GRE

How to get an amazing score in GRE

 

GRE scores are used to evaluate applicants' potential for graduate-level study in a variety of fields. Some departments may require one of the GRE Subject Tests, while others may only require the General Test.

 

Let's talk about what you can do to get a much better score in the GRE.

 

TIP #1: Make A List Of How You've Been Studying For The GRE

 

You've realized that you're not quite reaching your target score, so it's time to change how you've been approaching your GRE preparation. Make a list of everything you've been up to. The key is to be completely honest with yourself while evaluating your progress thus far. How many hours have you spent on your preparation over how long? Have you taken any practice tests? How frequently do you study? Is there anything you can do to reduce distractions and make your study sessions more productive?

It's possible that the only way to improve your score is to put in more effort. Consider adding an extra day or two to your study schedule if you've been studying once or twice a week. If you've only been studying for a month, keep in mind that most students make the most progress after two to three months of focused preparation. Take a look at our 3-month GRE Study Plan.

Take efforts to improve the way you approach your GRE preparation. Consider putting your phone on Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode if you're sitting down to study and getting texts and emails every fifteen minutes. This way, you'll be able to devote 2-3 hours of focused concentration to each session.

It's possible that you'll need to enhance your current efforts with other resources. If you've been studying on your own, try consulting with a GRE professional teacher or tutor who can assist you in identifying your strongest areas of strength. Kaplan offers both live online and in-person GRE sessions that will help you organize your preparation and give you tried-and-true tactics. You can work with a private instructor for a more personalized experience, who will get to know your unique strengths and limitations and plan your preparation to meet your objectives.

 

GRE TIP #2: Make A Study Schedule And Follow It.

 

Get organized once you've decided to improve your score. If you haven't already, choose your GRE exam date and move backward to arrange your studies. It's easy to get caught up in procrastination. If you don't schedule your GRE prep in advance, you may find yourself putting it off, wasting time that could be spent doing practice sets, reviewing basic content, or drilling vocabulary items. Take some time to sit down and make a study calendar—literally. Schedule blocks of time many days each week until your Test Day, whether you use a paper calendar, your computer, or your phone.

Be particular when creating your study calendar, committing each study day to a specific goal, to provide a layer of accountability and organization. If you're not sure where to begin, a GRE prep book might help you get a sense of what will be tested on the GRE. Schedule a full-length GRE practice test every few weeks to improve your stamina and familiarity with the test's format.

 

Here's how one week in a three-month study calendar might look like:

 

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

GRE Practice Test Day Off Review Full-length GRE Practice Test Day Off

Practice Day Off + Quantitative Comparison Review

Practice Completing Texts + Vocabulary

 

Gre Tip #3: Keep A Log Of Errors

 

There's a part of you that should be excited when you get a question wrong. When you make a mistake, you open up a window of opportunity to gather data and learn from your missteps. Create an error log to make the most of your mistakes.

Throughout your GRE preparation, your error log will act as a central repository for all of the mistakes you make. This log can be kept on paper or digitally, whichever is more convenient for you. You should keep track of the following information:

The question number and position (so you can easily find it again), the date, and the amount of time you spent on the question.

The blunder: elaborate on the blunder you made.

The reason for this is to figure out why you made the mistake and write it down. Some of your mistakes will fall into the category of "careless errors," so you may leave them out of your log and just make a mental note of them. Add it to your log if you notice a pattern with your careless errors.

The remedy is to figure out what you can do to avoid making the same error again, and write it down.

Simply following the steps indicated above to document your blunders can help you avoid making similar mistakes in the future. Take some time each week to review your error log, paying special attention to persistent trends and mistakes that you continue to commit.

 

GRE Tip #4: Brush Up On Your GRE Vocabulary

 

Text completion, sentence equivalence, and reading comprehension are the three types of questions in the Verbal Reasoning portion. Because they rely significantly on vocabulary knowledge, students find Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions to be among the most difficult. Make sure to incorporate GRE Vocabulary review into your prep routine at regular intervals. To help you get started, we've produced a list of the Top 52 GRE Vocabulary words that appear on multiple occasions from one test session to the next.

As you work through the GRE practice sets, jot down any unfamiliar words you come across. Flashcards may seem old-fashioned, but they're a great way to study GRE vocabulary. Make a flashcard for each word and practise it until it's ingrained in your memory.

 

GRE Tip #5: Take Practice Tests On A Regular Basis On The GRE

 

Finally, taking GRE practice tests on a regular basis would help you increase your GRE score. To get the most out of your practice examinations, try to make them as close to the real thing as feasible. Make careful to finish all of your practice exams in one sitting, following the GRE's time constraints. The more familiar you get with the GRE's format, the more efficient and at ease you'll be on Test Day—there won't be any shocks, and you'll have practiced taking the GRE. GRE Practice Test Packs from Kaplan provide you access to up to four full-length GRE practice tests in a realistic test environment.

It's just as crucial to set aside time to review your practice tests as it is to take them on a regular basis. To begin, make a list of all the errors you made in your error log, taking the time to fully comprehend which errors you made and how you could improve your approach the next time you face a similar question. Then go over the questions where you made a guess or took longer than you expected. Finally, check over the questions you answered correctly to make sure you understand how you arrived at the correct answer. Reviewing your practice exams should take at least as much time as a full-length GRE, so make sure you arrange adequate time for these crucial review days.