# Take the GRE General Test > The two-hour GRE: one essay, two Verbal and two Quantitative sections, scored 130–170 each, with scores in 8–10 days — how to register, prepare in 8–12 weeks, and send scores free. - **Section:** Entrance exams · **Region:** Global · **Difficulty:** medium - **Time:** 8–12 weeks of preparation · test 1 h 58 min · scores in 8–10 days - **Cost:** $220 in India and most countries (varies by location); rescheduling and extra score reports cost extra - **You end up with:** GRE Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing scores, valid five years - **Last reviewed:** 2026-09-05 · **Canonical:** https://for.do/p/gre/ ## Before you start - An ETS account with your name exactly as on your passport - A valid passport for most international test-takers; check ID rules for your country The GRE General Test is the graduate-school admission exam accepted by most US, Canadian and many European programmes, and since 2023 it is a compact, adaptive two-hour test. The preparation is well-bounded — the question types are few and fully published — which makes it a good candidate for a fixed 8–12 week plan. ## 1. Decide whether you need it and by when - [ ] Check each target programme's requirement; a growing number are GRE-optional, some still require it, and business schools may accept it instead of the GMAT. - [ ] Work back from the earliest application deadline: scores arrive in 8–10 days, and a retake needs a 21-day gap. ## 2. Register on ETS - [ ] Create an ETS account with your legal name matching your passport. - [ ] Choose a test centre or the at-home option and a date; pay the fee (US$220 in India at the time of review; it varies by country). - [ ] Note the ID rules for your country and the reschedule cut-off. ## 3. Learn the format cold - [ ] Analytical Writing: one "Analyze an Issue" essay, 30 minutes. - [ ] Verbal: two sections, 12 + 15 questions, 41 minutes total — reading comprehension, text completion, sentence equivalence. - [ ] Quant: two sections, 12 + 15 questions, 47 minutes — arithmetic, algebra, geometry, data analysis; on-screen calculator. - [ ] No unscored section; the second Verbal and Quant sections adapt to the first. ## 4. Prepare in 8–12 weeks - [ ] Take the free ETS POWERPREP practice test in week one for a baseline. - [ ] Verbal: vocabulary in context (300–500 high-frequency words), one reading set a day, learn the sentence-equivalence logic of picking synonyms. - [ ] Quant: relearn the fundamentals, then timed sets; practise mental arithmetic to avoid the calculator. - [ ] Writing: outline and write one Issue essay a week; study the published scoring guide and sample essays. - [ ] Take the second POWERPREP test two weeks before, under full timing. ## 5. Test day - [ ] Arrive early with your passport; no personal items in the room. - [ ] Select up to four score recipients on the day — they are free only then. - [ ] Decide at the end whether to report or cancel; you see unofficial Verbal and Quant scores immediately. ## 6. Send scores and plan a retake if needed - [ ] Official scores land in your ETS account in 8–10 days; the four free reports go automatically. - [ ] Additional reports cost per school; ScoreSelect lets you send only the test date you choose. - [ ] A retake is possible after 21 days, five times in 12 months. ## Where people get this wrong - Studying to the old three-hour format. Since September 2023 the GRE is under two hours: one essay (no Argument task), 27 Verbal and 27 Quant questions, no unscored section. - Skipping the calculator practice. The on-screen calculator is basic and slow; know when not to use it. - Forgetting the four free score reports on test day. You select up to four schools before seeing your score; after test day each report costs extra. - Registering with a name that differs from your passport. You will be turned away at the centre and the fee is forfeited. ## Questions **How is it scored?** Verbal and Quant each 130–170 in one-point steps; Analytical Writing 0–6 in half points. The second section in Verbal and Quant adapts to your performance on the first. **Can I retake it?** Once every 21 days, up to five times in a rolling 12-month period, with the full fee each time. **Home or test centre?** Both offer the same test. The at-home version needs a quiet private room, a webcam and the ETS proctoring software; test centres avoid the technical risk. ## Tools used - [ETS POWERPREP (GRE)](https://find.do/t/ets-powerprep/) (official) — The GRE test-maker's own full-length practice tests in the real interface. - [Anki](https://find.do/t/anki/) — Spaced-repetition flashcards, free on desktop and Android. ## Sources - [ETS — GRE General Test (official)](https://www.ets.org/gre.html) - [Harvard FAS Career Services — How long is the GRE (2026 guide)](https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/blog/2025/12/22/how-long-is-the-gre-full-test-section-breakdown-2026-guide/) - [GradRight — GRE exam pattern 2026](https://gradright.com/gre-exam-pattern/)