How Much do GREs Matter for Graduate School in Planning?

If you are applying to graduate school in planning, how much do GREs matter? Like many things in planning the answer varies with the person and program. Below I provide some general advice.

2 minute read

October 20, 2012, 4:22 PM PDT

By Ann Forsyth


A row of GRE exam study books lined up neatly in a bookstore.

TonelsonProductions / Shutterstock

If you are applying to graduate school in planning, how much do GREs matter? Like many things in planning the answer varies with the person and program. Below I provide some general advice.

  • GREs matter more for those without much work experience, particularly those coming straight from an undergraduate program.
  • They can matter quite a bit in doctoral admissions where the competition is fierce.
  • If English is not your first language it helps to do well in the verbal and analytical sections.
  • GREs are only part of the picture in admissions along with statements of purpose, letters of recommendation, planning-related experience, and undergraduate performance. Admissions committees look at the big picture.
  • This also means that if you have stellar GRE scores but your statement of purpose has little to do with planning and you have no relevant work or volunteer experience then admissions committees will be unlikely to admit you.
  • For those interested in assessing their scores, some schools, such as USC, provide guidelines which can be helpful. However, it is important to remember that most schools, including USC, take a holistic view placing GREs in context.

I have previously provided other advice on getting into graduate school in planning: how to decide if planning is for you, whether to get work experience before you go to grad school, find the right program, understand the basic philosophies underlying graduate education in planning, use social media to find out about schools,  applywrite a statement of purposeobtain letters of reference, assess your undergraduate transcriptsvisit successfully, and decide which offer to take up including how to assess the real costs.


Ann Forsyth

Trained in planning and architecture, Ann Forsyth is a professor of urban planning at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. From 2007-2012 she was a professor of city and regional planning at Cornell.

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living

Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Vancouver Chuck Wolfe

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown

In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

May 24, 2023 - GeekWire

New York MTA subway station

Off-Peak is the New On-Peak

Public transit systems in major U.S. cities are starting to focus on non-rush hour travelers as pre-pandemic commuting patterns shift and transportation needs change.

May 19, 2023 - Curbed

REndering of two-story white supportive housing building converted from a former hmotel

Orange County Motel Converted to Supportive Housing

The renovated building offers 57 housing units and supportive services to people formerly experiencing homelessness.

2 hours ago - The Orange County Register

View of Colorado River from top of Hoover Dam with concrete column on left

The New Colorado River Deal: An Explainer

According to one analyst, the agreement approved by the states doesn’t go nearly far enough to protect the river in the long term.

4 hours ago - The Land Desk

View of cars stuck in gridlocked traffic with traffic lights in background

Research Indicates the Large Potential Benefits of Parking Cash-Out Laws

‘Free’ employee increases driving. Parking cash-out laws reward commuters who use climate-friendly modes, which increases fairness and reduces traffic problems.

6 hours ago - An Assessment of the Expected Impacts of City-Level Parking Cash-Out and Commuter Benefits Ordinances

Write for Planetizen

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.