GRE MOCK TESTS: The practice matches before the final match.

‘Practice tests’ or ‘Mock tests’ as we may call it, are one of the most important part of a GRE exam preparation, in fact it’s the most important part of most of the other examinations too, but it highly depends on the quality of the tests available. Being an engineer, I’ll give only engineering examples; of course they might be applicable for others. The ‘term-tests’ which we have are not in par with the final exams and hence, unanimously neglected. The fact of the matter is you’ve got excellent CD-tests for GRE, so in the words of Dumbledore “Use it well”.

As the greats say “Play every Practice match as if it were a Final, and play every Final as if it were a Practice match”.

On the same lines “Attempt every mock test as if it is your final exam, and attempt every final exam as if it is your mock test”.{Note: In the above sentence the term ‘every final exam’ is used to maintain the rhythm, only one final GRE exam is what everybody wants}

Hence, complete concentration is expected during mock tests. Don’t take them lightly; switch off your mobile phones & No music.Now, planning mock tests should be done while taking the GRE date. Ideally you should start your tests 20 days before the exam. How many tests? 8 is a good number, but it depends on you, your preparation and the number of days you have in hand. Finish all your mock tests, at-least 3-4 days before your exam. Keep a day or two between every test. Work on your weaknesses. For that a detailed review should be done after every test. Note the kind of mistakes you make, clear all your doubts before giving the next test. Remember how disappointed you are in Sehwag when he gets out in the same fashion in consecutive matches. Don’t repeat your mistakes. Eventually, you’ll run out of mistakes, and you’ll improve your scores.

Also, see to it that one low score never discourages you and one high score doesn’t lift your feet off the ground. You never know everything. ‘Over/Under’ confidence doesn’t help. In the end, fighting spirit is what counts. Giving up is for losers. Let me end this before it gets too filmy. Topic is open for discussion.

ALL THE BEST

LAST DAY TIPS FOR GRE ...!!

Scoring well in GRE is not a difficult task, if you study in a systematic way.
You need to have complete understanding about the exam, in order to get good score; generally many students get low scores on tests because they don't take time to read the directions before answering the questions. Make sure you got the complete understanding of the question before answering it.

Spend more time on the starting questions, because these questions have bigger effect on your score than the questions at the end.You do not have negative marking for wrong answers in GRE, so never leave answers blank, In the middle of the GRE Test if you get stuck on any one question or if you are not sure about the answer of a question then go on eliminating the answers using educated guess,it narrows down your guess to two options sometimes one.

The test takers will be providing you scratch paper ,so use it for those problems in which you are getting stuck . sketch those problems in which you are having problem to get an clear view of the question.Don't stick to one question for too long. If you fail to answer that particular question after giving maximum time it will have a negative effect on the remaining questions from test and it can reduce your chances of good score. Always keep your eye on the clock, so see that you complete the test in time to avoid penalties.

Make sure that you reach the test center at least 30 minutes before the exam schedule with your passport and other required things. Some GRE centers are known to be very cold so don't forget to bring jacket or something so that you will be able to concentrate on your test only.

Just one day before GRE exam relax ,go for a novel or listen some songs so that u don't feel tensed because in any exam last day preparation never helps, take complete rest in the night before the exam.A week before the exam try to solve all the tests given in the CD's of GRE-power prep or Kaplan, Princeton, for getting used to this computer adaptive examination, and also for getting an idea of your score.
In this week just go for the CD-tests and revision of the word lists and maths strategies. Don't try to learn new words just two or three days before the exam .
Preparing for the GRE is a time consuming job, so just keep on practicing. However, after all your hard-work, you can be proud of your good score.

All the best...!!!

GRE Preparation- General study plan/ tips to crack GRE

GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is the test required for higher education especially studying abroad in the USA and Canada. The test comprises of three sections – Analytical writing, Verbal section (30 questions) and Quantitative section (28 questions). The total score is out of 1600. GRE scores are crucial as they are one of the deciding factors for getting into a good university abroad, for scholarship considerations and also for granting visa.

It is advisable that you start your GRE preparations at least three months in advance of the test date. GRE requires tremendous practice and it is imperative that a student has had enough time to solve various CATs (Computer adaptive tests) in order to build one’s confidence and get a general idea of the actual test.

Detailed below are some of the tips to crack GRE ::

1. Practice writing essays

Your analytical writing section consists of two sections. The first one is a 45 minute essay writing section where you are asked to give your perspective on a given topic. This section evaluates how you articulate your ideas and checks whether you have understood the topic given to you. The second section is a 30 minute argument task where a statement is given and you have to evaluate it. Find the underlying flaws of the argument and put them forth in a lucid way. Remember you are NOT to give your opinion in this section.

The argument task is actually the easiest of the two and therefore more scoring. Just place your argument in a clear and mellifluous fashion and that is the job half done. However it goes without saying that to accomplish this, a lot of practice is mandatory and therefore students are advised to practice at least one essay each of both the sections every single day.

