• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Taking GRE tomorrow, haven't really prepared. Am I screwed?

Leros

Leros

Lifer
I was meaning to look over some of the GRE review materials this weekend, but life got in the way. I haven't had time to sit down for more than a few minutes until now.

How hard is this test?

I'm about to start looking at some review materials, but obviously not for too long.
 
It's not necessarily hard, but you have to pace yourself properly. Practice would have helped a lot.

Math: Don't spend too much time doing computations.
Verbal: Process of elimination can be a big help here
Writing: whatever
 
Depends on what you need from it and how naturally talented you are at tests. I needed moderate scores and I'm moderately okay at these things so I got what I needed. Good luck!
 
Stev said:
Depends on what you need from it and how naturally talented you are at tests. I needed moderate scores and I'm moderately okay at these things so I got what I needed. Good luck!
Click to expand...

On the SAT 4 years I made a 730 on the English and a 780 on the math. I've been doing computer engineering for the past 4 years so my English vocabulary has dropped and I'm afraid I might have forgotten some of the basic math that will be on this test.
 
General GRE is easy, just remember your high school math after all of those years of linear algebra and advanced calculus.

Now if you are taking a subject area GRE, then yes... you are screwed.
 
Leros said:
On the SAT 4 years I made a 730 on the English and a 780 on the math. I've been doing computer engineering for the past 4 years so my English vocabulary has dropped and I'm afraid I might have forgotten some of the basic math that will be on this test.
Click to expand...

you should be fine. if you want, just take one practice test using that powerprep software they give you just to get a feel for the format and directions.
 
Not necessarily. As GeneValgene said, go through the power prep software. If you remember algebra and geometry from high school you won't have any issues with the math section. You have to to have a superior vocabulary to do really well on the verbal (I think I got about a 630 or so and that was 90&#37😉.

Good luck.
 
GeneValgene said:
you should be fine. if you want, just take one practice test using that powerprep software they give you just to get a feel for the format and directions.
Click to expand...

Powerprep won't run on Vista 🙁

I guess I'll set up an XP VM really quick
 
Last edited:
Nope, just out a hundred-and-whatever dollars, worst-case scenario. Take it again in a week if you don't like your score.

Math is cake for anyone technically minded, although I'm sure that it sucks if you're liberal arts and haven't taken a class in years. If you have an engineering degree and miss more than a couple of questions on the math section, you should just tear up your degree.😉

Verbal is indeed tricky. If you read a lot you'll do fine, but remember that the first few questions are somewhat more important than the last ones.

Writing...I'm not even sure if grad schools look at that.

Really your letters of recommendation are more important. Just re-take the GRE if you blow it.
 
jagec said:
Nope, just out a hundred-and-whatever dollars, worst-case scenario. Take it again in a week if you don't like your score.

Math is cake for anyone technically minded, although I'm sure that it sucks if you're liberal arts and haven't taken a class in years. If you have an engineering degree and miss more than a couple of questions on the math section, you should just tear up your degree.😉

Verbal is indeed tricky. If you read a lot you'll do fine, but remember that the first few questions are somewhat more important than the last ones.

Writing...I'm not even sure if grad schools look at that.

Really your letters of recommendation are more important. Just re-take the GRE if you blow it.
Click to expand...

Just FYI, you can only take it once a month.
 
jagec said:
Really your letters of recommendation are more important. Just re-take the GRE if you blow it.
Click to expand...

This is the last chance to take it for me, so I have to do decent.

Sadly I can't get any good letters of recommendations. I haven't built up relationships with any of my professors. I never needed to, until now.
 
I just did a powerprep test.

I got a 760 on the quantitative, I sort of rushed myself though.

I only did part of the verbal so I'm not sure. The vocabulary was a bit difficult, there were several words I didn't know the meaning of.
 
Last edited:
depends.

the math is 9th grade algebra/geometry. maybe some trig?

the vocabulary can be rough.

the trick to the GRE is knowing how to answer the questions, not so much the material. that's how you should focus your studying when you go to prepare to take it a 2nd time.
 
Leros said:
This is the last chance to take it for me, so I have to do decent.

Sadly I can't get any good letters of recommendations. I haven't built up relationships with any of my professors. I never needed to, until now.
Click to expand...

damn. why did you let yourself fuck yourself over like that?

I would have punched myself before I stumbled into a no-contact situation like that 😛
 
zinfamous said:
damn. why did you let yourself fuck yourself over like that?

I would have punched myself before I stumbled into a no-contact situation like that 😛
Click to expand...

I never needed to go to office hours or anything along the lines of that. I went to class, did my work, and made good grades.

It never occurred to me that I would need relationships for recommendation letters for grad school. It wasn't until recently that I was planning on going to graduate school right after graduating.
 
Last edited:
if i were in your position, even if i took the practice tests and did well, i wouldnt take it without doing a couple months of studying/practice tests
 
GRE is fairly easy IMO. i took it without studying one bit for it and got the score i needed to get into a PhD program.

let us know how it goes and good luck
 
Leros said:
I was meaning to look over some of the GRE review materials this weekend, but life got in the way. I haven't had time to sit down for more than a few minutes until now.

How hard is this test?

I'm about to start looking at some review materials, but obviously not for too long.
Click to expand...

it's the same as the SAT's, with a written portion at the end to assess your logic & ability to argue a point. I didn't study for that portion and got a 6.0 (out of 6). The math section is identical to the SAT's, If you did fine on that, you should get at least a 700 on the GRE's. The english section is a crapshoot. In practice tests I got anywhere from a 590 to a 780. Not even joking.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top