Is studying for GRE 2 years before testing too soon?

[DeterminedONE84]

Is it too soon for me to start considering GRE and purchasing study guides, etc to prepare?

I want to make sure I am well prepared, but don't want to overwhelm myself and burn out.

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[DancerFutureDPT]

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: If you're traditionally a good standardized test taker (ACT/SAT/etc.), you don't need to study too much. If you need a lot of prep classes for tests, then you'll need to spend more time. I would wait at least a year before studying...I took the test in 2009, and studied for like a month beforehand just to learn how the test works and review super basic math stuff (like long-division since calculators weren't allowed, although now they are I think?). They recently changed the exam format though, and so I would think if people had started studying in 2009 or 2010 for the exam and wanted to take it later this year, they would have wasted their time because several things are changing significantly in the exam. They probably won't change the test anytime soon again, but you never know.

Focus on getting good grades in your prereqs and the rest of your classes for now, and worry about the GRE later.

 

[mirifical]

I would agree that studying two years in advance is too long. The Princeton Review recommends 4-12 weeks. I studied for about a month and did perfectly fine. Any longer and I probably would have burnt out. Also they are changing the GRE in the beginning of August anyway, so by the time you take it, it probably will be tweaked again. Good luck!

 

[TheOx777]

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: If you're traditionally a good standardized test taker (ACT/SAT/etc.), you don't need to study too much. If you need a lot of prep classes for tests, then you'll need to spend more time. I would wait at least a year before studying...I took the test in 2009, and studied for like a month beforehand just to learn how the test works and review super basic math stuff (like long-division since calculators weren't allowed, although now they are I think?). They recently changed the exam format though, and so I would think if people had started studying in 2009 or 2010 for the exam and wanted to take it later this year, they would have wasted their time because several things are changing significantly in the exam. They probably won't change the test anytime soon again, but you never know.

Focus on getting good grades in your prereqs and the rest of your classes for now, and worry about the GRE later.

Pretty much exactly what I was thinking!

 

[DeterminedONE84]

Great, thanks guys!

 

[pumpkinpatch]

Yeah, what they said. ^^^ I started studying for the GRE one week before my test date... and I think I studied a week too much. It was only helpful to know the format of the test.