GRE Test Prep Plan

GRE Test Prep Plan - notes from

personal experience
About Me:
My name is Hillary Abe and I am a Dartmouth grad, Class of 2008 and MMUF
fellow. I currently work for a non-profit organization called College Horizons
that helps Native American students apply and succeed in the graduate school
and professional school admissions process through workshops. Recently, I
took the GRE and was pleased with my results. I followed a plan laid out by
one of our trusted faculty members who heads up the Princeton Review
Foundation, Jay Rosner, who has been coaching and mentoring students on
test prep for many, many years. Much of what he recommends, I am simply
reiterating here through my own experience with the GRE. This is not the
end-all-be-all of GRE test prep advice so take what is useful for you - I make
no claims to be an expert and I assume no responsibility for your outcomes.
However, the following plan worked very well for my purposes, I received this
advice from a reputable source and I am happy with my score. I was aiming
for an all-around strong score in all areas of the test and by following these
steps I was able to achieve my goals. The steps outlined below are by no
means the only way to prepare for the GRE but I hope this information can
serve as a good starting point or basis for your own test preparation process.
Please feel free to email me with questions you may have after reading this
condensed guide. Thank you! Email address: hillary.abe@gmail.com

First, some notes on the GRE:

The GRE is a computer administered test - you will be put in front of a
computer for approximately four hours and you will be given access to scratch
paper. Unless you qualify for the paper version of the test, you must take the
computer version. A proper test prep book or class will teach you how to
utilize one of your best tools, the scratch paper, in order to think through
problems and double check your answers on paper, thereby limiting simple
errors and mistakes.

The good news is that the GRE is a highly learnable test. I say this from
experience. As undergraduates you are in an ideal position to get your highest
test scores because you are already in learning mode. If you follow a proven
study plan by a reputable test prep company and devote yourself to the

course of study outlined in this guide, it is very likely that you will raise your
scores and in many cases, raise them significantly. By employing these
test scores because you are already in learning mode. If you follow a proven
study plan by a reputable test prep company and devote yourself to the

course of study outlined in this guide, it is very likely that you will raise your
scores and in many cases, raise them significantly. By employing these
strategies, I was able to steadily increase my quantitative score by 20 points
from my initial practice test and 8 points in my verbal score which made a
huge impact on the outcome of my scores. You can do it! Scores will be good
for 5 years from the date you take your test which gives you a nice window to
determine your graduate path.

Like any standardized test, the GRE is a very dubious and problematic
assessment of your ability to thrive and succeed in a graduate program. In
fact, research has thus far concluded that the GRE may only indicate how well
a student might perform in their first semester of a graduate program, but
does not in fact correlate to performance beyond this early benchmark. Test
experts say that the only thing the GRE is able to reliably measure is how well
you can perform on the GRE - not a whole lot more. Therefore, do not pin your
self worth or that of your achievements on this test. Instead, attack it with a
great deal of skepticism in its ability to determine your ability to thrive in grad
school.

Plan to take the test ONCE. But be prepared to take it twice. Hopefully
nothing will go wrong leading up to your test date but if the unthinkable should
happen and you get sick or there is an emergency or you have a big headache
all of which may effect you or prevent you from doing your best on the test,
you will have a back up date. But aim to take the test ONCE. The GRE is an
expensive test and I’m sure you don’t want to spend the money or time taking
this test again. Be confident that if you have committed to the following plan
and studied diligently leading up to the test, you will be ready for it and will get
your best score. Go in fully committed to receive your best score the first time
you take the test.

There is no penalty for guessing on the GRE. Make sure you leave no
questions unanswered.

