What does 320 look like?
A 320 is typically 158 Verbal + 162 Quant (or 155 V + 165 Q for STEM). On the shorter GRE that means roughly 20–21 of 27 Verbal and 21–22 of 27 Quant correct, and, crucially, reaching the harder second section in both measures.
Know the shorter GRE format
| Section | Questions | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | 1 essay | 30 min | 5 plan / 22 write / 3 proof |
| Verbal 1 / 2 | 12 / 15 | 18 / 23 min | ~1.5 min per question |
| Quant 1 / 2 | 12 / 15 | 21 / 26 min | ~1.75 min per question |
Total test time is 1 hour 58 minutes with no scheduled break.
Win the first section
The GRE is section-adaptive: your performance in the first Verbal and first Quant section decides whether you get an easier or harder second section. Only the harder second section can carry you past ~160. Treat section 1 as the most important 20 minutes of the exam, slow down slightly and double-check easy questions rather than racing.
Pacing checkpoints
- Quant section 2: question 8 by the 13-minute mark.
- Verbal section 2: question 8 by the 12-minute mark.
- Never spend more than 2.5 minutes on a single question, mark it, guess, move on. There is no penalty for wrong answers.
Quant tactics for 162+
- Memorize the top 100 GRE math formulas.
- Quantitative Comparison: test 0, 1, negatives, fractions and large numbers before choosing A, B or C.
- Plug in answer choices or pick numbers when algebra gets messy.
- Use the calculator only for ugly arithmetic, not for things you can estimate.
Verbal tactics for 158+
- Text Completion: predict your own word before reading the choices.
- Sentence Equivalence: both answers must create sentences with the same meaning.
- Reading Comprehension: read for structure (main point, author's attitude), not every detail.
- Learn ~500 high-frequency words in context instead of a 3,000-word list.
The 8-week plan
The mistake log: the single biggest lever
For every wrong or guessed question, write down: the topic, why you missed it (concept, careless, time), and the rule that would have saved you. Students who review a mistake log weekly typically gain more points than those who simply do more questions.
Put it into practice
Try a free timed GRE section with explanations, then unlock up to 10 full-length adaptive mock tests.