username111

I started out with a Magoosh study plan too, but I eventually centered my quant prep on the Magoosh math videos with Mike McGarry as the narrator. His explanations are very concise and direct, and he focuses on the underlying mathematical themes that many concepts share in a way that most other test preps lack. This combo make the lessons remarkably clear and thorough. Additionally, the Magoosh layout, question history, cross references, and responsiveness to student questions are all superb, so I'd say the $149 for the full set of Magoosh lesson videos for 6 months is well worth it. Alternatively, I've heard the GreenLightTestPrep videos and ETS's Khan videos are similar in their approach - both free. Once you've decided on a set of lessons, make a flexible schedule to stay on track with room for 1-3 videos per study session (e.g., Arithmetic & Fractions module first 3 wks of March).
As you watch each lesson, make flash cards/main idea cards for every concept that you don't know or forgot, and review them often. I might have gone overboard with my cards (pic below), but just the process of making them is very effective. For in-lesson questions, pause the video and solve each one - even if you're sure you already know it. At the end of each lesson, find and solve related practice questions from your other prep materials. For every incorrect answer, find exactly why you made that error(s). If you tend to make similar errors in a particular type of problem or calculation, make an index card with a sample question and solution that points out your repeated error. At the end of each module, spend at least a day on review: flip through index cards, work on more realistic and difficult practice questions, watch any lessons a second time for extra review, etc. The Magoosh blog is also helpful for further math review.
You might want to structure a similar session plan for verbal if you prefer a more formal or in-depth study, but I decided to devote less energy on my verbal score so my approach was different. Whenever I was waiting on things, exercising, or couldn't sleep, I would spend 5-20 minutes answering practice questions or reviewing pre-made flashcards on my phone - basically replacing any social media time with verbal prep. I found both the Magoosh Vocab Builder and Vocab Flashcard app to be the most helpful for memorization, and the Manhattan GRE Prep app has the 5-lb book practice questions in a great mobile format.
What I wish I would have done/known when I started:
Even if you only have 30 min some days to spend on GRE stuff, try to devote at least 5 days a week to it. Cut out distractions and treat it like a job.
I found most major test prep's practice questions helpful for different purposes. In general, Manhattan, Princeton, and Kaplan quant questions tend to be easier or equivalent to easy GRE questions, so they're better suited for learning and reviewing specific concepts. Magoosh GRE & GMAT quant questions are generally more challenging and can cause frustration when mastering concepts, but they're amazing prep for actual GRE questions once you have a firm grasp of a module.
Manhattan verbal is similar to Magoosh quant: many challenging, realistic problems with high-quality explanations to solutions (particularly in reading comprehension), especially with respect to how ETS frames and structures verbal questions. Both Magoosh and Manhattan were good with sentence equivalency/completion questions, but Magoosh can be a bit too murky with sentence structure and possible solutions, and Manhattan's vocab can be too esoteric. Both critiques are minor though. Kaplan verbal seems to rely too heavily on definitions and not enough on sentence structure/context, so don't use it for anything other than vocab recall. I haven't had much experience with Princeton verbal.
Good luck!
ETA: for what it's worth, my verbal and quant score were 80th percentile... well, one was 79th but I can never remember which.

OK, so I have developed the following plan. I am not sure it is the best one, but it is the one I am following. It is finetuned to the skype interview, but can be modified to accommodate the on-site interview as well. Tell me what you think.
Plan the process of preparation. Of course, you can always just go with the flow - read a little about the school, reread your SoP, go back to the school's website, etc.. However, during the very interview you have to feel sure that you have done everything to prepare, and the only way to guarantee that (at least in my case) is going through the checkpoints one by one. Double-check the interview time. If you are abroad, use a time zone converter. Double-check. Mark your calendar. Count the days left. You will have a task for each one. To have a visual in your head, plan your outfit and the place where you will have your interview. The outfit has to be smart and simple, nothing exotic - they should pay attention to your words, not your looks. Dress well up and down, despite the fact it's skype and technically you can wear your pj in lieu of pants - this will make you fell professional. Make sure it's your 'you' outfit - something you love and feel comfortable in, something you have worn multiple types with unfaltering success. The background should be simple, too. I am borrowing a high-tech video cam from my friend as well. Make sure there are two sources of internet. I will be using wifi and I will have my mobile internet to share if something happens. Reread your SoP, your CV, and your Writing Sample. Imagine you are someone else, highlight everything that can generate questions. Here's the list I've made: anything unique, anything mysterious (like that course you mentioned in passing but did not elaborate upon), anything your interviewers are good at (pertaining to their area of expertise), because they read 100 SoPs and naturally pay attention to the familiar things. Write the questions down. Do a mock interview if possible - with a friend, a fellow applicant, or even with that ruthless alter ego hiding inside you. Get confused because of some of the questions. Write down all of the confusing/surprising ones. Reflect on your performance. Note areas for improvement. For example, I get nervous, time starts flowing in a strange way, and I feel overwhelmed because of all the things I am attempting to do - keep the question, the answer, pieces of advice from Grad Cafe folk in my head. I also found it difficult to think of examples to illustrate my points. Now the real works starts. You have an advanced list of questions - the original ones augmented by your ''interviewer's'' input. Answer your questions: write the answers down, or answer them in your head. Make concise notes (this is really important). Every answer should be 2-3 min, so that you get as many chances to shine as possible. Make sure to use examples. Look for the best ways to phrase your answers. While you will probably not say the same exact thing, the whole process will direct your mind towards working on the task. It will keep working out different questions and answers while you do other things - eat, sleep, take shower, etc. This is a psychological trick I like to use. Practice answering the questions. I am going to do that staring at my laptop's camera, no kidding. I find that problematic and usually end up looking at the little picture of myself when I talk to people via skype. Practice answering them with assurance and style. This is your chance. Own it, kick ass. One question they will definitely ask, as you might already know, is whether you have questions. Well, you do. Visit the schools website, revisit every conversation you've head with them, everything you know. Think of clever questions for them. Only ask things that demonstrate that you are prepared, you've done your homework, but yet you are thoughtful and curious. I.e. asking about living conditions for grad students is probably not a good idea at this stage - you should have done that prior to applying. Do ask about current and planned research projects, the school's publications, etc. Practice asking questions. Play the whole thing out in your head, think of different scenarios. Read grad cafe, but do not obsess. Do not think about other schools if possible, especially the ones you haven't heard from - it will only stress you out. The day. Put on what you have planned to wear. Make sure you have a spear shirt/tee/blouse in case you spill coffee on the one you have chosen 5 min prior to the interview. Check the time difference if you are abroad again. Abstain from caffeine - you will be full of beans anyways. Instead, eat healthy, drink water/herbal tea. Avoid everything that might make you nervous - checking news, your ex' facebook page, talking to that friend that always makes you feel less than, taking public transport, etc. Make sure you are alone in the room, and it is quiet. Adjust the camera, and the light. 15 minutes in, turn off the sound on your phone, and tablet. Close the facebook page on your laptop. Only have skype e-mail (the one you used for your application) open, nothing else. Check skype connection. Look through your notes. Make sure you are doing something during the minutes you have left, but not overwhelmed with tasks. And... game on!  
 

@rigirl1995 Did you take the GREs within the last 14 days? If you did then you will still need to wait one more week before you can take it again. If this is the case then you would not be able to make January 15th deadlines.
I think we all worry a bit as to whether we will get into our 'choice' programs or did we do enough to get noticed by POIs/ admissions committees. 
Some things you no longer have in your control. GPA is done. Research done. GREs are done. LORs are hopefully done. You still have control of putting together the best SOP possible before January 15th. 
I wish you success!

So...I'm going to disagree a bit. I think it's important to have a teaching background if you plan on pursuing an Ed.D.or Ph.D. to work for or manage an SEA or LEA. If you want to evaluate student and teacher performance for real world applications, like student retention or teacher compensation, then you should definitely know what's going on in the classroom.Same goes for stuff dealing with curriculum and pedagogy. Academic or think tank research may be different, though.
If you plan to study the impact of policies on the broader education landscape, then I don't know if having a teaching background is super important. For example, I'm planning on studying the market narrative of school choice, things like the impact of competition on public school performance and the relationship between marketing expenditures and charter school performance. For me, it's more important to have a background in statistics and economics than a K12 teaching background. Of course, there are times when economists are completely clueless about what happens in schools and that messes with their findings. For example, my masters advisor told me about a program evaluation conducted by economists in which they had null findings. But the program wasn't even implemented!
All I'm saying is that having limited or no background in the classroom is not a hindrance in all ed policy situations. To me, it all depends on the context and your professional goals. Let me know what you think! (Btw, I have no teaching experience.)