How to Score 320+ on the GRE: A Free 10-Week Study Plan

A GRE score of 320 means your Verbal and Quant scores add up to 320, for example 160 in each. You can work towards it in about ten weeks using free official ETS material first and a few free third-party tools after that. Whether 320 is enough depends entirely on the programmes you apply to.

This article explains what 320 looks like in each section, how to judge whether it suits you, and a suggested week-by-week plan. It is a plan, not a promise: your result depends on where you start and how much time you can give.

What 320 means in section scores

The GRE reports Verbal and Quant separately, each on a scale of 130 to 170, and a separate Analytical Writing score from 0 to 6. "320" is simply the two main scores added together. You can reach it in different ways:

160 Verbal + 160 Quant
155 Verbal + 165 Quant
165 Verbal + 155 Quant

ETS doesn't publish a percentile for a combined score like 320, and it says the sections shouldn't be compared directly. It does publish a percentile for each section. On its latest table, covering test takers from July 2022 to June 2025 (ETS Table 1A):

Section score	Verbal percentile	Quant percentile
155	64	37
160	82	50
165	95	67

The same score means very different things in each section. A 160 in Verbal puts you above 82% of test takers, while a 160 in Quant puts you at the middle. Keep this in mind if you are applying in a quantitative field such as engineering, economics or the sciences, and check what Quant scores your programmes expect.

Is 320 a good score for you?

It depends on the programme. Some programmes have dropped the GRE, some want it with no minimum, and some set a floor. Fulbright Pakistan, for example, requires at least 145 in each section, which is a minimum to apply and not a target.

The best guide is each programme's own class profile or admissions statistics page, if it publishes one. Look for the average or middle range of Verbal and Quant scores for admitted students, and compare your section scores with those, not just your total. If a programme publishes nothing, email the admissions office and ask whether it has a typical range.

Our GRE guide for Pakistani students covers which programmes and scholarships ask for the GRE, plus fees, booking and ID rules.

How long should you study?

ETS doesn't publish an official number of study hours. Ten weeks is our suggestion for someone with a busy degree or job who can manage around an hour or two on most days. If your first practice test is already close to your target, you may need less. If it is far off, give yourself more time rather than cramming.

Pick your test date before you start. You can retake the GRE only once every 21 days (ETS scheduling), so leave room for a second attempt before your earliest deadline. You can see upcoming dates on our deadlines page.

A suggested 10-week plan

Use the free official material first. You need a free ETS account to get POWERPREP Online (two full tests: Test 1 is untimed and Test 2 is timed) and the Test Preview Tool (ETS POWERPREP). The Math Review PDF, sample questions and essay topics are on the ETS prep page.

Week	Focus
1	Open the Test Preview Tool to learn the screens. Take POWERPREP Test 1 (untimed), but note how long each section takes you. Start your mistakes log.
2	Math Review: arithmetic and number properties. Verbal: ETS sample questions. Read one long article in English every day.
3	Math Review: algebra. Verbal: start a vocabulary list from words you meet in practice. Try the ETS Mini Quiz.
4	Math Review: geometry. Write your first timed Issue essay (30 minutes) from an ETS sample topic.
5	Math Review: data analysis. Add free third-party practice, such as GregMat's free account, for extra questions.
6	Take a free full-length third-party test in one sitting, timed. Spend the next days on your log.
7	Work on your two weakest question types only. Do timed sets of 12 to 15 questions. One essay.
8	Mixed timed sets for Verbal and Quant. Second timed essay. Review every error, including lucky guesses.
9	Take POWERPREP Test 2 (timed) under test conditions, at the time of day you will sit the real test.
10	Light review of your log and the Math Review sections you found hardest. Check your ID and logistics. Rest the day before.

Keep POWERPREP Test 2 for week 9. It is your only free, official, timed full test, so don't use it up early.

Free third-party tools such as GregMat, Magoosh's vocabulary flashcards and Manhattan Prep's free practice test are not ETS material, and their questions are not real GRE questions. Manhattan Prep doesn't say whether its free test matches the current shorter format, so check before you rely on it. They are useful for volume, but trust POWERPREP more when you judge your level.

Using a mistakes log and timed practice

A mistakes log is the single most useful habit in this plan. For every question you get wrong, or right by guessing, write down:

the topic (for example percentages, or sentence meaning);
why you went wrong: didn't know the content, misread the question, made a careless slip, or ran out of time;
what you will do differently next time, in one line.

Every weekend, read the whole log. Patterns appear quickly: you may find most of your Quant errors are misreading, not maths. That tells you where to spend the next week.

Timing matters as much as knowledge. On the current test, each Verbal and Quant section lasts 18 to 26 minutes (ETS test structure). From week 5, time every set. If a question is taking far longer than the rest, make your best choice and move on, so one hard question doesn't cost you three easy ones.

Quant tactics

Know the basics cold. Fractions, percentages, ratios, exponents and simple statistics come up again and again. The ETS Math Review covers them.
Read the question twice. Many Quant errors come from answering a slightly different question than the one asked, such as giving the value of x when it wanted 2x.
Try real numbers. When a question uses variables, substitute simple values and test the options.
Estimate first. A rough answer helps you spot an option that can't be right.
Write neatly. Messy working leads to copying errors under time pressure.

Verbal tactics

Read for the argument. In passages, ask what the author is claiming and why, rather than trying to remember every detail.
Predict before you look. For sentence questions, decide what kind of word fits before reading the options, then find the closest match.
Learn words in context. A word you met in a real sentence sticks better than one from a list. Add a short example sentence to each word in your vocabulary list.
Watch small words. "Although", "however" and "not" often change the meaning of a whole sentence.

Analytical Writing tips

You will write one "Analyze an Issue" essay in 30 minutes, scored 0 to 6. On the same ETS table, a 4.0 is the 63rd percentile and a 4.5 is the 85th.

Spend the first few minutes taking a clear position and planning two or three reasons with examples.
Use specific examples, including ones from Pakistan, your field or your own work.
Write clear paragraphs with a short introduction and conclusion. Aim for clarity rather than fancy vocabulary.
Leave two minutes to reread and fix errors.

Test-day logistics

ID: your ETS account name must match your ID exactly, or you can't test and won't get a refund (ETS ID rules). A valid passport is the safe choice.
At home: finish ID verification in the IDVaaS app at least 72 hours before. Check your laptop, camera, second camera, speaker and internet, and plan for a power cut. ETS gives no refund if your equipment fails.
At a centre: check the address and arrival time in your ETS account, and plan your travel.
Scores: have your four free score recipients ready, because you choose them at the end of the test. Official scores reach your ETS account in 8 to 10 days.

What not to do

ETS forbids having test questions or answers in advance, sharing test content, and using unauthorised aids. Penalties include cancelled scores, a lost fee, a ban from future tests and possible prosecution (GRE Information Bulletin).

Don't buy or use "real exam" questions, leaked papers or brain dumps, whatever the seller claims.
Never use a proxy test-taker or a fake or altered ID.
Don't share the questions you saw, in a group chat or anywhere else.

A strong score earned honestly is worth far more than a risky one that could be cancelled just before a scholarship deadline.

Your next step

Create your free ETS account today, open the Test Preview Tool and take POWERPREP Test 1. Then check the scholarships that need the GRE on our scholarships page, and use the eligibility tool to see which suit you.

Fees, formats and rules can change, so confirm everything on ets.org before you book.