GRE Preparation Strategies for Test Takers What will we be covering today? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● A Little About Me What is the GRE? Understanding the Exam Content and Question Types Adaptive Sections and Relative Scoring Algorithm Quantitative Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Analytical Writing Analysis Resource Links Online Forums Questions and Answers Bonus Slides A Little About Me! (and what I’m working on at the moment) • CSE Graduate, SRMIST Class of 2020 • Working as an Associate Software Engineer at Volante Technologies, I am a Java developer for a product that helps banks process payments. • Looking to pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science in the near future, and to continue to explore my interests in the software engineering domain. What is the GRE? ● The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardized test of proficiency involving Math, Verbal and Writing Sections. ● Accepted by many educational institutes in the USA, Canada and a few other countries as a part of your application profile. ● The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is responsible for administering the exam and for score submission to your target schools. Understanding the Exam Content Adaptive Sections and Relative Scoring • How the GRE Scoring Algorithm Works • GRE Test Structure and Common Questions Answered Quantitative Reasoning- Question Types ● Multiple Choice – One Correct ● Multiple Choice – More than One Correct ● Quantitative Comparison Questions ● Numeric Entry Questions Quantitative Reasoning ● ● ● ● We all generally have previous experience with Quants. Difficulty level of questions asked is not too high. Must be sensible about both prep and test taking approach. Primary Quant topics are Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry and Data Analysis. Quantitative Reasoning Syllabus Properties of Integers Arithmetic Arithmetic Operations Ratios and Proportions Sequences and Series Functions, Equations and Inequalities Quantitative Reasoning Algebra Word Problems Coordinate Geometry Triangles Geometry Circles Quadrilaterals Data Analysis Mean, Median and Mode Range and Standard Deviation Data Interpretation Probability Permutations and Combinations Study Topics By Frequency ● ● Some topics are more likely to appear on the final test than others – it is a good idea to focus your preparation accordingly. Prepare well for the topics that will actually appear on the test – you do not want to make silly mistakes in those. Learning Materials ● ● ● ETS Material is the best source for understanding the questions asked on the test. The issue is there is not enough of it. But what if you feel you need a little more practice in a specific set of topics? – Try out the Manhattan Prep 5 lb. Book. Learning Materials ● ● The PowerPrep tests are mock tests that help you understand your prep level as well as catch mistakes that you might make in the real test. The PowerPrep Plus Tests are paid, but as I mentioned they are definitely worth the money. Learning Resource - GregMat ● GregMat is both a YouTube channel and a website. ● Greg teaches everything via freely available ETS material only ● Explains even the heaviest concepts in a concise manner. ● Also offers some great practice questions that can be filtered by topic or difficulty. ● Please be sure to check it out. The website offers some free content, with a paid membership of just $5 or ₹360 a month. Quantitative Reasoning ● Once you have an understanding of the test structure and topicwise weightage, you would probably need to get some practice in for each of these topics. ● Real test questions could combine multiple subject topics together. ● Silly mistakes are a common reason for losing marks – and must be avoided by becoming more aware of your solving process. ● All of this needs to be balanced in a time-sensitive manner. Quantitative Reasoning ● An optimal order of approaching the questions would be: ○ Q9-Q19 (All the direct calculation based questions as well as the Data Interpretation Set) ○ Q1-Q8 (All the Quantitative Comparison Type Questions) ○ Q20 (Usually is a time-sink and is good to attempt at the very end of the section) ○ Revise Q1 – Q20 for silly mistakes and perform calculation checks if possible. ● Have the correct mindset for taking the test. ● Do not get stuck on any one question. ● Hard questions are fewer, you want to go for the easier ones first. Quantitative Reasoning – Miscellaneous Tips ● ● ● Move on from the hardest questions – your time is precious. The on-screen calculator is slow to use – do not rely on it beyond final calculation checks and for large numbers. Be aware of what your target program expects of you in terms of your Quants Score. Verbal Reasoning ● This section consists of a few challenges that you need to understand before tackling the test. Question Types ● Text Completion ● Sentence Equivalence ● Reading Comprehension Source Material for Reading Passages ● Where is the test material sourced from? Can I find content elsewhere to understand the kind of sentence structure and vocabulary being used on the GRE? ● In the GRE, the sentences or paragraphs you come across in the test are sourced from years