When Should I Start Studying for the GRE?

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for admission to most Masters or PhD programs. Additionally, it is an acceptable alternative to the LSAT or GMAT for admission to law school or business school, respectively. A great GRE score can help tremendously in putting you at the top of the heap; conversely, a poor score can almost guarantee rejection of your application. Thus, you want to plan and study efficiently, to get that great score. To do this, you may be wondering “When should I start studying for the GRE?”.

In this article, we’ll look at the many factors to consider in deciding when you should start your GRE preparation and the steps you’ll need for crafting an effective GRE study plan. These factors include determining your GRE score goal, taking a practice test to establish your baseline score, and researching your application deadlines. We’ll use these factors to determine when to schedule your GRE and how much prep time you need to be at your peak on test day. In addition, we’ll consider several options for choosing the best GRE study strategy.

Here are the topics we’ll cover:

• How Should I Choose My GRE Test Date?
  • Scheduling Your GRE Test Date
• What’s a Good Start Date for Your GRE Preparation?
  • Determine Your Target Score First
  • Take a GRE Practice Test to Determine Your Baseline Score
  • Estimate How Long You’ll Need to Study
  • Commit to Your Weekly Study Time
  • Create a Schedule and Stick to It
  • How Will You Prepare for the GRE?
  • Try Self-Study
  • Enroll in a Prep Class
  • Hire a Private Tutor
  • Create a GRE Study Group
  • Enroll in an Online GRE Prep Course
• Summary
• What’s Next?

Let’s begin by discussing how to choose your GRE test date.

How Should I Choose My GRE Test Date?

You can’t begin studying for your GRE until you have chosen your test date. Several factors will impact your choice of the best date. You might have demands at school, such as completing a big project or taking finals. Similarly, if you have a full-time job, you might have extra responsibilities at the end of the fiscal year; this stressful time would not be good for taking such an important test. Also, family commitments, such as vacations or holidays, may affect your choice of a test date.

Another factor that will impact your choice of test date is the application deadline for your program. Many universities have a December or January application deadline for a September start for Masters or PhD programs. For example, many top law schools want to see your test scores no later than January. For business school, deadlines for round 1, round 2, and round 3 are generally September 1, January 1, and March 1, respectively. However, some schools have rolling application deadlines. Thus, it is best to research the deadlines of the schools in which you’re interested, in order to obtain accurate information.

In addition to submitting your test score, you must make sure your entire application package is ready by your deadline. Thus, you must make sure that your CV or resume, your letters of recommendation, your personal statement, and other application components are complete. Spend time making sure these are exceptional. Some students find it overwhelming to concentrate on both their applications and studying for the GRE simultaneously. Accordingly, it may be advantageous to complete your GRE studying and take the exam well before the crunch of preparing your application.

TTP PRO TIP:

Know the admissions deadlines for the schools in which you are interested.

Scheduling Your GRE Test Date

There are no limitations in scheduling your GRE test date. Because you can take the exam in person at a test center or online at home, you may schedule the exam for any date or time. Just be sure to take the GRE in time to receive your scores before your application deadline. Official results are available 8-10 days after your test date. However, you might want to build in a cushion of at least several weeks, in case you decide to retake the GRE to improve your score. Note, too, that you must wait 21 days before you can sit for a retake.

With all this said, I recommend that you take your GRE at least 2 months before your application deadline. This gives you ample time to submit your initial scores. Additionally, it gives you time to schedule a retake and even fit in some additional study time. 

TTP PRO TIP:

An optimal GRE test date is at least 2 months before your application deadline.

Now that we know how to choose a test date, let’s discuss how to choose your GRE prep start date.

What’s a Good Start Date for Your GRE Preparation?

It’s critical to begin your GRE preparation at the right time. If you begin studying too early, you might peak well before exam day. Alternatively, if you begin your prep too late, you’ll need to scramble for time and be off-kilter and anxious on test day. So, what is the best time to begin your GRE prep?

Don’t just pick a date at random! A bad guess could be disastrous. Make a fact-based decision, using the following steps.

Determine Your Target Score First

Too often, I encounter students who are clueless about their GRE score goal. Their responses are often “as high as possible” or “high enough to get into MIT or Princeton” (or whatever their dream school is). Yet they don’t know what score they actually need.

You need to determine your GRE score goal. See if your schools specify minimum GRE scores for being considered for admission. If they don’t, look up the GRE scores of students who were recently accepted at the schools you’re interested in. If you can’t find this information online at the school websites, call the admissions offices. Then, once you have the needed information, use the highest score as your target score.

Another compelling reason to determine your target score is to make you competitive for scholarships! Many of them are based either solely or partly on your GRE score. Find out if there is a minimum score for qualifying. Then set your sights well above that minimum score to boost your chances of selection. Notably, a great GRE score could save you tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of dollars!

