Friday, August 6, 2010

Self Discipline: The Key to Doing Well on the GRE


Over 600,000 individuals take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) every year. However, only a small percentage of the examinees are happy with their results. Just like any other major exam, the GRE requires intensive preparation. But more than just academic preparation, it also requires a lot of self-discipline. No matter how strong your will is to succeed, if you do not allot enough time to prepare for it, succeeding on the GRE will not be easy.
1.    Make schedule and stick to it. Most GRE examinees start their review at least 2 months before the actual exam day. However, you always have the option to start your review as early as you want. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you allot enough time to study each section. The GRE exam is composed of different sections and each section is administered with a certain style and pattern. Determine how much time you have for the review then divide your time to master each section in the GRE. Post your schedule in an area which you see every day and ensure that you follow your schedule strictly. Tell your friends that you are studying.  This “social commitment” will help you stick to your schedule.  Plus, the support of your friends will be of great help!

2.    Allot a few minutes of your time to the GRE prep every day. Most of the questions in the GRE are based on the lessons that you've learned in school. Finding time to refresh your mind on your previous lessons will make things easier for you. Spend at least 15 minutes of your time before you sleep to review the GRE. 

3.    Get in the right frame of mind.  Setting the right mindset for the test is the most difficult challenge for most examinees. But this is not what the GRE is all about. If you want to succeed, you will need to enforce a disciplined and timely execution of your study plan. This includes changing your lifestyle temporarily. Forget your weekend parties in the mean time and allot the time for your GRE review instead. 

Giving enough time for your GRE preparation helps you achieve a good score. But more than that, enforcing self discipline to efficiently go through every step of your study plan is also very important. Limit your social activities.  Find friends who will support you during this process.  These lifestyle changes are temporary; doing well on the GRE can improve your career and life.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

3 Tried-And-Tested Tips To Passing The GRE

Competition is stiff in the corporate world. This is why more and more individuals take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) every year. Studies show that more than 600,000 people take the GRE yearly. Unlike most college-entrance examinations, the GRE is a computer-adaptive test. Examinees take the test on a computer. Each question is generated based on your answers to the preceding questions. The further you go, the harder the questions get.
If you plan to take the GRE, consider the following tips to ensure a successful test.

Take your time.
Contrary to what most people tell you, it is very important that you take your time in mastering the first few items of the test. Instead of rushing, ensure that you answer every question. Patience is a virtue especially for the first 10 questions. Bear in mind that the questions on the first part weigh more than the ones on the later part.
One common mistake that most examinees make is that they hurry too much and they fail to concentrate on the early part of the test. Because of the time constraint, most people worry about not having enough time to get to the end of the test when in fact, it is the last part of the test that weighs the least.

The first 10 questions are the most important.
Examinees should pay enough attention to first 10 questions of each part. The test starts with questions of average difficulty which when answered correctly, moves on to tougher questions. The scoring range is adjusted every time an examinee answers the questions either correctly or incorrectly. If you answer the first 10 questions right, you are more likely to get a relatively high score despite what happens on the rest of the test.

Review your high school lessons.
Most GRE examinees have forgotten the basic lessons of high school Math. If you seem to be having a  hard time getting the ratio of a certain problem, it's time to revisit high school notes. High school Math plays a huge role in the quantitative part of the test. Scan your old notes on Geometry and Algebra and refresh your mind with your high school statistics. Experts suggest that you browse resources like Algebra for Dummies for basic and well-explained refresher lessons.
A high SAT score does not always ensure that taking the GRE will be easy. To increase your chances of passing the GRE, most testing experts advise that you start preparing at least two months before the exam date.