How long you should study for the GRE is an important consideration. However, there is no one pat answer. You could be a quantum physicist with a penchant for vocab, one who enjoys spending his or her time solving really convoluted math problems (while penning purple poetry). Clearly this person could cram for the GRE by whipping through the 2nd Edition Official Guide.
On the other hand, there are many who take the GRE for whom English is not a first language. There are others for whom the only thing that comes to mind when they hear π is apple (usually the last time they opened up a textbook on math, bell-bottom jeans were in). Clearly, cramming is not a viable option for them.
Can I cram for the GRE?
If cramming means two to three weeks, then you don’t have to be our aforementioned quantum physicist. For those that are relatively adept at math, you can score well with little preparation. Many of these same people are looking to enter a program that is quant-heavy, so their verbal scores do not need to be very high. A few weeks and they can get the scores they need (and thus focus on other important parts of their applications!).
Regardless of your aptitude you will need to do a couple of practice tests, just to test your mettle. So even if you believe that you are capable of cramming for the GRE, the very nature of the word cramming implies that you are going to sit down and do some serious studying (just not for a very long time).
So yes: you can cram for the GRE, but you better have a pretty good reason: Rhodes scholar, non-competitive programs, major procrastination. Regardless, you should keep in mind the following:
- Free Magoosh e-books (vocabulary, math formulas, and general)
- On-line, paper-based test
- 2nd Edition Official Guide
- Powerprep tests (available on CD that comes with the 2nd Edition).
- For those quasi-cramming: 30-day study plan
- Really cramming: 1-week study plan
That said, I only recommend cramming if you can’t avoid it. And even for the most gifted amongst us, I recommend more than just a lazy Sunday afternoon with the GRE 2nd edition propped open on your lap.
How long SHOULD I study for the GRE?
Again, the answer to this question depends on a lot of factors. But I can give a range: you should study for the GRE for one to six months. Below are some of the factors to consider.
How long have you been out of school?
If you are fresh out of an undergraduate program, you have been around academic jargon and, presumably, you’ve been studying diligently for four or more years. Your brain is most likely pretty sharp. That, of course, is not to denigrate those who’ve been out of school for years. However, when the “study part” of your brain has not gotten a workout for a while, it takes some time to get back into learning word lists, memorizing math formulas, and reading dense passages.
How much do you read (and what do you read)?
I don’t mean to imply that after graduating people become glaze-eyed zombies incapable of fathoming even basic prose. Much to the contrary our adult brains become more adept at sifting through a morass of words and gleaning the overall meaning…if we continue to read diligently. And I don’t mean the last gossip column. Read literary works, essays on current events, or even a best-seller (provided it has some challenging words in it). If you have been reading diligently over the years, it is very likely that you’ve developed a strong sense of how vocabulary works in context. And hence, you will need as much time prepping for the GRE.
Are you a math-y person?
If you are the person everybody turns to when it comes time to figure out the tip on a bill, then you likely very good with numbers. You will likely to be able to navigate the GRE math section without too much prep.
Which program do you hope to get into?
There is a big difference between the state college down the road from your house and a Harvard Ph.D. program. Most likely, your choices will fall somewhere in between. The more competitive the school, the more you will have to prep.
Are you “good” at taking tests?
I’ve tutored standardized tests for a while now. Some of my students seem to have a sense of how the tests are put together and how the answers are meant to trick you. Others are simply good at focusing for four hours at a time. None of this is a bad thing. If you are good at taking tests (scored well on your SATs, AP tests, etc. in high school), you should not have to study for more than a few months.
Are you a non-native English speaker?
Simply put, the GRE verbal is insanely difficult for non-native English speakers. If you fall into this camp, do not despair. You can still do well on the GRE verbal. But you may have to study for six months, or even longer (depending on your answers to the questions above).
Hi Chris
I have been out of school and studies for about 9 years now. My job consumes about 60 hours a week, have a kid to look after, am a non-native English speaker and am out of loop from maths since high school.
Considering the goal of a Neuroscience PhD in an Ivy league; how much time (in months and number of hours to be required per weekday and weekend) do you think will I be requiring to prepare for the GRE from scratch?
Thanks!
Hi Sady,
Well, you’ve come to the right place
. I commend your ambition (I have a little one at home too and know how much more difficult everything becomes 
). My advice is to definitely take it slow at first but be prepared for the long haul. In terms of hours a week, if you could squeeze in between 45 min to an hour a day, 4 days during the week, and about 4 hours scattered over the weekend, you’ll be in a good position. I discourage the weekend cram sessions, since you lose so much week to week.
So let’s see…that works out to about 7-8 hours a week. At this pace, you should target anywhere between 3-6 months. That number depends on how quickly you get back into things after your study respite. Also, your baseline score is important. If you are already in the upper 150′s in both verbal and math, then getting to the mid-160′s (a good spot for an Ivy League Ph.D.) shouldn’t take too long.
Check out our 3-month and our 6-month study plans. These will give you structure and guidance in the beginning–though you can tailor the plans to your needs once you’ve studied for awhile.
http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-plans-and-guides/
Hope that helps, and good luck!
Hi
Thanks a lot for your detailed reply. This might sound dumb, but how can I know my baseline score?
Thanks again and I really appreciate your help.
