The document provides tips for creating an effective study schedule for the GRE exam. It recommends starting by taking a practice exam to assess your strengths and weaknesses. Then, fill out a calendar with your class and work schedules to realistically allocate 4-hour study sessions over topics from all areas of the exam. Practice with actual GRE material and focus on mastering skills before moving to new content. Adjust strategies as needed and focus on quality of learning over quantity to best prepare for test day.

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Planning for your GRE
studies is critical!
• It is extremely important to craft a realistic
study schedule and use time efficiently.

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• Contact the school you wish to apply to and see
what ranking they require.
• Take a GRE practice exam and see how you
compare.
• Now that you know where you stand, you can
more accurately understand how much you will
need to prepare

4. • Fill in a calendar beginning with the current
date and ending on the day of the exam
• Fill in any classes you may still have as well
as any work schedule you have.
• Include any tutoring or class time you may
have. This does not count as part of your
study time
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• Be realistic when filling out your study schedule.
• Assess the time you have and allocate your study hours
accordingly.
• It is important to leave room for breaks and to not over
do it!
• Try to schedule your study session to consist of 4 hours.
This is the time the test takes and will help you get used
to working on this material for this long.
• Place harder parts of the exam at the beginning of your
study sessions since then you will be most alert.

6. • First, you must devote time to all areas of the
test.
• We have an inclination to work on our weaker
points, but unless you are scoring 100% in a
certain area, there is always room to improve
it.
• It is important to give attention to our strengths
as well.
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7. • Practice on actual GRE material whenever
possible.
• You must study a variety of materials to
master the GRE
• Do not focus on only one area of the test. This
mistake can cost you serious test points.
• A steady diet of all GRE material is the best
way to achieve a good score.
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8. • In the first week of study, focus on the mistakes you
made on the practice exam.
• Work on the actual skill concepts. It is a mistake to
assume a good practice score will mean a good test
score.
• Focus on a skill set until mastered. Then time
yourself on this skill
• Move on to the next skill. Once you feel you have
mastered that one, take a test on both materials.
• Keep this up until you have all the material on your
timed tests
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9. • Don’t be afraid to change study strategies
• It isn’t important that you can get the question right
today, It only matters whether or not you can get this
time of question right on the test day.
• The best test takers know which questions to attack
fast and hard
• Your focus should be qualitative not quantities
• At the outset what matters most is whether you are
approaching the GRE in the best and most strategic
way possible.
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10. If you need extra help with your GRE
study plan, Next Step provides a GRE
prep online program.
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