GREMasterEMPOWERRichC

Hi S'mores Coffee, If your situation has been diagnosed/documented going back many years, then there might be some special accommodations available to you. You'll likely have to reach out directly to ETS to ask your questions. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi abohammed, 'MST' stands for Multi-Stage Test - you can download 2 free MSTs from www.gre.org. There's much more that goes into training for the GRE than just taking MSTs though. Some Test Takers focus on studying out of books, then get 'stuck' at a particular score level because books can't really teach you everything that you need to know (and they can't force you to practice properly). What resources have you been using to study with so far? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi abohammed, Can you be more specific about what you're looking for? If you're looking for some free practice MST Tests, then you can download 2 from www.gre.org. If you're looking for GRE practice materials, then there are a variety to choose from. Many GRE Companies offer free practice materials that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it (we have some free materials at our website - www.empowergre.com). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi annae, When working with practice materials, it's important to stress the 'realism' of the content. As such, you shouldn't work on content from a DIFFERENT Test - some of the 'quirks' that come with GMAT questions won't show up on the GRE (and some of the 'quirks' that you need to learn about for the GRE won't show up in the GMAT practice materials that you might be considering). While many 'math concepts' show up on both exams, there are enough differences that you shouldn't 'mix' your study materials in that way. How long have you been studying for the GRE? What materials have you been using? How have you scored on your MSTs? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi All, Many Schools now accept the GMAT or the GRE as part of the application process (although some still accept just the GMAT score). Regardless of how well you might 'like' standardized testing, both the GMAT and GRE are predictable, standardized Tests, so you CAN train to score at a high level on either of them. The process for preparing is different from what you would have experienced as an Undergrad in College though - it takes time and cannot be 'crammed' (at least not if you want to score at a high level). Each Test has its 'quirks', but they're definable - so you can learn the proper tactics and practice accordingly. While it might be tempting to just grab a few books and self-study, you're not likely to learn all of the tactics, patterns and 'secrets' of either Test from just some books - so investing in additional materials can make a big difference in your scores (and those higher scores could potentially get you scholarship money later on, help you get into a better School, have a better career, etc.), so the investment can lead to a HUGE payoff over time. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi chloemadigan, PhD programs tend to be fairly competitive, so anything that you can do to improve your application would likely help your chances. The GRE is one of the few pieces that you can radically improve in a short period of time, but you have to find the right study process that matches your personality AND makes the work easy for you. Thankfully, with a little over a month until your Official GRE, you still have plenty of time to prepare. How long have you been studying? What materials have you been studying with? Have you taken any practice MSTs? If so, then how have you scored? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Thenextphase, Before you invest too much money into tutoring (which can get quite pricey over time), I suggest that you work through our free Materials at www.empowergre.com. I think you'll find that the Quant section becomes easier when you learn to "see" it in a different way (and use Quant tactics a bit more than the often more-difficult "math approach"). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi correlatesoftheory, Since you have a clear sense of your goals, the next logical step would be to take a FULL MST, so that we can get a 'baseline' score and figure out what you need to work on. If you want to do a bit of light study before you take that MST (so you can familiarize yourself with the general content and format of the GRE) then that would be fine, but you should take that Test soon. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Diwakardahal, 2 weeks would be a rather short study period, but the amount of time that any individual needs to study will vary depending on his/her strengths & weaknesses and score goals. What is YOUR score goal? Have you taken any practice MST Tests yet (and if so, then what were your scores?)? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi history_geek, Beyond having vocabulary knowledge, Sentence Equivalencies require an ability to spot the 'clues' in the sentence and in the answer choices. Since a strong vocabulary IS a component in picking up these points, you will have to put some time into learning GRE vocabulary. When it comes to improving that vocabulary, there are some methods that are more effective than others. The "bare bones" approach is just to memorize word lists, but that can be tedious and time-consuming. Since the GRE is predictable, the vocabulary 'lists' are defined and you can focus on the words that are more likely to appear. The EMPOWERgre Course includes a series of multi-media Vocabulary Modules that will help you to learn those words in the most efficient and effective ways possible. You can work through a sample Module here: http://www.empowergre.com/the-course/ GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Hitesh Saai, When it comes to improving your GRE vocabulary, there are methods that are more effective than others. The "bare bones" approach is just to memorize word lists, but that can be tedious and time-consuming. Since the GRE is predictable, the vocabulary 'lists' are defined and you can focus on the words that are more likely to appear. The EMPOWERgre Course includes a series of multi-media Vocabulary Modules that will help you to learn those words in the most efficient and effective ways possible. You can work through a sample Module here: http://www.empowergre.com/the-course/ GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi optimist2016, When it comes to self-analysis, you really have to 'nitpick' the types of questions that you're getting wrong (saying that they're just the "very hard" ones is incomplete). To that end, you should review your last MST and take notes on the following: 1) How many questions did you get wrong because of a silly/little mistake (be honest)? WHAT was the mistake exactly? How could you have kept it from happening? 2) How many questions did you get wrong because you just didn't know a piece of vital information (a math formula, the definition of a word)? This is a 'knowledge' problem. 3) How many questions were really just THAT hard and you had no reasonable chance to get them correct? If you're not hitting your score goals, it's far more likely that your 'issues' are with your tactics (how you're approaching questions) and not in the "very hard" questions you mentioned. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi correlatesoftheory, There are plenty of options when it comes to your GRE prep and many of them are not nearly as expensive as the two that you've named. Before investing in any product(s), it's important to define your goals and timeline. With an early September Test Date, you have almost 3 months of potential study time, which is a lot. 1) What is your goal score? 2) When are you planning to apply to School? 3) Do you know which Schools you'll be applying to? It's also worthwhile to take a FULL practice MST Test, so that you can get a sense of your strengths and weaknesses. You can download 2 free tests from www.gre.org. Once you take one of those Tests, you should report back here with your scores. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Thenextphase, How did you score on Test Day? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi toxicdevil, If you can name the specific Master's Programs that you're interested in, then you should be able to research those programs directly. You might also be able to reach out to the Admissions Offices, Professors in those Programs or Alums. When you're considering how best to work on your applications, you might also want to discuss your profile with an Admissions Expert, so that you can craft your application(s) in the most effective way possible. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi jlamb, I'm hoping that you can clarify a point in your post - you mention that it "doesn't really matter at this point..." Does this mean that you've already taken the Official GRE, the Official GMAT (or both) and THAT's what it doesn't matter? Are you still studying and planning to take one Test or the other? If the School(s) that you're interested in will take either Exam Score as part of the application process, then you should certainly go with whichever Test gives you the greater chance at a higher score. Much of the overall Quant content is the same for both Tests, but the 'specialty' questions differ (QCs on the GRE vs. DSs on the GMAT ) and GMAT questions tend to be a little more 'involved' than GRE questions. Learning the proper TACTICS is essential to scoring at a high level on either Exam. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi missmusical, 3+ months of study time is PLENTY for you to properly prepare for the GRE. This won't be like preparing for a midterm or final exam though - you can't "cram" for the GRE, so you have to plan this out over a longer study period. The good news is that the GRE is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a high level. Do you know which Schools you'll be applying to? Do you have a goal score in mind? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Syd2016, You've defined a bit of your 'timeline', but if you can define a few other details, then we can put together an appropriate plan: 1) What is your goal score? 2) Do you know which Schools you'll be applying to (and do you know the specific application deadlines?)? Assuming that you're going to study this summer, you should plan to take a FULL GRE practice MST sometime soon. You can download 2 for free from www.gre.org. You should plan to take the FULL TEST (including the Essays), so that we can get a sense of your endurance as well as your overall strengths and weaknesses. That first set of scores will give us a better sense of what you'll need to focus on during your studies. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi med latte, You have a few things going in your favor in regards to the Quant section: 1) The 'math' that you'll have to do in the Quant section is fairly 'low level' - it's math that you did when you were probably 14 or 15. You just need to retrain to get those skills back. 2) You can always skip questions during the GRE and come back to them later. 3) The wrong answers often fall into patterns that you can use to eliminate them (and take a good guess, even if you get 'stuck' on a question). 4) You have MONTHS of potential study time, so you can take things in a slow and deliberate manner (if you choose) - you'll learn some content and some tactics and you'll go through the necessary repetitions. 5) The GRE is predictable, so you CAN properly train for what you'll face. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi med latte, 5 months is a HUGE chunk of potential study time, so you can absolutely raise your scores. What were your scores on this MST? Did you take the ENTIRE MST (including the Essays)? What practice materials are you using? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Umair45, When discussing any individual's "chances" at getting accepted to any particular Grad School, there are a number of factors to consider beyond the GRE score - you seem to understand that. There's also HOW you "market" yourself to a School - through personal statements, essays, interviews, etc. Beyond having the qualifications, you also have to communicate that information effectively. Have you discussed your profile with an Admissions Expert? Those professionals tend to have much keener insights into the process (and into individual Schools/Programs) than a group of random strangers will. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi thisisgaby, If you have any questions about the EMPOWERgre Course, then you can feel free to ask me (or PM or email me). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi pickfights, With the right practice materials, you can make some big improvements to your scores in 1-2 months. Many Test Takers get "stuck" trying to self-teach the GRE with a few books, so they think the process is much harder than it really is. With a GRE Course, you'll have the consistent guidance and expertise to help you focus on the content, the Test-taking tactics AND the built-in 'secrets' to the GRE. We have some free practice materials at our website (www.empowergre.com), so you can get a sense of everything that I just described. If you have any questions, then feel free to contact me directly. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Elaine_hffyy, Your 4.0 on the AWA should be fine and it's remarkably unlikely that you would be rejected for that reason. Admissions Officers are smart enough to know that applicants have to complete the AWA section in a very short period of time, so as long as you can score at a certain level (for most programs, that would be a 4.0 or higher), then you have that part of the application "covered." The essays and personal statements are your opportunities to craft well-worded, organized essays so you should put in the necessary time and effort to write (and re-write) those prompts. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi psychkita, It sounds like you have two definable 'issues': 1) You broad 'math skills' can use some improvement. 2) Your GRE tactical knowledge needs to be increased. With 90 days, you have PLENTY of time to improve. If you want to approach both issues at the same time, then a GRE Course would probably be helpful. If you want to work on building your math skills first, then I suggest that you spend some time at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) - it's a free site that provides plenty of practice and makes everything more "game-like" and less dry academia. Do you have an Official Test Date yet? What application deadline(s) are you facing? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich