Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

How to Prepare for GRE

Learn how to prepare for GRE with a strategic approach. Begin by understanding the exam structure and setting clear score goals. Craft a personalized study schedule, utilizing high-quality materials and taking a diagnostic test to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. Armed with this insight, proceed to the detailed steps that include expertly curated study plans, consultations with knowledgeable experts, and comprehensive mock tests. Follow the steps below to get started:

Begin your Test Preparations by Completing the GRE Diagnostic Test.

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Tips for GRE Preparation

This section offers individual GRE preparation tips for Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.

Quantitative Reasoning

See the official guide of GRE Quant on the ETS website and list all maths topics.
Memorize the question formats.
Check the sample papers across various websites to see the extensively covered topics. Averages, percentages, number systems, and ratio-proportion are some common topics.
Set a quant baseline and goal scores and time for solving the questions.
Learn shortcuts and approximations to save time on questions.
Use scratch paper while solving questions, as this will help hone your problem-solving skills.
You will get a basic on-screen calculator for calculating the Quantitative Reasoning measure. Use the calculator wisely for tedious calculations such as square roots, long division, subtraction, addition, or multiplication of complex numbers. Incorporate the calculator in your practice tests from the beginning, as they are not easy to use.
You can practice charts and geometry-related questions wisely, as many test takers find them confusing and hard to solve.
Review your performance in the practice tests. Take down notes on questions that took more time to solve or you found difficult to answer and interpret.

Verbal Reasoning

See the official guide of GRE Verbal Reasoning on the ETS website and list all topics.
Build your vocabulary, which would help you ace Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion properly.
Read the practice test comprehensions carefully to build your familiarity with them. You can also read articles from magazines like The Economist, The Atlantic, Scientific American, and The New Yorker.
Always pay attention to the clues given in the question, such as main ideas and supporting ideas, transitions from the main idea to the other, and relationships between different ideas. Mastering the signal words will help you ace the transition sentences properly. Instead, indeed/furthermore, although, and however are some common signal words.
Always refer to the information in the passage to answer the questions.
Ace the tricks to solve the questions that require critical reasoning. While doing this, you should focus on the questions and their arguments.
Develop a proper strategy for each GRE verbal question type.

Analytical Writing

See the official guide of ETS to check on the instructions accompanying the AWA tasks.
Practice for the issue essay.
Read the assumptions carefully before writing responses.
Learn to identify false evidence, generalization, and statistics.
Always use strong statements to enhance the readability of the essay.
Try to conclude the essay with a recommendation.
Proofread your essay before submission.

Tips for Time Management on the Test Day

This section gives you tips on answering questions on the test day.

Quantitative Reasoning

Read the question carefully before answering.
Try to answer every question in the sheet. Remember all questions carry equal marks.
Answer all questions in the correct format.
Do not spend more than 1.5 minutes on a question. You can come back and solve it later.
Make use of scratch paper to solve questions and drawing geometric figures. This drawing of geometric figures will help you visualize the questions and interpret answers properly.

Verbal Reasoning

Follow the strategy you developed during the practice phase to answer the questions.
Reading comprehension may be time-consuming. Try to solve at least two questions in 3 minutes. For long passages, you can take up to 5 minutes to solve three questions.
Do not pre-think answers.

Analytical Writing

Read the task properly before you attempt the essay. Try to include only a single focus point in each paragraph.
Do not write phrases and words, which are complex.
Create a powerful conclusion by introducing an opposite viewpoint.
You can take mock tests to ace time management on the big day.

Importance of Taking GRE Mock Tests

Taking GRE mock tests is one of the best ways to prepare for the exam and improve your scores. The following are some benefits of taking GRE mock tests.

Practice, practice, and practice will help you ace the timing, improve your confidence and prepare wisely for the big day.

It helps improve your patience and cultivate the habit of studying every day.

The mock tests help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. You can also monitor your performance and eliminate the methods, which are not bringing any results.

How to Utilize GRE Mock Tests to Increase your Test Scores

Schedule the test once in every week. This will help you review your progress in each section.
You must attempt this test within 2 hours, which would prepare you for the final test. Attempt all the test sections in a single day.
Practice analytical writing along with the quantitative and verbal reasoning part.
Do not skip any part of the test, as this would help you complete all sections to the best of your ability.