Become familiar with the structure of the GRE. Memorize the section order.
The GRE is a computer adaptive test by section - what does that mean? In
brief, depending on how well you perform on the first section of either your
verbal or quantitative section, the difficulty of your next corresponding section
will be adjusted. Performing well on your first section of Math or Verbal will
help you lock in a higher score.
The GRE is highly learnable because each section of the test contains a
predictable number and set of various question types. Each of these question
types can be tackled using strategies outlined in your GRE test prep materials
of choice.
On the GRE, there is a “research” section built in where the test makers have
 The GRE is highly learnable because each section of the test contains a
predictable number and set of various question types. Each of these question
types can be tackled using strategies outlined in your GRE test prep materials
of choice.
On the GRE, there is a “research” section built in where the test makers have
decided to use you as a guinea pig to test new questions for the GRE. You
won’t know which section this is as it comes in random order and is
indistinguishable from the other sections of the test so you have no choice but
to tackle each section as if it counts. This research section will not count
toward your final score. ETS pilots these questions and sections at the
expense of your time and money, pretty nice huh?

As much as ETS wants you to believe that the GRE is an effective measure of
the skills you will employ in graduate school, it isn’t. The test is similar to the
SAT in that it constantly tries to trick you by presenting you with purposefully
confusing and weirdly worded questions, even when the solution should be
very simple. Like many standardized tests, the GRE isn’t your friend, it is a
test that is designed to make test takers make mistakes at every turn. Why
else would you be asked to sit down for a nearly 4 hour test with 6 sections
and only a 10 minute break?

This is going to sound crazy, but as much as possible ENJOY the challenge of
studying for the GRE. Seriously, it will help if you can get into a mindset where
you are not fighting or dreading study time. If you cannot trick yourself to
think positively about studying for the GRE, then think of it as an adversary
and go into your plan of study with a good dose of righteous anger!

Study Plan Overview:

It may seem like a lot, but try to fully commit to 8 weeks of study, 2-3 hours
per day (of focused study) for 5-6 days per week, and take 6-8 Practice
Tests - about 1 practice test per week. Get plenty of sleep (at least 8 hours
on average - this is really important!), make sure to relax and eat well.

Develop your stamina - the GRE is nearly a 4 hour test. It is comprised of six
sections and you only get a 10 minute break at then end of the first three
sections. Following this plan allows for a bit of flexibility - you can start out
slowly with 2 hours of study per day, 5 days a week but you’ll really want to
start ramping it up to 3 hours/day, 6 days per week at least 2-3 weeks before
the test, if not before then depending on your performance on the practice
tests. Make sure your study hours are quality time, focused on the material
and free of distractions. Try not to exceed 3 hours per day, 6 days per week
so that you don’t burn out on the material. There is such a thing as too much
study.

It is important that you think of preparing for the GRE as if you were preparing
to run a marathon with little experience. If you wanted to run a marathon, you
 so that you don’t burn out on the material. There is such a thing as too much
study.

It is important that you think of preparing for the GRE as if you were preparing
to run a marathon with little experience. If you wanted to run a marathon, you
probably wouldn’t practice for a day or even a week before the race with the
expectation of being ready. This is equivalent to cramming for the GRE. In
both instances, your marathon time and your GRE score will likely not improve.
Understand that this prep plan requires you to devote about as much time that
an athlete might devote to training in a term. Commit to this as you would an
important extracurricular activity. Clear your schedule and don’t spread
yourself too thin. Make sure you don’t have too many other obligations as you
study for the GRE - ideally, you might plan to study for the GRE during a two-
course or off term. Remember to use the GRE as an excuse, alert your friends
that you will be a little preoccupied and say no to distractions to make sure
you complete your weekly study. But also remember to make time for fun - so
long as it doesn’t interfere with your prep plan.

Schedule your official test at least 8 weeks AFTER you start your course of
study. Ideally, give yourself 9 weeks for a little extra review after completing
your course of study so that you can review any areas you would like to see
improvement on. Make sure you don’t have anything pressing scheduled
leading up to and before the day of your test that might compete for your
attention.

Building your stamina for the GRE is one of the biggest reasons consistent
study and practice test taking is helpful. After taking so many practice tests,
sitting through each one in a manner that closely resembles the testing
environment is an incredibly helpful way for you to become comfortable with
the pacing and focus required for this test.

Each practice test you take should be a timed version, preferably taken in a
quiet and distraction-free space.

Steps to take BEFORE studying:

Take a TIMED practice test immediately. This will give you a starting point to
get an idea of where your scores are. Do your best to take the practice test in
an area outside of your dorm or house - a library is a good environment to help
you simulate the environment on test day. Take a free GRE practice test at the
Princeton Review or Kaplan website - they break down scores based on
question types. Very helpful for focused review and spotting weak points.

After your first practice test, examine your results to see how you are

performing on the various sections of the test. Don’t be discouraged if your

score is lower than you expected. As I mentioned before, the GRE is
considered a learnable test.
After your first practice test, examine your results to see how you are

performing on the various sections of the test. Don’t be discouraged if your

score is lower than you expected. As I mentioned before, the GRE is
considered a learnable test.

Take some time to understand how the GRE is scored. Your GRE score will
correspond to a percentile and universities that rely on the GRE will be looking
at your GRE score as compared to how well you performed against other
students taking the GRE. If your initial scores are in the 150s, scoring one or
two points higher on the GRE can result in an increase of many percentile
points. Bottom line - increasing your score, even by a few points, can be
worth the effort. I found this list of GRE scores and related percentiles to be
accurate with my official score: http://magoosh.com/gre/2013/gre-score-
percentiles/

Do some research: If you have an idea of the prospective grad or doctoral

programs you are hoping to pursue, help yourself understand the importance
of the GRE score within the context of your prospective programs’ admissions
process. Which parts of the test matter to your programs? Will your verbal
score be considered the most important part of your overall score to the
admissions committee or will there be an emphasis on the Quantitative score?
Or will Quantitative AND Verbal scores be important to the programs you are
applying to? Will the writing section be considered important? Which areas of
the test should you focus on? This will help you strategize about your target
test score.
For context, some programs may not be looking as strongly at the writing
section as they are at the quantitative and/or verbal sections of the test since
you are also expected to submit essays or writing samples with your grad
application. If you are applying to a program in the humanities, it is likely that
your Verbal score will be an area of focus. But the bottom line is that you will
need to make sure to double check with your intended grad programs’
admissions offices to see what the RANGE or AVERAGE test scores from
admitted students are like. Remember that only your prospective graduate
programs can provide the most accurate information on these matters. This
information will help you determine what target score you hope to achieve in
context with the other components of your applicant profile. You will likely
have to factor in the strength of your Undergrad GPA, letters of
recommendation, relevant experience and the overall strength of your profile.
For instance, if you feel that you need a higher score to balance out some
areas of low performance, be sure to adjust for that. Based on this preliminary
research, you will probably want to shoot for a test score that you will feel
comfortable applying to your prospective programs with.

Shop around and select your test prep curriculum.

Do NOT use the Official GRE ETS Test Prep materials. While the Official GRE
 research, you will probably want to shoot for a test score that you will feel
comfortable applying to your prospective programs with.

Shop around and select your test prep curriculum.

Do NOT use the Official GRE ETS Test Prep materials. While the Official GRE
Test book can be a good resource for seeing actual GRE questions and essay
responses (for that it is very good), it is not advised as a primary curriculum for
study. ETS materials do not teach you tricks to engage the test. Most ETS
study materials are provided for free from the ETS website (www.ets.org).

Read reviews, examine prices and select a course (ideally an 8-week course)
you’re comfortable committing to and register for it - OR - buy a complete
GRE test prep book (example: “Cracking the GRE” by Princeton Review). In
both of these cases, the test prep curriculum is usually packaged nicely for an
8-week curriculum with a number of practice tests included. A test prep
course offered by a trusted test prep company is preferable if you are a
student that needs a little more structure. If you are confident about your
ability to tackle a curriculum on your own, the Princeton Review or Kaplan
GRE test prep books will cover the same materials as one of their online or in-
person course offerings. A primary advantage to taking a course are that you
have an instructor who you can ask questions and help plan your strategy
around tough questions while giving you feedback. It is also very helpful when
your homework is laid out for you so that you can remain focused on the
material. If using a book, be sure to use a book printed within two years of the
year you intend to take the test.

