Q-740, V-710, Oct-29 : Experiences

[r2kins]

hey dude
wow!.....wonderful scores ... esp the verbal....CONGRATS

just sit back and savour the success before u plunge into apps.

could u tell me, where should i do quant from???
tell me if u need any help regarding apps...may be able to help u a little!
regards
kinshuk

[mishranishi]

hey dingus,
cool score!
thanks for such a detailed post.it's gonna help us surely,

best of luck for addmissions,

Nishi

[on_dope]

Thanx Dude .. I'll try to put in more efforts .. and really very nice of you to give a detailed post ! I really appreciate that

[Dingus]

Originally Posted by r2kins

hey dude
wow!.....wonderful scores ... esp the verbal....CONGRATS

just sit back and savour the success before u plunge into apps.

could u tell me, where should i do quant from???
tell me if u need any help regarding apps...may be able to help u a little!
regards
kinshuk

Thanks for extending help on the application process, it means a lot to me. I will surely contact you if I run into confusions.

About Quant, I urge you to practise, practise real hard. I know you are planning to take the test again next year. One year is a long time and the mind tends to get rusty as the days pass by. I was out of touch with any rigorous maths for nearly 5-6 years and it landed me in a nasty soup. However, if you make a conscious effort to keep in touch, things will be alright. Here is what I think you should take care of, in Quant:

(Before reading it, be aware that I'm a non-math major, so my recommendations might be biased to that effect. It is possible that you might be better equipped in the subject than me. )

1. Speed is the most crucial skill, you need to master. Do as many tests as possible, that is the only way to make sure that your speed levels stay tuned.

2. DISSECT the powerprep software. Retake BOTH the tests AS MANY TIMES as you can. Make sure that you have THOROUGHLY exhausted the complete database of new questions in it.

3. I know that the real test does not resemble the software questions, but this is mainly due to the fact that the questions in the software are familiar and you tend to mark the known answers without calculations. Yes, this definitely reduces the value of retaking the tests, but you do stand to gain in gouging out the variety of questions.

4.Visit TestMagic and solve NOT only GRE thread math questions, new test questions on threads like these, BUT ALSO GMAT math. This will give you variety in questions and greater mastery over more questions. I realised that GMAT math is very similar only very late, so I couldn't follow up on my own intuition.

5. Apart from TestMagic this forum is also very informative and useful; it is mainly a GMAT forum and has a lot of GMAT related downloads and plenty of very keen posters. I registered but didn't post even once. You do have a long period of study ahead of you and I think it is worthwhile that you register here too and take active interest in the Math part:

http://www.64168.com/soop/default.asp

6. Again DI questions are getting tougher and tougher these days and practising GMAT DIs would be very beneficial. Also I secretly think they are drawing more from GMAT math material for the GRE. I'm very sorry that I couldn't check the connection out very well. Oh well, one can't do everything in a perfect manner.

7. Ferret out AS MANY questions as possible from test takers every week here at the forum, this way you can keep abreast of what is happening on the war-front and be prepared.

8. DO NOT LOSE YOUR TEMPO. Keep chugging along, the minute your tempo flags you are out for good. Remember that from Day Zero. If you lose sight of your target, you will have a rather hard time in the end catching up.

9. tans suggested that I do some book called R. S. Aggarwal, but I couldn't find it. Check out tans's thread for the details.

10. Check out this thread in the Math forum and Econ's post in particular, it has some great tips for Quant:

http://www.urch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13778 (Try to solve this in 1 minute.)

Will post more as I remember.

One more question from my test popped into my mind as I was reading Econ's posts:

Set A { 2, 3, 4 }
Set B { 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, something}

How many sets {M} exist, such that {A} is a subset of {M}, and {M} is a subset of {B}.

Something like that.

More later.

[Dingus]

Originally Posted by sally82

Congratulation, Dingus! 710 in the verbal section is great :-) I'm happy for you, you really deserve this score, after all the effort you put into preparation. Good luck with your application!

I'm sorry that you had tough luck with your quant questions. But 740 is still a decent score and if the other parts of your application are ok, then I would worry about it. In general I think that the importance of GRE scores is a bit overestimated. Well, that's just my two cents. Anyway, where do you want to apply?

Special thanks to you Sally! I think you definitely have a point in emphasizing that GRE is not the means to an end. I'm truly encouraged by your observations. I put in Hopkins, U.Penn, NYU and SUNY Buffalo on the test day, will be shortlisting more soon.

