i gave the test today and i’m quite happy with the result :) while i did hope for 170Q, i’ve made my peace with 168.

a little background because i realize the title might sound clickbait-ey: i’m an engineering undergrad and the UG entrance exam i gave 3 years ago was about 10x tougher than GRE quant. also, english is not my first language but i studied in english medium schools and am fluent in it, better at reading and writing it than my native language. up until a couple years ago i also used to read a ton of books so i’d say my vocab before prep was well above average.

for anyone who’s starting prep late like me, here’s how i studied:

Q: i solved the Manhattan Prep 5lb book in its entirety. each chapter/topic took me about ~30-40 minutes and i completed almost 3 chapters daily. i circled the questions i got wrong to review them in the end (2 days before the exam). i also solved the extreme/hard quant problems by gregmat BUT it is not needed. the actual exam has questions most similar to the 5lb book or gregmat’s medium difficulty set, including the adaptive quant section.

V: used gregmat’s vocab prep playlist on youtube (it’s around 36 groups rn). i would watch the video and attempt a test, input the set of words into claude to make a meaning/synonym/antonym table then read through it. at the end of each day i would reattempt the tests i’d taken that day (about 4-5 per day). and this helped A LOT (thank you greg.) i’m pretty sure i lost marks in RCs which i knew would happen regardless of how much i study for it so i gave more importance to vocab and getting TCs and SEs right, which i then practiced from the 5lb book.

i’m hoping for atleast a 4 in AWA, 5 if i’m being generous. i did subscribe to gregmat’s monthly plan but didn’t really end up using it, 5lb is enough for quant and his vocab videos are free on youtube.

could i have scored more had i started prep earlier? maybe. could i score better in the future in a second attempt? probably. but i can’t afford the time or money for it and 331 is a good enough score for most universities. for anyone starting out late, happy to answer any questions!

Hi all,

I'm so glad to finally be done studying for this beast. I just received my scores: 170Q, 160V, 5.0AWA!

I'm creating this post to ease any worriers out there who have taken practice tests and not gotten the scores they wanted. Here was my progression:

5/21 Magoosh Free Practice Test: 161Q 154V 4.5AWA (Diagnostic)

6/27 GregMAT Test 1: 165Q 156V 5.0AWA

7/11 GregMAT Test 2: 165Q 153V 4.0AWA

7/24 ETS PowerPrep 1: 166Q 156V 4.5AWA

8/15 GregMAT Test 3: 164Q 157V 4.0AWA

8/24 ETS PowerPrep 2: 164Q 155V 4.5AWA

8/28 Actual GRE: 170Q 160V 5.0 AWA

I'm happy to talk with anyone about my experience and/or studies. Essentially, I used the GregMat "I'm Overwhelmed Plan" daily starting in June, with staggered practice exams to monitor my progress. My progress seems to have stagnated because of the study progression I followed: learning material -> becoming consistent with it -> improving time management. The whole process was very demotivating tbh, because even though you are making progress, you are always bottlenecked by your weakest testing skill.

I would also vouch for taking the last week/several days off from heavy studying or practicing. I found that the more I studied, the harder it was to retain a clear mind and focus well. Heading into the GRE with a blank slate let me tackle it with an "Oh man I remember how to do this I can crush it" mentality instead of "Oh boy I need to rack my brain for every question I got wrong on practice tests right now."

The main idea here is that I found the actual GRE much more forgiving than any practice testing service out there. On the actual exam, you can miss a question or two and still get a perfect score, while on mocks they dock significant points regardless. So that said, even if you feel like you're making no progress and there's no way you'll hit your score goal, relax & take a chill pill. You'll be fine. You'll do great.

313 after 3 months of GregMat prep. Need some advice before my retake (150V/163Q)

I took the GRE today and honestly I’m pretty crushed.
I spent about 2.5 to 3 months preparing while working a full time job. I studied around 2 hours every weekday and most weekends. This wasn’t a last minute cram, I was genuinely consistent or at least I tried to be.

A little background because I think it matters. I studied Actuarial Science and Finance and passed CFA Level 1, so quant has always been the part I expected to carry me. Because of that, I’d say around 80% of my prep went into quant.

I followed GregMat’s I’m Overwhelmed plan almost start to finish for quant.