and years of academic texts and journals. In some cases the content may also be similar to that of an opinion-editorial articles. ● One does not typically write or speak in the manner which you see in these samples. Learning Materials - ETS ● ● ● ETS practice material most closely resembles the test. Read their passages, and the related questions carefully. These are also a good source for building your vocabulary. Learning Materials - ETS ● ● ● The book you see on the right is commonly known as the ETS GRE Big Book –it contains 27 Practice Tests for the old Paper-based GRE. The paid PowerPrep tests provide you with full explanations for how ETS picks a correct answer. You NEED to learn how to think like the test-setter. Reading Editorials ● The editorial articles published on these websites are a good way to sharpen your reading skill and improve your vocabulary simultaneously. Reading Novels ● ● Read novels that contain GRE Vocabulary, if you have the time. This is probably a good way to get into a reading habit, and pick up a few good vocab words along the way. GregMat ● ● As I already mentioned for Quants, GregMat remains a very reliable source of test prep strategies and content. For verbal especially, Greg has several playlists that cover Dedicated Grammar Lessons, Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehensions and several techniques to tackle the other two question types. Vocabulary Building ● ● Your vocabulary is the most important part of your GRE Verbal Prep. ETS is tricky, but actually rather predictable. Vocabulary Building – What makes it essential? ● ● Synonyms of commonly known terms: ○ To scold someone – upbraid, admonish, castigate, reprimand, chastise, lambast, vituperate ○ To praise someone – extol, encomium, panegyric, paean ○ To rant about something – polemic, harangue, tirade, broadside, diatribe Words that Sound Similar But Are Very Different (A.K.A Homonyms) ○ Execrate (to express hatred for), Obsecrate (to beg or request for something) ○ Obloquy(strong public opposition), Soliloquy (a long dialogue in a play representing a character’s thoughts) ○ Abjure (to give up on something), Adjure (to request someone to do something) Vocabulary Building – Word Lists Verbal Reasoning – Focused Reading Habit ● ● ● ● GRE Reading Passages are often obscure and lengthy, they are not the same as regular reading passages due to this. Verbal is a time-sensitive section because of RCs. Read the passages slowly but deliberately. It is a good practice to take notes in shorthand. Verbal Reasoning – Text Completion ● ● ● Depends upon your vocabulary strength and understanding of sentence structure. Understand the components and tone of the sentence. Knowing what each of the words mean is key to getting this question type correct. Verbal Reasoning – Sentence Equivalence ● ● Requires you to fill a blank with a pair of words that effectively give the sentence the same meaning, either way. There is a pairing strategy here that simplifies this – but once again your verbal skills are called upon. Verbal Reasoning – Strategy Toolkit ● ● Going by your general “sense” of the English language can be quite misleading. Follow a set of strategies to avoid trick answers and maximize your scores in these objective questions. Verbal Reasoning – Reading Comprehension ● ● RC Passages can be considerably tricky – even if they are only one paragraph in length and seem simple at the surface. You must make more time for these questions in the Verbal sections and then carefully tackle them one by one. Verbal Reasoning – Types of RC Questions ● ● ● ● ● ● Which of the following strengthens the argument? Which of the following weakens the argument? Which of the following would the author most likely agree with? What is the purpose of the highlighted sentence in the passage? Which of the following is the overall idea presented by the passage? What does <word> mean, in the context of its usage in the passage? Handling Traps in RC Passage Questions ● ● ● Deliberate reading and understanding the passage is key. ETS frequently adds trap options that very nearly seem correct, but actually are not. Do not be in a hurry, despite the time constraints. Handling Traps in RC Passage Questions ● ● ● ETS Solutions may not match with your own line of thinking – but that is okay. There is always a level of ambiguity regarding answers to Verbal and critical reasoning questions. You need to think like the test setter - ETS. Verbal Reasoning – Order of Attempting Questions ● ● ● Attempt all Sentence Equivalence Questions First Attempt all Text Completion Questions Next Attempt all Single Paragraph RC Questions (typically have fewer questions attached to the passage) ● ● Attempt all Multi-Paragraph RC Questions Revise Answers Verbal Reasoning – Miscellaneous Tips ● ● ● If a question seems way too hard – leave it and move on. The key to remembering all those words is simply practice – written, spoken or read using the apps. You should try to enjoy the content of the RC passages – it may make it easier to solve the questions. Analytical Writing Ability ● ● ● Often an overlooked section by test-takers. Important in the overall evaluation of your profile. First section you encounter on the real test. Analytical