How to approach GRE?

First let's understand what is GRE ?

GRE stands for Graduate Record Examination. This exam is given inorder to be eligible for masters application. There are various other requirements as well. That you'll come to know as and when you keep digging the ground. Inorder to make your base strong for GRE, we will discuss few points out here.

Well, GRE is not at all difficult provided you have an appropriate time table set up for it.
Hmmm, how to go about this time table stuff is really the first thing that comes to your mind.

Here I have tried to summarize two cases depending on the time duration that you have for preparing.

There are two cases mentioned below:

1. Case 1: Refer this case if you have good amount of time in your hand like
around an year or so.

2. Case 2: Refer this case if you don’t have sufficient time for the preparation.

***I do not want to mention this in some corner of this blog. The most important book or rather you can say the backbone of your vocabulary is 'Word Power Made Easy' by Norman Lewis. Start reading this book well before you start planning your time table. This will strengthen your vocabulary.

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Case 1: 1 Year to go

First of all plan it out as, when do you desire to start applying? This will allow you to select a case which suites your situation the best.

-For instance, you are in SE (second year of Engineering) this means you have roughly around 1 year in your hand. I calculated 1 year because this excludes the time that you would specifically keep for your studies i.e. exams, mid-terms, vivas, etc. Also this time excludes the application time.

So during this time you first start building your vocabulary. Now, for this there are many sources. But the optimistic approach to it would be that you first start using Barron's wordlist and simultaneously use flashcards if you are traveling or if it is not convenient for you to carry the book.

You may start doing, like, 30 words per day. This need not include those words which you already know. Suppose you know, for e.g., 5-6 words out of those first 30 of the list then you end up doing 35-36 words per day. The most important thing is to go at an easy pace, sufficient enough for you to grasp those words which you learn on daily basis.

Basically, everyone says that you must put those words into your daily use. Hmmm, that sounds a bit humorous as you don’t want to land up hearing from your friends that why do you want to shower your GRE words on us. So, the solution to this would be 'novels'. Yes, reading is the best option which will allow you to understand words more properly but you also have an advantage here, you will also get help in sentence completion. As you might be aware that the SCs asked in GRE tests are not the simpler ones though not the tougher ones too. Those are the sentences which are a bit of higher level as compared to the ones you use in your daily life.

Now if you stick to this routine then in 3 months you will end up doing

30 words/day * 30 days a month * 3 months = 2700 words

which are sufficient enough for you to start practicing sentence completion. The numbers might make no sense out here but believe me its possible infact remember the way you study just few days before the exams, hmmm.... now you'll get it. So, I think this makes sense now, right !!!

But remember do not stop the routine of 30 words daily because you need to revise them again so as to fix them into your mind, possibly, permanently.

-Since, you are now confident enough to handle the verbal section; you may start with the QUANTS section.

Here, you should start refreshing your basics. I mentioned refreshing because you already know all the stuff but you just need to get hang of it again.

So for this you may pick up any notes or you may also use online materials which are the best ones to clear all your doubts. Yes, you must first go through the Barron's hand book again so as to have an idea of the syllabus. Do not forget to also surf ets site (http://www.ets.org/) to check out the updated syllabus. At the end of this blog I will provide you with the few links which are very helpful for the preparation in proper sequence. Do not get tired and suffocate yourself with the formulae if you are from a non-engg. stream. Go slow, like finish 2-3 topics per week.

*** If you have doubts then you may post here to get them solved and I can also help you out with the explanation of any of the quant topics. ***

So, in another 2 months you should be able to almost cover up all the topics.

Now, there are other sections as well in the test like analytical writing, antonyms, analogies and passages. These can be practiced online too. Just keep the knowledge of the timings that you devote while giving practice tests. And regarding analytical writings, keep yourself updated with the latest happenings. If you're a non-US resident then also keep yourself aware of the happenings in US (though not necessarily US). You must also keep updating yourself with the latest types of questions and topics appearing in the test (***the link to this is provided at the end). There is other section i.e. analytical section wherein you are asked to write, I mean type 2 essays i.e. issue based and analytical topics. You will know about it in details when you go trough the ETS site (link to this is also provided at the end).

*** Regarding test details follow this bog after the case 2.


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Case 2: If you have around 5-6 months for the preparation

Well, no need to panic.

This duration is sufficient enough to score the 'best', and yes I do mean it.

- Start vocabulary as mentioned in the above approach i.e. 35-40 words per day excluding the ones which you already know and those as well which you can grasp after learning for the first time.
You should preferably use barron's wordlist as it comprises of almost all the words appearing in the test.

Yeah, this will impose a bit of pressure on you but it will pay off in the end. Now continue with this for around 2 months. Stick to this routine. Then once you're done with around 1800 words, you may start handling quant. (Do not stick to the figures here as the upper limit. Off course you may keep them as the targeted limit). Use Barron's hand book or the other text books which will provide you with the basics of algebra, geometry, conics, etc. Well, it is very important to revise vocab because you should be in a position to atleast guess the meaning properly if not confident.

There are other types of questions like passages, antonyms and analogies. You will get hang of these questions as and when you start giving tests and also with the vocab. There is other section i.e. analytical section wherein you are asked to write, I mean type 2 essays i.e. issue based and analytical topics. You will know about it in details when you go trough the ETS site (link to this is also provided at the end).

In this short period of preparation time, it becomes mandatory to give as many tests as possible. I won’t say this to imply that the questions might repeat but yes, there are chances that something similar comes up.

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TESTS:

Now, this was just about the raw preparation.

When you are done with the basics you may start giving various tests. Remember, tests are the key to cracking the GRE. Whatever you will learn during your preparation time need not be in the same format in which the questions appear in the test. So, you have to have the knowledge of the format which would ultimately come by giving the tests.

For tests, you may initially search online for various sample tests for practice. Then there are sample full length tests available on Kaplan, Princeton, and various other sites (the email ids are provided at the end).

REMEMBER, Key to cracking GRE is TESTS TESTS TESTS......

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I don't want to end this blog here. I will keep updating you all as and when I recieve new information or other helpful links for the preparation of GRE.
I encourage you to leave comments. It may include your doubts, any other related queries, doubts related to verbal or quant problems, any suggestion, etc.

Also you may mention your experiences to help others.

Thank you for taking out time for this piece of information.

*** GOOD LUCK ***