When to Start Studying for the GRE or GMAT Before Applications Are Due

Work Backward From Your Deadline

Start with your earliest application deadline and count backward. You need time for your test date, time for the official score report to post, and a buffer in case your first score falls short and you decide to retake.

Study Time: 8 to 12 Weeks

Most applicants need 8-12 weeks of consistent study to move a score meaningfully, through daily practice sets or several sessions a week. A shorter timeline works if you are retaking after already studying once, or your diagnostic score sits close to your target.

Take a full-length practice test at the start to set a baseline, then another every 2-3 weeks to track progress. Save your last practice test for about a week before the real exam, leaving time to review weak areas without cramming new content.

Signs You Need More Than 12 Weeks

A diagnostic score more than 10-15 points below your target GRE section score, or more than 100 points below your target GMAT Focus score, usually means you need more than the standard window. Add 4-6 weeks for each major content gap, such as a weak quantitative or verbal section.

How Long Score Reporting Takes

For the GRE General Test, official scores post to your ScoreSelect account 8-10 days after a computer-delivered test, according to ETS . Add those days to your test date before you count on a school having your score in hand.

For the GMAT Focus Edition, official score reports typically post within 3-5 business days, per mba.com support , though the process sometimes takes up to 20 business days in rare cases. Build in the longer window when your deadline leaves no room for delay.

A Sample Backward Timeline

Building a Weekly Study Schedule

Spread study across the week instead of cramming into weekends. Five sessions of 60-90 minutes work better than two long weekend blocks, since spaced practice supports retention more than marathon sessions.

• Weeks 1-3: content review and diagnostic testing

• Weeks 4-8: timed section practice and error review

• Weeks 9-11: full-length practice tests under real conditions

• Final week: light review only, no new content

Leave Room for a Retake

Schedule your first attempt at least 6-8 weeks before your earliest deadline. That gap covers score reporting time and leaves a window to retake the test once if your score lands below your target.

Check each program's official score deadline directly, since some schools set an earlier cutoff for standardized test scores than for the rest of the application.

Adjust for Multiple Deadlines

Plan around your earliest deadline if you are applying to several programs with staggered dates. A score that arrives in time for a January deadline also covers a March deadline, but the reverse is not true.

If Your First Score Falls Short

Review your section-level breakdown as soon as your official score posts. A weak quantitative section on the GRE or a weak Data Insights section on the GMAT Focus points to where extra study time helps most before a second attempt.

Register for the retake as soon as you decide to take it, since test center slots near popular deadlines fill first. A few weeks of targeted review on the section that pulled your score down does more than a full repeat of your original study plan.

Applying to Multiple Rounds

Business school applicants choosing between application rounds should register for the GMAT Focus early enough to apply in an earlier round if a strong score arrives ahead of schedule. Waiting until the last possible test date removes that option even if your score would have qualified for an earlier round.

Balancing Test Prep With Coursework or a Job

Stretch the 8-12 week window closer to 14-16 weeks if you are studying while enrolled in classes or working full time, so each session stays short enough to sustain. Cutting a study plan down to fit a tight schedule raises the chance you arrive at test day underprepared, which then costs you the price and time of a retake anyway.