Writing Ability – Issue Essay ● Choose stance and elaborate with reasoning. ● Discuss stakeholders and their interrelationships. ● Do not be vague, give solid examples. ● Stick the topic being discussed. ● Follow the writing prompt instructions. Issue Essay Sample Structure ● Introduction ○ Opening Line ○ Shift to Prompt ○ Main Thesis ○ Outline of Essay ● Body Paragraphs (2 to 3) ○ Introduce main idea of paragraph ○ Provide good historical or hypothetical examples ○ Explain how and why this reason is relevant to the thesis. ● Conclusion ○ In case of Strongly Agree: ■ ○ Propose a counter-point, reject it and conclude. In case of Moderate Agreement ■ Acknowledge that the issue has no easy answers, and conclude. Analytical Writing Ability – Argument Essay ● ● ● Argument is always flawed – this may be due to faulty evidence or unwarranted assumptions What you need to identify: ○ Author’s Main Conclusion ○ Evidence Presented and the unstated assumptions We are not giving our own opinion, we are just trying to critically analyze the given argument. Argument Essay Sample Structure 1. Find the author’s main conclusion, evidence presented, and also the unstated assumptions. 2. Discuss 2 to 3 of these assumptions as paragraphs, point out why they are currently insufficient and what additional data points would help validate them. 3. Conclude by stating how we require further information to evaluate the given argument, leaving it currently unsubstantiated. Analytical Writing Ability – General Tips ● Read the essay samples provided with the paid mocks, see how they differ from your writing and understand what you could improve upon. ● There is no fixed structure for these essays – but I think it is good to have a blueprint to follow. ● Sometimes the issues and arguments given are tricky to think about in the time limit. This is fine and you should simply do your best to present a clear and welldefined write-up. Resource Links Quality resources are finite – make the best possible use of them! Start here. ONLINE EDUCATORS TEXTBOOKS • GRE Official Guide (Amazon) • GRE Verbal/Quant Guides • GregMAT – YouTube • Manhattan 5 lb. Book (for Quants) • GregMAT – Official Website • ETS GRE Big Book of 27 Tests (PDF Available Online) • The Tested Tutor - YouTube • Barron's 800 Essential GRE Words APPS • • GRE Flashcards App – Magoosh Prep • Manhattan Prep GRE App (for Vocab Flashcards) • Words for GRE by GregMAT Parth Vijayvergiya - YouTube Online Forums ● r/GRE on reddit ● GREPrepClub ● GMATClub (for higher difficulty questions) Questions and Answers Thank You! P.S. Up ahead are a few bonus slides – I didn’t get to add them due to time constraints. Reach out to me at angadsingh291297@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/angadsingh1997 Test Day Tips ● You require an Indian Passport or the original Aadhaar Card (this is a temporary change and may be rescinded). ● Be prepared to sit for longer than the mocks – you need to handle the unscored section too. ● TOEFL Test Takers could also be present – their speaking sections could interfere with your thought process. Try to simulate environments closest to the test while taking your mocks, do not seal yourself off. ● Prepare a list of universities that you wish to submit your scores to after the test. Take a Diagnostic Test! ● ● ● As with any other test, I feel a GRE test taker can always benefit from taking a shot at it before getting too deep into the preparatory process. You can always make use of the PowerPrep 1 Test by ETS for this. It is free-of-cost and provides you with a good starting point in your prep journey. It is a good idea to get used to the test duration, sections and online UI well before the real thing. Should I take the GRE at Home? ● ● ● ● GRE at Home is another option offered by ETS for taking the test, instead of taking it at a common exam center. However due to alleged malpractice and cheating in this medium, ETS has been very strict in terms of monitoring and marking scores. I read several accounts of delayed and cancelled scores and decided to give the test at a test-center to be safe. You may look into both options and make a decision about this. Who Needs to Take the GRE? ● The GRE was previously a mandatory requirement for Master’s program applications in most schools across the United States. However there is a list of institutes that no longer mandate the exam to be taken in order to apply for some of their programs. ● I would strongly advise you to look into the programs that you wish to apply to, understand their requirement and take the test accordingly. ○ This ruling may not be continued for 2023 and later years. ○ If a program considers the GRE to be optional or not required, you would need to make it up with the rest of your profile – the GRE serves to provide a level measure of proficiency for students coming from various academic backgrounds. ○ You would need to give the GRE even if 3 out of your 10 target programs maintain it as an admissions requirement. In case of optional requirement, an excellent score could allow your profile to stand out. ● There is no definitive answer here. It depends upon the intake you are targeting (Fall/Spring of Year 20XX), the course you are aiming for, and your own profile.
