When we start working with GRE students, they often ask us how many hours they should study for the GRE. Our answers are generally very nuanced (great, GRE vocab word!) and depend on what we know of that student, her work schedule, and her timeline for taking the GRE.
However…
There is some advice that we give over and over. In general, you should plan to study for the GRE between 80 and 160 hours. Here’s our expert advice with considerations for different situations.
How long in advance should I study for the GRE?
We recommend considering your earliest deadline and backing up three to four months. Why that long? It gives you time to study leisurely and integrate your family and work commitments. Moreover, this timeline considers that you will take the test at least twice (which is what we also recommend).
Can you study for the GRE in 30 days?
Of course.
Can you study for the GRE in 1 week?
Sure.
But…
What score do you want to achieve? You can be familiar with the test in 1 week or 1 month, but you will not have done sufficient practice to get a high score. If you don’t care what score you get, then sufficient practice isn’t necessary.
However, if you are applying to a competitive program, want to be considered for scholarships, or haven’t decided where you want to apply yet, you need to get the highest GRE score possible. That means you have to put in the work.
How long should I study for the GRE each session?
Each GRE study session should be no more than 4 hours. Why 4 hours?
Because the test is 4 hours long.
You need to train your brain to focus for 4 hours with a maximum of two 10-minute breaks. Consistent, consecutive study sessions will build this focus naturally. Come test day, you’ll be armed with the concentration necessary to score well on the test.
Besides…4 hours of studying is generally easy to schedule on the weekends. Get up at 8 am and you only have to study until lunchtime. Then, you’re done for the day.
Prefer to study from 1 pm to 5 pm? Ok. Your mornings and evenings are free. No matter what, get that studying done. Here’s how to organize your time:
Four-Hour Study Sessions
Here are some options for how to organize your four-hour study blocks. We recommend completing a comprehensive review with your tutor and/or favorite test prep book BEFORE doing only section practice.
- Quant Review Day: Meet with your tutor or read a book chapter for 2 hours, work problems related to the concept (for example, quadratic equations) for 2 hours
- Verbal Review Day: Meet with your tutor or read a book chapter for 2 hours, work problems related to the concept (for example, text completion questions) for 2 hours
- Quant Practice Day: 2 untimed quant sections + review after each question, 2 timed quant sections + review after entire section, repeat if time left
- Verbal Practice Day: write 2 timed essays + review, 2 untimed verbal sections + review after each question (including definition lookup), 2 timed verbal sections + review after entire section, repeat if time left
- Total Test Practice: write 2 timed essays + review, 1 timed quant section + review after entire section, 1 timed verbal section + review after entire section
Our busiest students don’t have 4 hours to sit down and study. No problem, then do 2 hours.
Check out the GRE test structure from the test maker’s website. You can see there are many combinations of practice that you can do in two hours.
Two-Hour Study Sessions
Here are some options for a two-hour study session:
- Quant Day: 1 untimed quant section + review after each question, 1 timed quant section + review after entire section, repeat
- Verbal Day: write 1 timed essay + review, 1 untimed verbal section + review after each question (including definition lookup), 1 timed verbal section + review after entire section, repeat if time left
- Total Test Practice: write 1 timed essay + review, 1 timed quant section + review after entire section, 1 timed verbal section + review after entire section
One-Hour+ Study Sessions
If you only have about one hour per day to study, you will have to lengthen your timeline for taking the GRE AND be sure to study every day. You may go slightly over one hour depending on how long your review takes.
- Quant Day: 1 untimed quant section + review after each question OR 1 timed quant section + review after entire section
- Verbal Day: write 1 timed essay + review AND 1 untimed verbal section + review after each question (including definition lookup) OR 1 timed verbal section + review after entire section
- Total Test Practice: 1 timed quant section + review after entire section AND 1 timed verbal section + review after entire section
Every once in a while, you will have to take a practice test, which is best done in one sitting (4 hours).
How long should I study for the GRE each week?
The number of days you study for the GRE each week depends on the length of your study sessions (max 4 hours) and how long you have until you take the GRE. We have a few recommended study schedules, but NO MATTER WHAT you need to study on the weekends. Your mind will be more relaxed and you will have more time to deep dive into concepts. Seriously…make sure you study on the weekends.