Sady
Hi Sady,
Not a dumb question at all — I probably should have mentioned that
.
The Official Guide to the GRE by ETS (ETS actually writes the questions you’ll see test day) comes with two practice tests: The Powerprep 2.0 Test I and II.
Take the first test and that score will be very similar to what you’d get if you actually went to a testing center and took the GRE.
Here is a link to the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368818830&sr=1-1&keywords=gre+ets+2013
Good luck!
Hi Chris & Margarette,
i am going to take GRE next week and i wanted to know how many question should i do correctly to get a score of 330+.
thanks in advance..:)
Hi Mitul,
That’s a laudable goal
. To get 330+, you can miss more questions on verbal than on quant, if you are going for a 165/165 split. I’d say you can miss about six questions on verbal and two questions on math and you should end up with a 330+.
Hope that helps, and good luck!
Helli Chris,
I just took the GRE after 1 month of prep (very hard to prep while working). I got 143V and 148Q. I am not happy with my results but retaking the GRE is difficult for me since the test center is very far from my location (I guess this is why I had a bad score, I went for the test after traveling 8 hours to reach the place and I was super tired!!!). I am trying to decide whether I should apply even with this score or should I retake it and how long should I study to improve this score?
Hi Sury,
Just to be on the safe side, I would recommend that you study long enough so that you are comfortable scoring 150+V and 155+Q on an ETS practice test. That way, you can give yourself a little wiggle-room considering the lengthy travel time to the testing center.
To get you started, you should look over our study guides. I’d recommend the 3-month plan, mainly because you have some experience with the test and it is a more sustainable plan than the 6-month plan (which takes an awful amount of commitment).
http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-plans-and-guides/
Don’t hesitate to ask any questions. I definitely want to help you break 300 test day
.
I took the GRE back in January and scored a 330 (163Q, 167V) and 4.5 writing. Do you think retaking it would be at all worthwhile? I’m disappointed mostly with the 4.5, and raising that score seems possible as I took the test on three hours of nervous sleep and had hardly prepared for the AW section (and consequently got steamrolled by the time limit). The rest of my grad school application is of inconsistent strength. At this point, is a higher GRE score (in any section) even feasible, and if so would it be significant to adcoms? (A no to the latter wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker, it’d just mean I’d have to admit I’d be retaking it entirely for my own ego. Which I’m not totally opposed to, as long it wouldn’t be futile. And I’m aware that I may be a gigantic tool for even asking this question.)
Hi D.,
I would definitely retake it
. Even if your other scores tank, you don’t even have to submit them. The key is doing well on your AWA. For competitive programs a 4.5 just doesn’t cut it (esp., as you noted, the rest of your app is inconsistent).
Basically go through the topic pool on Arguments and Issues on the ETS site. Practice brainstorming/outlining, plus actually writing the essay under time conditions. During the process let me know if you have any questions.
As for the V and Q scores, I don’t think scoring even higher would make too much of a difference. That is not to say that a perfect score doesn’t have that wow factor. Still, you are a competitive candidate with your current scores.
I’ve already taken it 15 days ago scored just 301 (V139, Q162). Right now dedicated just for GRE, how soon do you think I should retake the test ?
(I am planning to apply for Fall’13)
Rohit,
That depends on where you hope to score on the verbal section. If you want to score close to 150V that will take awhile of diligent and focused prep. You may want to take a look at our different study plans (I think that the 3-month plan–given you hope to apply in Fall–would probably suit you best).
http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-study-guides-and-plans/
Also, remember to take practice tests (pick up a copy of the 2nd. Edition Official Guide). This book offers 4 tests. Space them out and make sure you are improving and getting closer to the 150-level. It will be tough, but following a study guide should definitely help.
Good luck!
Chris. I take my test Friday. What is the most important things I should remembe for the test?
1. Formulas?
2. Time management strategies?
3. When to skip and when to stop and think of the formula I know for a question?
This is my last post possibly ever. Whatever my score, knowing I didn’t have to take the test. I felt it would have been a great idea to improve my score. Thanks for all the help. I have told people about your site and by telling them, You grade all of the books, and I have told people to just look at your blog. Keep up the good work for a future PHD such as myself. Regards, Craig.
Hi, Craig
Thank you for telling people about the blog!
Here’s some help for:
1. Formulas: http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/gre-math-formulas-cheat-sheet/
2. Time Management Strategies: http://magoosh.com/gre/2012/gre-time-saving-techniques/
http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/5-general-strategies-for-scoring-well-on-the-revised-gre/
As for when to stop vs. skip, evaluate the difficulty of the problem– if it’s a tough, time-consuming problem that requires a lot of steps even after remembering the formula, it might be worth saving until you’re sure you’ll have extra time at the end.
If it’s fairly simple, and knowing the formula is basically the only step to solving it, then I’d say go for it, as long as stopping to think about the formula won’t take you more than a minute.
I hope that helps! Best of luck, let us know how it goes!
Best,
Margarette
Good luck
.
What if you already took it but it’s been 9 months since you studied and haven’t cracked anything open since.
How did you do the first time? If you did okay and you just want to improve your score by a few points, 3 months or so should be sufficient! If you had a terrible time of it during your first try, then it may be worth studying for about 6 months.
Does that help?