Preparing for GRE

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    Today we move on to the very heart of the GRE test - preparing for the exam . We will provide useful links to trial tests, online simulators and the best teaching aids. Recall that in the last article we talked about the structure of GRE.

    To enter graduate school, graduate school, and several other American university programs, each candidate must pass a standardized GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) exam. Using this test, the selection committee evaluates the level of knowledge of the future student, as well as the skills of analytical and critical thinking. The GRE exam itself is quite complicated, so it’s extremely important to prepare well for it.

    The preparation process for the GRE test is very laborious and lengthy. Indeed, for its successful delivery you need a good store of knowledge and skills in various fields. Today, students have the opportunity to use various materials for GRE test practice to prepare. However, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the level of the English language. To understand the conditions of tasks and their quick completion, it must be at least Advanced. Even for those who consider their level of English good enough, experts recommend further work on improving it. To do this, we recommend that you pay attention to the online TestPrep simulator .

    The importance of practical training

    Many people make the mistake of concentrating on the study of theory, while completely forgetting about GRE test practice. If you want to get a high score during testing, you need to understand how important the practitioner is in preparing.

    Acquaintance with the test

    Performing practice exercises regularly has many benefits. Firstly, it allows you to study in more detail the features of the structure of the exam and its tasks. There are three sections in the GRE exam, each of which assesses a specific skill: you need to understand the meaning of words well, be able to analyze the structure of the text, highlight the main meaning in it and draw specific conclusions, analyze and interpret mathematical data, you need to demonstrate the ability to beautifully, structured and correctly present thoughts in writing. Moreover, in each of the sections there is a certain set of tasks that differ in requirements and format. Having understood the intricacies of their implementation during preparation, you can significantly increase your chance of getting a good grade.

    Speed ​​work

    Performing various exercises provides an opportunity to learn how to feel the time. On a real exam, it is limited: all sections must be completed in about 4 hours. If during GRE test practice you don’t learn how to quickly complete tasks, then in the exam this will become a real problem, as you may just not have time to go through all the sections. Using trial tests, you can develop the ability to quickly complete exercises and determine the optimal pace that will allow you to cope with the tasks of all sections without haste or delay. At the same time, you will feel in what mode you will have to solve the tasks in this exam.

    Assessment of knowledge

    Practical tasks are also important because they allow you to see the level of your knowledge. In this case, you can also use trial tests, which have an automatic grading system. Performing exercises, you can see the real level of your knowledge. You will also understand which tasks are of the greatest difficulty for you. Having time to prepare, you can replenish your knowledge base, understand the tasks in more detail and teach them how to quickly complete. In addition, the results of passing such a test will allow you to assess your readiness for the upcoming exam at the end of preparation.

    Preparing for GRE: working on each section The

    strategy for successfully preparing for the GRE exam is to carefully study each of its sections. Below we will give tips on successful preparation for all sections individually.

    • Verbal Reasoning Section


    The most difficult for many is the verbal section (Verbal). Several passages of the text and 40 questions that need to be answered after reading them are the main verification tool. All of them are designed to assess the student’s ability to draw conclusions, use arguments, identify key points, and also understand the printed text and individual words. To successfully cope with all the tasks, preparation for GRE should include regular reading of a variety of literature, learning new words and complex vocabulary constructions. In addition, the candidate needs to learn how to quickly determine the main meaning of what he read and to reason correctly using the available data.
    In the process of preparation, it is recommended to complete the practice on the basis of trial tests and various exercises that can easily be found on the Internet.

    We recommend that you pay attention to the following resources:

    1. www.greguide.com/gre-practice-tests.html
    2. www.manhattanprep.com/gre/resources/practice-gre-test-full.cfm
    3. www.kaptest.com/gre/gre-practice/free-gre-practice-test
    4. www.testprep.ru/ru/about/?sl=73
    5. www.testprepreview.com/modules/analogies1.htm

    This will allow you to become more familiar with the requirements of this section and gain valuable skills for quickly completing tasks.

    • Quantitative Reasoning Section


    The mathematical section of GRE in complexity corresponds to the high school curriculum and is based mainly on the interpretation of data. It includes 40 tasks that allow you to evaluate the candidate’s ability to analyze numerical data and use various mathematical models. In order to successfully complete all the tasks in this section, you need to learn not only how to solve various problems in arithmetic, geometry or algebra, but also analyze numerical information.

    Of particular difficulty are the problems of statistics and probability theory, so it is important to pay special attention to them in preparation. In addition, preparation for GRE should provide skills for various tasks. And this can be achieved through regular practice using trial tests. Performing training exercises of trial tests, such as:

    1. www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep2
    2. www.majortests.com/gre/problem_solving.php
    3. benchprep.com/gre
    4. www.free-test-online.com/gre-general-test

    Thanks to trial tests, you will study the features of the tasks and their requirements in more detail, as well as gain valuable skill in solving them in a limited time.

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    Textbooks from official publications will help you complete GRE test assignments. We recommend that you look at the list of study guides with short reviews:

    • Cracking the GRE by Princeton Review . The manual contains 4 complete practical tests with an overview of topics, 2 of them in the book and 2 tests online;
    • The Official Guide to the GRE Revised General Test . This tutorial contains a lot of useful information about the GRE test, including its full review and exclusive tips from the compilers of the test. Here you will find tasks and answers of real tests, a full exam on a CD;
    • Gruber's Complete GRE Guide . The textbook explains the strategy for passing the test, highlights the general approach to solving each of the test problems;
    • Barron's New GRE . The textbook provides answers and detailed explanations for each test question. It includes two tests, structured by an updated version of GRE and a diagnostic test.
    • Ace the GRE Writing Assessment . The manual contains examples of compositions of various types. The book will teach the analysis of documents, the construction of an essay, the comparison and juxtaposition of statements.

    • Analytical Writing Section


    The analytical writing section, as the name implies, checks not only the ability to write correctly, but also the student’s ability in the field of analysis. When passing it, you need to write two essays. One of them is an analysis of a specific argument, the second is an analysis of a voiced problem. When checking texts, not only the level of knowledge of the language is assessed, but also the ability to argue their point of view and logically express their thoughts. If you want to successfully cope with these tasks, your GRE training should include studying the grammar and basic norms of the English language, as well as work on replenishing the vocabulary. It is also necessary to practice well in writing essays on specific topics, observing the requirements of GRE and time limits.

    Conclusion

    Preparing for GRE requires a responsible approach and a sound strategy. It is important to carefully study the features of the test, obtain the necessary knowledge, develop useful skills and do everything possible to eliminate your weaknesses. Only proven textbooks will help students with this. They will help not only to get all the necessary skills for passing the test successfully, but also to assess their knowledge, both in the learning process and immediately before the exam. To achieve maximum effect, you will have to spend a lot of time and effort. After all, practice should be a large part of all training so that you can get all the knowledge you need to successfully pass the exam.

    In our next article we will share with you everything we know about passing the GRE test. We will be glad to hear comments and additions.

    The author of the article is Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult

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