Acing the gre 5 doc

For the Verbal and Quantitative sections, you will receive both raw scores and scaled scores. The raw scores reflect the number and difficulty level of questions you answered correctly. ETS then converts them to scaled scores, the scale being from 200 (an indicator that you showed up for the test) to 800 (meaning that you answered all questions correctly), reported in increments of ten points. You may recognize this scoring scale from the SAT.Also on your score report is the percentage of test takers who scored below you. For exam- ple, you might receive a raw score of 60, a scaled score of 640, and a “percentage below” of 91. That would mean you answered approximately three-fourths of the questions correctly, your scaled score is 640, and 91% of other test takers scored below you. At the end of this section is a chart showing potential raw scores and how they translate into both scaled scores and percentages. The Analytical Writing questions are scored differently. Two professionally trained, unbiased readers read each of your two responses. Each reader scores each response on a scale of zero to six. The two readers’ scores for each response are then averaged, unless they differ by more than one point. If that is the case, a third reader will score the essay to resolve the differences. After each of your essays has been scored and averaged, your two essays’ scores are averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point. You then receive that score as a single Analytical Writing score. How Many Times May I Take the GRE General Test? You may retake the exam as often as five times in a 12-month period. All scores, other than those you choose to cancel before looking at them, will be retained for a five-year period, and all will be reported whenever you request your scores be sent out. How to Use This Book Congratulations on having the foresight and motivation to prepare for the GRE. Those qualities are vital ele- ments of success in any endeavor, including graduate school. Throughout this book, you will find strategies to help in your preparation for the exam. Chapter 2 is devoted to proven study methods and test-taking tips that will improve your scores. The single most crucial thing you can do to prepare is to familiarize yourself thoroughly with the exam before the test day comes. This will enable you to accurately assess your strengths and address your weaknesses in all three sections of the test. When you register for the GRE, ETS will send you a CD-ROM, which con- tains the GRE POWERPREP. This software simulates actual testing conditions and uses the word processing program ETS has written for those who choose to compose their Analytical Writing essays on the computer instead of on paper. POWERPREP can also be downloaded from www.GRE.org/pprepdwnld.html. ETS also sells a book called Practicing to Take the General Test, 10th Edition. This book contains ques- tions from actual past GRE General Test editions, as well as a review of the math concepts tested on the exam and sampling of Analytical Writing essays with reader comments, which yield insights into the way the essays are read and scored. It is a good idea to purchase and carefully study this book, using it for practice and look- ing for patterns of question types. You can purchase it online at www.GRE.org/book.html. It will be worth- while, in fact, to explore www.GRE.org, the official website, for useful information. Among the gems you will find are two lists of topics, from which ETS selects the actual Analytical Writing prompts. Don’t get too – ABOUT THE GRE GENERAL TEST– 10 11 excited, though—there are hundreds of potential topics on the lists. You can’t prepare for each one you might encounter. Still, it is smart thinking on your part to peruse the lists. Many other study guides and test-prep books are on the market. For the most part, they contain prac- tice tests, not lessons, as in this book. However, you may glean the occasional nugget of useful information from them.You can also purchase more specialized books to help you prepare for specific sections of the test. Because vocabulary is one of the primary skill or knowledge sets tested on the GRE, improving your vocab- ulary is one of the most productive things you can do to prepare for the exam. LearningExpress publishes sev- eral practice books specifically targeted to all three areas of the GRE: Analytical Writing and Verbal Quantitative 501 Vocabulary Questions 501 Algebra Questions 501 Word Analogy Questions 501 Geometry Questions 501 Synonym and Antonym Questions 501 Quantitative Comparison Questions 501 Writing Prompts Algebra Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 2nd Edition Vocabulary and Spelling Success in 20 Minutes a Day, Geometry Success in 20 Minutes a Day, 3rd Edition 2nd Edition These study aids are an excellent way to practice your word power and strengthen your math skills. There are more resources listed in the Appendix. If you have taken the GRE General Test before but were not satisfied with your scores, you can improve them with repeat testing, but only if you prepare. You have made a good start simply by reading this book. The next chapter of this book, Studying for the GRE, will help you stay on the right path. Ranges of Raw-to-Scale Score Conversion and Percents Below Verbal Verbal Quantitative Quantitative Raw Score Scaled Score % Below Scaled Score % Below 68–76 730–800 99 59–67 630–720 89–98 50–58 540–620 70–88 720–800 75–94 41–49 450–530 45–69 630–710 57–74 32–40 370–440 22–44 530–620 36–56 23–31 300–360 5–21 410–520 14–35 14–22 230–290 1–4 270–400 1–13 0–13 200–220 1 200–260 1 The Big Picture In summary, there are three sections of the GRE: the Analytical Writing section, the Verbal section, and the Quantitative section. The Analytical Writing section, which is your first section, is designed to test your abil- ity to think critically and to convey your thoughts in writing. The Verbal section tests your knowledge of words, your ability to recognize the relationship between words and concepts, and the ease with which you can work with the component parts of sentences. The Quantitative section assesses your knowledge of basic mathematical concepts and your ability to apply these concepts within verbal contexts. Read on for specific lessons and practice on the type of questions encountered on the GRE General Test, and get started on the journey toward a top score and a bright academic future! – ABOUT THE GRE GENERAL TEST– 12  Where Do I Start? Chances are, you don’t have an unlimited amount of time to prepare for the GRE General Test. You have a life outside your plans for graduate school that may include work and family obligations. Or you may already be in school. How can you maximize the study time you do have? To study means to give one’s attention to learning a subject; to look at with careful attention. Notice that the word attention comes up twice in this def- inition. How you study is as