GREMasterEMPOWERRichC

Hi nanokid, Based on what you've described, I can point out some of the choices that you made that likely impacted your performance on Test Day: 1) You studied for just 10 days. Some Test Takers spend upwards of 3 months (or more) on their studies to hit their score goals. With a bit more study time, and the proper study routine/resources, you could have scored considerably higher. 2) You took 3 MSTs in 10 days. Normally, the plan should be about 1 MST per week. Taking lots of MSTs in such a short period of time is rarely beneficial (and score results tend to be 'clustered' - as they were in your situation). 3) I'm going to assume that you did not complete the FULL MST each time (including the essays). On the Official GRE, you have to spend over an hour on the orientation program and essays before you get to any Quant/Verbal sections. If you skip sections during practice, then you're training yourself to face a shorter Test (in that same way, practice scores tend to be higher because you're not 'worn out' by the prior sections that you did not face). As you continue to study, you really MUST take the FULL MST each time. What are your exact application deadlines? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi poojapandey, You really don't have to worry about this issue - just choose whichever option you think is 'closest' to describing your Undergraduate field. When you apply to Grad School, the Admissions Officers will be looking at your application, Official transcripts, etc. for the pertinent information about your Undergrad work. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Ajja, Grad Schools often take weeks, if not months, to properly review all of the applications that they receive. As such, as long as your physical application has been submitted by the application deadline AND your GRE score is 'on the way', you should be fine. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi bunsenroses, The various EMPOWERgre Study Plans are tailored to specific needs. If you've given yourself a big 'study window' (especially if you have a high score goal), then I tend to recommend the 3-month Study Plan. If you're on a shorter timeline (or are a particularly fast learner), then the 2-month or 1-month plan might be a better 'fit.' If you've already studied (and taken the GRE or are about to), then one of the Score Booster Study Plans could be quite helpful. One of the great aspects about the EMPOWERgre Course is that it's subscription-based, so you might start off with the 3-month plan, then find that you're really improving faster than you expected, so you can finish quicker and save some money in the process. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi hulihuo, Many Business Schools now accept either a GMAT or a GRE score, so you should submit whichever score makes you look 'better.' Do you know which specific Schools you're planning to apply to? That might impact which score you should send. As an example, a Top Finance-based Program (or other Specialty Program) would probably not be impressed with the Q162, even though your Overall GRE score is strong. That would mean retaking the GRE or training to take the GMAT (so that you could score at a high level in THAT Quant section). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi adamski, That's outstanding news about your Official GRE Score (and overall increase)! You brought up an idea about your studies that's really important (and it will serve you well in Grad School and beyond) - you have to be open-minded enough to be ready to learn new ways of "see-ing" the Test, a situation, the world around you, etc. THAT mindset is one of the keys to success and it sounds like you've taken to it perfectly. If you can maintain that level of insight, then I imagine that everything will turn out well. Congrats again! GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Fahad.Baloch, It sounds like you've done some reasonable analysis on how you studied and what you could have done better. With your score goals, you'll have to make some adjustments to how you 'see' (and respond to) the GRE, but since you're familiar with a lot of the material already, it shouldn't necessarily take you too long to re-prep and retest. Your studies the first time around were 'book heavy'; many Test Takers get 'stuck' at a particular scoring level when taking this type of approach and it's likely that that is what happened to you. As you continue to study, you might want to invest in some new computer-based resources, so you can practice in the same 'format' as the Official GRE (while learning the proper tactics to deal with the Overall Test). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Tahlain, A Q166/V168 is a fantastic overall score combo. When it comes to individual Programs, you can do some research to learn more about incoming class 'profiles', average/median GRE scores, etc. so you can get a better sense about how competitive your score is. Do you know which Schools you're planning to apply to? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi HYHY02, Since you're discussing one aspect of your studies, it's important to define how this one area of study is impacting your overall performance (and scores). Have you taken any FULL MST Tests recently? If so, then what were your scores (and how are you performing overall in the Verbal section?)? In the bigger picture: 1) What is your score goal? 2) When are you taking the GRE? 3) When are you planning to apply to School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Fahad.Baloch, A 3.0 GPA won't be a 'bright spot' on your application, but it won't hurt you either. You CAN make some big gains to your GRE score though, in a relatively short period of time, if you train properly. Since you've taken the GRE already, I'd like to know a bit about how you studied: 1) How long did you study? 2) What resources did you use? 3) How were you scoring on your practice MST Tests before you took your Official GRE? 4) When are the application deadlines for the Grad Schools that you're interested in? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi lwalker2009, Considering how much time you've put in to the study process, I'm curious if you can define what's causing you problems in the Quant and Verbal sections? Is it the content (do you not know the formulas, vocabulary)? Is it the processes (are you comfortable with doing math and taking notes)? Is it the tactics (do you know multiple ways to get to the correct answer)? Is it the pacing (do you have trouble finishing the sections on time)? Etc. If we can define the issues, then we should be able to 'fix' them. The GRE is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. You might just need to use some new resources and adjust the way that you 'see' (and respond to) GRE questions. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi dux3000, When it comes to studying for the GRE, there are LOTS of options to choose from. Most GRE companies offer some type of free resources (practice questions, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.), so that you can 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of free resources at our website (www.empowergre.com). I suggest that you take full advantage of all of the free materials, then choose the product(s) that best match your personality, timeline and budget. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi westy3789, Since your Official GRE is so soon, I suggest that you try to relax on Wednesday and NOT do too much (just some light review; NO 'cramming'). You'll be better served going into Test Day well-rested and ready to work. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi rusalka, It's important to note that most testing facilities are relatively small (they can only hold so many Test Takers at a time), so the available 'spots' on certain days/times at certain locations can fill up relatively quickly. Thus, if you're looking for a specific day/time combination, it's usually a good idea to plan ahead and schedule your appointment at least a month in advance. If you have to schedule at the last second, then you might get 'lucky' and end up with the perfect appointment time, but that's something that I would NOT leave to chance. There are certain days/times of day that you will perform better - making sure that you're taking the GRE at THAT day/time could be quite beneficial to your overall performance. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi hulihuo, A 330 is a strong overall GRE score. What were your scores for the Quant and Verbal sections? Have you done any work to prepare for the GMAT? Have you taken any practice GMAT CAT Tests? If you're interested, you can download 2 free CATs (along with some additional practice materials from www.mba.com. A FULL CAT takes about 4 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to do so in one sitting. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi jayeshbadwaik, Considering that you already have a Masters in mathematics and you're planning to apply to additional programs in Mathematics, I think that a Q162 will probably 'work against' your overall application. To confirm this, you might want to research the Programs that you're interested in. Many Schools/Programs publish data on recent incoming 'classes', so that you can get a sense of how your GRE scores 'compete.' How did you prepare for the GRE? How long did you study? When are you planning to apply to School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi sp108, Taking another practice MST so soon after taking this one is NOT a good idea. Taking these Tests does NOT actually make you a better Test Taker - the MSTs, when taken correctly, give you a reasonable assessment of your skills. To improve your skills, you need more practice - in the form of review, practice problems, drills, quizzes, etc. Then, after a sufficient amount of practice, you should take another MST to see how you've improved. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi HYHY02, Have you taken any MST Tests yet? If so, then how did you score? When it comes to preparing for the GRE, there are LOTS of resources to choose from, so if you find that some resources to help you to hit your score goals, then there are other options. Most GRE Companies offer free resources (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) so that you can 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of free resources at our website (www.empowergre.com). I suggest that all GRE Test Takers take full advantage of the free resources out there, then choose the product(s) that best match their personality, timeline and budget. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi sp108, You've now mentioned 3 different 'goals' that don't seem to 'mesh' with one another, so I'm hoping that you can prioritize them. That 'order' will dictate how you should proceed. Based on your posts, your goals are: 1) "I was hoping for 155+..." 2) "At the moment, I just wanted to get the GREs over with so I can concentrate on other things." 3) "Can you recommend a study approach for a bump up into the 160s...?" So, which of these 3 items matters the MOST? If it's the first, then I think you're in position RIGHT NOW to achieve that goal. If it's the second, then the score doesn't matter - you'll achieve that goal in a few days. If it's the third, then you're going to need to invest in some new resources and continue studying (you're not likely to make any big improvements in these last few days). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi harrysad, Have you researched the individual Schools that you're interested in? The websites from each of these Schools will likely give you a better sense of how competitive your GRE score is (and how it compares to the average score, median score, etc. for incoming classes). At face value, these scores are likely 'in range' of the Schools you named. HOWEVER, grad programs really expect applicants to have AT LEAST a 4.0 on the AWA section. Your 3.5 might be a 'red flag', especially at competitive Schools. As such, you might want to put in a bit of work in that area. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi westy3789 and sp108, Many Test Takers who take a 'book-heavy' study approach tend to get 'stuck' at a particular scoring level, and that's likely what's happened to each of you. No book (or series of books) can properly teach you everything that you need to know for the GRE, nor can it/they force you to practice in a certain way or in the proper 'format' (pencil-and-paper is NOT realistic since the GRE is an almost 4-hour Computer-based Exam). As such, the 'solution' to this particular program will almost certainly involve investing in some new computer-based resources and learning/practicing some new tactics. Most GRE companies offer some type of free resources (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.), so that you can 'test out' a product before you purchase it. We have a variety of free resources at our website (www.empowergre.com). You should plan to take advantage of all of the freebies, then choose the product(s) that best match your personality, timeline and budget. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi westy3789, Have you used the 2 free MSTs from www.gre.org? They're arguably the most realistic MSTs on the market (and they come with some additional free practice materials). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi sp108, Your MST scores put you 'in range' of your 155+ (per section) score goal, so you might be fine to take the GRE as planned. With a bit more study time and the proper study resources, you could get a quick bump-up in your scores though, which is why I asked if you could push your Test Date back. It's a matter of your timeline and goals. If you scored Q155/V155, would you be 'happy?' Or would you plan to retake the GRE? Are you on a particular deadline? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi sp108, I have a few questions about how you've been studying: 1) How long have you been studying? 2) What is your score goal? 3) Do you have the flexibility to push your Test Date back? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi darksteam, How have you been performing on your MSTs? While it might be tempting to focus on the advanced flashcards that you mentioned, you haven't provided any evidence that these flashcards are the most valuable tools to your studies right now. You might actually be better served by practicing a different subject and a different series of resources entirely. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich