GRE prep and exam

[RightIsWrong]

Has anyone taken the GRE recently? I'm wanting to sit for it and want to be prepared to do my absolute best. I'm hoping for some info as to what those that have done well on it feel was a good study guide/prep guide for the exam.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dedpuhl]

I thumbed through a GRE review book right before the exam. My score was high enough to get in LSU's Graduate School (Engineering). This was 2 years ago.

If you don't know a lot of obscure vocabulary, then I suggest picking up one of the cheapo review manuals.

 

[CycloWizard]

The free online reviews that are offered by the GRE organization were very helpful for me. The biggest thing is that they taught me how the GRE works and generally how I need to think during the exam to do well. And I did very well. Just take them the day before the exam.

 

[Accipiter22]

Be familiar with the formatting of the test.


My experience was this; On the English section I was hit or miss in the practice tests I took, I scored between 540 and 750....and I have an immense vocabulary, I haven't come across a word I didn't know the meaning of in probably about 8 years, but there were like 5 or 6 when I took the actual test, I ended up with a 590 I believe, I may go back and retake it, only because I want at least a 700...

Math: Basically the same as the S.A.T....I got a 710, wasn't that hard

Essay section: Just be prepared to concisely back up an argument, with facts. I got a perfect 6 on this part, and i did it by examining both sides of an argument, counter-pointing any potential attacks on my argument, and making sure I checked my spelling and grammrar. Also, learn how to use a semicolon....test scorers love semi-colons

;

 

[ModerateRepZero]

I concur with Acci on the math section; I don't consider myself good at math, but I got 710.

 

[Scarpozzi]

The reason the math seems easy is because it's a lot of geometry and algebra. I haven't taken the GRE, but took the GMAT last summer. Both were administered in the same room....computer test format with essays. Just do a couple of exam reviews and you should do fine...this is very similar to all standardized tests...they just want to get a benchmark. If you don't do well, suck it up and take it again. Good luck...I hope you do really well.

 

[akodi]

I took the computer based test last November, I scored 620 verbal, 800 math, 6 essay. Practice tests really helped, not just taking it leisurely but sitting down for 4 hours and cranking it out. Kaplan and Princeton books are good for their brushups on strategies and timing. The GRE books put out by ETS and contain a bunch of old exams are the best means of gauging how prepared you are. For verbal, brushing up on latin roots never hurts. Math is always a crapshot, I was scoring ~700 on the practice exams but on test day it seemed to be easier. On the essay you don't want to sound pretentious, answer the prompt but don't come off as "worldly", give real-"life" examples something that is tangible and shows you have a clear train of thought. Goodluck. If you have other questions feel free to pm me.

 

[neutralizer]

Thanks for the advice guys, I need to take this soon too.

 

[rezinn]

I started studying a week before the exam using some software my roommate had. It had this racing game where you define some word to get more gas or something lame like that. The math is really easy (I got 790 and I don't like math), but the english part is what people have trouble on. It really doesn't matter what you get on the exam as I don't know anyone who has done poorly and not gotten into the schools they wanted to go to.

 

[Accipiter22]

Originally posted by: akodi
I took the computer based test last November, I scored 620 verbal, 800 math, 6 essay. Practice tests really helped, not just taking it leisurely but sitting down for 4 hours and cranking it out. Kaplan and Princeton books are good for their brushups on strategies and timing. The GRE books put out by ETS and contain a bunch of old exams are the best means of gauging how prepared you are. For verbal, brushing up on latin roots never hurts. Math is always a crapshot, I was scoring ~700 on the practice exams but on test day it seemed to be easier. On the essay you don't want to sound pretentious, answer the prompt but don't come off as "worldly", give real-"life" examples something that is tangible and shows you have a clear train of thought. Goodluck. If you have other questions feel free to pm me.

great advice on the essay portion, forgot to add that in