The GRE isn’t a theory based test. Sure there are aspects of vocabulary building, but for the most part, the GRE is a strategy based test! Understanding the test mechanism and taking mock test followed by intensive review are important aspects of the GRE prep.
So how do you start?
Take a mock test (full length) to get a good understanding of where you stand.
This will give you a good feel for the amount of time you need to be spending on preparation.
That said it’s very much possible to get to a GRE 320+
Here are some strategy points:
Aim for as high a Quant score as possible (165+) Since GRE math isn’t very challenging for most Engineering students and surpassing a 160 shouldn’t be too much work! Getting to a 165+ though takes dedication and practice on good test-day organisational skills Eg: Note-boarding your work properly and ensuring that you work by eradicating all assumptions about questions when you solve them. Remember that a 165+ requires that you get at least 80% of the questions correct in each Math Section.
Work on GRE Vocabulary intensively for 2 months: Start with any of the GRE wordlists (that have about 500 words; here’s one you can start with). Find definition, Use Vocabulary.com. to find real world usage, use Mnemonic Dictionary to build fun mnemonics to recall words more effectively. Use Visual Thesaurus to learn words that have similar meanings. Also use Etymology (you can probably use this) to learn words through roots. This is an essential part of your GRE prep.
Take at least 5 full length GRE mock tests to gauge your progress through your GRE prep, and to build on time management skills. Remember, there is no negative marking on the GRE and therefore, your approach must be to get AS MANY questions right as possible. This means that you must learn to identify difficult – Time waster questions that you are bound to get stuck with. Avoid these (use strategic guessing to solve them in less than a minute) and focus on easy to medium questions to ensure that you get them absolutely correct!
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Also check out our free mock tests and strategy videos in our free resources section.