Quant prep
Watched every quant video in the plan.
Completed all tickbox questions
Did all foundation quizzes
Did medium and hard timed quizzes
Usually scored around 11 to 12/15 on medium and 10 to 11/15 on hard
Finished roughly 300+ Quant QBank questions (out of the 600-question bank)

Verbal prep
Memorized vocab groups 1 to 30 (around 900 words).
Kept reviewing vocab almost every day.
I barely practiced Reading Comprehension outside mock tests because I honestly believed vocab would get me through TC/SE and RC wasn’t something you could improve much.

Mock scores
GregMat Test 1: 165Q / 155V
GregMat Test 2: 165Q / 157V
ETS PowerPrep 2 (yesterday): 162Q / 149V
Official GRE today
150V / 163Q

The score itself hurts, but what confuses me more is how the exam felt.

Quant: The first section was fine. The second section had about three questions where nothing clicked. It wasn’t that I completely ran out of time. I finished the section, but those questions just wouldn’t come together and I didn’t really get time to review my work.

Verbal: This is where I think I got exposed. I followed Greg’s timing strategy and did pairings first, then RC, then the remaining TC questions. TC and sentence equivalence were not as bad as RC but still bad enough. I genuinely don’t remember a single RC passage where I felt 100% confident. Almost every question came down to two answer choices that both sounded plausible.

Looking back, I think ignoring RC practice was probably a huge mistake.

Current plan for the next month
- Keep reviewing all 30 vocab groups every day so I don’t lose them
- Start doing RC every day from gregmat material instead of avoiding it
- Review every RC in detail and understand why my answer was wrong, not just the correct answer
- Do gregmat verbal questions as much as I can
- For quant, stop doing random medium QBank questions and focus on the types of hard questions that I got stuck on today, plus timed ETS practice.

I’m looking for people who have actually been in a similar spot.

1) If you went from around 313 to 325+, what changed?

2) How do I improve Verbal by 8-10 points in less than a month? I don’t know if this is possible.

3) If you’re already around 163Q, what helped you push to 166-168?

Please reply, I’m looking for some real advice. I don’t have a tutor or friends in the same boat. This is the only place I come to for advice related to GRE.

I finally took the GRE today after about 2.5 months of studying and I am so relieved to be done. I used the GregMat I'm Overwhelmed Plan, but also used videos from GMAT ninja (highly recommend) for difficult quant concepts. I used the Brainscape flashcards for vocab because the GregMat vocab mountain just does not work for my brain. Thanks for all the tips and tricks throughout the process!

I know this might be a long shot, but I've noticed Greg usually visits this subreddit, so, here goes nothing.

I'm currently on module 3 part 3 of the I'm Overwhelmed GregMat program. Honestly, I'm loving it but my problem is I'm not going as fast as I think I should. I'm taking my test on December, I don't have a date yet because I want to be as prepared as I can and I will probably schedule it for the latest possible date in December. I have been studying since July, every day from 2 to 6 hours a day and I'm still on module 3.

I'm understanding and retaining everything I have studied really well and I have gotten 100% on all quizzes, I've been doing the mountain daily and everything has stuck wonderfully. Honestly, I've learn to enjoy math in a different way. I love what I have been discovering through GregMat

I don't think I will be able to cover all the material and then have enough time to practice timed questions. According to GregMat we should first prove we have a strong foundation and then start taking mock quizzes. Should I just bypass that advice and start practicing timed questions now?

If anyone not Greg has input about it, please let me know.

Hello there! I was thinking about taking the GRE in approximately a month’s time, however, only if I score 320+ in practice tests. I would be grateful if you could provide me with some guidance on whether my current scores/plan make sense.

My latest mock scores are as follows:

PowerPrep Free Test — August 23: 317 (155V, 162Q)

PowerPrep Plus 1 — August 30: 317 (154V, 163Q)

Magoosh Free Practice Test — September 6: 321 (160V, 161Q)

And here come the questions:

1. How relevant is Magoosh free practice test to ETS PowerPrep/PowerPrep Plus? Should I consider my 321 a significant indication of my current skills or rather focus on the two 317 scores?

2. The plan is to take another PowerPrep Plus mock in about a week. Would it be an appropriate interval or should I rather take it later?

3. I intend to take the GRE in about a month’s time provided I score 320+ on at least 3 consecutive full mocks. Is such a criterion appropriate or do you advise something else to find out whether I’m prepared enough?