2. Master your vocabulary

To do well in the verbal section of the GRE it is most important that you master your vocabulary. It is strongly advisable to postpone your GRE if you are not thorough with your vocabulary. Students who are weak in verbal Do Not Panic, start building your vocabulary well in advance.

3. Review your Basic Math

Go through your school math books and brush your formulae. GRE requires more of logic than lengthy calculations and is therefore trickier. Make sure that you understand the nuances and eliminate your weaknesses. Practice is the only way to achieve this to perfection.

It is strongly advisable that students who are weak in either verbal or quant should get professional coaching so as to get complete guidance and training in order to get a high GRE score.

Study effectively for Gre,Gmat,Sat,Ielts,Toefl.

1. Prepare blocks of study time and break:
As your tests are approaching develop and plan for, blocks of study time in a typical week. Blocks ideally are around 50 minutes, but perhaps you become restless after only 30 minutes. Some difficult material may require more frequent breaks. Shorten your study blocks if necessary—but don’t forget to return to the task at hand! What you do during your break should give you an opportunity to have a snack, relax, or otherwise refresh or re-energize yourself. For example, place blocks of time when you are most productive: are you a morning person or a night owl?

2. Dedicated study spaces:
Determine a place free from distraction (no cell phone or text messaging!) where you can maximize your concentration and be free of the distractions that friends or hobbies can bring! You should also have a back-up space that you can escape to, like the library, departmental study center, even a coffee shop where you can be anonymous. A change of venue may also bring extra resources.

3. Weekly reviews:
Weekly reviews and updates are also an important strategy. Each week, like a Sunday night, review your words, your notes, your calendar. Be mindful that as deadlines and exams approach, your weekly routine must adapt to them!

4. Prioritize your assignments:
When studying, get in the habit of beginning with the most difficult subject or task. You’ll be fresh, and have more energy to take them on when you are at your best. For more difficult courses of study, try to be flexible.

5. Postpone unnecessary activities until the work is done!
Postpone tasks or routines that can be put off until your school work is finished! This can be the most difficult challenge. Distracting activities will be more enjoyable later without the pressure of the test, assignment, etc. hanging over your head. Think in terms of pride of accomplishment. Instead of saying “no” learn to say “later”.

6. Identify resources to help you

Are there tutors? An “expert friend”? Have you tried a keyword search on the Internet to get better explanations? Are there specialists in the library that can point you to resources? What about professionals and professional organizations. Using outside resources can save you time and energy, and solve problems.

7. Use your free time wisely

Think of times when you can study "bits" as when walking, riding the bus, etc. Perhaps you’ve got music to listen to for your course in music appreciation, or drills in language learning? If you are walking or biking to school, when best to listen? Perhaps you are in a line waiting? Perfect for routine tasks like flash cards, or if you can concentrate, to read or review a chapter. The bottom line is to put your time to good use.

8. Review notes and readings just before class
This may prompt a question or two about something you don’t quite understand, to ask about in class, or after. It also demonstrates to your teacher that you are interested and have prepared.

9. Review lecture notes just after class
Then review lecture material immediately after class.
The first 24 hours are critical. Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review!

ASPIRING FOR SAT,GRE,GMAT ? DEVELOP READING HABIT.

Students preparing for the Sat,Gre,Gmat tests have to mandatorily develop the habit of reading extensive until and unless you read extra stuff other than your academic recording – you can never be sure of performance in all these list. RC’s or reading comprehensions is the toughest part of all these tests even for the best of the students.Two or three month span that you have for preparation makes sure of the following.

1.Devote atleast one hour for extra reading.

2.Pick up anything and everything of your disposal for healthy reading.

3.If not anything newspaper reading also will do if done religiously. Read the “Speaking Tree ” in Times of India and editorials from newspapers.

4.While reading concentrate on the time take n to comprehend the stuff, which should be reduced with each passing days.

5.Magazines like readers digest will not only help you improve your language but also in quicker comprehension.

Strategies for learning wordlists.

Learning the 'Word Lists' is a big problem for students. Here,we can discuss and follow some strategies and become 'Wordsmith'.

1. First of all, don't go for the rote learning or 'rattafication' as they call it. Always try to understand the meanings of the words. Most of the words may have more than one meanings. Study all the meanings minutely as many of them can be tricky. Keeping all the meanings of a certain word in mind may be a real challenge. But DONT run away. Take the bull by its horns instead. Plan and follow a well-defined strategy. You can form sentences mentally in order to remember different meanings of different words. In case of adjectives, you can personify them i.e. you can allot the adjectives to certain persons whom you know. Don't worry, s/he will never know it. You are doing everything mentally.

2. Secondly, do not depend on only one or two sources for your words .Learn them from different sources viz. newspapers, magazines, books, flash cards, etc. There is a very good book in the market to improve word power. It's called ' Word Power Made Easy' written by Norman Lewis. Watching good T.V. channels like CNN or BBC is also a good idea. Just keep your sensors alert, you will learn a lot in the process.

