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Everything posted by GREMasterEMPOWERRichC
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Hi westy3789, Inference questions can sometimes be based on a single word, a sentence, a couple of sentences or the entire passage. To properly deal with the example that you presented, we would need to see the ENTIRE prompt and the original question (along with the 5 answer choices). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi Mystic_Fog, While I agree that working through a certain number of practice questions is an essential part of the process, you have to be mindful of the format and style of the material that you work through. The GRE is not a pencil-and-paper Test, but if you train in that 'format', then you aren't really preparing in the most realistic and test-like way possible. No book can truly prepare you for the full GRE 'event', so you might want to invest in some computer-based resources that mirror what you'll face on Test Day. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi Razors edge, Do you know which Schools/Programs you'll be applying to? If so, then you should be able to research the average GRE scores for incoming classes. In that way, you'll have exact data on how well your scores measure up to the historical data provided by each Program. If you think that your scores aren't quite high enough, then a retest might be in order. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi Pikacu, The process to earn a Grad Degree involves such a significant amount of time, money and energy on your part that you should be looking to apply to Schools/Programs that best match YOUR end career goals. Of course the process will be competitive - it SHOULD be. That's part of what makes a valuable Degree so valuable. If you just want to increase your chances at getting an invite, then you should apply to the 'worst' Schools available... but I'm going to assume that that's not really your goal. It's understandable that you'd want to apply to Schools that might offer a better chance at an invite, but those can be your 'safety' Schools (just don't let those Schools know that). Define the Schools that you're really interested in and start there. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi All, We offer a variety of free resources (including the first two Vocabulary Modules) on our site - www.empowergre.com GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi correlatesoftheory, Was that Kaplan MST the only Test that you've taken? And did you take the ENTIRE Test (including the Essays)? I'd like to see how you score on one of the Official MSTs (you can download 2 for free from www.gre.org), but you have to take the ENTIRE Test, so that we can see how you handle the endurance 'challenges.' With that score set of score results, we can get a better sense of your true ability level. With your score goals, you're talking about a 24+ Scaled Score improvement, which is not likely to happen just by doing lots of practice questions. You're going to need a guided, structured study plan with an emphasis on the most important content and tactics. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi correlatesoftheory, If you've only been studying for 3 weeks, you really haven't put that much time into the study process. Some Test Takers spend upwards of 3+ months on their GRE prep, so it's possible that you just haven't done enough work yet. That having been said, there's also a variety of ways to study for the GRE - and if you find that a particular resource doesn't seem to help you (or it's not a good match for your personality), then you might want to switch to a different resources. What are your overall score goals? When are you planning to apply to Grad School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi hulihuo, You probably will NOT need to take both the GRE and GMAT for the Programs that you're considering (the tests are similar in enough ways that the Schools will likely accept either score as part of the application process). However, you can (and SHOULD) research that information to be sure - try each School's website - my guess is that the information will not be hard to find. Have you done any studying for either Test so far? When are you planning to apply? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Accepted Inc.'s GRE Study Guide?
GREMasterEMPOWERRichC replied to Rose Tyler's topic in GRE/GMAT/etc
Hi Rose Tyler, You pose an interesting question: did you do enough prep work OR is the resource you used incomplete for YOUR needs. Before I can offer any insight into that question, I'd like to know a bit more about the work that you've done so far and your timeline/goals: 1) What did you score on the GRE? 2) How long did you study? 3) What is your goal score? 4) When are you planning to apply to School? 5) Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich -
Hi Picacu, Assuming you have the proper information about the Schools that interest you, you probably have a better sense of the level of competition involved in receiving an invitation to attend each specific Program. However, those numbers really don't matter to what YOU have to do to apply. You have no control over any of the other applicants - you can only impact your own application. To that end, you have to invest time and energy (and likely some money) into improving the areas of your application that you can (primarily - your GRE score and Essays/Personal Statements). Your goal is to have the strongest overall application that you can AND present yourself properly to the Admissions Committees. Have you taken the GRE yet? When are you planning to apply to School? Do you know which Schools you plan to apply to? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi Luis B, If you have not taken one yet, you should take a FULL MST Test (you can download 2 for free from www.gre.org). Once you have that 'baseline' score, you'll have a better sense of your strengths and weaknesses and what you should focus on as you continue to study. After taking that first Test, you should report back here with your scores and we can talk through your plans. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi PrezRand, Although you didn't explicitly state it, I assume that you're talking about GRE-related books. While there are plenty of books to choose from, you'll likely benefit more from a computer-based resource than a print one. Books tend to be limited in what they can teach you (since there are only so many pages in the book) and make you practice in a format that is NOT realistic (pencil and paper). Depending on your score goals and target Schools, you might want to broaden your search for materials a bit. What is your goal score? When are you planning to apply to Grad School? Do you know which Schools you want to apply to? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Worth It To Retake GRE?
