Lulu47

just curious what you decided on OP

Thank you so much for the encouragement. I tend to be "academically insecure," if that makes any sense. Sometimes I just need to hear from someone who knows what I'm talking about. I really appreciate your input. What was your quantitative background before taking the GRE and about how many hours of preparation do you think you put in? Thanks!

Oh, and just in case you didn't know: to play it safe you should take the GRE about 15 days before your school's application deadline AT THE LATEST. A deadline usually means they want EVERY component of your application completed. If they want your official scores then you have to make sure you can provide those by the deadline, and 15 days is around how long it will take for the scores to be sent to them.

Which books did you get? Well, just know that the Verbal sections are tough in general. People think I write great papers, but some of the vocab is crazy. I don't think it has much to do with the fact that you're Irish. At least you speak, read, and write English. That puts you ahead of some international students who learned English as a second language. Many of them have trouble just comprehending any of questions being asked, even after studying their brains off. In that aspect they have to work harder than native speakers to get a high score. My main goal is to get a high math score, because that's what I feel I need to prove to my programs/schools. However, I still want to do decent on the verbal. The technique that works best for me is using mnemonics to remember the vocab words. I use mnemonic dictionary (just google it). I also plan on writing choppy stories using the various vocab words, that way I'll remember each word set as one story. In addition to that I'm going to group synonyms in the words lists together. That way if I spot a word on the test I'll recall which one of my synonym lists it was a part of and remember the meaning. That's just my case, all people are different in their approach. Oh and I am NOT planning on memorizing 5000 words. lol. I've read about too many people that memorized 5000+ words only to find only 3 of them were on the test. I'm going to review through the most used word lists. My goal is 800-1000. Overall, I must say I think the makers of the GRE need to put their crack pipes away and get real. The verbal section is just bizarre. Aside from vocab, I think reading comprehension is something we can't do much about at this point. I'm 24. At this point in my life I'm either a good reader or I'm not. The only thing I'm going to do to "prepare" is read some science/technical articles online. Whenever standardized tests throw in one of those passages people without a science background tend to be intimidated and psyched out. I got a huge one like that for my SAT and I literally had to use my finger tip and verify I understood what was going on in each sentence. One moment I was reading about butterflies, another about poetry, then I was reading about a family trip to the Alamo, and then BAM! I have to read about something like the chemical structure of triglycerides and neurotransmitters. It came out of nowhere and threw me off my game. Not to mention I was already mentally exhausted. The GRE math section will test you on Arithmetic, Pre-Algebra/Algebra, Geometry, and Data Interpretation (such as Statistics). The best way to learn how to approach questions is to read your prep book of choice, take notes to retain the info, and practice practice practice. Just memorizing random stuff without understanding the root of it and without practice is somewhat useless. For example, I'm only 25% into my studying so far but I've already learned to determine when plugging in hypothetical values for X would be most helpful. It's somewhat intuitive after you practice and analyze the process. For the analytical writing section I am not studying as much. My approach is to refresh on punctuation, grammar, and what not. I do this during my free time 5-15 minutes a day. My goal was to find a few books with short paragraphs, examples, to the point, and easy to read. One of them is called The New Well-Tapered Sentence (it's really short but great) and another is Painless Grammar (which is chunkier but reads quick. I think that is probably because its geared toward a younger audience but I don't care). I found them after flipping through the pages of least 20 books in the public library. I also plan on using the samples subjects on the ETS website and timing myself. From what I've read that is the most beneficial. I'm going to do that at least 6 times. The deadlines for programs really depend on the field you're going into/schools. My programs are on average between Dec-Jan. However, some schools list a deadline on their website but in order to be considered for major funding/research assistanceships/fellowships the sooner you get your application in the better. One of my schools lists a deadline for Feb. but in order to be considered for the top awards you have to have everything in by Dec. 15th. That's just an example. It's very competitive.

