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GRE Preparation Tips

Written by  Piyush Bhartiya

Reviewed by  Priyanka Bhargava

Published: Mon, September 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  Updated: Mon, September 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  9 mins read

GRE Preparation Tips

Written by  Piyush Bhartiya

Reviewed by  Priyanka Bhargava

Published: Mon, Sep 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  Updated: Mon, Sep 30, 2019 9:30 AM IST  9 mins read

GRE Preparation Tips

GRE stands for GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATION. It's a type of standardized test or a type of admission test required for getting admission in various colleges abroad. GRE's purpose is mainly to measure the potential and preparedness of the students for a graduation college. There are many colleges around the world that consider GRE as a critical component for student's application.

GRE is almost accepted all over the world. But there are some countries which do not accept GRE or don't give much importance. But countries like the US, UK, Singapore, and Australia consider GRE for application. There are many colleges around the world accepting GRE scores. Still, some good universities like, American Universities, Brock University, London Business School, and the University of Oxford welcomes students with GRE scores.

GRE consist of the syllabus of 10th and 12th. There are 6 subjects in GRE, Biology, Chemistry, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. There are various ways to get prepare for GRE. The students can prepare through various coaching centers, which provides various kinds of study materials and help students to crack the exams from the very beginning. There are many online sources, too like, various online classes are free of cost and free online study material and sample papers

Gre Exam Preparation Tips

GRE is not a tough nut to crack, with a well-laid study plan and focused goal one can easily score good marks in GRE. 2-3 months are enough to prepare well for GRE. With ample practice in each section, students can score excellent marks and can apply to their dream institutes. Some useful GRE preparation tips are as follows 

  • Choose the right study material

Study material is the source from where the real literal knowledge is gained. With the availability of the internet, there is a vast amount of content available over the internet.

Students should explore a variety of materials like journals, blogs, websites and books.

Choose the books which are up to date concerning new content and format. The data present in the material should be accurate and it should be in accordance with the study plan. Important topics should be given more focus.

  • Create a study plan

It is rightly said that failing to plan is planning to fail. Therefore creating and formulating a study plan becomes very important and should not be ignored at all. Students are advised that they should develop a plan of action and lay down all the essential topics which are distinguished from the exam point of view.

The aim of a student should be to cover all the topics and form a timetable to make time to study every day. A positive mindset and continuous efforts will never go in vain. 

  • Do not underestimate the difficulty of Quant

Most students tend to ignore Quant and do not pay that much attention to it. Although Quant here in GRE is different from regular math. The Quant here is just not some high school trigonometry questions. GRE Quant focuses on testing the overall quantitative analysis ability of the candidates. Although the problems in the Quants section are of math only but have a twist in it, followed by brain teaser. Also, GRE Quants aims to test the candidate's ability to interpret given data correctly than to formulate solutions. 

  • Prepare well for AWA

Analytical Writing Assessment is used in short and is called AWA.

AWA in GRE is tested to check the candidate’s writing skills. As compared to other sections AWA is less important but takes a considerable amount of time and energy in the GRE. Read many articles and practice writing articles on different topics.

Build and follow structures to write essays. Following a structure helps to write an article with the right amount of accuracy quickly. Also, when writing an article in an exam, always be sure of the argument you are supporting.

  • Build your mental stamina

The duration of GRE is close to 4 hours and the break between sections is of mere 1 minute. Also, the break after 3 sections is 10 minutes. Thus it can get quite hectic and chaotic for most of the candidates.

Therefore it becomes essential for students to build up mental stamina to cope up with the exam and to maintain focus in the exam for that more prolonged period. Candidates are suggested to practice for long hours and give mock tests to perform better and remain focussed while giving the exam.

  • Know the contextual meaning of the GRE words

GRE tests English and vocabulary of the students. The candidates should not try to learn every word of the dictionary and their meanings, the main aim of GRE is to test the vocabulary of the student and its context. Students should try to remember the prefix and their meanings rather than learning every word. Also, students should grasp the examples to get a better understanding of concepts and the context. 

  • Make a list of your target universities.

Along with preparing for GRE, it is vital to set goals and measure one's performance. The main goal of giving GRE is to get admission into a good and reputed university, so it becomes vital to research and makes a list of universities which one wants to take admission in.

Make a list of universities both in India and abroad. Study the pros and cons of each university and divide them accordingly. 

