Studying for the GRE without losing your mind or your bank account
(written by Kelly S Frindell, '01)
The GRE is a three to four hour-long test that you will take on a computer.
It is divided into three sections: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical.
The GRE is "adaptive" which means that the test questions that you are given are dependent on how well you do on previous questions.
Harder questions follow correctly answered questions; easier questions follow incorrectly answered questions.
Since the GRE is unfortunately one of the most heavily weighted admission criteria for graduate school, it is imperative that you do well on it.
The good news, though, is that you CAN study for the GRE and improve your scores.
Studying for the GRE
- First things first:
Go register for the GRE.
Right now!
Since the GRE is now computerized, you can take it at virtually any time.
A looming deadline will strike fear in your heart and inspire you to utilize your time wisely.
Logon to www.gre.org to get information about the test center nearest you.
You will need to register either by phone or mail.
Be aware that registering for the GRE will cost you about $100.00.
While you are at the GRE website, read through the FAQ's to get a general understanding of how the computerized test works.
- Now that you have signed up: Visit your friendly public library and check out the test preparation section.
Choose books that have practice tests and explanations of the answers.
It is likely that your library will carry newer prep books that feature the computerized version as well as older books that focus on the paper-and-pencil version.
For the purpose of practicing problems, you can make use of both types of books.
You should, however, disregard the strategy sections of the older books because the strategies are not applicable to the current GRE.
(If you feel that this might confuse you, just stick to the newer GRE books that focus specifically on the computerized version.)
Make sure that the books that you check out have not been written in.
Should you fall into the particularly ambitious or the compulsive studier category, you can also use SAT prep books for extra practice problems in the event that you exhaust the GRE selection.
(The GRE and the SAT tend to be disturbingly similar in terms of content, but be aware that the SAT books will not have any analytical practice sections.)
- Using library books serves two purposes.
First, it will save you a lot of money because test prep books are typically expensive at $30-40.
(If you are determined to buy your own books, however, visit a used bookstore.
They often have test prep books at much cheaper prices.)
Second, you will get used to having to rewrite problems on your own paper because you can't write in library books.
One of the drawbacks of a computer-based test is that you can't write on a test booklet and must rewrite everything for yourself.
This can be rather frustrating since you have been taking paper-and-pencil tests for your entire life.
Practicing this skill now will help reduce your anxiety levels on test day.
- So you've got the books: Time to start reviewing. Most GRE books contain a general review section at the beginning.
These reviews typically cover problem-solving methods for Verbal and Analytical problems and a broad math review.
If you have not taken a math class in a long while (or even if you have), you should definitely complete the math review.
There's a good chance that you haven't taken a basic math class in quite a few years, so don't ignore this step.
The Quantitative section tends to be the section that can most be improved by studying, so make sure you do this.
Review basic math!
- Now for the real fun: Sit down and start working!
You may be skeptical about the practicality of doing practice tests.
While it is true that you cannot predict and prepare for specific questions on the GRE, you can prepare for certain TYPES of questions.
The same types of questions show up again and again on the GRE, so it is to your advantage to be aware of how to solve these problems.
As you go through more and more practice problems, you will begin to pick up on test question patterns.
In terms of completing practice tests, more equals better.
Don't worry about completing entire tests in one sitting at first.
It's not likely that you will have several consecutive hours a day to spend taking practice tests, so work on a few problems any time you have a chance.
You can use either CAT or paper-and-pencil version practice tests because the main issue here is to practice problem types.
- When you first begin studying, don't worry too much about timing issues.
Take some time to become familiar with the problems and work through each problem carefully.
As soon as you are somewhat familiar with the nature of the items, however, you need to practice under the same conditions in effect when you will take the test.
Thus, you need to repeatedly practice taking the test in the specified amount of time.
- Now that you've exhausted all of your practice tests: Logon to www.review.com.
Here you can take a free full length CAT test.
This is especially important to do if you have been studying from paper-and-pencil version books because it will give you a chance to see what it's like to take a test on the computer.
It will also give you an idea of what types of problems you still need to work on.
Studying for the Verbal Section
The Verbal section of the GRE covers three things: VOCAB, VOCAB, VOCAB.
Okay, the Verbal section actually contains analogies, sentence completions and critical reading passages, but having a strong vocabulary is the most critical factor for doing well on the Verbal section.
A good number of the prep books contain "hit parade" vocab lists.
These lists contain about 200 words that frequently show up on the GRE.
(You can also find these lists on the internet by typing "GRE hit parade" into any search engine.)
Put these words on flashcards and learn them!
Be aware that many words have secondary meanings and learn these as well (i.e., "pedestrian" can mean "a person who walks" or "ordinary and dull".
When this word appears on the GRE, it typically refers to the secondary meaning.)
Your flashcards should become your new best friend.
Take them everywhere so you can review them when you have a few minutes here and there during the day.
If it is summer time and you have a boring cubicle job, post of some of your vocab cards on your walls and look at them when you have some downtime.
Review your words during your lunch break.
If you are at home, make your younger siblings help you review your words.
Roommates also make helpful vocabulary reviewers. Begin throwing your newly learned words into everyday conversation.
(See if you can do it with a straight face.)
As you learn more GRE words, you will be surprised at how often they pop up in real life.
Study your flashcards at least a little bit everyday.
Don't try to learn all of the words at once.
By test day, you should be able to quickly define at least all of the Hit Parade words.
While you obviously cannot learn every word in the world, knowing these words will be a tremendous help.