A Personal Note: I took an online course (GRE Ultimate Online) through

Princeton Review and found that it was completely worth it, though it was also
expensive. MMUF’s funds helped me afford this. The test prep materials,
drills, live instruction, practice tests and curriculum resources helped me a lot.
I am the type of person who finds it easier to take a guided course as opposed
to using a standalone book. I had to be honest with myself and choose a plan
of study that fit with my learning needs and time constraints. Do you learn
best when there is a live, flesh and blood instructor? Or can you do well by
keeping yourself committed and on-track using a study book? Be sure to
determine the best option for you that will fit within your budget and needs.
Ultimately, It’s up to you.

Block out 8-10 weeks in your schedule to commit to this study plan.
Determine your test date at the end of this period.

Register for your test date at www.ets.org once you have the timeline down.
This gives you a firm deadline.

Math Review: If after taking your first practice test and you feel the need to do
considerable math review, you may want to take a refresher course to cover
some basics before diving into your 8-week GRE course or prep book. While
the test prep materials will help you review some basic math concepts, if you
were confused by many of the basic math concepts presented on the practice
considerable math review, you may want to take a refresher course to cover
some basics before diving into your 8-week GRE course or prep book. While
the test prep materials will help you review some basic math concepts, if you
were confused by many of the basic math concepts presented on the practice
test it wouldn’t hurt to review basic math subjects (for example: basic math
rules and vocabulary, integers, fractions, exponents, basic division/
multiplication/addition/subtraction, basic geometry, coordinate geometry,
square roots, quadratic equations, etc). I certainly had to do this as I had not
taken a single math course in college. Princeton Review publishes a book that
covers this subject material called, “Math Smart.” I took a two week course
through Princeton Review called GRE/GMAT Math Fundamentals Live Online
to help me brush up. This is nothing to be ashamed of - I had not touched
many of these math concepts since 8th/9th grade!
Important Note: If you are uncomfortable doing basic math functions in your
head, then you may want to practice adding, subtracting, dividing, multiplying,
fractions, etc. and work your way up to larger numbers using a math flashcard
program. While there is a basic calculator available during the test, relying
solely on the calculator can slow you down significantly, particularly on
problems where simple calculations are needed. To bolster my quantitative
performance, I made sure to become more comfortable doing basic math
functions in my head.

Verbal Review: On the verbal side, if you are concerned about your verbal
score, acclimating to GRE style questions may require that you spend some
time covering vocabulary words and/or reading articles comparable to the
passages found on the test. Princeton review offers a book with a
comprehensive list of GRE level words called, “Word Smart” and this is a
reliable resource to craft vocabulary flash cards from. Articles from
publications such as the New Yorker, the New York Times Book Review, The
Economist have been recommended as daily reading because they offer a
range of articles which contain reading material close to the passages found
on the GRE. Reading articles and vocab on a daily basis will help acclimate
you to the type of material and questions present on the GRE. With regard to
vocab, be sure to study the more obscure or less obvious meanings of words
because the GRE is written to trick you by using the lesser known meanings of
words.

Reviewing flash cards throughout the day, whenever you have a free moment
can be extremely useful. These useful iPhone apps helped me to brush up or
solidify basics (some of these may also be found on the Android, I haven’t
checked but I am sure there will be some similar apps available in the Android
Store):
GRE Vocab Genius by Brainscape: A great app to help you cover a
comprehensive list of vocabulary commonly used on the GRE. Their flashcard
system is a ranked system and was easier to use than paper flash cards.
 checked but I am sure there will be some similar apps available in the Android
Store):
GRE Vocab Genius by Brainscape: A great app to help you cover a
comprehensive list of vocabulary commonly used on the GRE. Their flashcard
system is a ranked system and was easier to use than paper flash cards.

Mental Math Cards by Nicholas McNamara: Great app for practicing and
mastering adding/subtracting, multiplying/dividing large numbers quickly.
These helped a lot.

Mathemagics: Tricks and practice for performing basic math functions in your
head. Useful for specific functions you may be doing a lot. Tricks to help find
what a number is divisible by was a great tool for me.

GRE by yourteacher.com: This app provides an entire math curriculum! Offers

video lessons covering basic math concepts found on the GRE. Since I used
the Math Fundamentals course, I didn’t reference this too much but it can
certainly help you refresh on the basics.