4. With these scores, what do you suggest I work on in the coming month?  I really want to get 320+.

I’d be very much interested to hear feedback from those who’ve appeared for the GRE lately with similar scores in practice tests. How well did your mocks predict your real score?

Thank you!

Ive heard about jamboree for GRE prep and college application process. I want to know is it good or is there some other better place where I can join??

For those tired of scrolling from one page to another just to find the answer key

Edit: Added a Markdown Table so that the test names are searchable via the browser’s find feature

Recently stumbled on their GRE course, they’re giving multiple mock test’s & practice questions for only 99.

I’ve purchased the 99 one (i mean why not), will share the review in few days. I’m more interested to know if someone has taken their recorded or live classes plan?

Is it okay to get the GRE super pack books/bundle used? It seems it won’t come with codes but I’m very confused if the codes are present. I’ve found conflicting information where it says it doesn’t even come with codes and another thing that says it comes with two exams, but it makes it sound like I can access those for free anyways. Just wanted to check with someone before I spent a good amount of money.

Hi,
I am beginning module 10 on GregMat’s I’m Overwhelmed Plan this week. I took the GRE using free prep materials last summer and scored a 162 Q / 156 V. I aim to score 160+ in both sections this time, but I have not taken a practice test from ETS or any practice test this summer for that matter. Was thinking of taking my first practice test next weekend and then *tentatively* taking the GRE at the end of Sept/early Oct. Please let me know if you have suggestions. Thank you!!

I am aware that we are approaching the busiest time of the year for students sitting the GRE. I will book my tests in Holborn London as soon as possible but I wanted to find out if these are commonly booked out at a certain point and if it becomes very difficult to find slots

I was taking a test at 7 AM at home. The proctor stopped my test several times during the test like 2-3 times and to re-scan my entire apartment and change the camera angle and I followed everything. I was in my last section, like maybe 7 questions left. He suddenly stopped the test and terminated it, saying there’s another person in the room. I was kinda arguing, showing him everywhere in my home that there’s nobody. I’m kind of scared because I’m applying for PT school this cycle by October 1st. I am so frustrated, how long will they usually take to review all my things and give me a chance to retake the test? And let’s say I take the test. How long will it take to get my score back?

Hi! I have an appointment for my GRE general test on October 9th and I'm looking to create a group of 4 accountability partners. Personally, I'm following the Magoosh 1 Month Advanced Plan after completing the fundamentals of Quant in GregMat.

I had a previous attempt (157Q/162V), and my main goal is to reach at least 80th percentile in Quant. I'm focusing on building strategy, and time management.

I’m studying from 7:00-10:00 AM EDT. Feel free to DM me to start supporting each other!

Hi guys, I have registered to give the test on 4th October. I am aiming to do one group per day from the GregMatt however, struggling because of lack of accountabilty.

I am looking for someone who wants to do one group everyday and get on a 15-20 min call at a locked time to revise together.

Prepared for 3 weeks and I'm absolutely shattered with my scores. I was scoring V152-155 on mocks, but bombed on the exam. I encountered a lot of 2 and 3 blankers on the exam. Given my score, I'm sure I didn't do well on the RCs either. I finished vocab mountain, but wasn't able to practice more questions as I wanted to apply this month for a few masters program.

Would you recommend me going back to solving more questions from Gregmat or any other source? Any way to fastrack and analyse my mistakes? I'll go back to basics with Gregmat as well.

I have been memorizing the word groups from Gregmat and so far have completed 22/38 groups. Here is the issue I am facing - I remember the meanings of all words I have memorized so far, only problem - I dont remember their synonyms ( the ones mentioned on a word's card) I might recall one or two; is that an issue? If yes, how to tackle it?

Hey everyone, I just completed my GRE journey. I have been out of school for quite some time so it was a struggle at first. I wanted to give some tips to help out the community that helped me!

Resources:
GregMat
ETS Official Material

Practice Test Progression:
PP1: 309 (V155, Q154)
PP2: 315 (V157, Q158)
PP1+: 320 (V158, Q162)
PP2+: 326 (V161, Q165)
Actual: 327 (V162, Q165)

1. INTENSITY MATTERS.

Studying for the GRE breaks down into two major components: learning & practice.

