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Are there any practical tips that will help me with my GRE preparation?
Home » Test Preparation » GRE Test Preparation » Are there any practical tips that will help me with my GRE preparation?Keep these things in mind as you're preparing for the GRE:
• Even if you are in a prep class, your own self-discipline will be the determining factor in how much you are able to prepare before the test. Try to make a schedule and stick to it. Pacing yourself will help you learn and retain the most information that will help you on the test.
• The ETS is changing the GRE to try to make the skills it measures correspond more closely to the skills you will need in graduate school. Try to prepare for the test in ways that also line up with the reasons you want to go to graduate school in the first place -- test preparation can be hard and boring work, and you need to keep your perspective. For example, if you need to practice reading comprehension, read something that might be relevant to your future graduate studies. Princeton Review provides a free six-month subscription to Time Magazine as part of their GRE prep class; if you're not taking a prep class, consider arranging something similar.
• Make sure you fully understand the directions for the different sections -- then you won't have to spend as much time reading through them on the day of the test. However, plan to read the directions for individual questions carefully, so that you can make sure you are answering the question that the test is actually asking, and not one you remember from a practice test.
• To minimize stress on test day, take care of all the logistical details ahead of time. Make sure you know exactly how to get to the testing center, and how much time it takes with traffic. It is also a good idea to speak with someone at the testing center, even if you registered online, to make sure you will be bringing everything you need. You will not be allowed to take the test without identification, so plan to bring your license and possibly a second form of ID.
• Figure out ahead of time about how much time you will have per question in each section. Then you can stay on track with the clock, and avoid having to rush at the end.
• There is no penalty on the GRE for guessing. Do not leave any questions blank.
• Remember, you are not your GRE score! The GRE has a purpose, but it is not to tell you whether or not you are worth anything, or even whether or not you are smart. If you work hard, but keep yourself from taking GRE preparation too seriously, you should come out of the whole process relatively unscathed. Good luck!
Resources
www.ets.org/gre
www.princetonreview.com
www.kaptest.com
www.testinfo.net/gre/gre-tips.htm
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- Are there any practical tips that will help me with my GRE preparation?