Comments | applyingtograd: Literature Subject GRE

dolorelei in applyingtograd

Literature Subject GRE

Mar 19, 2009 14:47

Did anyone here study for the Lit Subject GRE without buying a bunch of prep books? I'm trying to do some smart-studying by analyzing my incorrect and skipped questions on the practice test, but my studying strategies are this:

- Reviewing trouble areas in the introductions, author notes, historical contexts etc in my different anthologies (Norton, ( Read more... )

studying, prep books, literature subject gre, gre

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dolorelei March 19 2009, 22:34:05 UTC

I may be making this all up in my head, but I thought I read on the GRE site that there weren't any testing dates for the subject test after 4/4 in my area. Maybe I'm wrong. I also might have over-estimated the amount of time that the testing people take to score and report. Whatever the reason, I signed up for this date and my money is already sunk into the exam.

When do most people take it?

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dolorelei March 19 2009, 23:01:14 UTC

Like I said, it's very possibly that I'm wrong. In any case, I'd say check their site for your area and be sure.

apwoh March 19 2009, 23:03:24 UTC

The subject GRE exams are offered 3 times a year. Once in April, once in mid- October, and again in early November. I took the October test and it took about 5-6 weeks for my scores to be reported.

I used the Cracking the GRE in English Literature book (that's not the exact title, but it definitely has "cracking" in it!). It's very inexpensive and worth the investment. It was really good because it gives you lists of what will likely be on the test, and what you need to know about them. I don't know if it's completely comprehensive, because I don't think it has very much on theory, but it will give you a good idea of the depth of knowledge you'll need to know.

I also used Vade Mecum and the Reed College prep site.

You'll want to take several practice tests. There are a few available online.

I scored in the 96th percentile, so this worked for me!

curieuse March 19 2009, 23:07:09 UTC

I concur about the Cracking the GRE Lit one -- have it interlibrary loaned to you through your school library if you truly can't afford it.

Also, don't neglect theory. I had a theory-heavy exam where over 1/3 of the questions were theory oriented. The rest were a mix of various literature genres with WAY TOO MUCH about restoration comedy, about which I knew almost nothing and would have known less if not for the "Cracking" book above.

dolorelei March 19 2009, 23:13:46 UTC

I have a pretty solid framework for theory, thanks to a required course at my uni. There will be some extra studying though-- no doubt about it.

As for the ILL, I'm going to be gone for Spring Break and wouldn't be able to pick it up in time. If it's less than $15 I'll be picking it up anyway. I just saw some of the prep books going for over $30, and that's unacceptable to my penny-pinching ways.

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apwoh March 20 2009, 04:59:33 UTC

You're welcome! I've gotten so much help from this community, I'm glad to help someone else in return. :)

I was in a rush earlier and didn't post a link to the Reed site. It's http://academic.reed.edu/english/gre/

teaganc March 19 2009, 22:55:37 UTC

This. You will spend money on the Norton Anthologies, but they are worth having anyway.

dolorelei March 19 2009, 23:08:12 UTC

Happily, they have been a member of my book family for a few years now. I sort of started some long-term studying for this stuff last summer, and I read straight from the Vikings to Elizabeth I in Norton.

I am very happy to never sell back any of my textbooks, and it's finally starting to pay off haha

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