TTP PRO TIP:

Determining your GRE target score will help make you competitive for both admission to your desired program and for scholarships.

After you establish your score goal, you’ll need to determine your baseline score.

Take a GRE Practice Test to Determine Your Baseline Score

In addition to knowing your target score, you need to establish your baseline GRE score by taking a practice exam. You can get 1 free PowerPrep practice test at the ETS website and purchase 3 additional practice tests. Don’t spend much time studying for this first practice exam. You might want to learn the types of questions you can expect to encounter on the GRE. Then, download the PowerPrep Preview Tool, also free from ETS, which will give you some excellent GRE practice questions.

After you take the practice test and receive your baseline score, compare it to your target score. The difference between these 2 scores will give you an idea of how much studying you’ll need in the months to come.

TTP PRO TIP:

Establish your GRE baseline score by taking a practice test from ETS.

Estimate How Long You’ll Need to Study

After comparing your scores, you’ll have an idea of how many points you want to raise your baseline score to reach your target score during your GRE preparation. Use the information in the chart below as a rough estimate of the number of hours you’ll need for your prep. Note that we assume that you study 15 hours per week; this leads to the calculation of the number of months in the “Approximate Time Required” column.

These numbers are very rough estimates! Your unique situation will determine how long to study for the GRE. For example, you could have a high aptitude for learning the material tested on the GRE. Or you could find more than 15 hours each week to devote to studying. Consequently, the number of months needed to finish your preparation would be reduced.

Alternately, if you don’t have the natural aptitude or the ability to commit 15 or more hours each week to studying, you might need longer than the number of months given in the chart. Just keep in mind that this is only a temporary disruption in your life, so it’s important to see the big picture and commit as much time as you can. 

TTP PRO TIP:

Determine the approximate number of months you will need to study, based on your baseline score and the score increase you need.

You can learn more about how long to study in this article.

Commit to Your Weekly Study Time

Your life is busy. You have demands from school, work, family, and friends. So, you might wonder how you’ll be able to find the time to effectively study for the GRE. See the big picture. If you study hard and earn a great GRE score, you’ll have your choice of schools. Graduating from your dream school will open up so many doors for you. You’ll have a competitive advantage in getting a great job after graduation. Whether that job is in business, law, or academia, you’ll have a solid credential attached to your name. Thus, every hour you spend studying is an investment in the rest of your life!

TTP PRO TIP:

Studying to get a great GRE score is an investment in your future.

Commit to your GRE studying in the same way that elite athletes approach practice. We all know that we don’t immediately master kicking a 30-yard field goal or performing a cartwheel on the first try. Likewise, we might not master units digit patterns immediately upon studying them. It takes consistent effort and practice.

If at all possible, commit to studying for the GRE at least 15 hours each week. Most GRE tutors and professionals consider 15 hours to be a minimum. That number is enough to ensure that you can learn and retain information, but it is not so excessive as to exhaust you. If you can find more time, so much the better!

Remember, your GRE prep will last just a few months. If you get down on occasion, tell yourself that it’s just for a few months. Then, remind yourself of the potential payoff of getting that great score!

Commit to studying for the GRE at least 15 hours each week.

Create a Schedule and Stick to It

You have already determined your GRE test date: 2 months before your application deadline. In addition, you have approximated the number of months you’ll need to commit to your GRE prep. So, now it’s time to put the pedal to the metal and get started!

You might find that using an actual calendar, either digital or paper, is useful in reminding you of your scheduled study times. It’s a visual reminder of the commitment you have made to yourself (and others), and it tends to hold you accountable.

Do whatever you must to study during your scheduled sessions. Don’t cheat! Don’t rationalize by saying that you can skip a session and make it up later. We all know that later has a way of not happening. Adopt the mindset that you have as much responsibility to do your GRE studying as you would to get to class or work on time.

TTP PRO TIP:

Many students find that using a calendar to remind them of their GRE study sessions helps hold them accountable.

Let’s now discuss your options for preparing for the GRE.

How Will You Prepare for the GRE?

Your planning is done. You’ve established your baseline and target GRE scores, you’ve selected your test date, you have a study schedule, and it’s time to start your preparation.

How to start? Should you buy a GRE study book and start solving random problems? Do you get your College Algebra textbook out of your closet and start reviewing? Do you do internet searches for “four-month GRE prep timeline” or “how to study for the GRE?” to get an idea of what topics to study and how much time to devote to each?

There are many solid approaches you can take for your GRE preparation, and you must carefully decide which one(s) will work best for you. Fortunately, you have many do-able options, from joining a study group to enrolling in an online course. Let’s look at some of your options now.

TTP PRO TIP:

Before starting your prep, discover which study method(s) will work best for you.

