How to prepare for the GRE?

This is the most frequently asked question, but before coming to its answer let us first understand what GRE is?
GRE or Graduate Record Examinations is an exam conducted by the ETS for admission in a master’s program. For most of the US universities, GRE is imperative. Therefore, if you are planning to pursue your master’s in the US, then you must have a good GRE score. The GRE is a long exam that takes approx. 4 hours to complete. It has the following sections:

1. Analytical Writing Measure: This section measures your critical thinking and analytical writing skills, not your content knowledge. This section has the following two parts:

Analyze an issue task: In this section, you are given an issue (claim), and you need to express your opinion on that by either agreeing or disagreeing with it. This can be done by manifesting reasons and examples for the position you take, and you must state the most enthralling reasons or examples that could be used to challenge your position. (30 minutes)

Analyze an argument task: In this section, you are given a succinct passage that makes some claims and a conclusion backed by reasons and evidence. You have to act like a critic and discuss the logical soundness of the author’s claims by critically examining it. (30 minutes)

2. Verbal Reasoning: You’ll encounter two verbal sections with 30 minutes allotted for each. Both sections will include three types of questions. First, the text completion (approx. 6 questions in each section) that consists of one or more sentences with blanks in it, and that asks you to fill those blanks with pertinent answers. This type of question will include sentences with one, two, or three blanks. Next, the sentence equivalence (approx. 4 questions in each section) which consists of a single sentence with only one blank, and that ask you to choose two options that lead to similar sentences. Finally, the reading passages where you will first read the whole passage and then answer the questions based on that. This part includes approx. 10 question.

3. Quantitative Reasoning: This section scrutinizes your basic mathematical skills, understanding of concepts, and the ability to solve problems with quantitative methods. You’ll encounter two quant section with 35 minutes allotted for each. This section includes questions from four major areas: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis, and there are four types of questions: Quantitative Comparison Questions, Multiple-choice Questions — Select One Answer Choice, Multiple-choice Questions — Select One or More Answer Choices, and Numeric Entry Questions.

4. Un-scored section: This can either be a verbal or a quantitative section. It is not lucidly stated which section is an unscored one, so it’s better to treat every section of your GRE as a scored section.

Now, let’s get straight to the point that how to prepare for the GRE?
Preparing for the GRE is a laborious task, that’s why you must know a preparation plan for succeeding in this examination. An ideal time to start preparing for GRE is three to four months before your exam. Start your preparation by giving a mock test, so that you can get to know where you stand and what the paper is like (the type, difficulty level of the questions, and the duration of the test). Next, analyze the whole paper and find what questions you got wrong.

1. Quant preparation: The first thing that you should do for preparing for quant is to learn/revise the concepts. This can be done by watching khan academy videos (https://www.khanacademy.org/). Also, you can use the GRE math review (https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_math_review.pdf) and math conventions provided by ETS. Now once you become familiar with a particular concept start solving questions on that concept. You can start by solving Manhattan 5lb. It is a good book which has ample of questions. Belief in quality, not quantity. If you are solving 50 good questions on a particular concept, that’s enough. Also, try to solve more questions on the topic in which you face some difficulty. All the time while studying any topic, make your notes of the formulas.
2. Verbal preparation: In the verbal section vocabulary plays a vital role. So you can start your verbal preparation by learning vocab. For this, you can use Magoosh Flashcards. Don’t just remember the meaning of the words, as GRE never tests your word knowledge. Learn words with the context i.e. you must know how to use those words in the sentences. Also, try to learn synonyms of the words simultaneously. For example, while learning the word ‘vindicate’ also learn its synonyms, absolve, acquit, exonerate, and exculpate. Remember words with the help of mnemonic or try to form stories. Parallelly you should start reading as much as possible. Because the whole verbal section is based on reading skills and therefore good reading skills is the foremost important thing that you’ll need to crack the GRE. You can read online newspapers like Newyork Times, Time magazine, and Wall Street. My mantra for success in GRE verbal is READ, READ, and READ. For practicing verbal questions you can use BARRONS NEW GRE (19TH EDITION), KAPLAN GRE PREMIER/ NEW GRE, MANHATTAN 5LB, and 1014 QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW GRE.

Once you have prepared these materials, start doing the ETS official material. It’s better to solve ETS official material as much as possible. ETS provides three official books, for quant, verbal, and one for both. There are also two official free tests available on the ETS website. Give them as they reflect your original score (+5/-5).

PS:

1. Never skip the AWA section.
2. Don’t stress yourself by studying a day before the exam.
3. Always do a timed practice.
4. Make a habit of sitting in a place for 4 hours.
5. You must have a passport in the exam center.