GRE study plan: a schedule built from the current GRE test format
Updated November 2026
A GRE study plan should follow the test ETS gives now: five sections in about 1 hour 58 minutes. Analytical Writing always comes first, with one 30-minute Analyze an Issue essay. Two Verbal Reasoning sections (12 questions in 18 minutes, then 15 in 23) and two Quantitative Reasoning sections (12 questions in 21 minutes, then 15 in 26) follow in either order.
Verbal and Quant are each scored 130 to 170, and the essay 0 to 6 in half points. Both are adaptive by section: how you do on the first Verbal or Quant section sets the difficulty of the second.
ETS gives section counts, not percentage weights, so the builder below gives each of the five sections an equal share: about 40% of your topic days to Verbal, 40% to Quant and 20% to essay practice, alternating them through each week. The last quarter of your days goes to mixed practice and full-length practice tests, such as ETS's free POWERPREP tests. It's free and needs no account.
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GRE format at a glance
| Format | 5 sections: 1 Analytical Writing (always first), 2 Verbal Reasoning, 2 Quantitative Reasoning (Verbal and Quant in either order) | ETS test structure |
|---|---|---|
| Questions and time | Verbal: 12 questions (18 min) + 15 (23 min) · Quant: 12 questions (21 min) + 15 (26 min) · Writing: one Analyze an Issue task (30 min) | ETS test structure |
| Total time | About 1 hour 58 minutes (format in use since September 22, 2023) | ETS test structure |
| Scores | Verbal and Quant 130–170 (1-point steps); Analytical Writing 0–6 (half-point steps). Official scores in 8–10 days. | ETS scores |
| Fee | $249 in most countries (fees effective August 1, 2026); China and India have their own fees. Includes 4 score reports. | ETS fees |
| Retakes | Once every 21 days, up to 5 times in any rolling 12-month period | ETS registration FAQ |
Checked against the official sources on November 1, 2026.
What the GRE covers, by official weight
- Verbal Reasoning: 40% (2 of 5 sections; 27 questions in 41 minutes). ETS says about half the questions are based on reading passages; the rest are Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence.
- Quantitative Reasoning: 40% (2 of 5 sections; 27 questions in 47 minutes). Arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis, with an on-screen calculator; no trigonometry or calculus.
- Analytical Writing: 20% (1 of 5 sections; one 30-minute Analyze an Issue essay). ETS publishes the full pool of Issue topics the test draws from.
ETS's GRE pages give section counts and times, not percentage weights. These weights are our arithmetic on the official structure: five sections, each counted once, so Verbal and Quant get two shares each and Analytical Writing one. Verbal and Quant also have the same number of questions (27 each). Analytical Writing is reported as its own 0–6 score; giving it one section's share is our rule, not an ETS weighting.
How the builder splits your time
- It counts your study days between today and the day before the exam, using the days a week you chose.
- It keeps the last quarter of those days (at least one week) for mixed practice questions and reviewing what you missed.
- It splits the rest across the three measures, alternating them day by day in proportion to the official weights above, using ETS's count of sections per measure (two Verbal Reasoning, two Quantitative Reasoning, one Analytical Writing), with every section counted once.
- This is our rule of thumb, not advice from ETS. Move days toward your weak areas once your practice scores show them.
Protect each block from your own browser
A schedule only works if the hours happen. Focus AI is a Chrome extension built for that: when a block starts, type its task (the "Copy focus task" button gives you the line, like "GRE: Verbal Reasoning practice set, timed") and it blocks pages that don't serve that task. ETS's POWERPREP practice tests and its Math Review PDF stay open; feeds, Shorts and game sites don't. Ending a block early means typing a sentence, not clicking a button.
First 3 sessions free, then $9.99 a month or $49 a year. The schedule builder above is free either way.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the GRE now?
About 1 hour 58 minutes. Since September 22, 2023, the GRE General Test has five sections: one 30-minute Analyze an Issue essay, two Verbal Reasoning sections (12 and 15 questions) and two Quantitative Reasoning sections (12 and 15 questions). The essay always comes first; Verbal and Quant can follow in either order.
How is the GRE scored?
Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored 130 to 170 in 1-point steps, and Analytical Writing 0 to 6 in half-point steps. ETS says the Verbal and Quant scores take into account both how many questions you answer correctly across the two sections and the difficulty of those sections. You see unofficial Verbal and Quant scores at the end of the test; official scores, including Analytical Writing, usually arrive 8–10 days later.
What changed on the GRE?
On September 22, 2023, ETS shortened the test from about 3 hours 45 minutes to about 1 hour 58 minutes. The old format had an Issue essay and an Argument essay and 20 questions in each Verbal and Quant section; the current one keeps only the Issue essay and uses sections of 12 and 15 questions.
How much does the GRE cost?
$249 in most of the world, under ETS fees effective August 1, 2026. China and India have different fees, listed on ETS's fee page and the ETS India site. The fee includes sending scores to four schools; rescheduling costs $55 in most countries.
Is there free official GRE practice?
Yes. ETS offers two free POWERPREP Online practice tests: POWERPREP 1 is untimed and gives no Verbal or Quant scores, and POWERPREP 2 is timed. ETS also publishes the full pool of Issue essay topics and a downloadable Math Review.
Sources
- ETS, GRE General Test structure (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, GRE General Test content (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Overview of the Verbal Reasoning measure (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Overview of the Quantitative Reasoning measure (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Overview of the Analytical Writing measure (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Getting your GRE General Test scores (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Fees for GRE tests and related services (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, Register for the GRE (FAQ) (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, POWERPREP practice tests (checked November 1, 2026)
- ETS, GRE prep (checked November 1, 2026)
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