Akin to any competitive examination, the Graduate Record Examination or GRE demands extensive preparation before you can master it diligently. So many tend to ponder – “How long will it take to prep for the GRE? Or my cousin spent about two months on his preparation and ended up scoring a 320. Should I do the same?”
Numerous education consultants of eminent GRE coaching online websites like AbroAdvice will give different advice. Some might assert that GRE preparation requires at least 6 months, others say 4 are enough, and yet a few believe that 2 months are more than enough.
Various individuals have different opinions. Quite excruciating and draining, isn’t it? If you are a study abroad aspirant and have a similar question, then reading this comprehensive post is sure to put you miles ahead. We will help you understand the exact time duration you would need to prepare for the exam, lay the groundwork to accomplish your target scores, and ultimately secure admission to your dream grad school.
Let’s dive right in!
Good GRE Score: What is it?
According to a report, 113,304 Indians took the GRE test in June-July in 2022-23. This was followed by 97,676 Americans and 57,769 Chinese. Again, according to the data provided by the ETS, GRE test takers in India have increased from 56,782 in 2012-13 to 114,647 test takers in 2021-22. This was a 63% increase from the year before.
Amidst the cut-throat competition, it becomes crucial to know what a good GRE score is even before delving deep into setting your preparation period. If the words of a study abroad consultant of an eminent website, AbroAdvice.com, are anything to go by, the idea of a good GRE score is completely subjective and completely depends on the universities and courses you apply for. However, it’s always wise to know what you’re up against. On that note, let’s look at some of the GRE cut-offs of the top ten schools in the world –
Universities Accepting GRE Scores | Verbal | Quantitative |
MIT | 158 | 159 |
Stanford | 159 | 158 |
University of California (Berkeley) |
153-156 |
167 |
University of Virginia | 163 | 166 |
University of Michigan | 160 | 167 |
Georgia Institute of Technology |
158 |
167 |
Washington | 156 | 167 |
Texas University, Austin | 155 | 165 |
The University of Chicago | 159 | 168 |
John Hopkins | 159 | 162 |
As we can see, every single university has an average requirement of at least 320. Thus, anything above 320 can be considered an excellent GRE score.
Considering that, let’s evaluate how long it takes, on average, for an aspirant to score 320+ when you are preparing for the exam –
How Long Will You Take to Prep for the GRE?
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Determine the Score You Must be Aiming for
To begin with, conduct extensive research to find out the average GRE scores of the schools you’re interested in. Find the highest scores for both the Verbal and Quantitative segments. Add two points to each of these scores to get your goal scores. This process makes sure that if you meet your score objectives, you’ll be above the acceptable score range for the schools you’re interested in.
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Score a Practice Test
If you haven’t already done so, take a practice exam so that you can determine how you’re currently scoring. Take this test timed and with as few distractions as possible to get the most accurate score.
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Determine How Much You Need to Study
Now, make a comparison of the scores you secured on the practice test with your goal scores. Determine how many points you are away from your milestone. Below, we have presented an estimate of approximately the number of hours you need to study to increase your score by certain points. These figures indicate how much you need to study to raise your score by that many points across both these sections.
Hence, in 40 hours (on average), you could increase your score by 2.5 points across both the Verbal and Quantitative sections.
- 5 points = 40 hours
- 10 points = 80 hours
- 20 points = 160 hours
- 30 points =240 hours
These are rough rules of thumb. Based on your scenarios, you may need more or less time. Further, by making use of these estimates, you can determine how many hours you will need to study.
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Determine How Many Hours You Can Study Every Week
Next, determine the number of hours you can set aside every week to study for the test. Ensure to be realistic when you choose this number. If you overestimate, you could end up being frustrated.
Again, remember, the more hours you can study a week, the fewer overall weeks you will need to study. But don’t think that cramming 40 hours over the weekend will have the same impact as spreading that studying span for over several weeks. If you try to fit a lot in a single day, you’ll become drained and stop retaining information after a certain point.
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Estimate How Long You Need to Study
This is the stage where you determine how long you need to study for the exam. Take the total numbers you need to study and divide it by the time you can study every week. The number you get is the number of weeks you need to study for the exam.
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Incorporate Retake Time
Before you make the final decision, ensure to budget time for retakes. You will need to wait for at least 21 days between two tests. However, on the safe-hand side, give yourself 4 weeks for every retake so you’ll have adequate time to determine where you went wrong and ways to improve. For most students, two retakes are sufficient.
Final Words,
There’s no set time limit to prepare for the GRE. It is based on different factors like the session of your desired course, individual capacity, and other aspects. Hence, it is wise to evaluate everything before beginning your preparation. The aforementioned strategies will offer you a comprehensive idea of when you should begin studying and how long it will take to prepare for the test effectively.
Also, make sure to consider how busy your schedule is, your university deadlines, the time needed to study, and how much you’ve already prepared to fine-tune the time required for preparation. Lastly, develop a study schedule once you’ve determined the time to track your progress and meet your objectives throughout the preparation. Break a leg!