So, you’ve procrastinated, or have maybe just learned that you have to take the test, because the program you are looking to get into happens to require the GRE.
Obviously, this isn’t an enviable position to be in, but, if you have to take the GRE within a week or so, do not throw up your hands in despair, exclaiming that there is nothing to be done.
Despite the belief that the GRE isn’t teachable (trust me, this attitude is quite common), you can study for the GRE, even if you have very little time. Below is a study crash plan to help you improve your score.
Essential Materials:
- Magoosh GRE Prep
- Princeton Review’s WordSmart (or use Wordnik.com)
- ETS’s Official Guide to the New GRE (video explanations here)
- Stopwatch or a timer
- ETS’s Powerprep Software
(If you are a Mac user and can’t use ETS’s Poweprep, or would prefer to take the practice test on paper, you can print out ETS’s practice test PDF (with video explanations here). Take note that the Poweprep software and the paper-based test have overlapping material, so it won’t be of much help to do both! I recommend using the Powerprep software if you can, since taking the test on a computer is a better simulation of test day conditions.)
Day 1 – 3 – Identify your strengths and weaknesses
If you are struggling in Math, then begin with Magoosh Math Lessons. You should spend at least two days reviewing basic concepts. At the same time, go through easy questions. The personalized feedback will show you which areas you are struggling in. You can always go to the relevant lesson, and review that concept. Work with the product in this fashion.
Often, students are more casual towards the verbal section then they are the math section. They reason that if they know how to read, then they should be able to score well. The Revised GRE has many obstacles that can stymie even careful readers. You must learn the lay of the land, so to speak. Spend time going through Magoosh’s lesson videos to learn essential tips and strategies, so you can become much better in a very short time.
If vocabulary is daunting for you, pick up a copy of WordSmart, or open up a window to wordnik.com. Then, go through Magoosh’s verbal practice questions to hone your newfound strategies, and strengthen your vocabulary.
If you are having difficulty with both, then make sure not to neglect one section. Try as much as possible to balance your prep.
Day 4 – Mock Test
Take a Practice Test – The Official Guide to the New GRE/PowerPrep Software
There is no better way to prepare for the big day than by taking a practice test. Both the Official Revised Guide and the CD-ROM offer you a test—one on-line, one paper-based. After a few days reviewing concepts and doing practice problems on Magoosh (you will have already become used to the stressful countdown timer), the test shouldn’t be as daunting as it may have been only four short days ago. While you many not get your target score, you shouldn’t despair. You still have time.
Day 5 – Continue to do questions and lessons.
Continue doing practice questions from both Magoosh and the Official Guide questions. Just as importantly, revisit questions you missed in the past. Can you get them right the second time? If not, why? Are there certain techniques and strategies that you are struggling to apply? You may also want to consider going back over videos and lessons.
If you haven’t already, be sure to make your way through all of the lesson modules. By this time, you should have nailed down the basics.
Day 6 – Almost There
You are getting very close. It is key not to become too stressed out. I know this is hard, but even if you are still missing many questions at this point, know that each error is an opportunity for improvement.
If you are not ready to take another PowerPrep test, don’t feel you have to (if you have time, make sure to review your mistakes). Review questions, and do more questions from Magoosh.
If you are struggling with vocabulary, don’t worry too much (after all, memorizing a thousand words in a week is difficult – and won’t necessarily help you identify words in context). Do your best to eliminate. And, don’t be afraid to guess on test day. Still it doesn’t hurt to try to learn the words you encounter in Magoosh’s lessons. Many of these are high-frequency words.
Day 7
You should have gotten a good night’s rest. Make sure you are calm, and as collected as possible. If you still need to go through formulas or strategies, do so, but make sure the experience isn’t making you feel stressed. If it is, stop. Remember, going in with a clear head is far better than shaking in trepidation as you walk into the test center. And remember, if you’ve followed the above GRE study guide, you have much to be proud of. You’ve come a long way in so little time.
Chris, you are the best!!!!
Thanks! Good luck!
Great write-up. Magoosh definitely helped me. I only had approximately two weeks to study for the GRE. The first week I ended up using Kaplan guides which are completely useless. Luckily, I signed up with Magoosh early last week and got set on the right track. I ended up doing quite well on the math section and I credit it all to the new lessons. Now I just have to master the verbal. Any plans for an 8 week study guide?
I’m glad you like the new lessons
As for the 8 week study guide, check back on the blog tomorrow morning and we’ll have it up!
Hi Chris, I took the power prep exam today. For verbal, I got 410 to 510 and in math 750 to 800. The problem I was faced with was running out of time in both verbal sections and being able to answer only 15 out of the 20 questions and hurried with RCs in the last two minutes. My actual exam is on the 23rd. How should I proceed from here to raise my verbal score to the 600 plus range?
Two things:
1. Lots of timed practice
2. Making sure not to waste time on really difficult questions. Each question is worth the same number of points. If you end up not attempting a few of the difficult questions that is fine. But it essential that you have enough time to answer the questions you are capable of getting right.
Still, a 600 will be very difficult with such little time left. Study words – both their meanings and context – and read as much as you can.
