For the GRE, you cannot study over a short period. Since the GRE is primarily a test of patterns rather than facts, you will need to devote a fair amount of time and practice in order to improve your score and achieve your targeted results.
We advise you to dedicate 4 to 12 weeks to your GRE study plan and remember to consider these tips alongside your journey toward the GRE exam:
1. Establish a baseline
Your baseline score is the result you’d get on the GRE if you took it right now. Take a full-length GRE practice test in the same testing environment as the real test before creating a study schedule. The outcomes will direct your preparation by highlighting the content areas you should pay the most significant attention.
2. Select your desired GRE score
Most likely, you’ve begun compiling a list of the graduate programs that appeal to you. Compare your practice exam results to each program’s typical GRE scores of the most recent cohort of applicants. Your goal score should be at or higher than the average for the colleges on your list.
3. Create a strategy to close the gap
You need an intelligent preparation strategy that will hold you accountable and produce the outcomes you need, regardless of whether you select a prep course, online program, or test preparation book. You can find the ideal atmosphere for you with a little bit of investigation.
4. Use practice techniques
When taking practice exams and drills, concentrate on your approach to each question. You do nothing more than reinforcing your current approach to the test when you only think about the outcomes. Your ability to take the GRE will improve due to the strategies you employ and how you tackle problems.
5. Recreate actual GRE circumstances
You can practice ideas and test-taking techniques using paper and pencil examinations. Still, they do not adjust to your performance like the actual GRE. Make sure to include online practice (link) in your study plan to assist you in getting ready for the experience of a computer-based test.
6. Examine your outcomes
After taking mock GRE exams, constantly evaluate your results. What types of inquiries do you frequently omit? Which types of questions do you often ace, and which ones make you struggle?
Having access to a GRE instructor can help you out. It’s not only about knowing the material; test preparation also involves developing your pace and exam-taking abilities. To be fully prepared, sit down with a coach to discuss how you did on practice exams and create a clever strategy for achieving your GRE score target.
7. Expand your vocabulary for the GRE
Still, a significant component of the GRE Verbal sections is vocabulary. Reading reputable sources like academic journals or some newspapers and periodicals will help you become familiar with much of the vocabulary that will appear on the GRE. Add additional words to your collection as you come across them on practice exams or practice tasks. At the same time, they have already been utilized on the GRE and could be employed repetitively. Remember to check out the lists and exercises in our GRE Vocab book.
8. Exercise without a calculator
You have access to a calculator on the GRE as part of the on-screen presentation, and it can be beneficial if used properly! However, the calculator can also be dangerous. Determine when using a calculator improves accuracy and when mastering the fundamentals of a complex arithmetic issue is preferable.