Study Time - You can do it! Simply follow the plan as laid
out by your test prep course or materials and you should be
improving your scores in no time.
Do your best to commit yourself - remember: 8 Weeks of study, 2-3 hours per
day (focused study), 5-6 days per week, 6-8 Practice Tests, and about 1
practice test per week

Follow the rules and guidelines that the test prep curriculum lays down. Trust
in the process and adjust what is and isn’t working for you.

60/40 Split on weaker subject vs. stronger subject - if you are worried more
about the Quantitative or Verbal sections of the test but want to do well on
both, skew your study time ratio to focus AT MOST, 60% of your time on your
weaker subject while maintaining at least 40% of your time and energy on the
stronger subject.

I found practice tests to be a pretty accurate gauge of how I would perform on

the GRE. But don’t be surprised if sometimes there’s a wonky question that
isn’t graded correctly. Make sure to review all of the questions you get wrong
and strategize how to tackle those types of questions in the future.

Test Day Tips

During the day before the test, relax and treat yourself to a good dinner and a
movie - anything to help you feel good and relax before the test.

Do warmup problems before the test. A sheet of 8-10 easy to medium level
math problems on the morning of the test is a good way to get your mind
warmed up. Be careful not to overdo it, this is just to get your mind in that
 During the day before the test, relax and treat yourself to a good dinner and a
movie - anything to help you feel good and relax before the test.

Do warmup problems before the test. A sheet of 8-10 easy to medium level
math problems on the morning of the test is a good way to get your mind
warmed up. Be careful not to overdo it, this is just to get your mind in that
mode.

If you followed the plan, you can be confident that you have seen everything
on the GRE - there will be no surprises.

Do NOT cram the day before the test. If you have followed the plan there is no
need to do so. Last minute cramming will only stress you out and will not help
you do your best on the test.

Bring a light snack and water to the the test center.

Make the most of your 10-minute break. Stretch your neck, swing your arms,
take deep breaths, jump in place - anything to help your body wake up and get
more oxygen in it.

Get a lot of rest the week of your test. Especially the night before.

If you feel that you have not performed well you have the option of deleting
your scores. However, since the GRE now allows you to be selective with
which scores you send to your programs (for a fee) with their “ScoreSelect
Option,” you may not have to worry about canceling your scores after taking
the test.

Final tips:
Be sure to download the free “PowerPrep II” software directly from the ETS
website to review the basics of the test. The software provides two official
retired tests for practice and most closely simulates the experience of taking
the actual test. Use one or both during your course of study. However, it is
useful to take the Princeton Review free practice test to get a more complete
breakdown of your test results. I found these practice tests to be mostly
accurate and constant with the types of questions and scores I experienced
on the official ETS practice tests. Another advantage is that Princeton Review
will grade your essays for free as well so you can get a preliminary
understanding of your essay writing as well. The Powerprep software will not
give you an essay score.

Sometimes, students find it harder to raise the verbal portion of their score
than the math score. Don’t be discouraged, continue to become familiar with
the test prep tricks and make sure to continue covering vocab and reading
comprehension tricks. Progress should come with time, even if it seems
incremental.

Consistent study and review is really the most beneficial thing you can do to
than the math score. Don’t be discouraged, continue to become familiar with
the test prep tricks and make sure to continue covering vocab and reading
comprehension tricks. Progress should come with time, even if it seems
incremental.

Consistent study and review is really the most beneficial thing you can do to
raise your score.

Extra credit: Develop a test day routine - I employed breathing exercises,

meditation, a morning workout and a healthy breakfast in order to get in the
right frame of mind for my test. Don’t eat anything that might upset your
stomach. Be sure to use a few of your practice tests sessions to hone your
test day routine. If you really want to simulate the day of your test, take your
practice tests on saturday or sunday at the same time your test is scheduled
for on the actual test day. Make sure you don’t have anything planned or due
on the practice test day so that you can focus on relaxing, eating well and
getting plenty of rest before your practice test. Come test day, you will know
exactly what to do.

I wish you the very best of luck and may this be the last standardized test of
your educational career!!! Again, please feel free to reach out to me with
questions using my email address provided at the beginning of this document.