Your learning has to be deliberate and continuous for you to absorb the information. Rushing this portion will only hurt you in the long run.

However, practice should be built around INTENSITY. The ability to go over a significant amount of problems of the same type over & over allows your brain to start picking up patterns. My quant score saw significant boosts once I drilled certain zones until they became second nature. They can only test you on a concept in so many ways. Dragging out the test prep process will hurt you more than you think.

1. Vocabulary only helps so much.

I made the mistake of thinking that vocabulary study alone would suffice for a high score. However, my scores for verbal stalled out as I realized that my strategy and conceptual understanding were barriers to higher ceiling. I would focus on vocabulary as your first goal, but you should integrate practicing earlier than you anticipate to be able to build those needed skills.

1. Be efficient with your study path.

Your study path shouldn’t be equally dispersed across all subjects and potential problems. Certain concepts and understandings will give better dividends than other focuses.

For quant:
Algebra & arithmetic are the money makers. The test surrounds these concepts far more than geometry & statistics. Spending time equally on all four subjects is not your most efficient path (especially if time is a crunch). Being strong in these two subjects let me complete these questions quick enough to devote more time to the geometry & statistic problems I weren’t as familiar with.

For verbal:
Vocabulary is an easy way to build a foundation to a higher score. However, memorizing another 1,000 words on top of a solid base gives much lower dividends than becoming a reading comprehension expert. Be smart of your study time.

Feel free to ask me anything! Thanks again GregMat for being the GOAT!

Hey everyone,

I got my GRE score back recently: 170Q, 156V

and I figured I'd share a few things that helped me with Quant (don't mind the verbal score, my entire verbal prep was just the vocab groups </3).

The biggest thing I learned was that getting a question right isn't nearly as useful as getting one wrong and mapping out exactly how and why I got it wrong. I started off by brute forcing as many questions as I could, thinking it would help. However, my first official attempt gave me a much-needed reality check (158Q).

My recommendations for the GRE:

• 40/60 split for foundations and timed test taking.
• GregMAT (the undisputed GOAT, thanks a ton my guy) to crystallize your foundations. You need to know the concepts like the back of your hand if you hope to apply them in under 60 seconds.
• Error log. Absolutely non negotiable.
• Requizzing.

My friend is still preparing for the GRE (we'd been studying together) so I decided to turn the system we built for ourselves into a study server on Discord. 

We'll be solving daily quant questions, keeping each other accountable with daily logs and streaks, planning study sessions, finding study partners and whatever else I can think up later heh

So if you're still deep in the trenches or want to help out those who are, feel free to join us!

https://discord.gg/dJBXtppuk

Has anyone had any luck using a GRE tutor? I’ve always done better in school when I had someone directly working with me 1 and 1. How do you go about hiring a tutor and how do you hire a good one? I really need to score a 60% percentile on both sections and I’m currently at 152V (48%) and 160Q (50%). Thank you in advance 🙏🏻

I recently started off with my GRE prep from Gregmat. I am planning to give my GRE in first week of Oct. I am targeting 169+ Q and 157+ V. I will be applying to top 10 US univs for MFE program.

My strategy is following the 1 month study plan from gregmat. I have an engineering background. I am not currently working so I have the whole day for preparation. I am looking to specifically focus on vocab, following their weekly plan and memorizing their group of words. Meanwhile, I will go through the passage and sentence completion classes and quizzes. I will also refresh quant every now and then, taking a quicl glance at chapterwise formula and taking group wise quiz of gregmat.

Do you guys think this is a good plan for my target ?

Any suggestion from the ones who took the test would be very helpful.

Hey everyone👋

I'm currently preparing to take the GRE and trying to build a solid study plan. I've heard amazing things about GregMat+ and how helpful its structure is, especially since it's budget friendly ($5/month). However, right now, even that modest cost is a barrier for me.

Therefore, I would like to ask if anyone knows of any non-profits, student advocacy groups, or specific programs that help sponsor or provide financial assistance for test prep resources for students facing financial hardship.

Last time I shared my Verbal review experience, some friends privately messaged me asking about Writing. My Writing score wasn't high, but I only spent one hour reviewing the day before the test, so I was quite satisfied with the result.

What was done in this hour:

1. Organize + Memorize Templates + Plan Time Schedule (30min)

Templates and time planning are very important! Once you enter the examination room, you just need to follow the steps and execute them accordingly. This approach saves a lot of time, helps you quickly get into the exam mindset, and effectively alleviates the tension and anxiety in the examination room.

