THE GRE - how scary is it?

MRSJLK Posted: May 26, 2005 01:22 PM

THE GRE - how scary is it?

i hate these tests.....i want to go back to school but this test has been making me shy away from it.

RedHead Posted: May 26, 2005 01:25 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

scary..no
long and boring YES

eogara Posted: May 26, 2005 01:33 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Posted by RedHead

scary..no
long and boring YES

Perfectly put!

Jax430 Posted: May 26, 2005 01:42 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Posted by eogara

Posted by RedHead

scary..no
long and boring YES

Perfectly put!

Agreed.

amazon_gracie Posted: May 26, 2005 01:45 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

I'm a scaredy cat. I was so relieved when I found out that 3 of my top choice schools didn't require them for one reason or another.

glinda_goodwitch Posted: May 26, 2005 01:45 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

The general GRE isn't too bad. But yes, I agree that it is long and boring. You can buy a cd that had practice tests that you do on the computer, and these help you get a feel for what the exam is like.

mrswask Posted: May 26, 2005 01:46 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

I had to do a lot of studying for the math portion because I am NOT good at math and didn't remember any of it - that was a pain.

MonkeyLuv Posted: May 26, 2005 01:49 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

It's not scary, and I didn't even find it that long, except when I looked at the time as I left the test site.

Best advice? Take practice tests either on the Princetone Review website, or with a GRE packet. And practice the essays too!

glinda_goodwitch Posted: May 26, 2005 02:57 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Posted by MonkeyLuv

It's not scary, and I didn't even find it that long, except when I looked at the time as I left the test site.

Best advice? Take practice tests either on the Princetone Review website, or with a GRE packet. And practice the essays too!

Oh, that's right. Now there are essays. I lucked out and took mine before that started.

nov04LIbride Posted: May 26, 2005 02:59 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

What are you taking it for? My program allowed me to take the Miller Analogies Test instead of the GRE, and it was only an hour long! A painful hour, but only an hour!

MonkeyLuv Posted: May 26, 2005 03:04 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Posted by glinda_goodwitch

Oh, that's right. Now there are essays. I lucked out and took mine before that started.

Now I'm jealous! I took it the first year they had the essays!

dpli Posted: May 26, 2005 03:42 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

DEFINITELY practice with a computer. I took it years ago and did fairly well. I retook it sort of under the gun for a fellowhip application, registered online and took it within a few weeks. My score went down about 100 pts in 2 of the sections and I am convinced it is because I practiced with just the book, not a computer.

It is not that bad, sort of like SATs, not really that much more difficult, but I also took it before they gave the essay portion.

cluelessbride Posted: May 26, 2005 04:28 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

I took it back in December. It was long and boring. You can def. increase your scores by taking some practice tests. I got an amazing score (at least I think so) and I swear if I hadn't taken some practice tests the score would have been much lower. I used a GRE book I bought used on amazon.

jeanla4c Posted: May 26, 2005 05:06 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Just buy a book that comes with a CD so you can practice on the computer..... I had to RETAKE my GRE since the one I took for my masters program had expired. They made me take it again to get into my PhD program..ugh! Just practice/study a little and you'll be fine.

Wintersbride Posted: May 26, 2005 05:23 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

One of the best purchases I ever made was the Kaplan GRE Computer software ($15 at a computer fair). The testing compony also send you some software, but I got it the day before the GRE (not much help). I personally found it scary because of how much was riding on it, but once I was in there and I took it, it wasn't so bad. You do the essay's first so that kind of calms you down a bit. I loved the fact that I knew right then and there what my score was. Also get 'The GRE for Dummies'.

marymoon Posted: May 26, 2005 05:49 PM

Re: THE GRE - how scary is it?

Kaplan's GRE software is very good.

The math is VERY easy. It's easier than the SAT Math, even before the revamp. It's nothing harder than 10th grade math

The verbal is more difficult. But 95th%ile on math is 750-800, whereas 95th %ile on the verbal is something like 690, so they know it's harder. The vocabulary is a lot more advanced than the SAT vocab.

The essay is what intimidates me at this point. I started studying for the GRE. I was getting 800's on the math no problem, but the verbal was getting to me. I took a course but my verbal teacher was not a very good verbal teacher and I'm still sort of confused about the essay.

The important thing to know is that the first 5 questions are the MOST important questions on the exam, Within the first 5 questions the computer knows if you're getting a 400-500 range or 600-800 range, for example, the restis just fighting for a few extra points.