important as how much time you spend studying. To study effectively, you need to focus all your attention on the material, so the preparation time you have must be quality time. This section of the book will help you determine which study strategies are right for you. It also will provide you with techniques for overcoming the two most common roadblocks to suc- cessful studying: anxiety and distraction. CHAPTER Studying for the GRE 2 13 A Reality Check Actor and comedian Jim Carrey reportedly wrote himself a check for a million dollars when he was still strug- gling and broke. He carried that check in his wallet for years. Whenever he felt discouraged, he would take out the check and look at it. He visualized receiving a million-dollar check for his work. Jim Carrey made that million-dollar paycheck part of his reality, and reality added a few zeros for him. 14 Visualize Your Future You have likely researched the graduate programs in which you are interested. Perhaps you are attracted to the work of certain faculty members and have decided you want to study with them. Maybe you know the reputations of a particular program and want the career opportunities it can offer. You may desire to go to a school close to where you live. If you have not investigated your options, now is the time to do that. You can search online for information, contact schools directly, and ask reference librarians to help you search. As you narrow your options to one or a few schools, you will want to learn as much about these par- ticular program(s) as you possibly can. Perform Internet searches for all faculty members in a program to learn more about their particular areas of interest. This can help you make your decision. If you have already decided on a school, having knowledge of faculty interests and publications will give you an edge when you submit application materials and go for interviews. If at all possible, visit the campus(es). In addition to helping you choose wisely, the information you gather is valuable input to help you form a visual image of yourself in graduate school. Visualization is a pow- erful tool. It motivates you to work toward your dreams, which helps make your dreams a reality. Once you know where you want to be, spend a little time envisioning yourself there. What are you doing? Giving a presentation? Engaging in conversation with an admired professor? Listening to an inspired lecture? Once you have created an image of yourself, go over your vision, keep it in your mind, and use it to reinforce your resolution to study. It can be hard to stick to a study plan. There are often other things you would rather be doing. Obstacles present themselves.You may be overwhelmed at times with the size of the task or you may be anxious about your chances for success. These are all common problems and they can all be overcome. This book will show you how.  I Need a Plan You already know a great deal about studying. You couldn’t have gotten this far—to the doorstep of gradu- ate school—without effective study skills. The following pages will help you fine-tune your study methods so you can make efficient use of your time. The key to success in this endeavor, as in so many, is to take things one step at a time. Break this giant task down into manageable pieces. Your first step in successful studying is to think about your study plan. What Should I Study? First, you must decide what you need to study. You may want to start with a practice test to help you assess your strengths and weaknesses. Then make a list of each type of question and how well you scored on it. Ana- lyze your list. What kinds of questions did you miss? What are the patterns you see? Do you need to work on data analysis? Charts and graphs? Do analogies throw you for a loop? Are you organizing your thoughts well and conveying them clearly in your practice analytical essays? In other words, are you saying what you are try- ing to say? It is hard to accurately judge your own writing. Get feedback from someone whose opinions you trust and respect. Most important, don’t forget to give yourself credit for all the answers you got right. Once you are aware of what you know and what you still need to work on, you can effectively priori- tize whatever study time you have available. Remember, no matter how you scored, no matter what areas you need to work on, you will get better with practice. The more you study and the more effectively you work, the better you will score on the actual exam. How Do I Find the Time to Study? Now is the time to create a realistic study schedule.You might be thinking that your life is too full to add study time. But maybe you have more time available than you think. Think about your typical daily and weekly activities and determine when you have free time to devote to studying. Don’t forget the short stretches, the ten minutes here, the fifteen minutes there. Sometimes, you can do your best studying in short bursts. Now ask yourself what is more important to you in the long run than achieving your goals. Your life may seem quite full, but there is bound to be some time you spend at less productive activities, such as watching TV, that could be better spent to make your dreams come true. Remember, your future hangs in the balance. That’s what you are really deciding here—your future—not just your agenda for a few Sunday nights. I Deserve a Reward One way you can help yourself stay motivated is by setting up a system of rewards. Write down a list of things you enjoy; they will be your rewards. For example, if you keep your commitment to study for an hour in the evening, you get to watch your favorite television show. If you stay on track all week, you can indulge in a Sun- day afternoon banana split. Only you know what will keep you on task. What Is My Style? Another way to make your study time more effective is to think about how you learn best. Everyone has cer- tain modes that he or she employs to make it easy to learn and remember information. Is your mode visual, auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination of two or all three? Here are some questions to help you determine your dominant learning style(s). 1. If you have to remember an unusual word, do you a. “see” the word in your mind? b. repeat the word aloud several times? c. trace or write the letters with your finger? – STUDYING FOR THE GRE– 15 . Below 68–76 730–800 99 59 –67 630–720 89–98 50 58 54 0–620 70–88 720–800 75 94 41–49 450 53 0 45 69 630–710 57 –74 32–40 370–440 22–44 53 0–620 36 56 23–31 300–360 5 21 410 52 0 14– 35 14–22 230–290 1–4. 1–13 0–13 200–220 1 200–260 1 The Big Picture In summary, there are three sections of the GRE: the Analytical Writing section, the Verbal section, and the Quantitative section. The Analytical Writing. Quantitative 50 1 Vocabulary Questions 50 1 Algebra Questions 50 1 Word Analogy Questions 50 1 Geometry Questions 50 1 Synonym and Antonym Questions 50 1 Quantitative Comparison Questions 50 1 Writing