First time GRE - 160V/166Q!
Hello! I have been a professional lurker on this sub and thought I’d pay it forward by sharing my experience.
Background: I am applying to residency programs that uncharacteristically require the GRE for admissions. If the past is any indication of performance, I’ve been an above average test taker (2220 SAT, 24 DAT). Since I work full time, I figured that I would spread my studying over a longer period of time. English is not my first language, so I anticipated that the verbal section would be my greatest challenge.
Goal: 160+ on both sections, 4.0+ AWA. The GRE is not heavily factored at all in the admissions process for my programs, so I didn’t necessarily feel the pressure to score crazy high. At the same time, a decent score can make you stand out!
Study Timeline: I started studying in February 2026 and took the exam in July 2026. My study blocks, however, were sporadic! A lot of life events (getting engaged, moving states, starting a new job, planning a wedding, etc) occurred within this time frame. Thus, I’d find myself studying intensely for a week and then not picking up a single study resource for a month. Having a longer study period worked for my particular situation, but it could’ve easily been condensed into 6-8 weeks. My most fruitful studying occurred in the two weeks leading up to my exam.
Study Materials:
-GregMat (Greg, if you’re reading this, ily)
-GRE Big Book
-Official Guide to the GRE
-Official GRE Quant & Verbal Questions
-Manhattan 5-lb book
-ETS Pool of Analytical Writing Topics
-Powerprep Practice Exams
Study Plan: I followed GregMat’s 2-Month Study Plan and spread it across several months. I personally loved having a plan to stay on track. However, I could have been more strategic with my studying by focusing on my weaker areas (RC, vocab, probability, triangle properties) from the very start.
Practice Test Scores:
PP1: 160V/167Q
PP2: 156V/166Q
PP1+: 159V/156Q/5 AWA
PP2+: 160V/164Q/5 AWA
PP3+: 157V/167Q/5 AWA
Biggest Takeaways:
-Go over the ETS pool of analytical writing topics. One of the prompts that you will get on the actual exam will be contained in that 40-page document. (Read: the prompt is not a surprise). I would go through each prompt, outline in my head how I would structure my essay, and then move on to the next prompt. If I was unsure how to interpret the prompt or couldn’t think of personal/historical examples to support my argument, I’d plug it into ChatGPT to get an idea on how to approach it.
-Simulate actual testing conditions. There are no official breaks in between sections. During my practice exams at home, I’d take a sip of water or use the restroom. I paid the price on the actual day of exam by holding in the urge to go during the last two sections… I may have made more careless errors in those sections.
-Spread out the practice exams evenly across your study plan. Yes, you should build a firm foundation first before burning through official questions from ETS, but my biggest mistake was waiting until the very end to take the PowerPrep practice exams. It takes time to review your mistakes from each exam, and it can help you identify your trouble areas much sooner.
-Write down ANY unfamiliar vocab word that you come across. I used GregMat’s Vocab Mountain (1000+ words) and reviewed it every single day for the two weeks before my exam. In addition, I went through practice exams and wrote down any unfamiliar vocab words that popped up in answer choices. This added another 100 words to my list. Funnily enough, two words from my makeshift list popped up on my exam.
Final Thoughts: Given the time and effort I put in, I did about what I expected. I would constantly remind myself that the questions on the GRE are meant to be tricky and they are trying to rage bait you lol. Taking the GRE is a skill, rather than a formal assessment of intelligence. Treat it as such, and you will realize that you likely know everything to succeed—the determining factor lies in how you apply that knowledge.
I’m glad to (hopefully) put this exam past me once I receive my writing score. Happy to answer any questions about my experience.