Revised GRE exam - preparation, sample questions, exam tips needed.

[NailTheSerpant]

Dear GRE Friends,

I just registered for the revised GRE exam in the last week of September. I am going to start my preparation from today, so probably around just one months time left.

I have the ETS revised GRE book and the Barrons revised GRE book. Was wondering if this would be good enough?

Also a general question about the over revised GRE for folks who have taken it already.

How would you think the revised GRE quant and Verbal sections are as compared to the old one difficultywise?

I am assuming I won't need to cruch those 3,500+ words neeed for GRE Verbal in the past, but at the same time I think the RC section would be really difficult.

Are there any practice exams available on the internet catering to this new GRE format? Please share your experience and point me to the right resources. Time is really short and I have a full time job (which is a good thing [think recession]) on top of all this.

I would eventually want to apply for MS in Finance in NYC, if I come up with a decent score (what's a decent one though?)

Appreciate your thoughs and inputs on the same.

Regards,
Anna H.

[kenschm]

I can't compare the new to the old GRE experience, but I just took the new test yesterday. I have always been very bad at math so my scores were better than I was anticipating (490-590), so if you have any background in math and do some practice tests you should be able to evaluate if you need to concentrate on any particular area (I had issues with geometry and the value comparison questions).

As for the verbal prep, I would study vocabulary as much as you're able to. The reading comp. questions are difficult, but without a strong vocabulary the sentence completion questions will be difficult. I found a few words that I could not remember the definition of, which made it difficult when trying to find synonyms for some of the questions that required it. If you have any specific questions let me know and I can try my best to help!

[heathermichell]

I am curious to know what are considered good scores, average scores, top scores, etc. I am applying to San Diego State University, and I have not been able to find revised score requirements.

What did you use to study vocabulary for the new test?

Thank you!

[mrkp89]

I bought the Kaplan GRE Advantage: On Demand course for about $500. It might sound really expensive but the seven Practice Test alone were worth the money. The tests were computer-based the exact same way the actual GRE is. You get a Performance Report (Smart Report) at the end of each test which identifies your strengths and weaknesses. Better still, the Smart Report also suggests what you should do next in terms of practice to improve your weaknesses and sharpen your strengths. There are strategy videos for both Quant and Verbal. I used to be very weak in Reading Comp but by applying the tactics suggested in the videos, my critical reading skills significantly improved.

I know folks who only used the prep books and scored very well. I have tried both approaches and I did better with the interactive test prep system from Kaplan. My Verbal went from 420 to 580-680; my quant went from 710 to 750-800.

If I get a scholarship for my graduate study (which I probably will for the scores I get; applying for Civil Engineering programs), the $500 is considered a very minor investment.

[kenschm]

I am curious to know what are considered good scores, average scores, top scores, etc. I am applying to San Diego State University, and I have not been able to find revised score requirements.

What did you use to study vocabulary for the new test?

Thank you!

For the whole reading comp. section I used about 4 different books that I purchased from Amazon (Kaplan, Barrons, etc. that are geared toward the new test). I also took the test ETS offers online that's supposed to be very similar to the actual GRE, although the scores it gave me were not accurate compared with my actual score (it basically gave me 490-590 verbal and 600-700 math, which I scored the reverse of when I took it). I also just went online and studied common GRE words.

I'm not sure what will be considered "good" as far as scoring goes since there haven't been many people who have taken it yet. I'm not sure if there is a way to know until the first set of scores are released. I've personally just been going to places like this website to see what other people have posted they have received for score ranges, but it seems as if the only people who post are those who score very well, so I have no idea!

[oligopoly]

I took the test last week, and got a (740-800)Q and a (750-800)V.
I wrote the following in response to a private question, but most of it applies to any new GRE test taker:

The revised test has been made easier in the following ways: (1) because it isn't computer adaptive, you can review your answers towards the end of a section and put more time into the difficult parts. (2) there are no more antonyms and analogies, so there are more context clues available in vocabulary questions.

I memorized every word in a couple of different flashcard sets, but if I had to cut any part of my total study, I might do away with the vocabulary memorization because there are usually substantial context clues in the test.

The Powerprep software from the GRE website is almost the exact same software as the test itself, so familiarizing yourself with powerprep will allow you to focus on the questions during the test, and you won't have to think about how to work the test. I caution you, however, that the powerprep will only have 1 or at most 2 sets of questions, meaning you can only practice once with it. Use practice books and time yourself to find your weaknesses under pressure.

Most of my study time went into re-learning math material from grade school - (i.e. primes, remainders, odds-evens, rules of exponents, etc...). There is no calculus on the test, but you will have to integrate several different math skills and do so very quickly. I actually ran out of time on both math sections during the test, so I expect a final score closer to 740 than 800. (they gave me a range from 740-800 on the Quantitative section.)

I did very well, but I'm a good test taker and I studied about 80 hours over the course of the summer. I recommend starting with a practice test and identifying and working on your weaknesses until you can go into the test with a well-rounded tool set. There are no advanced skills needed on the test- just lots of little skills that need to be quickly deployed.