Let me know how that goes,
Chris
Thanks Chris.. wil let you know
Hi,
I took the PowerPrep Practice Test last week. You mention in the 1-week guide to take 2 PowerPrep Tests, one in the beginning and one towards the end. My question is, are there 2 Practice Tests available or do you mean to do the same test again as a refresher?
Yeah, unfortunately there is only one Powerprep test. So take the same test twice but space it out enough that there won’t be too much recall.
Chris, I have been preparing for the last 6 months and am almost there in quants, but not as good as I’d like to be. I have test a on 1st of Feb and have taken a practice test using powerprep software; I got a range of 750-800 in quants and 590-690 in verbal. Do I have any chance of scoring more than 320 in the new pattern score?
Hi Yash,
Your Quant score may definitely put you up close to 320. So yes, you have a good chance!
Let us know how you do. Best of luck!
(of course let me know if you have any other questions!)
Hey Chris,
There have been many websites which have a lot of suggestions for GRE but nobody answers questions and queries so promptly as this one does.
Well my GRE is on the 27th feb and till now I have been praticing a lot, NOVA for Math and Princeton for Verbal section. I tried taking one test and got only 150 in Verbal and around 140 in Quant. Will it be too difficult to score a 320 on the main GRE? I am sure I am going to take a lot of tests in this week. It would be great if you could give some suggestions that could help me reach my goal.
Thank you,
Niyati
Hi Niyati,
While I appreciate your grit, wIth only 10 days left, increasing your score by 30 total points is going to be very difficult. I’d hate to say it’s impossible but to see such a score improvement you would need at least a month. And a great tutor/awesome materials.
Right now, your materials are def. not the best out there.
Nova is pretty good – and def. comprehensive – but there questions do not capture the flavor of the actual GRE questions. Some of the logical twists found in GRE quant. simply aren’t in Nova. Anyhow, Nova espouses a very, very laborious way of getting the answer. Some of the explanations in the back of the book read like hieroglyphics.
For verbal, PR is mediocre and basically dumbs down the test. You can do much better.
I would recommend:
Manhattan GRE, if you like book format.
and/or
Magoosh.com, if you are amenable to the video format. We offer a free one-week trial upfront, so you can see if it is for you. And, as you mentioned, we always answer questions from customers promptly.
Let me know if you have any other questions
.
Hi Chris,
I have been preparing for the gre for 2 months and took the gre previously in Nov 2011, but scored quite low (Verbal- 140, Math- 156). 2 months back, i bought the magoosh material and had finished off the verbal section. I am also done with Official Guide to GRE(ETS Book). I have gained some confidence in Text Completions and Sentence equivalence. But RC’s are still haunting me so much. I am going to take the GRE on 5th March, 2012. With approx 10 days left for the test, I am confused as to how to improve my RC skill. I am confused whether I should do just practice tests in these 10 days(full length, I have manhattan’s 6 online practice tests and 800score.com 5 practice tests) or try to improve my RC skills for 4-5 days more and then start off with full length tests. I want to score above 315 this time in GRE. I am confident in maths, and have practiced more in this section, but really worried about the verbal section. Please guide me through this.
Regards,
Chetna
Hi Chetna,
I’d love to help – but a few questions first.
1. Why do you think you are currently struggling on RC?
2. Did the RC lesson on Magoosh help? If so, how? If not, what did you think we were missing?
3. Are there any particular type of passage you struggle on?
4. Is there any particular type of question you struggle on?
5. And finally, how you reading the passage? Slow vs. fast, note-taking vs. mentally processing vs. simply reading.
Answer those questions and i think I will be able to devise a plan to help you crack 315
.
Hi chris,
I’ve been preparing for gre from past 2 months.I didnt know abt ur site until recently.I did practise questions from kaplan,princeton.but when i took a mock test ,i only got 305,i couldnt manage time and the level of questions are quite different from what i practised in the kaplan,princeton.i m really confused what to do.please help me out giving a suggestion. my exam is on april 9.and my target score is 320.
thank you
Hi Ramya,
I wrote some book reviews for Magoosh awhile back that faulted Kaplan and PR for just that –their questions are not at all accurate of those found on the actual exam.
My best advice to you is to try out Magoosh and/or Manhattan GRE. Though you only have about ten days left, using either can make a significant difference. Sure I am a bit biased in the case of Magoosh, but our questions are actually more difficult than those found on the exam. And you also get many excellent lesson videos that will help you with general and specific strategies for each question type.
You can check out Magoosh at: gre.magoosh.com
With Manhattan GRE, you get access to 6 free online tests, if you buy just one of their books. Taking full length tests and improving your strategies would be a great way for you to make use of your last 10 days (and will help you hit your 320).
Let me know if you have other questions
.
Hey Chris,
I am a member of magoosh from past two months and have finished all the exercises related to verbal and maths twice. Frankly speaking, i am good at maths and always struggle with verbal section. Yesterday i gave my 2nd attempt in gre powerprep as suggested by you and got a perfect score in maths and 440 in verbal. Now that my gre exam is after 1 week, i am having second thoughts whether to postpone it or not. Can you please suggest what’s best for me in this regard.
