Thoughts on the GRE?

DanJ

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
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Going to be taking the GRE most likely in the summer months. Wondering what everyone's take on it is? Difficulty of it? Thoughts on which way is better to take, electronic/paper.

Gracias :)
 

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
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I honestly don't remember that much about it. I remember not studying, then going out drinking the night before the test. Got my results back and scored high in everything so I must have done something right. Further proof that beer is good for you. My girlfriend just took it last summer after being out of school for years, she's 31, and she kicked it's ass. Didn't study for it a bit.

Good luck.
 

GeneValgene

Diamond Member
Sep 18, 2002
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it's not so bad at all. but i took it when they still had the analytical section instead of writing.

the math is easy. you should get 800 no problem if you review your stuff. same level as high school SAT I math.
the verbal is slightly more difficult...at least for me it was. not so bad though.
the analytical section is something that you can train for...but that section is gone.

just take lots of practice tests and familiarize yourself with the format. then take some practice computer ones that you get online. it's a little different because you can't skip questions, and plus, the difficulty of your question is determined by whether you got the previous one incorrect or correct...the test kinda "adapts" to what it thinks your level is.
 

michaelh20

Senior member
Sep 4, 2000
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I did the computer one & I think it's supposed to be slightly less painful, (verus using the pencil and dots thing), and you get your score upfront or can cancel it if you don't think you did well.


Be sure to at least look over a paper book / or prep disc to familiarize yourself with at least the format of the exam. Since often times you will run out of time, it is vital to be able to pace yourself and know when to guess and move on. My last score was messed up because I wasn't able to finish those lame questions where it asks you lame logical kinds of puzzle things.

(1) Fred is sitting between George and ALfred
(2) Fred wears black
(3) There can only be 10,000 people on the committee
(4) Random people on the commitee will disappear at random

How many people are on the commitee, what are their names and favorite colors?
If Fred wore white where is George sitting?
Is it possible for ALfredo to eat spaghetti?
 

Spamela

Diamond Member
Oct 30, 2000
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i took it - it was hell - i was tense the whole time & had a stiff neck along with a headache when i left.
 

bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
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Took it last Friday. The general GRE is only computer based now. Subject tests are paper. I didn't study and I got 770 for math :eek: and 500 for english (hey is my second language ;)). The analytical section is easier than the old one IMO. However, is very hard to train. If you are good at analysing stuff analytical shouldn't be too bad for you. On tip: Make sure you get the first 5 questions right!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Every question is weighted differently, so if you score the first questions right the computer will throw at you harder question that are also worth more points!! By the same reasoning the last 5 question won't affect your score so much.
 

Parrotheader

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 1999
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I can barely remember taking it even though it was only about 5 years ago. The main thing I remember is that they were in a transition at my school to making it computerized and I got stuck with the old paper version. The thing looked like it had been printed on one of the first typewriters ever made - absolutely impossible to read and really slowed me down some. But I did pretty well and didn't have any problems getting into grad school.
 

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
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Originally posted by: GroundZero
what is the GRE?
is this the same thing as a GED?

GRE is a test for grad school. consider to be the most difficult standardized test.
 

ryzmah

Senior member
Feb 17, 2003
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It's not too tough - study antonyms for the english part, the math part is a bit easier than the SAT was (they assume you've forgotten math since HS), I don't know about the analytical but I thought the old version was a piece of cake - it's the same type of thing you do in junior high discrete math - applied logic and process of elimination.


Remember on the computer version questions are not weighed equally - the first questions are worth far more than the later ones so take your time, even if it means you'll need to rush later.
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
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It was a joke when I took it. It is a test for grad school - but the math and logic were things I covered in elementary school:
If x^2 = 4 what is x?
If you cannot answer that, you most likely won't do well in any science or engineering field (most grad students). I could see a few education majors or something like that not being able to answer, but then the results of the GRE usually are needed to get into grad school for them either. The logic was even easier:
Bob, Suzy, and Judy sit in a circle. Bob wears a red shirt, the other two are wearing white shirts. Judy sits to the left of the person wearing a red shirt. Who sits to the left of Judy.
Again if you cannot answer that within a few seconds, you don't belong in grad school. I got a perfect score on both the math and the logic sections. The vocab section was torture though (good thing most schools ignore those results):
What word most closely resembles 'SAFTSFASDFASXXFT': red, cat, or book.
Hell no one in their right mind could answer that question. I got above average, but that isn't saying much since I have horrible vocabulary skills. Too bad the logic section was eliminated. Is there a writing section now that replaces it?
 

DanJ

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 1999
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Thanks for the responses. Kind of eases my mind on the thing. I'll definitely do some practice tests in the upcoming months.
 
Feb 10, 2000
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Originally posted by: DaWhim
Originally posted by: GroundZero
what is the GRE?
is this the same thing as a GED?

GRE is a test for grad school. consider to be the most difficult standardized test.

Pshaw! It was MUCH easier than the LSAT, and I imagine it is easier than the MCAT as well.

 

GeneValgene

Diamond Member
Sep 18, 2002
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Originally posted by: michaelh20
They removed the analytical part of it? That was the worst and nastiest part of the test

ya...it's been replaced by a writing section where you write an essay? i think so at least....i took it with the analytical.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
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The general GRE wasn't bad when I took it a decade ago (too bad the analytical is gone -- easy points if you're a science major) but the Comp Sci GRE was way too much fun.
 

SuperTool

Lifer
Jan 25, 2000
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If you don't get 800 on the math, there is something wrong with you. Oh yeah, take the electronic.
No analytical. Writing is piece of cake tho. I got 6/6, and English is not even my first language. Verbal is harder, cus you actually have to know the words that noone has used in 50 years. I guess if you read old books or something you might know them all.