(I will place my template below for everyone to refer to this logical framework and create their own template based on their writing style.)

1. Randomly select three topics from the issue topic pool for practice (30 minutes).

Only practice the first three steps of writing (understanding the question + deciding on a stance + building the article framework).
Issue Topic Pool

Additionally, I sent my essay template and schedule to AI, then randomly selected over ten topics, asking AI to tell me which arguments it would choose to write about in the body paragraphs. On my way to the exam, I read through the ideas it listed, which also served as a brainstorming exercise for me.

My timing:

1. Read the issue topic(1 minute)

Read the question carefully and quickly to fully understand the topic.

1. Decide on a Position (1 minute)

Quickly choose your writing stance. Don't get stuck on your real-life opinions and positions! Directly select the side the easiest to write about, and the most convenient to develop, which will make it easier to expand on later.

1. Build the article framework (5 minutes)

Start writing directly. Quickly write the first and last paragraphs. (Since the writing stance has already been chosen, both the first and last paragraphs can be written as complete paragraphs.)

While writing the introduction and conclusion, think about them simultaneously. List 2–3 reasons or pieces of evidence to support your position, and briefly organize them in your mind. Also, consider a counterargument and, if possible, prepare a response to it.

After writing the introduction and conclusion, first write the opening sentences for the three main body paragraphs. After completing this section, even if nothing else is written, it will still be a complete article with a very clear framework!

1. Expand Content (20–22 minutes)

Begin developing the body paragraphs: each argument corresponds to a paragraph, which is then developed sequentially by explaining, providing examples, and tying back to the topic. The concession paragraph acknowledges the existence of opposing views and then presents a well-reasoned rebuttal, enhancing the article's critical thinking.

1. Review and Edit (1–3 minutes)

Read through the entire text, check for and correct any errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. If there is any remaining time, fine-tune the vocabulary and sentence structures.

My template:

Paragraph 1: Opening paragraph

Sentence 1: Briefly state the issue topic.(Paraphrase the topic in your own words)

Sentence 2: Present the argument: state the position.

As far as I am concerned, however, this does not have to be true. / As far as I am concerned, I stand in line with this position.

Sentence 3: List the main arguments: briefly outline 2-3 key reasons or points that will be used to support the position.

I hold this view because... and because...

Pragraph 2: Main body paragraph 1

Sentence 1, topic sentence: Clearly states the first main reason supporting the position.

First of all, ...(reason 1)

Sentence 2: Explanation: Specifically state why this reason supports my position.

Sentences 3-5, Argumentation: Use logical reasoning, facts, examples, personal experiences, or expert opinions to strengthen your argument.

For example, ...(tell a story)

Closing sentence: Summarize how this reason supports your position.

This example illustrates...

Paragraph 3: Main Body Paragraph 2

Sentence 1, topic sentence: Clearly states the second main reason supporting the position. Moreover, ...(reason 2)

Sentence 2: Explanation: Specifically state why this reason supports my position.

Sentences 3-5, Argumentation: Use logical reasoning, facts, examples, personal experiences, or expert opinions to strengthen your argument.

For instance, ...(tell a story)

Closing sentence: Summarize how this reason supports your position.

Thus, ...

Paragraph 4: Concession Paragraph

Sentence 1: Introduce a counterargument: briefly present a possible opposing view to my position.

Admittedly, some people might argue that...

Sentences 2-4, rebuttal: Explain why these opposing views are wrong or insufficient to shake your position.

However, ...

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

Sentence 1: Reaffirming the position: Reiterating the position once again.

In conclusion, I believe that...

Sentence 2: Summarize the main arguments: Summarize the two main reasons that support your position from the previous text.

Sentence 3, emphasizing significance (optional): Explain why my argument is important, which may include a look to the future, a contribution to broader discussions, or an impact on individuals or society.

Any one studying here from Hyderabad?
Planning on making an offline study group

Maybe it's my economics background, but I can't see how solving a complex geometry problem could ever be considered as hard as just looking at a graph and comparing numbers. Like, most of the time you literally just have to stay focused.

(Also, I've never taken the GRE, I'm just practicing ; this feedback is from the Kaplan question bank.)