Average time taken to study before GRE

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the average time participants took to study for the GRE, particularly in the context of applying to graduate programs in physics and related fields. Participants share their personal experiences and strategies regarding preparation timelines and study methods.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest starting preparation about a month before the test, dedicating roughly an hour a day.
  • One participant mentions that beginning preparation during the summer before senior year is common.
  • A participant from the UK calculates needing around 600 hours of revision based on their lecture load, expressing concern over the necessity of such extensive preparation.
  • Another participant reflects on their regret for starting to study late due to a heavy courseload but emphasizes the importance of consistent practice and taking practice tests under real conditions.
  • Some argue that the GRE is relatively basic, with the main challenge being time constraints, while others find it harder than expected, particularly when transitioning from longer finals.
  • One participant suggests that reading popular science can enhance knowledge and trivia, which may aid in GRE preparation.
  • There is a mention of differing perceptions of the GRE's difficulty over time, with a reference to the test being harder in the 1980s compared to now.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the appropriate amount of study time and methods, with no clear consensus on the best approach or the difficulty level of the GRE. Some agree on the basic nature of the test, while others find it challenging.

Contextual Notes

Participants' claims about study hours and preparation strategies are based on personal experiences and may not account for individual differences in background knowledge or study habits.

mateomy
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Hey all,

Directed towards those of you that have tried, finished or are trying to get into a (US) graduate program (physics, but not necessarily); how long before the test did you start studying. I know in the case of physics the test is mostly lower division knowledge, but I'm just curious. Couldnt find other posts with this as a topic though, I know they existed at one point.


Thanks.
 
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Roughly a month, with maybe an average of an hour a day studying. So ~30hr total?
 
Seems like the summer before your senior year is the normal time to begin preparation for the Oct/Nov exams. That is what I'm doing.
 
Is this also true for the GRE Math Subject test?
 
I'm from the UK and the GRE covers all the suff in the 1st and 2nd years. 1st year had 186 lectures. 2nd year had another 186. So, in total, 372, but if i ignore the maths courses, then the number of lectures stands at about 300. 1 lecture takes 2 hours to revise. So, 600 hours of work to revise my first and second years and prepare for the gre.
 
failexam said:
I'm from the UK and the GRE covers all the suff in the 1st and 2nd years. 1st year had 186 lectures. 2nd year had another 186. So, in total, 372, but if i ignore the maths courses, then the number of lectures stands at about 300. 1 lecture takes 2 hours to revise. So, 600 hours of work to revise my first and second years and prepare for the gre.

This is completely absurd, and only makes sense if you retain absolutely nothing from your classes and thus need to completely relearn it.
 
I took the October 15th test, and I started studying at the beginning of September. I actually really ended up regretting starting late since I had a heavy courseload, but I made sure to practice consistently and spend a lot of time on it during the weekends and I did well. The trick is to space out the practice tests (which you should take under real test conditions).
 
Honestly, the GRE is a very basic test. The hardest part is the time constraints and really they are not that bad. It's possible to do quite above average with minimal review if you actually paid attention to your coursework prior to this and take one or two practice tests.

That said, if you paid attention and prepare a lot, you will ace it.

More attention is given to this test than it's worth, I think.
 
I agree with those statements but its definitely a bit harder than I was expecting. I took the my first sample test (the one from '86) last week and only got halfway through around the 170 minute mark. It's definitely going to require a complete change of exam-taking philosophy if one is used to 4-5-hour finals that cover the entire course, which is my case.

I saw a lot of trivia I could answer on the spot (and a lot that I couldn't), but I'm not one to rush my computations so I spend more time on things that require calculation doing them from scratch. I need to fix that.
 
  • #10
I agree. I think one of the best ways of preparing in that regard (the trivia stuff) is by reading a lot of good popular science. Not so much the fluffy, stringy stuff. Good, grounded pop sci. The Quantum Story by Jim Baggott, Chaos by James Gleick, Neutrino by Frank Close, etc. Also reading a few modern physics texts (Thornton and Rex or similar) can give a student a more well rounded knowledge than just the core undergraduate courses (CM, QM, EM, SM).
 
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  • #11
... I thought this was a serious thread?
 
  • #12
This is. Reading pop sci before bed (not in place of traditional studying) is an excellent way to broaden one's knowledge of trivia (if I'm understanding your use of the word correctly). You can get a lot of diverse, correct, qualitative information quickly by reading pop sci. As a bonus, you get cogent (sometimes quite lucid) explanations geared toward a layperson. These can sometimes greatly impact how you think about a particular concept. Frankly, if you don't read pop sci (I must emphasize, responsibly written pop sci) you are doing yourself an injustice as a student of science.
 
  • #13
Lavabug said:
I agree with those statements but its definitely a bit harder than I was expecting. I took the my first sample test (the one from '86) last week and only got halfway through around the 170 minute mark. It's definitely going to require a complete change of exam-taking philosophy if one is used to 4-5-hour finals that cover the entire course, which is my case.
It's been a couple years since I heard this but I have heard the physics GRE was much, much harder in the 1980s than it is now.
 

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