7 Effective Tips to Ace the GRE

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Universities do take a holistic look when assessing your admission application, but an excellent GRE score catches the admissions committee’s attention. It paints a picture of your dedication, determination, and sincerity.

Wait… there’s more; a good GRE score can help you land scholarships and push your application up the admissions ladder. In this blog, we’ve got just the thing for you–tips to ace the GRE test.

IN THIS BLOG:

1.    Map the Passage-Reading Comprehension
2.    Word Tone for Vocabulary Questions
3.    Filter out the Useful Information
4.    Eliminate Extremes in Sentence Equivalence
5.    Backsolve by Plugging-in Answers
6.    Answer in Correct Format
7.    Strategise your GRE Test Prep

Map the Passage- Reading Comprehension

If you are preparing for the GRE, you’ll spend a lot of time reading and understanding things for the test. The reading comprehension passages on the GRE have to be approached differently. Irrespective of the subject matter of the passage, GRE predictably asks from a specific set of questions.

To successfully attempt these questions, you must engage in selective reading and active note-taking. The most effective way to do this is by Mapping the Passage. A passage map entails noting the passage’s central idea(s), the structure of the passage, and any opinions and sources of these opinions. This will help you understand and tackle the passage with greater ease.

Suggested Reads: GRE: When & How to take it?

Word Tone for Vocabulary Questions

Here is an elimination trick you can use for the vocabulary questions on the GRE. Based on the tone of the word, you can rule out whether the word would make an appropriate answer choice or not. The word tone helps determine whether a word carries a positive or negative connotation.

Words with similar meanings can denote different intentions. For example, the words ‘persevere’ and ‘obdurate’ have similar meanings, but the former has a positive connotation while the latter has a negative connotation. Persevere means to not waver from our path, whereas obdurate means not to waver even when you are wrong.

Another example is the words ‘easygoing’ and ‘lackadaisical’, and both are used to describe a person’s demeanor. Lackadaisical has a negative connotation and describes a person who might be easygoing but also careless and disengaged.

Judging from the context of a blank, you can figure out whether the blank should have a positive or a negative word.

Filter out the Useful Information

Word Problems and Data Interpretation questions on the GRE exam are, at times, overflowing with information. All those facts and figures can boggle your mind, and you may mess up an easy question. It is, therefore, crucial that you filter out the essential information.

So, how do you know what info to keep and what not to? This comes with practice. Solving enough questions and taking ample mock tests will help you hone your skills to filter out the useful information in a question. GRE mock tests put you through exam-like situations, introducing you to challenging questions and stepping up your regular test prep.

Take a GRE mock test now!

Eliminate Extremes in Sentence Equivalence

We know we’ve already talked about the elimination trick, but this one is different; it particularly concerns the sentence equivalence questions. In these questions, you have to choose word(s) to use in a sentence that should have a similar meaning. The words might not be direct synonyms, but they need to be somehow related or have close meanings.

Words that seem to be on the spectrum’s extremes can be eliminated from the answer choices. This means that you can rule out the words that do not seem to match any of the other words at all. This helps you cut down on options, and you have fewer answer choices to worry about.

Backsolve by Plugging-in Answers

When the way forward is not working, you might want to try another way. If you are stuck on an MCQ, you can try figuring out the answer by plugging the choices into the question. The answer choices given are usually in numerical order. You can start by plugging in the middle choice on the list and then move up and down the options, depending on whether you need a bigger number or smaller.

This strategy could be time-consuming, but it does the job when you’re stuck. GRE is just concerned ‘if’ you have found the answer and not ‘how’ you found it. By learning how to plug-in options effectively, you could easily hack your way to the solutions. This shall come with learning the strategies and practicing them enough.

Answer in Correct Format

Answers to some of the questions on the GRE exam have to be stated in a specific format. You may be asked to answer after converting it into the specified units. For instance, the units mentioned in the question are in meters, and the answer is required in centimeters.

You need to be wary when asked to do so; otherwise, you might pick the wrong answer choice. Read through the questions carefully and double-check what the question is asking. You wouldn’t want to lose easy points on the GRE because you forgot to convert meters into centimeters.

Strategise your GRE Test Prep

The key to acing a standardized test is to strategize your test prep. Before jumping deep into the GRE test prep, ensure you have a stellar preparation strategy and a solid study plan to ace this exam. You don’t want to find yourself all over the place in the middle of your preparation. Therefore, at Jamboree, we have customized a study plan befitting your convenience.

Learning the tips and techniques to help you reach your target score is essential. This is where expert guidance comes in. Whether you are a student or a working professional, we understand the time crunch & miss in regular practice. At Jamboree, we have the options of online, live, or private classes to choose from. Set your study schedule as per your convenience with us.

Do not delay your GRE prep any further. Get in touch with our expert counselor at Jamboree to learn more about GRE and its test prep.

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