GREMasterEMPOWERRichC replied to Determinedandnervous's topic in GRE/GMAT/etc
Hi determinedandnervous, Given your application deadlines, you have plenty of time to study (properly this time!), hit your score goals and complete your applications. The time that you spend invested in your studies now can lead to some BIG payoffs down the line, so you should look at this as a great opportunity - for your career and your overall future. As to how you should proceed... 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 site (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 LuisB, How have you been practicing so far? What resources have you been using? Have you taken the GRE yet (or some practice MSTs?)? How have you been scoring? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Worth It To Retake GRE?
GREMasterEMPOWERRichC replied to Determinedandnervous's topic in GRE/GMAT/etc
Hi determinedandnervous, Before rushing back in to retest, it's important to define how you previously studied so that you can make the necessary adjustments/improvements to your approach and score higher. How long did you study? What resources did you use? When are your application deadlines? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich -
Hi jellybeans, When it comes to the GMAT, there are a variety of study options, so you should do a bit of research into what might be a good match for your sensibilities. Many Test Takers get 'stuck' while using a 'book heavy' study approach though, so it helps to define your goals and timeline (so that you can adjust your plans as needed). What is your score goal? When are you planning to take the GMAT? When are you planning to apply to Business School? GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi n0ro, Since you've listed some specific programs, you should be able to research them to get a better sense of how competitive your GRE score is. It might also be that the OVERALL strength of your application will be enough to 'overcome' the lower Quant score. PhD programs tend to be highly competitive though, so a retest might in order. Since your two Quant scores are essentially the same, this means that you still 'see' (and respond to) the Quant section of the GRE in the same ways as before. To score at a much higher level, you have to learn some new tactics and put in the necessary time to practice them. Thankfully, all of that is a fairly simple process since the GRE is a predictable, standardized Test. When are your application deadlines? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi suewbe, The process to receive special accommodations often DOES take several months to get through. You're more likely to receive those accommodations if you have prior documentation of the need for the accommodations (for example, if you had accommodations when you took the SAT or ACT and/or you have a documented medical history on the issue). Is there any particular reason WHY you want to take the GRE this summer? Regardless of whether you receive the accommodations or not, rushing in to take the GRE if you don't feel ready is probably not a good idea (especially if you plan to take the GRE at a later date anyway). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi uncreativeaccountname, The GRE will test you on a variety of standard math concepts and formulas. 'Statistics' covers a variety of concepts, including averages, median, mode, range, and standard deviation. These concepts tend to show up most often with Charts/Graphs/Tables, since those statistical terms are often used to assess groups of data. The number of individual questions that you might get on any one concept will vary, but the overall concept of averages (averages, weighted averages, average speed, etc.) tends to show up the most often, which Standard Deviation tends to show up the least (you'll likely see it just once on Test Day). "Interest" is a separate category and comprises two basic formulas (simple interest and compound interest). As with many of these concepts/formulas, you'll probably be tested on it once, so knowing the formulas will help. How did you score on your practice MST? When are you planning to take the GRE? What is your goal score? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi PizzaCat93, I'm sorry to hear that Test Day didn't go as well as planned. Your practice MSTs clearly show that you're capable of scoring at a much higher level. When these types of score drops occur, the two likely 'causes' involve either something that was unrealistic during your practice or something that was surprising (or not accounted for) on Test Day. If you can answer a few questions, then we should be able to figure this out: When you took your MSTs: 1) Did you take the ENTIRE Test (including BOTH essays)? 2) Did you take them at home? 3) Did you take them at the same time of day as your Official GRE? 4) Did you take any of them more than once? On Test Day: 1) How long was the ride to the Testing Center? 2) Were there any distractions at the facility or during the Test? 3) Did you finish any of the sections early? 4) Did you have to rush to finish any of the sections? It's possible that you just had a bad day. Regardless, you should do some more analysis on Test Day itself and what led up to it. Whatever the issues are, they should be easy enough to define and 'fix.' GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi Tic_toc, Your AWA score is something of a 'red flag' - most programs will want you to score at least a 4 in that section. The good news is that it's relatively easy to do that, but you have to follow some specific 'rules' when you write your essays. With a 3, you likely went 'off topic' on at least one of the prompts. It's also relatively easy to increase your Quant score in a short period of time, but you'll likely have to invest in some new resources and learn to "see" the GRE in a different way. What resources did you use when you studied? When are your application deadlines? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi NCHistory, You probably don't have anything to worry about. Have you received any word about your Official Test yet (an email, score report, etc.)? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich
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Hi ShadowCat, Grad School Admissions Officers really don't have time to read the GRE essays of every applicant who they are considering for an invitation to attend School. However, as MathCat noted, there are those applicants who might attempt to 'game' the system a bit - they will hire a 'service' to write their application essays/personal statements/etc. and THAT is fraudulent activity. Grad Schools CAN access an applicant's GRE Essays to use as a basis for comparison (to confirm that the person who wrote the GRE Essays is the same person who wrote the application essays), but it's not likely that this happens too often (and it's highly unlikely that your views on an Argument or Issue Essay would be used against you, so you shouldn't be concerned about it). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich