)

25 (S1, S2) combinations reach your target. Highlighted cells below.

quant Scoring Grid — target 160+

S1 \ S2	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
0	130	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148
1	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149
2	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	143	145	146	147	148	149	150
3	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151
4	136	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154
5	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156
6	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157
7	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157	158
8	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162
9	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164
10	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166
11	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168
12	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168	170

Rows = Section 1 correct (0–12), columns = Section 2 correct (0–15).

Why the distribution of mistakes matters

The GRE uses a two-section adaptive structure: your Section 1 score determines whether Section 2 is easier or harder. The final scaled score depends on how many you get correct and which section difficulty you were routed into — not just the raw count of misses.

Each highlighted cell in the grid above represents a valid (S1 correct, S2 correct) combination that reaches your target. Missing the same number of questions in S1 versus S2 can lead to different scaled scores because of this routing effect.

These estimates are based on published ETS scoring rubrics. Actual scaled scores may differ slightly depending on the specific question set used on test day.

→ Use the GRE Score Calculator to estimate your scaled score from raw section correct counts.

S1 \ S2	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
0	130	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148
1	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149
2	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	143	145	146	147	148	149	150
3	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151
4	136	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154
5	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156
6	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157
7	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157	158
8	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162
9	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164
10	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166
11	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168
12	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168	170

S1 \ S2	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
0	130	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148
1	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149
2	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	143	145	146	147	148	149	150
3	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151
4	136	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154
5	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156
6	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157
7	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157	158
8	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162
9	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164
10	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166
11	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168
12	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168	170

S1 \ S2	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
0	130	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148
1	130	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149
2	130	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	143	145	146	147	148	149	150
3	131	134	136	138	139	141	142	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151
4	136	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154
5	138	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156
6	140	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157
7	141	143	144	145	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	156	157	158
8	146	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162
9	147	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164
10	148	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166
11	149	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168
12	150	151	152	153	154	155	156	157	158	160	161	162	164	166	168	170