Hi Suhail,
Well, first off congrats on the math score
.
For the verbal, I’m curious to where you were starting. See, if you started at 400 and only went up 40 points, there is a problem in your approach (don’t worry if that’s the case, I can help you identify that problem). On the other if you went from 300 to 440 that is an excellent improvement. In that case, postpone your test and continue working on practice problems. Branch out to MGRE, read more in context, and strengthen your vocabulary.
Regardless, you should postpone your test. But first let me know whether you are improving incrementally or whether you have more or less stagnated.
Hope that helps
.
First of all thanks for an early reply and yes i have improved incrementally, i mean last time i scored 350 and this time it was 440 in verbal section. So, can you tell me what all material i should refer now and how much time should i take to give my gre exam.
Hi Suhail.
That’s great that you are improving so much. Definitely use official material. ETS Official Guide is an excellent resource for questions. If you still need more questions, I recommend MGRE, esp. there six computer-based tests. That said, remember to keep revisiting Magoosh material, making sure you are familiar with most of the vocab.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions
.
Hi
I’m really impressed with your product but just have one concern which is whether your video and practice question work on iPad 2 or not because I use lots of time in travelling and have got my iPad with me all the time. Please reply ASAP. I haven’t got much time left.
Regards
Javed
Hi, Javed
Yes, all of our material will work on iPad through the browser. Let us know if you have any other questions and we’d be happy to help!
Best,
Margarette
Thanks. I have purchased your product. My strategy is to first finish the Math lessons. My exam is on 10 may. Can you give any advice?
Hi Javed,
Wow, not much time
.
That said, I wouldn’t break up your study time into only math and only verbal. You will want to give yourself time to become better at both sections. You also want to focus on the section you are weaker at (unless, you are applying to a program that stresses math above verbal, or vice versa).
I’d recommend you spend an 30 – 45 min watching lesson videos followed by an hour practice. When you miss a question, you will be able to follow a link to lesson videos pertaining to that question. That way you can mix in both practice and lesson videos.
Do this for both math and verbal, every day if possible. And don’t always feel you have to do new questions. Revisit questions you missed the first time around, to make sure you understand the concept.
Don’t hesitate to ask any more questions
.
Hi Chris,
I’m struggling with RC inference questions. Please give your suggestions to proceed with correctly answering inference questions. I don’t take notes while reading RCs.
Plz give suggestions accordingly..
Hi Vanan,
Let me know if this post is helpful for general tips:
http://magoosh.com/gre/gre-guide/gre-verbal-guide/gre-reading-comprehension/
You bring up a good question…as of now there are no posts dealing with inference questions. I will get a post up soon
.
Hey Chris,
I’d like your thoughts on my situation (questions at the end). I’m scheduled to take the GRE on the 24th (in 9 days). I spent six months reviewing over a thousand vocabulary words from Kaplan flashcards and online.
But in regards to math, I am only just beginning. So far, I’ve completed most of the practice questions from the GRE math review online (ETS), which seem easy. I’m only stuck on four or five problems. I’m quick to grasp basic concepts that I had forgotten, like the rules for exponents, simplifying complex equations, unit conversions, and so forth. My background in math is decent: the highest level math course I took was Calculus II about five years ago, and my last math course was Statistics in Psychology last year. I was a B student.
And now…I’m starting to feel intimidated by the math section. Freaking out in my head here. In particular, I’ve always struggled with translating verbal descriptions into algebraic expressions. Present me with a paragraph-long problem about two cars driving at different speeds, interest rates, or gallons of water, and I just freeze up. I have in possession The Official Guide to the GRE Revised General Test, in which I attempted to answer some questions last year and failed. So I let fear take over and avoided math altogether. Very smart. *sigh*
Anyway…my questions are:
1. Despite starting this late in the game, do I still have a chance to at least reach an average math score on the GRE? I have 12+ hours of freedom each of the nine days to study. I just feel discouraged knowing that people prepare 2+ months for this…and sometimes that’s not enough.
2. I just signed up for the free 1-week trial on Magoosh. Would the material I have access to provide good practice for me?
3. Can you please direct me to your materials that concern the kind of word problems I mentioned? I want to conquer this fear once and for all.
4. Does PowerPrep provide explanations for missed problems?
5. Am I, in reality, on a suicide mission? Any last words for this poor soul?
Thanks so much for your time.
Hi Laila,
Do not despair
.
With the amount of time you have to study each day, you will be able to brush up on math, especially those pesky word problems.
The good news is Magoosh offers plenty of practice problems that require algebraic translation from word problems. That is the product itself, though. The one-week trial version will have a few such questions, but it just doesn’t beat having hundreds of such problems (which is what the product offers).
Your other options are Manhattan GRE, which is a book-based learning approach. One of their 8 volumes focuses on algebraic expressions/word problems/translations. That may be very helpful.
As a last opportunity, I am always available for 1:1 Skype tutoring sessions and can help you on all things math-related.
Anyhow, don’t hesitate to pepper me with any more questions. Let’s help you overcome your word problem phobia!
-Chris
P.S. PowerPrep does not provide explanations to missed problems.)