GRE Study Plan for Working Full Time (6–10 Hours/Week)

If you’re working full time, the new, shorter GRE actually works in your favor. With just 6–10 focused hours a week, you can build skills deliberately and see measurable gains. This plan uses review‑first routines, short timed blocks that match the real test, and a weekend structure that compounds even when life is busy.

As of January 2026, the computer‑delivered GRE General Test is about 1 hour 58 minutes with no scheduled breaks. You’ll write one Analytical Writing “Issue” essay (30 minutes), then take two Verbal sections (12 questions in 18 minutes; 15 questions in 23 minutes) and two Quant sections (12 questions in 21 minutes; 15 questions in 26 minutes). Verbal and Quant are section‑level adaptive. Scores: Verbal 130–170, Quant 130–170, AWA 0–6. Unofficial Verbal and Quant appear on screen at the end; official scores post in about 8–10 days. You can send four free score reports on test day and use ScoreSelect when sending scores. Retakes are allowed once every 21 days, up to five times in any rolling 12 months.

When time is scarce, the fastest way to improve is to mine your own mistakes. Start every session by re‑doing a handful of recently missed questions without a solution in view, then document why you missed them and the rule you’ll apply next time. This raises accuracy, prevents repeat errors, and makes new learning “stick.”

Base week (about 8 hours): three 60–75‑minute weeknight sessions plus a 2–3 hour weekend block. Choose a Verbal‑heavy or Quant‑heavy emphasis depending on your goal and baseline. Lean week (about 6 hours): two 60–75‑minute sessions plus a 90‑minute weekend block. Stretch week (about 10 hours): add one extra 90‑minute deep‑dive and a short AWA drill.

60‑minute template: 10 min Review First (redo 3–4 recent misses) → 18 min Verbal mini‑section (12 Q) or 21 min Quant mini‑section (12 Q) → 12–15 min post‑mortem (tag traps, write takeaways) → 10 min targeted drill or flashcards. 90‑minute template: 12 min Review First → 23 min Verbal mini‑section (15 Q) or 26 min Quant mini‑section (15 Q) → 20 min guided review → 25–30 min concept lesson + focused practice on your weakest subtopic. 30‑minute emergency template: 5 min Review First → 18–21 min timed set (trim to 8–10 questions) → 5–7 min quick debrief.

Run a no‑break simulation to build stamina for the real 1:58 test. Every other weekend, do a mini full test: AWA Issue (30) → Verbal 12Q/18 → Quant 12Q/21 → Verbal 15Q/23 → Quant 15Q/26. Immediately follow with a 45–60 minute debrief: sort questions into “careless,” “concept gap,” or “time management,” and create 2–3 micro‑fixes you’ll practice next week.

Quant ladder: arithmetic fluency (fractions, percentages, ratios), linear equations/inequalities, exponents and radicals, word‑problem translation, proportions, then data analysis (tables, averages, scatter/line graphs), and finally geometry essentials. Verbal ladder: text completion and sentence equivalence strategy (map the sentence, predict, then eliminate), short‑to‑medium reading comprehension with passage mapping, and finally long passages and logic‑intensive inference. AWA: learn a 4‑paragraph outline and practice one 30‑minute Issue essay weekly or biweekly.

Use time bands, not per‑question micromanagement. Verbal: about 1.5 minutes per question on average; aim to reach question 6 by minute 9 in the 12‑question section and question 8 by minute 12 in the 15‑question section. Quant: about 1.7–1.8 minutes per question; protect data‑heavy sets by skipping one true time sink early and coming back if time allows. Calculator: use it for messy arithmetic or compound percentages, not for clean factors or comparisons.

5: Redo five recent misses cold. 3: Write three short rules or patterns you learned (e.g., “When ratios and totals both appear, define variables and table it”). 1: Choose one habit to test next session (e.g., mark and move after 75 seconds if algebra hasn’t progressed). Keep these in your error log so your fixes accumulate week to week.

Week A: skill building and section‑length drills; Week B: mini full test + deep debrief. Milestones: Week 0 diagnostic; Week 2 tighten pacing; Week 4 raise accuracy in two weakest subtopics; Week 6 hit target timing without rushing; Week 8 confirm score band with a high‑quality mock. Schedule your first official GRE at least 4–6 weeks before program deadlines so you keep a retake option.

Start with Exambank’s diagnostic to set your baseline and target the right ladder steps for you. For each session, use the AI tutor to assemble a timed mini‑section that matches the exact GRE timing, then auto‑generate a review set from your personal error bank. The Learn → Solve Together → Test Yourself flow is ideal for the 90‑minute template: take a short lesson, walk through a few guided examples, then lock it in with a timed drill. Analytics highlight accuracy by topic and your predicted score trajectory; check these every weekend to choose next week’s focus. Streak tracking keeps you honest on light weeks, and the question bank plus mock tests give you unlimited material that adapts as you improve.

Two 60–75‑minute evenings plus a 90‑minute weekend. Priorities: one Verbal and one Quant mini‑section under exact timing, one small concept lesson, one AWA every other week, and a tight 30‑minute review block. Keep a running list of your top three fixes and rehearse them every session.

Three 60–75‑minute evenings plus a 2–3 hour weekend block. Alternate weeks between mini full tests and extended concept sprints. Use Exambank’s personalized review queue to start each session and its adaptive sets to keep difficulty just at the edge of your ability.

Add one 90‑minute deep‑dive on your weakest area and a weekly 30‑minute AWA. Layer in a second short drill most days (10–15 minutes of flashcards or 6–8 targeted questions) to raise question volume without burnout.

Practice exactly like you’ll test: sit for full section lengths without pausing. Hydrate and snack before you start; aim for steady focus across the 26‑minute Quant 2 and 23‑minute Verbal 2 sections, when fatigue peaks. If testing at a center you may take an unscheduled break, but the clock keeps running; at home, unscheduled breaks are not permitted. Either way, build the habit of staying seated and managing discomfort for the full 1:58.

Verify your ID and test appointment details a week ahead. Decide your four free score recipients before test day. Warm up with 3–4 easy questions and a 5‑minute outline drill for AWA. After the exam, you’ll see unofficial Verbal and Quant; official scores arrive in about 8–10 days. If you plan to retake, block a 2‑week turnaround on your calendar and keep your study momentum during the score wait.

Skipping review to “do more new questions,” practicing with the wrong timing, over‑using the calculator, ignoring AWA until the final week, and setting unrealistic nightly goals. Fix them by protecting your Review First block, drilling exact section lengths, reserving calculator use for messy arithmetic, writing one Issue essay weekly or biweekly, and planning small, specific sessions you can actually finish.

Consistency beats intensity. If you protect a handful of short, high‑quality sessions and a purposeful weekend block, your skills will compound—even on a 50‑hour workweek. Build your plan around review first, exact‑length drills, and data‑driven adjustments, and the score will follow.