Self-Study vs. Professional GRE Coaching: Pros and Cons

If you’re preparing for the GRE, should you go it alone or hire a professional tutor? Below, let’s explore the pros and cons of “Self-Study vs. Professional GRE Coaching.”

Self-Study

Preparing on your own for the GRE means taking full control of your practice. You set your own pace, design your own study plan, and rely on books, online resources, and practice tests to guide your way.

Pros of Self-Study:

1. Budget-Friendly – If your war chest is limited, self-study is the most economical option. All you need are books, practice tests, and maybe a few online resources.
2. No Formal Sessions – No need to meet for sessions—just prepare whenever you want, whether it’s late at night, early in the morning, or during your lunch break.

Cons of Self-Study:

1. No Expert Guidance – Without an experienced tutor to guide you, you may be wasting time on ineffective techniques. Even professional methods are pie in the sky until you see them done.
2. Zero Accountability – Nobody’s checking in, which means procrastination can be your worst enemy.
3. Difficult Error Analysis – Can’t figure out why you keep missing that same type of question? You might not spot the pattern on your own, and the explanations provided by published resources are often confusing. Believe it or not, though technically correct, they often don’t show the quickest, easiest way to answer a question.
4. Information Overload – Too many books, courses, and videos? Without a professional study plan, you could drown in resources and still make no progress.

GRE Coaching:

Whether it’s a one-on-one tutor or structured class, GRE coaching is much more efficient—it provides a clear study path right up to Test Day, all resources you’ll need to prepare, all material that’s fair game on the test, and professional methods for answering every question type that are battle-tested and have been proven for decades to work. A professional approach allows you to glide through the GRE and make better use of time than ever before.

Pros of GRE Coaching:

1. Structured Preparation – You follow a professional study plan created for you that eliminates uncertainty and wasted time.
2. All Resources Provided – No need to waste time and effort searching for and collecting preparation materials.
3. Any Knowledge Gaps Filled In – Before converting knowledge into points on the GRE, you need to actually have the knowledge in the first place. It’s the job of a professional instructor to make sure you do.
4. Professional Test-Taking Mechanics – Not tips and tricks from someone’s Uncle Louie. An overall, professional approach to taking the GRE—when combined with the knowledge it tests, the natural result is a high score. Luck has nothing to do with it.
5. Accountability & Motivation – This is a much bigger benefit than many people realize. With a coach pushing you forward, slacking off and letting the GRE hang over you like a dark cloud is not an option. You face it and get it done.

Cons of GRE Coaching:

1. Higher Cost – Quality coaching isn’t free, but the return on investment is huge. Not only are you less likely to have to take the GRE more than once, but getting a fellowship can seriously improve your quality of life (so you won’t be a proverbial “starving grad student”) and getting into the graduate program of your dreams can be life-changing.
2. The Danger of a Subpar Coach – Choose wisely. The right coach can make all the difference, but the wrong one is a waste of time and money. Go with an instructor who already has a lot of positive feedback from students.

Which Option Is Your Best Bet?

There’s no comparison between self-study and professional GRE coaching. If you’re able to make the initial investment, the return is often manifold. Some students aren’t able to, so they self-study as much as possible and then hire an instructor to help with a few select items later on.

At The Best Test Prep, we dominate the GRE. Whether you need full-scale GRE coaching or just a strategy session to fine-tune your self-study plan, we’ll get you ready for Test Day.

Book a Free Consultation Today! Call (844) 672-PREP.