I know there are nine million posts like this, but since there is some specificity to my questions, this is post number nine million and one
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I got in the 80th percentile on math and verbal and 93rd (I think) on writing. I studied for the whole summer (probably about 5 days a week, 5-6 hours a day on average) and then took the actual test the following October. I was also simultaneously studying for the psychology GRE though, so the time I needed may have been inflated some (the psych test has a lot of information to memorize).
Not sure what kind of scores you're looking for, but I feel like mine were a pretty fair representation of how much I studied.
I studied the summer before my senior year, and took it a few days before classes started, and I think this was a pretty good plan. I studied a little bit every day (focusing on verbal, since I was applying for English programs), and then did a bit of math in the last two or three weeks. For the verbal, I went through the Barron's 3000 word list and made flashcards for every word I didn't know. I was in the 99th percentile for verbal, so I'd say the strategy worked pretty well for me. I was actually probably too anal about studying than I needed to be, but hey, I'm happy it worked out.
For the math, I honestly found the free guide on the ETS website the best source for review, and of course the Power Prep software was very helpful for both quant and verbal. I wound up with a 740 on the math, but I'm also going to guess that some of that was dumb luck (this coming from someone who nearly failed math my freshman year).
I think we might have gotten the same scores -- I also was in the 99th percentile on verbal (790) and had a 740 in math. I also assumed that part of my math score was a little bit of dumb luck, because I feel like I guessed so damn much.
Use the Powerprep software for sure, but only do one in the beginning just to see how you would do without any studying, then study, then do the others after just to see how far you've improved, and also to acclimatise yourself to the way that the test is conducted
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I took the test after taking a 2 month long kaplan course where you meet weekly with an instructor and have a ton of online assignments and vocab to memorize each week. I improved my score about 150 points (from 1120 to 1270) but primarily in the quantitative section. My verbal score was already quite high and improved only modestly with the $1000 dollar course. I got in the 90th percentile on verbal but only in the top 50th with quantitative. The course was worth it for me because it brought up my math enough to get a respectable overall number, and sense I applied in the social sciences, I didn't need to ace the math part. Otherwise I would have studied more and perhaps taken the course over (an option with Kaplan if you attend the majority of classes and do all the required work and still need more practice
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Math is most definitely my weak subject. I found that Barron's GRE books are fantastic. I studied a couple hours (1 min, 3 max) every day for approx. a month and received decent scores.
Vocabulary on the GRE is absolutely brutal. I walked around everywhere, for that entire month, with a stack of index cards of vocab words and studied every spare minute. A few words here, a couple words there. I used the words in every day conversation (and received a few odd stares here and there...). Knowing how to do analogies, comparisons, and other types of questions will help little if you don't know at least some of the words.
Take the GRE as quickly as possible so you have time to retake it if need be, but also make sure you give yourself at least a month of uninterrupted study time. For example, start studying the day after school lets out in May and study for a good month straight. Take the test. You'll have enough time afterward if you need to retake it.
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Not sure what kind of scores you're looking for, but I feel like mine were a pretty fair representation of how much I studied.
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For the math, I honestly found the free guide on the ETS website the best source for review, and of course the Power Prep software was very helpful for both quant and verbal. I wound up with a 740 on the math, but I'm also going to guess that some of that was dumb luck (this coming from someone who nearly failed math my freshman year).
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Vocabulary on the GRE is absolutely brutal. I walked around everywhere, for that entire month, with a stack of index cards of vocab words and studied every spare minute. A few words here, a couple words there. I used the words in every day conversation (and received a few odd stares here and there...). Knowing how to do analogies, comparisons, and other types of questions will help little if you don't know at least some of the words.
Take the GRE as quickly as possible so you have time to retake it if need be, but also make sure you give yourself at least a month of uninterrupted study time. For example, start studying the day after school lets out in May and study for a good month straight. Take the test. You'll have enough time afterward if you need to retake it.
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