Try Self-Study

Many students find GRE self-study to work well. Self-study requires both motivation and self-discipline, both of which you probably developed during your undergraduate days. You could search the internet for some structured study plans, making sure that they include coverage of all the Quant and Verbal topics covered on the GRE. Then you could find GRE prep books to provide information and practice problems. To supplement the material, you could watch videos and read blogs.

There are some drawbacks to self-study. First, you must understand that you are solely responsible for keeping yourself on track and motivated. Second, you must be able to teach yourself concepts and techniques that are new or unfamiliar to you. Third, you must spend several months studying by yourself, with no one to help, support, or commiserate with. However, if you have the wherewithal to deal with these issues, self-study can be an effective, low-cost way to study on your own terms.

TTP PRO TIP:

Self-study is an excellent way for self-motivated students to prepare for the GRE.

Enroll in a Prep Class

Another study option is to enroll in an online or in-person prep class. A GRE prep class has many benefits. First, you are “forced” to keep on track because of the class schedule. Additionally, you’ll cover some topics that you’d probably choose to skip or gloss over if you were self-studying. A big plus is your instructor, who can teach tough concepts or clear up points of confusion. Additionally, you’ll be taking the class with other students in the same boat, and you might even find a study buddy. Finally, you’ll be held accountable for completing homework, which will help you keep on track.

Taking a GRE prep class has a few drawbacks. First, you must attend class according to an arbitrary schedule that might not always be optimal for you. Second, you’ll follow a somewhat-rigid schedule of topics, so your instructor will probably not be able to change the pace of what is taught, based on your individual strengths and weaknesses.

KEY FACT:

A GRE prep class provides structure and coverage of the right topics, but it will not be personalized to your unique needs.

Hire a Private Tutor

It’s quite possible that hiring a private tutor can be the answer to your study needs, especially if your time is valuable. A good GRE tutor will be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses quickly and will design each session to meet your specific needs, so there will be no wasted time. Also, regular sessions with your tutor will keep you on track with your preparation schedule. And, if your energy flags on occasion, your tutor may act as your cheerleader and coach to keep you moving forward. A big plus is that a tutor can pinpoint exactly where you need additional study and practice and can help you overcome learning hurdles.

GRE tutoring doesn’t come cheap. But if time is more valuable than money to you, then private tutoring could be a perfect solution for you.

KEY FACT:

If your time is valuable and in short supply, hiring a private tutor is a viable study option.

Create a GRE Study Group 

If you are the gregarious type, then you can get the best of both worlds—studying and spending time with friends—by participating in a GRE study group. Perhaps you have a friend or two planning to take the GRE around the same time as you. Get with them to set a mutually agreeable meeting time and place. Additionally, you’ll want to create a syllabus, agree on which GRE prep materials to use, and set a few ground rules.

Then, hold study sessions as agreed upon. Keep the group’s commitment to its goals and its study schedule. Everyone can benefit from both the studying and the camaraderie of the study group, as long as everyone stays the course.

TTP PRO TIP:

Forming a GRE study group can be an effective means of both studying and socializing.

Enroll in an Online GRE Prep Course

Another way to prepare for the GRE is to enroll in an online GRE prep course. Some features of a good prep course are that it:

• provides you with an all-encompassing study plan
• automatically tracks your progress through the course material
• Includes only the material that you need to know to do well on the GRE
• provides error logs that tell you which questions you struggle with and why you miss them
• supplies bonus features, such as equation guides and GRE flashcards for vocabulary and math equations
• presents you with useful test strategies

You have many online GRE prep courses from which to choose. so you should try a few free or low-cost trials to find the one that works best for you. For example, the Target Test Prep GRE course offers a free 5-day trial.

TTP PRO TIP:

An online GRE prep course may be your best study option.

Summary

In this article, we have focused on considerations for planning your GRE preparation.

You first must determine when you take your GRE, based on your desired schools’ application deadline(s). Then, set your GRE test date by backing up about 2 months. This allows time to get your test results, and it builds in a cushion in case you want to retake the test.

Once you know your test date, you can start planning your GRE studying by doing the following:

• Determine your target score. Research the schools that interest you and find out the GRE score that will give you a good chance of being accepted.
• Take a practice GRE test to determine your baseline score.
• Compare your target score and baseline scores to calculate how many points you need to improve your score. Approximate how much time you’ll need to study to reach your target score.
• Decide how many hours you can commit each week to preparing for your GRE. The recommended minimum is 15 hours.
• Create a study schedule and hold yourself accountable for it.

Next, decide which preparation method you’ll use. These include the following:

• self-study
• prep class
• private tutor
• GRE study group
• online GRE prep course

Each of these methods has advantages and drawbacks. Choose the one that will work for you!

What’s Next?

If you’re aiming for a GRE test score in the stratosphere, or if you just want to learn some GRE study tips and test strategies for getting your best score possible, read our article about how to aim for a 330 score on the GRE

Good luck and happy studying!

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