How to Crack the GRE – With the GRE coming up soon, it can be overwhelming to know what to prepare for. There are so many things you need to study and so much information that can only be learned by taking practice tests. However, there is one major hurdle that has yet to be tackled: time management. How do you make the most out of a limited amount of time? This article will cover one way that you can use technology to your advantage while studying!
When you take the GRE, you have to get a score of at least 130. This is challenging and highly competitive. There are lots of people who still try to study for the GRE without a plan or follow their own methods. But those methods might not work in the end, and your score might be lower than you had anticipated. A lot of students don’t know what they should do when they start studying for the GRE because they’re in such uncharted territory. They don’t know where to start, what to expect, what questions will be on the exam, or how long it’ll take them to prepare. Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about studying for this test and what resources will help you achieve top scores.
How to Crack the GRE with a Study Plan and Exam Flashcards
Many people who want to improve their grades and get into a good school either fail or don’t pass the GRE. Many students don’t know where to begin when it comes to studying for the GRE, so they end up cramming before the exam or simply give up.
If you want to pass or score well on the GRE, it is imperative that you prepare for this test and study for it properly. This blog post will show you how to prepare for this and also how to develop a strategy with flashcards. We will break down what you need in order to succeed, as well as how we cracked the GRE with our own strategies and tactics.
How to Study for the GRE
First, you will need a study plan. You should start by figuring out what resources you will be using for your prep. Next, you should make a list of the topics that you know you have to know for the GRE. These are things like grammar and vocabulary words, as well as important math concepts such as slope or logarithms. For example, if you are taking the GRE in May 2017, then make a list of all the vocabulary words used on this test and make sure that you know how to spell them before attempting to take it.
Even though many people succeed on their first go around with studying for the GRE, it is still vital that students prepare for every test just in case they don’t do well. If this happens to be your first time taking this exam, then simply use our strategies below and build from there!
How to Develop a Study Strategy
First, you need to create a study plan. In order to develop your strategy, you should break down what you will do before, during and after the exam. Here is an example of how we prepared for the GRE:
Day Before:
-Review flashcards
-Study vocab list from the Khan Academy
-Read up on the sections of the test you don’t know well
-Read up on materials that might be on the exam
-Do math problems for practice
Day of Exam:
-Eat a good breakfast
-Stay hydrated throughout your day
-Go to the testing center early and avoid traffic/parking issues (if applicable)
-Get plenty of sleep before taking the exam
-Eat a good snack before taking the exam (if applicable)
Day After:
How to Develop a Strategy with Flashcards
There are many different ways to prepare for the GRE. This blog post will show you how to create a strategy with flashcards.
The first thing you need is to develop a study plan and stick to it. The key here is not going in and out of studying. You should also make sure that you set goals for yourself, get enough rest, and only study when you can focus.
After this, it’s time to create your flashcards. There are many ways you can do this, but one way is by using an app like Anki, where the files are all saved for you. If you want some practice cards before creating your own, there are also websites like ETS or Khan Academy that provide these materials as well.
Once your cards are all created, use them to study vocabulary words, grammar rules, and math concepts in order to improve your score on the GRE. A great way to do this is by using spaced repetition learning (SRL), which helps increase retention rates and helps remember information over time without forgetting what was learned earlier. In our experience with SRL and Anki, we have increased test scores by more than 100 points!
What you need to succeed on the GRE
The GRE is a standardized test that tests your skills in reading, writing, and verbal reasoning. This test consists of three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
There are many ways to prepare for the GRE, but what is most important is your studying strategy. You must have a well thought out plan before you’re ready to take on this test. That plan should be based around resources like content review, timed practice exams, and flashcards.
How to Crack the GRE by Yourself
The best way to prep for this is to study independently. But if you cannot do that, you can still pass the test by using flashcards and a study plan. You should study for about four hours a week, divided into two or three blocks of time.
Quiz yourself every day on material you’ve studied the previous day and review any material that you haven’t memorized. This will ensure that you are memorizing information and not just studying it in your head.
1. Find your baseline
Your baseline score is the score you would receive if you took the GRE today. Before you make a study plan, take a full-length GRE practice test under the same testing environment as the real thing. The results will guide your prep by showing you which content areas you need to focus on the most.
2. Determine your target GRE score
You’ve probably started making a list of the graduate programs that interest you. Compare your practice test score against the average GRE scores of the most recent incoming class to each program (find this information on the school website or in our grad school profiles). Your target score is one that would put you at or above the average for the schools on your wishlist.
3. Make a plan to close the gap
Whether you choose a prep course, online program, or a test prep book, you need a smart prep plan that will hold you accountable and give you the results you need. With a little research you’ll find the right environment for you.
4. Practice for technique
Focus on how you approach each question while taking practice tests and drills. If you focus on just the results, you do nothing more than reinforce the way you are taking the test right now. The techniques you use and the way you solve a problem are what help you get better at taking the GRE.
5. Mimic real GRE conditions
Paper-and-pencil tests can help you practice concepts and test-taking strategies, but they do not adapt to your performance like the real GRE. Make sure you budget online practice into your study schedule to help prepare you for the computer-based test experience.
6. Review your results
Always review your performance after taking GRE practice exams. What kinds of questions do you consistently miss? What question types do you tend to ace, and which ones slow you down?
This is where access to a GRE tutor can really give you a leg up. Test prep is only partly about mastering content—it’s also about your pacing and test-taking skills. To be completely prepared, sit down with a coach to review your performance on practice exams and make a smart plan to meet your GRE score goal.
7. Build up your GRE vocabulary
Vocab is still an important part of the GRE Verbal sections. You can absorb many of the words that will show up on the GRE by reading respected publications such as academic journals or some of the more highbrow newspapers and magazines. When you come across new words on practice tests or practice problems, add them to your list. They have been used before on the GRE and they may very well be used again. Check out our GRE Power Vocab book for lists and drills.
8. Practice with and without a calculator
A calculator is provided for you on the GRE as part of the on-screen display, and can be a huge advantage if used correctly! But the calculator can also be a liability. Figure out when using a calculator makes you more accurate, and when you’re better off learning the rules of a key math concept.