Should you be out of prep time or are otherwise refusing to learn new vocabulary, you should know the following words at a bare minimum.
The following words seem to have a disproportionate tendency to show up on the GRE.
If you don't know 'em, look 'em up.
| Adulterate |
Castigation |
Desiccate |
Didactic |
Effrontery |
| Enervate |
Equivocate |
Exculpate |
Immutable |
Indolent |
| Insipid |
Lachrymose |
Laconic |
Laudatory |
Malinger |
| Mendacious |
Penurious |
Obdurate |
Pedestrian |
Plethora |
| Prevaricate |
Prosaic |
Sage |
Soporific |
Recalcitrant |
| Tortuous |
Venerate |
Verbose |
Vituperative |
Zealot |
Studying for the Quantitative Section
If you have not reviewed basic math, do it now!
Spend a good portion of your time practicing Quantitative problems.
This is the easiest section to improve your score, so every bit of extra review will be well worth your time.
While working on review problems, always redraw the problems on your own paper.
If the problem does not give you a drawing, draw your own.
Also, make sure that you write down every step of each problem.
Even if the calculations seem easy, don't try to do them in your head.
You can't use a calculator on the real GRE, so don't get into the habit of using one while you practice.
The stress of time constraints increases the likelihood that you will make simple math errors due to rushing.
Read all problems very carefully, and make sure that the answer you get is actually what the question asks for.
Things that you should absolutely know by heart:
- Circle Formulas (area, circumference, diameter, radius)
- Triangle, Square, Rectangle and Trapezoid Formulas (area, perimeter)
- Decimal Equivalents of the square roots of 2 through 10
- Volume Formulas
- Pythagorean Theorem
- Distance of a Line Formula
- Ratio of the sides of a 30-60-90 triangle and 45-45-90 triangle
- Exponent Rules
- Order of Operation Rules
- Rules of Parallel Lines
Studying for the Analytical Section
The analytical section is mostly composed of logic games.
While the analytical section may appear to be the most "fun" part of the GRE, don't spend too much time studying for this section!
Many graduate school programs do not strongly weight your Analytical score as an admissions factor.
(Of course, you should double check with your prospective schools to make sure this is the case.)
To study for this section, complete a few analytical practice test sections to get the feel for the types of problems.
Once you understand how the problems work, just leave it at that.
Go spend your time studying Quantitative and Verbal!
Note: Although you may be tempted to blow off this section on the real test entirely, DON'T DO IT.
All three scores are printed on your score report regardless of whether schools use them or not.
If you have a high Quantitative and Verbal score, a suspiciously low Analytical score won't likely reflect well on you even if it is not an official admissions criterion.
On Test Day
- Because of the computerized nature of the GRE, this test-taking experience won't be like any that you have had in the past.
When you arrive at the test center, you should be offered a set of earplugs.
Take them and USE THEM!
All kinds of people will be taking all kinds of tests while you are taking the GRE.
This means that people will be coming in and out of the testing center at random intervals.
Although the earplugs look silly, they will help you block out extraneous noise from other test-takers.
(Besides, the other test-takers are too busy with their own tests to laugh at you.)
- A test proctor will take you to your computer and give you six pieces of scratch paper.
You do not have to begin your test until you are ready.
Do not jump into the test right away.
Sit for a few minutes and get yourself into a relaxed frame of mind.
During this time, you should also prepare your scratch paper.
Divide several sheets into grids in order to use each space to solve a different problem.
Doing so will help you keep yourself on track with each problem.
On another sheet, write multiple sets of "A, B, C, D, E".
You can use these on each question to help yourself keep track of the answer choices that you have eliminated.
Also, write down any math formulas that you might need at the top of one sheet (e.g., area formulas, Pythagorean formula, etc.)
Keep this sheet visible for quick reference.
- Before you begin your test, you must complete a short computer tutorial.
Although you may be tempted to speed through this section, take the time to read the directions.
If nothing else, it will give you a little more time to calm down and will help you adjust to the computer.
- Begin the test when you are ready.
Don't give in to the temptation to rush.
The first problems are the most important because they set the difficulty level for the rest of the questions.
Take special care with the first five or six problems.
Write down everything!
Don't do any work in your head.
It's too easy to get yourself mixed up.
- After you complete the test, you will be given the option to cancel or accept your scores.
Do not cancel your scores unless you are absolutely certain that you did poorly.
If you cancel your scores, neither you nor any graduate programs will ever see your scores.
You will be out your $99.00, though, so think very carefully about doing this.
If you choose to accept your scores, you will see your results immediately.
You will be asked to choose up to four schools where you would like to have your scores sent.
You should take advantage of this option because score reports can become another major expense at $13.00 per report.
You might want to write down these scores immediately after you leave the testing room because you will not receive any type of printout.
You will receive your official scores by mail in a few weeks.
In the event that you do not do as well as you would have liked
Remember this: The GRE is NOT an intelligence test and it does not measure what you have learned in college.
If your testing session did not go well for some reason, don't despair.
You can retake the GRE once every calendar month, so don't jump to the conclusion that you are doomed to live on the streets because you won't be able to get into graduate school.
Plenty of people take the GRE more than once, and there is no shame in doing so.
If you find yourself in this situation, just take a deep breath, go back to your studying, and blow the test out of the water the next time.
One final note: Although studying for the GRE is certainly not fun, it doesn't have to be entirely unpleasant, either.
If you can reframe your studying in terms of being a game or a means to "beat the system", you will find that you might not resent it quite as much as you could.
(And you might even learn something in the process, too!)
Good Luck!
Study Hard!
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