Those who took their GRE's help needed vol. also its my b-day today

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

Yea so i'm finishing up my BA in Speech Pathology in the fall and I don't plan on attending grad school until fall of next year so I wanted to know what preparation everyone did in taking their GRE's.  The dudes from the Kaplan center at my college have been pushing hard for everyone to take the Kaplan course but is it even worth it?  Would it be better if I just bought some books at Barnes and Noble and just studied them for a while?

Any recommendations for what route I should go for those who have been in my shoes before?

Much appreciated

 

[maaaco]

IDK about the GRE thing but Happy Bday man!

 

[impalaballa187]

Depends on your learning style. I'm more of an auditory learner, so I needed that classroom environment. Similarly, it depends what your strengths are. The classes teach you how to take the test, like little tricks and stuff. Honestly, just get a stack of 500 word cards and master them for the verbal. For the math, you can get most of the strategies after about a week or two of studying.

Also, see if your school has any way to subsidize the costs. The ONLY reason I took the class is because it cost me $100. The price was halved because I was on financial aid, and then one of the university offices covered $500. I'll be doing the same for my GMAT and LSAT next year.

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

thanks

I think just knowing the little tips and tricks are something good to know but what i'm wondering is if it isn't general knowledge tips that people should already know from being in school.

the course for me right now would be around $600 because i don't get financial aid so if i could get it down to $200 I would def do it.

 

[zerogravity23]

yeah dude just grab the book from B&N its like $22. this is just like the SAT but only college level. i took an SAT course few years ago and this crap is repeating the same skills and techniques. its a waste of money imo.

 

[rashi]

The GRE was probably the hardest test I ever took (I took the MCATs as well), not because of what the material was, but because of the semantics that they use.

I took the Kaplan course and spent $1200 and it helped, but it didnt help me in the areas I felt I needed work on. Honestly, I would highly suggest a private tutor that will work one-on-one and shape a plan just for you. I took the GRE after studying with Kaplan and didn't do well, but after the private tutor my scores went way up. The rates may vary with a private tutor obviously, but I think it will be a lot cheaper and higher reward with a private tutor.

 

[davidisgodly]

Good luck on everything, If this is really what you want to do, i'm glad you're doing it.

 

[cjgenius368]

When I took it I had the Princeton Review book and I think it helped a lot with strategy and just giving me general practice. I played this vocab game online a lot because the verbal part was really important, but I can't remember what the game was... sorry. I'm not sure how you are with math or how important it is for what you're doing, but I think I remember hearing that GRE math is easier than SAT math. I'd say if you can keep yourself motivated, grab the book and see what other independent (free) prep you can get online. Good luck and HBD!

 

[rawjs]

I purposely went to a grad school by me that didn't necessarily accept the GED. It's not that it's difficult, it's just a huge pain. Happy Birthday by the way

 

[boilermaker x]

Best advice I can give: Nothing prepares you like experience.

1.  Sign up and take it cold.  However, when you sign up DO NOT have your scores automatically sent anywhere.  (If you do well you can always send the scores yourself.)
2.  After having seen it and taken it and really knowing what you're in for - getting ready that day, the time frame of the test, the actual test, the whole process - you will be able to more efficiently prepare to do it again and you will have a much better idea what your weaknesses are. 
3.  Sign up to take it again in two months.
3.  Treat study guides like oxygen. 

Sure, you're out the cost of the exam but, let's face it, if you're taking the GRE then you're apparently all about making short term investments for long term payoffs. 

 

[Gill Baka Esq. LLC.]

I hear what you guys are saying...from my initial assessment from what I've heard so far about the GRE from friends, you guys, family and staff at my college...I feel the GRE's is usually taken 2x the first time being a scouting mission for what I should look out for as well as giving someone a baseline of how well they would do and the 2nd time being the serious one to take with all pistons pumping.

Of course I would seriously want a good score on the first test but a lot of people have told me they took it atleast 2x.

Also the Kaplan center at my school gives a free practice test so I think I might take advantage of that.

 

[duckness]

Honestly, I would just get the kaplan book and look up the most commonly used words on the GRE on google.
The math portion was crazy easy (to me) and the verbal portion was hard. If you think you are better than average when it comes to math, don't sweat that part too much.
Use the book to read up on some of the tricks the test tries to get you on. It also explains how the test is scored if you are doing it on the computer (you will take it on the computer unless you indicate otherwise when you sign up).

MOST IMPORTANT TIP:
When you go to take the test, before you can take it you have to fill out a form and at the bottom it has a paragraph you need to write out IN CURSIVE.
I was the only one of 10 people taking the test when I was there who got it right, so I got to start a half hour early

.

 

[balloonoboy]

Happy birthday, grim.

I took the GRE and I think the most important thing to really master is the vocabulary.

The math is tough, but a thorough review everyday for say 3 months should be a good refresher.

But those words are where you will win.

It's important to remember that the scores are only part of the picture. Check out the respective grad schools to see their requirements.

I can't stress enough, though, to take advantage of the career services center at your college.

Best of luck.

 

[jordanhendrix]

Originally Posted by Boilermaker X

Best advice I can give: Nothing prepares you like experience.

1.  Sign up and take it cold.  However, when you sign up DO NOT have your scores automatically sent anywhere.  (If you do well you can always send the scores yourself.)
2.  After having seen it and taken it and really knowing what you're in for - getting ready that day, the time frame of the test, the actual test, the whole process - you will be able to more efficiently prepare to do it again and you will have a much better idea what your weaknesses are. 
3.  Sign up to take it again in two months.
3.  Treat study guides like oxygen. 

Sure, you're out the cost of the exam but, let's face it, if you're taking the GRE then you're apparently all about making short term investments for long term payoffs. 

<This is terrible advice! Do not listen to this. Has this guy ever heard of official practice tests? if you go to a real test and do bad a school will see it. They say they take only your highest but they see all your scores when you end up sending one to them. You can take very accurate test online. ETS, the company that makes these tests releases a few retired tests with real questions. Get those , do them under timed conditions and your good

 

[supahoopa]

well ive heard to take it back to back .. your scores will improve..
umm... i think i had the kaplans book and the cards... i just studied those about an hr. each day ..

good luck

 

[blackstilettos]

I studied for the GRE for almost a year. Seriously. I am a HORRIBLE standardized test taker (and I struggle with any math beyond Calc), so I had to work very hard. I carried around vocab cards everywhere and I practiced math problems for an hour every single day. I did very well, and I know I would have bombed it if I didn't take the time every day to review. I took one practice test every few weeks at the library, and I had my bf time me.

Obviously, some people are ready to take it after a month of reviewing, and some people aren't. Don't rush it. Pace yourself and when you're ready, take it.

 

[la quange]

OP, where do you go to school? I hope to have my BA in Communicative Disorders from Cal State Fullerton in the spring.

Thinking about grad school makes me

 

[sneakaprince]

Is take the kaplan course man. I took the GRE one time only cause I knew it wouldn't affect me as my h since my grades are really high and a lot of the schools that I was applying to didn't require it for my major. I was a little salty when UNC didn't accept me tho, but seeing as how I only got a 780 I understood why.