Studying for the GRE, or any standardized test for that matter, is no easy task. To illustrate how to effectively study for the GRE, we’ll use a couple of metaphors. By exploring each metaphor, we’ll discover how to make the most effective use of the test resources available to you, including the excellent free test prep resources provided by the makers of the GRE.
ETS (Educational Testing Service) is the creator and administrator of the GRE. ETS offers several excellent free resources to help your prepare for the GRE. One of the resources is ETS’s PowerPrep (R) software, which includes 2 full length computer-based tests. Another free resource offered by ETS is a 119 page practice book that is downloadable in PDF format. The practice book includes an introduction to each of the test sections (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing), example problems, and a full length practice test.
To get the most out of the free test prep resources offered by ETS, it’s best to use them in a strategically structured combination with other test prep resources. To illustrate how and why, I like to use a couple of metaphors: The Sandwich, and The Tuning Fork.
THE SANDWICH
The Sandwich metaphor represents using ETS test prep materials as the bread for a triple decker BLT sandwich. The top slice of bread is the paper (or PDF) ETS practice book. The middle slice of bread is the first computer-based test in ETS’s PowerPrep II (R) software. The bottom slice of bread is the second computer-based test in the PowerPrep (R) package. The metaphorical lettuce, tomato, and bacon sandwiched between the slices of bread are alternative test prep resources available from sources other than ETS. Such alternative resources may include mobile apps, desktop software, books, and flash cards.
WHERE YOU ARE: TAKING THE FIRST PRACTICE TEST
Here’s how The Sandwich works. It’s a little different from a real sandwich, where each time you take a munch you bite through all of the layers at once. With our metaphorical test prep sandwich, you start at the top slice of bread and eat your way down layer by layer to the bottom slice. That top slice of bread, the PDF practice book from ETS, will give you a detailed introduction to the general test format, strategies for the test, the different sections of the test, and the types of questions found in each section. After getting up to speed on what to expect on the test, you can then take the full-length practice test in the practice book. A scoring key is included, as well as a table for converting raw scores to scaled scores. Once you finish the practice test, score it, and find your scaled scores, you’ve taken a big step towards getting to know yourself as a GRE test taker. You can compare your actual score to the target score you want to eventually achieve (do some research into the score requirements of the schools you’re planning to apply to in order to help set your target score). Now you know where you are along the road to getting ready for the GRE.
PRACTICE SMARTER AND HARDER-- USING YOUR TEST RESULTS TO GUIDE YOU
Your practice test results will also show you where your strong and weak areas are, so that you know exactly where to focus as you continue to study and prep. So now you can select the next part of the sandwich (lettuce, tomato, etc.) to match whatever area needs the most improvement. If your quantitative skills evidently need lots-o-work, throw in plenty of crisp, green lettuce--- if by lettuce you mean algebra practice, geometry drills, statistics, arithmetic concepts, data analysis, and quantitative comparison. If your verbal skills are a bit flabby, lay on a few slices of firm, juicy tomato-- if by tomato you really mean reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence. After writing about the crispy green lettuce and firm juicy tomato I can’t stop thinking about bacon (if by bacon we mean analytical writing skills practice). The analytical writing essay is one thing for which the computer-based practice tests can’t provide a score and detailed feedback. You can use score guidelines to evaluate your essays yourself and get an approximate idea of how your writing stacks up. Also very helpful is to read plenty of sample essays that represent different writing score levels.
CHECKING YOUR PROGRESS: TAKE THE SECOND ETS PRACTICE TEST
Anyway, after working your way through plenty of lettuce, tomato, and/or bacon, and reaching a point where you feel pretty confident that you’ve definitely improved in your weaker areas, you’ll want to tackle the middle slice of bread: the first PowerPrep (R) test. This computer-based practice test will give you a very accurate simulation of what it will be like to take the real test, and you’ll be able to see your raw and scaled scores as soon as you finish. The results of this second ETS practice test will allow you to track your actual progress. If there are still areas where you’re slow to improve, you can redouble your efforts. However, simply increasing the level of blood, sweat, and tears is not the only approach to boosting your score. You may need to try alternate resources and methods. If you’re having an especially tough time with a certain topic, consider getting help from a friend, study partner, or tutor. Analyze what you’ve been doing and see if there are alternate paths you should pursue.
