GRE General Test Preparation: Tips, Strategies, Books, Coaching, Apps and Preparation Materials
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GRE General Test Preparation: Tips, Strategies, Books, Coaching, Apps and Preparation Materials

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Arijit Dutta

Study Abroad Content Writer at Collegedunia | Updated On - Jun 19, 2024

Highlights:

  • GRE preparation requires a minimum of 4 weeks.
  • The GRE exam consists of sections like Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
  • Some notable GRE preparation books include GRE Prep by Magoosh, Kaplan GRE Verbal Workbook, Essential Words for GRE.
  • The best application for Ready4GREVarsity Tutors GRE Exam Prep, GRE Test Prep Math and Verbal, etc.

GRE general test preparation includes strategies, preparation books, online coaching, and practice papers. GRE general test preparation time requires a minimum of four weeks to prepare. Taking a diagnostic test, setting a target score, focusing on strengths and weaknesses are a few of the GRE study tips. GRE is a requirement for postgraduate studies, the difficulty level of the questions is comparatively higher. Candidates should begin their GRE preparation with a diagnostic test. Based on the score of the diagnostic test, candidates will understand their strengths and weaknesses. They should set their target GRE score based on the requirements of their selected universities. The GRE exam is divided into section such as Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Some notable GRE preparation books include GRE Prep by Magoosh, Kaplan GRE Verbal Workbook, Essential Words for GRE, etc.

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Authentic GRE General Test Preparation Materials

To prepare for GRE, only authentic preparation materials should be consulted. For self-preparation, candidates need to purchase GRE preparation books like Barron’s, Princeton, 5lb, Magoosh, and more which provide relevant GRE practice questions and explanations.

GRE Verbal Preparation Tips

One of the important sections of the GRE is the verbal section. GRE verbal is a section where the candidates, not just from a science background, then candidates studying English as a major finds it much difficult. The following tips for verbal reasoning GRE can help the candidates here:

  • Read more and learn more new words every day to strengthen the GRE vocabulary.
  • Make a habit of reading English daily to grab a good reading speed.
  • Think in English to guess an unknown word by reading the sentence.
  • Revise what you read the previous day.
  • Apply a newly learned word in sentences regularly.
  • Practice with GRE verbal practice sets.
  • Track the mistakes after each mock test.
  • Learn how to avoid these mistakes and incorporate that during the next mock test.

GRE Quant Preparation Tips

The section of GRE quant is all about time management coupled with mathematical skills – so the candidates need to be strategic enough while practicing. The following GRE quant tips can be followed for the same purpose:

  • Plugin numbers
  • Estimate the complicates questions
  • When shortcuts cannot solve a question, apply the basic rules
  • Look to the details in graphs and chart
  • Understand the takt-time to solve each type of questions of GRE quant

GRE Preparation Books for General Test

The best way to study for GRE is by consulting the GRE preparation books. A few of which we have listed below:

  1. The Official Guide to GRE General Test - Check PDF
  2. 5 lb Book of GRE Practice by Manhattan - Check PDF
  3. Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions - Check PDF
  4. Essential Words for GRE - Webster - Check PDF
  5. GRE Prep by Magoosh - Check PDF
  6. Kaplan GRE Verbal Workbook - Check PDF
  7. GRE Analytical Writing - Vibrant - Check PDF

GRE Preparation Apps for General Test

Apps are often considered the best way to study for GRE since they offer on-the-go guidance. GRE general test preparation tips can be studied from the following apps:

  • GRE Prep and Practice by Magoosh: This has numerous verbal and GRE quant practice questions, review texts and detailed video explanations, 40 GRE sample questions for diagnostic tests, GRE test preparation courses.
  • Ready4GRE: This contains diagnostic tests to determine the target score, GRE training online through text and audio, practice tests based on official GRE, strategies for verbal and quant, GRE vocabulary words, video explanations, and more.
  • Varsity Tutors GRE Exam Prep: It contains numerous practice papers, diagnostic tests, in-depth explanations, detailed GRE quant topic explanations, and flexible study sessions.
  • GRE Test Prep Math and Verbal: Plenty of GRE verbal and math sample questions, expert advice for difficult problems, score predictor, and timed GRE practice tests.

We recommend to start preparing for your GRE exam as soon as possible. The more time you invest in preparing for the exams, the results will be more favorable. Hopefully, these GRE general test preparation tips can help the candidates in planning their specific way of preparation that will result in success.

FAQs

Ques. How to prepare for a GRE General Test?

Ans. To prepare for a GRE general test, try to follow some preparation books, or pursue some online coaching, and solve practice papers. It ultimately depends upon your time management, skills, and preparation strategy.

Ques. Is the GRE General Test difficult?

Ans. GRE is considered somehow difficult than the other tests like SAT or ACT. Its vocabulary and reading sections are very challenging.

Ques. Can I prepare for GRE on my own?

Ans. Yes, obviously. You can prepare for the GRE exam by solving some mock papers, following the PDF GRE preparation books, etc.

Ques. Is 3 months enough for GRE prep?

Ans. It depends upon the skill and merit of a candidate. According to the officials of ETS, most of the users take around 3-4 months for preparing GRE exam.

Ques. Is GRE tough for Indian students?

Ans. The test can be a little comprehensive and difficult for the Indian students. However, with proper practice and consistent studies, a good GRE result can be obtained.

Ques. Is getting a 300 on GRE hard?

Ans. It is not very much difficult to obtain a score of 300 in GRE. With proper preparation and time management, you can achieve this score.

Ques. How to crack GRE in first attempt?

Ans. To crack GRE in the first attempt, you need to start preparing for the exam as early as possible. Try to manage your time properly by creating a proper schedule. 

Ques. Is 80% good on the GRE?

Ans. Anything above 75 percentile is considered good for the GRE exam. It sums up to164 or higher in Quant and a 157 or higher in Verbal.

Ques. What if I fail the GRE exam?

Ans. In case you fail the GRE exam, you can re-appear for it after 21 days. In the meantime, you can work on your weaknesses. You can undertake the GRE test minimum 5 times in a year.

Ques. How many mistakes are allowed in GRE?

Ans. There is no rule as to how many mistakes are allowed in GRE exam. However, in case you are aiming for a score of 320 in GRE, and you have 2-3 wrong answers in the quant section and 4-5 wrong answers in the verbal section, you can still achieve 320. 

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

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