3. Last but not the least, while going through ' Word Lists ' of any good book like 'Barron's, you should revise them periodically. I will elaborate this point through an example. Barron's GRE has fifty word lists. I recomend ten word lists in the first week. Once you have completed ten of them, revise those ten and then go ahead. Complete next ten in the second week. After two weeks, you will have completed twenty word lists. Again revise those twenty and so on. Thus, by the end of five weeks you will have completed and revised all the fifty word lists.

However, don't stop even after completing all the fifty word lists. If you don't practice them, you will forget them very fast. So in order not to forget those words and to learn many more new words, read. Thus, you will come across the words you have learnt and they will remain with you for the rest of your lives. Further, use the words on daily basis in your writings and conversations. Take my word for it.

Work in a planned manner and it will pay very handsome rewards. All the best.........

Learning the vocabulary

Step 1
Get a GOOD vocabulary list for the test that you are preparing for. The key for this method is repetition. First, find out what you do not know. Then, memorize them by repetition by tricking the brain to recognize the information as very important. The goal is to make the new vocabulary into long term memory using this method.

Step 2
For the first time, read (skimming speed) the entire list from the beginning to end. Check the words that you do not know. You are done for the day.

Step 3
The next day, start with any alphabet letter you want. For the words you do not know, take time to understand the word by reading the meaning and word usage in a sentence. No need to write the words more than a couple times.

Step 4
The following day, read the vocabulary list again. Focus on the words you checked earlier. However, this time around cover the meaning part to see if you remember them. If you don't, put a check mark again on the side of the word. Read the meaning and sentences usage again. Do the prior step with a new set of alphabet.

Step 5
Do this step until you cover all the alphabets in the vocabulary list and there are at least 3 check marks for the words that you do not know. This should have taken 1 to 2 weeks working 2 hours a day, 3 to 4 days of the week.

Step 6
Now the number of the words that you do not know would have reduced significantly. From now on, highlight the words that you do not know as you go through the list again. Spend one week (3 to 4 days). Next time around, use different colors.

Step 7
Now, create a separate vocabulary list of the words that you have not yet memorized.

Step 8
Remaining words are, for some reasons, especially difficult for you to master. For these words, use methods such as association and giving special meaning to the words. The more personal, the easier to remember. Group the words into synonyms and antonyms. Studying prefix, suffix and roots of vocabulary is helpful, too.

Step 9
For the last couple of weeks, just review the final list that you made. On the last week, take couple of sample tests. You should be pleasantly surprised to find your score improvement.

Step 10
Now, You are ready. So go get them !!!

Using variety in studies

You must have heard the phrase:"variety is the spice of life".This is true for your studies as well.Many a time,students get bored doing too much of the same thing viz.word lists,etc.But if one does word lists day and night,one will easily get bored and tired and cannot retain much of what one has learnt.In order to get rid of 'boring' word lists or any other section for that matter,some students keep on studying the same thing for too long a period repeatedly.But this is NOT a good strategy.

Lets consider TOEFL as an example.
TOEFL has four sections i.e.Reading,Listening,Speaking and Writing.Let's discuss them one by one:

1. Reading:
Sections such as Reading and Writing are common to all the tests viz. GRE,GMAT,SAT,TOEFL and IELTS.To perform well in Reading,one should follow three most important strategies.These strategies are i).to read,(ii).to read and (iii).to read more and more.You should read not only the help books but also a lot of other books,newspapers and magazines of your choice.Whatever you read,read it fast and get used to grasp its contents at a very fast rate.Thus,the pressure of the time limit during the tests can be handled efficiently.

2. Listening:
For some students,this section can be very tricky as they are not used to American accent.Therefore,it's a good idea to watch some good news channels like CNN,BBC,etc.Listening to news programmes on All India Radio also is a good idea.Thus,you will realise the benefit of being a 'good listener'.

3. Speaking:
Students can learn a lot from Radio Jockeys (RJs).They should try to inculcate the quality of being spontaneous from a good RJ.A good RJ speaks with clarity and does not fumble.Even if he fumbles,he does not stop (But unlike RJs,you should know where to stop).He excuses himself and moves ahead.In the same manner,you also should avoid fumbles.And if you have fumbled,you have not committed a crime.It's better to maintain your calm and move ahead. Reading something (newspaper,etc.) out improves your diction and clarity.Hence,you can perform well in this section.

4. Writing:
If you read and listen to a lot of quality English,writing will be very easy for you.While reading and listening/watching T.V.,you will gather a lot of useful information which can be used effectively for organising an essay.

Whether you are preparing for SAT,GRE,GMAT or TOEFL, making a consolidated effort always helps.Read newspapers,magazines,etc.and watch news channels on a daily basis.In addition to these,study your help books such as Barrons',Kaplan's,etc.Believe me,you will do wonders. All the best.......