GRE Verbal Preparation Tips

The GRE Verbal section contains 40 questions and it aims to test student’s reading and language skills. These GRE Verbal Preparation Tips will surely help you. Gather study material necessary for preparation.

Make an action plan. Students need to understand and memorize the essential vocabulary words with the use of examples. Read a lot, to increase reading habits and speed.

Manage time effectively and practice mock questions and papers to build fluency and mental stamina. 

  • Gather study material necessary for preparation
  • Memorize vocabulary words with the help of examples
  • Read and write articles to make it a habit 
  • Practice mock papers 

Books to Prefer

Book Name

Author

MRP

Manhattan  5LB Book of Practice Problems

-

Rs.450

ETS Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions

-

Rs.200

GRE Math Prep Course (Nova’s GRE Prep Course)

-

Rs.650

Kaplan GRE Math Workbook

Publisher Kaplan

Rs.250

Vibrant Publishers GRE Analytical Writing – Solutions to Real Essay Topics ( Books 1 and 2)

Publisher Vibrant

Rs.550

ETS Official Guide to the GRE Revised General Test

-

Rs.350

Word Power Made Easy

Norman Lewis

Rs.150

Barron’s 1100 Words You Need to Know

Barron

Rs.150

Magoosh GRE Vocabulary eBook

-

Rs.250

GRE Quant Preparation

GRE quant section includes all the basic knowledge of the high school. The topics covered under this are Geometry proofs, calculus, and trigonometry. These topics have been studied by the student long back in high school. This test focuses on the logical thinking of students.

There are 4 GRE Quant concepts

  1. Arithmetic
  2. Algebra
  3. Geometry
  4. Data Analysis

GRE preparation in 1 month

GRE preparation is possible in 1 month. But the students have to go through a lot of practice. The most important thing for preparing GRE in one month is the students should have a proper clarification of basics. There are 7 steps for preparing GRE in 1 month.

Steps for GRE in 1 month

  1. Take a practice test
  2. Get the foundations in place
  3. Set schedule
  4. Practice daily
  5. Test yourself on a regular basis
  6. Be prepared for the full exam
  7. Mental Preparation

GRE preparation strategies

The first and most important thing while preparing GRE is preparing mentally. Another thing is, there are many logical questions in GRE, so one must think logically while doing it. The practice is a must, and it should be daily. We have prepared some more strategies, which are as follows. 

Strategies

  • Follow-up a regular study plan
  • Follow practice test daily
  • Know your weaknesses and try to overcome them
  • Track your progress

GRE preparation at home

Taking the benefit of technology, students can prepare GRE from the comfort of their homes. Many websites are providing online classes and video lessons on GRE. Some of them are self-paced programs, while some are five days a week class. Some are free while some are chargeable

How to prepare at home?

  • Find study material
  • Schedule your study time
  • Join online lessons or classes
  • Practice sample papers weekly
  • Track your progress

GRE preparation for beginners

There are many institutes providing foundation classes for beginners. The duration of these classes is for 1-2 months. After completion of these classes, students can shift forward to regular classes. In these foundation classes, there is a regular practice of basics.

Beginner Preparation

    • Enroll for foundation classes
    • Go through high school books for basic knowledge
    • Practice daily
    • Get basic clarification

FAQs

Ques 1. How should I start preparing for GRE?

Ans. Students should have a good study plan, and along with the study plan, the good study material is also vital.

Ques 2. How long do you need to prepare for the GRE?

Ans. Although it depends on person to person, the average study period is around 2-3 months if the study is done with full focus supported by a well-laid plan.

Ques 3. How can I prepare for GRE at home?

Ans. GRE requires persistence. Students studying at home can prepare from books and other study material available from various sources. Practice and hard work is the key.

Ques 4. Is the GRE test difficult?

Ans. GRE tests both quantitative and verbal knowledge of the students, although the verbal section is a bit more complicated, overall GRE is moderately difficult to crack. 

Ques 5. What is a good GRE score?

Ans. GRE scores range from 130 to 170 per section. The GRE max score is 340 (combined scores range from 260-340). Therefore a score up and above 300 is considered good. 

About the Author & Expert

Avatar

Piyush Bhartiya

author • MBA • 2 years

Piyush values education and has studied from the top institutes of IIT Roorkee, IIM Bangalore, KTH Sweden and Tsinghua University in China. Post completing his MBA, he has worked with the world's # 1 consulting firm, The Boston Consulting Group and focused on building sales and marketing vertical for top MNCs and Indian business houses.