Also, it is better to study in the mornings after breakfast because your mind will be fresh. Your ability to understand and retain the concepts will be much better than if you study later in the day.
Super Dedicated Study Schedule
- Monday-Thursday: 2 hours
- Friday: Rest (this is important as well!)
- Saturday: 4 hours
- Sunday: 4 hours
Total weekly study time: 16 hours
Typical Study Schedule
- Monday, Wednesday: 2 hours
- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: Rest
- Saturday: 4 hours
- Sunday: 4 hours
Total weekly study time: 12 hours
Long Leisurely Study Schedule
- Saturday: 4 hours
- Sunday: 4 hours
Total weekly study time: 8 hours
Scheduling time to study for the GRE
The best way to schedule time to study for the GRE is to accept that it will be your part-time job for a couple of months.
Imagine…
Just two short months is the gateway to the rest of your life. Dig in for only 8 to 10 weeks and the rest of your life will flower and bloom.
You’ll get that graduate degree that you always wanted.
Or you’ll get a better job.
You’ll earn more money.
Or you’ll transition to an industry you really want to be in.
Are you seriously going to let two months stand between you and leveling up your game? Of course not.
Make it even easier on yourself by doing the following:
- Decide on your weekly study schedule beforehand. See above for ideas.
- Schedule your study sessions. Actually, put them on your calendar.
- Set an alarm for 5 minutes before your session is supposed to begin.
- Set a timer for the length of the lesson. Knowing how much time you have left will keep you focused.
- Tell your friends and family that you are studying for the GRE so they will leave you alone.
Tips to maximize the effectiveness of your study for the GRE
All studying isn’t created equal! Follow these tips to make sure your study sessions actually boost your score and don’t spin your wheels.
1. Take a practice test to establish your baseline (and fear)
Many people just launch into studying without having an overview of the test or knowing where the start line is. Before you start your studying in earnest, take a practice test. Write down the date and score for the quant and verbal so you can track your progress. Don’t use an official GRE for the baseline. Any of these practice tests are fine.
2. Review FIRST!
So many students think just taking and reviewing tests will increase their scores. This is madness! Undertake a comprehensive review of each subject first and practice. Then you can grid out tests with the confidence that you know what you are doing.
If you are working with a tutor or taking a test prep class, just follow along and keep up. They will organize the review for you!
3. Take regular practice tests during your review
Even though you are doing a comprehensive review, you should not get paralyzed in review mode. Many students do. Even 2 to 3 weeks, depending on your test prep timeline, you need to take a practice test.
Regular practice testing will:
- Keep you focused on the time. You don’t have FOREVER to complete the GRE.
- Develop your test-taking strategies. For some students, test-taking strategy is even more important than knowing every concept.
- Help you track your progress. You should see a generally increasing trend in your scores.
- Give you feedback so you can study more, get a tutor, manage your expectations, change your test day, or whatever.
4. Thoroughly review your practice tests
It’s not enough just to take tests…
You need to thoroughly review them!
Too many people just look at the right answer and move on. There is so much information you should be deriving from your practice test review:
- Did you finish the section on time?
- Did you take longer on some questions than others?
- If you took a long time on the question, did you get it right?
- Did you miss the same types of questions or were the mistakes in different categories or levels of difficulty?
- Did you have to skip or guess on any questions?
- How can you adjust your test-taking strategy to increase your score?
After completing this high-level analysis, you should rework every single wrong answer WITHOUT looking at the explanations. If you don’t know how to get started, read enough of the answer explanation only to give you a way in.
5. Do drills
You don’t always have to complete a 30 or 35-minute section. There is a lot of value in doing drills. To do a drill, just complete a specific number of problems in a specific time. Here’s the timing for the GRE:
- Verbal: 10 questions in 15 minutes
- Quant: 10 questions in 17 minutes
Breaking a section up into chunks is a great way to:
a) study/practice a few questions if you don’t have much time
b) stay focused at the end of a long study session
c) check whether you really have a timing issue
You can also consider the timed test sections we write about before as longer drills.
Bottom line: How many hours should I study for the GRE?
In general, you should plan to study for the GRE between 80 and 160 hours. The number of days you study for the GRE each week depends on the length of your study sessions (max 4 hours) and how long you have until you take the GRE. NO MATTER WHAT you need to study on the weekends.
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