GREs today

[invidia]

I got an 800 math and 500 on verbal. This is with ZERO studying/preparation. I didn't know the format of the test until I looked at it a couple nights before my GRE date.

But, in general, if you're a physics/math major, you better hit a perfect on the quantitative section.

 

[Deeko]

My take on the math...the concepts are definitely pretty easy, everyone says its easier than the SAT. Now its been awhile since I took the SAT, but I'd say they even out. The math concepts involved are probably easier (I seem to remember some trig and more advanced geometry/algebra on the SAT), but you had a calculator and definite answers on the page. Having to do the calculations by hand, and having to chose the "which is greater" answers, I'd say makes their difficulty somewhat even.

I agree that the verbal is pretty nuts. I did very well on the verbal section of the SAT, and I'd imagine I did well on the reading comprehension and sentence completion parts, but the analogies and antonyms are some ridiculous vocab.

 

[Whisper]

The one part of the GRE that I truly detested was the additional, non-scored experimental section that they discreetly slipped in. After the essays, my first phase was verbal...and I knew absolutely none of the words. This wouldn't necessarily have been too bad, except a) I'd done a pretty extensive job of scanning vocab lists for a month or two before the exam, and b) I was a social sciences/humanities major, so words were my only salvation.

Luckily, after finishing the following math portion, I was greeted by a second verbal subtest, in which the words actually appeared to be English.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

Now that you've taken the exam, GL on getting in.

If I may offer some unsolicited advice, I strongly recommend visiting as many of the programs to which you've applied/will be applying. It gives the faculty (& your potential adviser) a chance to put a face to your name, shows that you're serious about your career, gives you the opportunity to confirm how you'll work into the existing system (i.e. when & in what capacity will you be doing research? is the research something you really want to do?) & gives you a chance to show them at a bare minimum that at least you're not whack (assuming you're not whack, haha). It also gives you a chance to get a feel for the people with whom you'll be working - it doesn't matter how prestigious the school is, or how brilliant your adviser is - if you can't get along with them, you won't finish. I know three faculty at three different Big 10 schools who will not accept anyone they've not met, regardless of how they look on paper.