THE HOME STRETCH: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TEST PREP RESOURCES
Having completed the middle slice of bread, now we plow into the bottom half of the sandwich. It may be that more lettuce, tomato, and bacon are in store. As you work on the bottom half, be careful to lay just as much stress on improving your strong points as you do your weak points. Especially if you’re starting to feel discouraged on an area that’s especially tough for you, take a break for a while and practice on something that’s relatively easy for you. You may find that you move from “competent” to “expert” in one of your strong areas and boost your score by a few points in the process. Also make sure that you’re keeping track of time as it relates to registering for a test date and keeping your school application process on track. Make sure that you’re familiar with the hum-drum details of what to expect at the facility where you’ll take the test-- that knowledge will cut down on distractions on test day and help you focus your thoughts and energies where you need them the most.
THIRD TIME'S A CHARM: CONFIRMING YOUR PROGRESS WITH THE THIRD ETS PRACTICE TEST
Now for the bottom slice of bread. Hopefully, this final crust will represent a triumphant culmination where you see all of your hard work, strategy, self-analysis, and focused preparation all fall into place like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that just happens to resemble the target score you’ve been aiming for all this time. The results of the second Powerprep (R) practice test will show you where you’re at on the scale and give you accurate feedback on your progress. You’ll have a good idea if you’re ready (hopefully), or if you maybe need to add more layers of prep to your sandwich.
DON'T FORGET THE KETCHUP
By the way, one vital ingredient that I left out of the sandwich metaphor was ketchup (or mustard or horseradish sauce, etc., according to your taste). The ketchup represents something very important: vocabulary practice. Here again the metaphor functions a little differently than a real sandwich, because you should visualize the ketchup slathered all over every single layer of the sandwich. That’s because you want to start vocabulary practice as early as you can, and continue practicing it constantly, every day if possible. You will run into some questions on the GRE’s Verbal Reasoning section where general strategies will not be enough to help you select the right word for an answer. That’s where having expanded your vocabulary as much as you’re able can really pay off big and earn you a few more valuable points. It takes lots of time for most people to really absorb and become proficient at using new and unusual words, so be sure to start early and keep at it.
THE TUNING FORK
Now that we’ve whetted our GRE prep appetites on the Sandwich metaphor, let’s turn to that other metaphor I mentioned above: The Tuning Fork. The reason that I liken ETS’s test prep materials to a tuning fork is that they are the most realistic, pitch-perfect representation of the actual test that you can find. That makes sense because they’re written and designed by the people who make the actual test. However, that doesn’t mean that test prep materials from other resources besides ETS are not valuable. In fact, many of those alternate resources are excellent. However, some of the questions will be subtly different than the official test questions. In fact, sometimes those differences may be exaggerated somewhat on purpose, in order to make it clearer to you the important concepts and strategies appropriate for such questions.
You might think of it as doing breathing exercises to strengthen your lungs to make you a better singer. You will see great benefits and big improvements as your lungs get stronger and stronger and you learn how to push from your diaphragm. However, sheer power and volume are not enough to make a great singer. You also need perfect pitch. That’s why you periodically need to be exposed to the tuning fork of ETS’s own test prep materials: it will re-calibrate your ear so that you know exactly what the questions you’ll encounter on the real test should sound like. This isn’t just a fancy metaphor-- on the Verbal Reasoning section, especially, having your ear attuned to what the questions should sound like will often help you to distinguish successfully between subtle differences in the answer choices. On the Quantitative Reasoning section, it will help you to more quickly and accurately interpret exactly what the question is asking you to do or find.
Well, I hope that today’s metaphorical excursion into how to study for the GRE was helpful. I also hope that there weren’t too many side effects, such as mouth-watering cravings for a real BLT or hankerings for a front-row seat at the opera. Good luck as you prepare for the GRE. Taking the strategically structured approach symbolized by The Sandwich, and keeping your mental eyes and ears attuned in perfect pitch to the tone of the GRE, as represented by The Tuning Fork, can help you maximize your GRE success.
Check out the following posts for more tips and advice on studying for the GRE!
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