[restaw]

Is there any analytical section in GRE computer adaprtive test?

[awhig]

Originally Posted by Dingus

Thanks for extending help on the application process, it means a lot to me. I will surely contact you if I run into confusions.

About Quant, I urge you to practise, practise real hard. I know you are planning to take the test again next year. One year is a long time and the mind tends to get rusty as the days pass by. I was out of touch with any rigorous maths for nearly 5-6 years and it landed me in a nasty soup. However, if you make a conscious effort to keep in touch, things will be alright. Here is what I think you should take care of, in Quant:

(Before reading it, be aware that I'm a non-math major, so my recommendations might be biased to that effect. It is possible that you might be better equipped in the subject than me. )

1. Speed is the most crucial skill, you need to master. Do as many tests as possible, that is the only way to make sure that your speed levels stay tuned.

2. DISSECT the powerprep software. Retake BOTH the tests AS MANY TIMES as you can. Make sure that you have THOROUGHLY exhausted the complete database of new questions in it.

3. I know that the real test does not resemble the software questions, but this is mainly due to the fact that the questions in the software are familiar and you tend to mark the known answers without calculations. Yes, this definitely reduces the value of retaking the tests, but you do stand to gain in gouging out the variety of questions.

4.Visit TestMagic and solve NOT only GRE thread math questions, new test questions on threads like these, BUT ALSO GMAT math. This will give you variety in questions and greater mastery over more questions. I realised that GMAT math is very similar only very late, so I couldn't follow up on my own intuition.

5. Apart from TestMagic this forum is also very informative and useful; it is mainly a GMAT forum and has a lot of GMAT related downloads and plenty of very keen posters. I registered but didn't post even once. You do have a long period of study ahead of you and I think it is worthwhile that you register here too and take active interest in the Math part:

http://www.64168.com/soop/default.asp

6. Again DI questions are getting tougher and tougher these days and practising GMAT DIs would be very beneficial. Also I secretly think they are drawing more from GMAT math material for the GRE. I'm very sorry that I couldn't check the connection out very well. Oh well, one can't do everything in a perfect manner.

7. Ferret out AS MANY questions as possible from test takers every week here at the forum, this way you can keep abreast of what is happening on the war-front and be prepared.

8. DO NOT LOSE YOUR TEMPO. Keep chugging along, the minute your tempo flags you are out for good. Remember that from Day Zero. If you lose sight of your target, you will have a rather hard time in the end catching up.

9. tans suggested that I do some book called R. S. Aggarwal, but I couldn't find it. Check out tans's thread for the details.

10. Check out this thread in the Math forum and Econ's post in particular, it has some great tips for Quant:

http://www.urch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13778 (Try to solve this in 1 minute.)

Will post more as I remember.

One more question from my test popped into my mind as I was reading Econ's posts:

Set A { 2, 3, 4 }
Set B { 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, something}

How many sets {M} exist, such that {A} is a subset of {M}, and {M} is a subset of {B}.

Something like that.

More later.

You mean to say questions from set theory also came???????

[Dingus]

To restaw: The essays (perspective essay & the analysis of an argument essay), both are parts of the analytical section on the GRE.

To awhig: Yes, unfortunately it looks like they have included set theory also. This question was my last (28th) question. Check out Econ's thread, you will find that he too got a similar question from set theory, I recommend you brush up on the basics before the test. I was frankly shocked to see it, as I wasn't taught set theory in any depth even at the school level. I applied some combinations formulae to this problem, but I'm afraid the answer I marked might have been wrong.

[restaw]

Thanks Dingus.
But in my Kaplan Gre Test Book there is analytical section tests?
I know there are two essays on analytical part but in my book anaytical test also exists...
My best regards

[awhig]

Originally Posted by Dingus

To restaw: The essays (perspective essay & the analysis of an argument essay), both are parts of the analytical section on the GRE.

To awhig: Yes, unfortunately it looks like they have included set theory also. This question was my last (28th) question. Check out Econ's thread, you will find that he too got a similar question from set theory, I recommend you brush up on the basics before the test. I was frankly shocked to see it, as I wasn't taught set theory in any depth even at the school level. I applied some combinations formulae to this problem, but I'm afraid the answer I marked might have been wrong.

Hmm I see, that means ETS can give questions from anywhere. They have not mentioned set theory explicitly in their math tutorial. I feel the ques belonged to Counting theory category.