GRE - Studying

Before I start explaining my process of how I got to exam day, I would like to share my scores. I took the GRE twice. I needed a specific score of 300 or above in order to apply for the program I wanted. My program was not concerned entirely with the writing score.

First attempt: 295 W3.5
Second attempt: 306 W4.5

The first attempt, I used the 12 week study plan and felt like it was too long of a study period. I focused more on the concepts. The second attempt, I used the 6 week study plan. I focused more on the test taking skills, my vocabulary, and quizzing.

Now onto the study plan...

Step 1: Take the practice GRE that Princeton Review offers for free

There are various locations. For me, my scheduled building was easy to find and plenty of street parking for early in the morning. It simulated real test time and break times with exception that it was a paper test rather than the computer based test. I treated this practice test as my way to introduce myself to the GRE so that when actual test day came, I was not as nervous. Also, this gave me my baseline. Signing up with the Princeton Review allowed me access to my practice test scores (including graded and commented essays). Below is the link that takes you to the practice test locator page on Princeton Review.

Princeton Review GRE Practice Test link

Step 2: Gather GRE prep materials

Again, I used Barnes and Noble as my sole source for my prep materials. I was able to find everything I needed there and then some. If you decide to go to a book store, do not just look at the study aid aisle where the GRE materials are located -- look in the part of the aisle where middle and high school math is too. You can find some hidden gems. Also, do some "googling" for extra practice or tips/tricks websites. I found Magoosh this way and would use their site and their free apps occassionally. Khan Academy can help if you are struggling with a concept or need a refresher.

Step 3: Prepare your schedule

Start with your exam date. Once you have that, then you can plan. I was fortunate enough to be able to focus solely on my GRE while only working part-time (huge change from undergrad!). Whatever your daily life schedule is, you can somehow work GRE studying into it. My schedule was mostly planned out by the study plan I got with the purchase of my book. I cannot reveal the study plan because I am sure that would get me in some form of trouble with Princeton Review. BUT I can tell you to break it down into three separate chunks - verbal practice, math practice, and vocabulary practice because that is what I did using the study plan as my scaffold.  If you somehow can fit up to an hour for each into your day, you should be good.  I studied every day with Fridays being my review days and Sundays vocab-only days. Looking back on it all, my only suggestion is that I should have taken one of the days and made it my relax day. Also, your last week prior to the exam, should be a constant review week. You should have no new material to study!

Step 4: Prep your materials

By prepping materials, I mean flashcards. I used my WordSmart book and made flashcards for every single word in the book. Now with that said, I ended up only using the A-Z. I never used any of the extra category type words. Below is my example:

I chose this word because it has a lot going on -- Every card had the word in blue on one side and the part of speech (green) and definitions (black) on the other. This word shows three separate definitions. This important! Do not skip over obscure definitions because guess what?! ETS lovesssss to test obscure definitions to common words. Study all definitions given to you in your choice of study material! It may seem like a lot, but if you study your cards every day, it will become easier. Also use this site, Tyrannosaurus GRE vocab Prep, to study your definitions. I stumbled upon this website and used it regularly for practice.


Step 5: Study. Study. Study.

Stick to your study plan. Falling behind can cause issues. I fell off during my first attempt. It was my own fault. My second attempt, I changed my strategy and timeline. I felt like 6 weeks was long enough to study and it kept me on track. Below is a picture of one of my study pages from my notebook just to give you an idea of my color coding and how I created my study notebook. My code was the following: Orange: basic layout of GRE, Purple: Verbal, Blue: Math, Red: Essays, Pink: miscellaneous.

I used a basic composition notebook because it could fit into my handbag and no spirals which I always manage to smush. I used about half of this notebook with notes and practice. As you can see, my math sections were blue. The header was big and bold with dark blue while the subsections were light blue with underline and my actual notes were pencil. I always worked my way through the worked examples.  It helped to have a multicolor pen -- I used the Yoobi multicolored pen from Target. BEST. PEN. EVER. Here is the link for the pen directly on the Yoobi website.


Step 6: Day/Night before exam day

Prep everything!
- Layout your clothes - I wore leggings, t-shirt, crewneck sweatshirt, socks and sneakers. I not only stayed comfortable, but did not get overly cold or hot. I saw some people dressed in full suits or dresses. I promise you, you will be sitting and staring at a screen for up to 4-5 hours. Dress comfy. The last thing you need is to feel uncomfortable while taking the test. If you have to work afterwards, just bring a change of clothing. There is always a bathroom that you are allowed to use.
- Make and pack your breakfast as well as quick, nutritious snacks, bottled water, and gum.
- Pack one verbal and one math problem, 20 vocab words, and your notebook. You will thank me later. This warms up your brain prior to your exam so that you are ready to go.
- Test your trip - I made sure to take a test drive of my route and find where I wanted to park. I found out that I needed to pay for parking, so I had to make sure I had enough quarters for 5 hours.
- Go to bed early!

Step 7: Take your exam and ACCEPT your scores. Reward yourself after the exam no matter what because you took a step forward. You will have time to reflect later. 


For more on my journey, follow me on Twitter @_gradgirl_