It seems you have plenty of time to prepare. Don't panic, JUST START. That is the best advice I can give you. I spent so much time in panic mode that it took away from just digging in. If you're having trouble getting started due to your schedule, going through a refresher type of book first (even if you think you won't need it) will help kick start your study routine. At least that's what happened to me. I went through a refresher book in 2 days and it really helped me get the ball rolling. It was very motivating. Some good ones are Cliffnotes Math for Standardized Tests, Math Doesn't Suck, or one of the Algebra and Pre-algebra for Dummies workbooks. Also, what's your background in? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Quantitative or verbal? If you aren't sure, take a prep test. Actually, it might help to take a prep test even if you do know. What kind of scores do you need for your program? How is your English? These are all questions you should answer before you start so that you have a sense of direction. The next step is then fine-tuning or tailoring your study routine based on your time, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. I am still in the process of doing that myself. Find the books that will target those areas (Barron's, Princeton Review, Nova math bible, Gruber's, blah, blah blah). Pick read the reviews, pick one or two books, and go from there. Getting every single book all at once, as tempting as it may sound, is not a good idea IMO. My focus and needs are regarding the quantitative section. I got Petersons GRE/GMAT Math Review and once I'm done with that I'll pick another. I am still deciding what my next book will be (based on my background). No matter what you do: supplement your books/resources with all of the free prep materials offered on the ETS website. You can't go wrong doing that. Btw: Are you looking to get a full scholarship? If so, I would double check those dates. Are you sure about those? Call the schools/check websites to see when the "first round" to be considered for all funding is.

As far as prep material: In the past 2 days I went through Math Doesn't Suck (great refresher), and started on Peterson's GRE/GMAT review. I think I'll follow that with Barron's? I don't want gimmicks/tricks, not at least until I really understand the material. I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing here. Any feedback would be truly appreciated, especially if you didn't have an extensive quant background but tried to score high. Thanks!!!

To make a long story short, I NEED to have great GRE scores, especially in the quantitative section. I wish I could have started to study earlier, but life has gotten in the way. The good news is that now I have a clear schedule until Dec. 15th to study 40 hours a week if my heart desires. I am especially worried about the quant section, simply because I know this is the area that I need to "prove" on my app. I love math, and I am really excited about being able to dig deep in grad school. However, I got a B in an econ class my freshman year (I was in that "I don't care, I want to socialize" stage but got my act together the following semester), got a B's in both econ and stats my junior year (honestly, my mom almost died and was hospitalized that summer, I even had to withdraw from school early that fall ), got an A in another stats course senior year. I sound like a slacker, but I promise I'm not. I ended up with a 3.5 gpa. I truly believe my transcript doesn't paint a true picture of what I could have accomplished if I had just focused on my coursework. This is why the GRE will either prove my transcript wrong, or just reaffirm that I don't have what it takes to do well in my grad program. My problem: -I am a TERRIBLE test taker. I have been in denial for a long time, but it's true. I manage to get through them, but it seriously takes intense effort. I get distracted by everything, even by the sound of silence. I over-analyze the questions/answers, I always run out of time to finish, and I get jittery. I don't know if it's ADD, test anxiety, or adrenaline. All I know is that I feel like my brain turns into poop when I take tests. -Due to the circumstances, I feel like I did not retain much from the classes I got those B's in during undergrad. -Aside from those econ and stats the last time I took a math class was like 8 years ago. I enjoy math, I would go as far as saying I find it fun. I think I just have to go from the ground up on this one. I don't have the money to take a fancy class, but I have 3 1/2 weeks, a free schedule, drive, motivation, and lots of effort I am willing to give. What would you do? I've been studying for 5 days but I'm having a hard time making a focused plan of attack. HELP.

I know that this is a little old but I am also applying for MPP/MPA It's nice to run into someone else! You're lucky to have known what you were doing from the get go. I am also interested in development but I did a double major in International Business and Religion. I don't regret it, but I really wish I had majored in econ or finance, or at least taken a lot more quant classes. questions that will help me give you an opinion: You are also lucky to have research experience. How many years did you work? what language are you bilingual in? what were your grades for your quant-type of classes? (stats, econ, financial analysis, etc.) what type of research did you do? did it get published? Just a heads up, NYU sucks at funding, so if that's something you're searching for or depending on, don't get your hopes up with Wagner. I also suggest you look into University of Minnesota as an excellent back up. It's a great customizable program. You could do MPP with a concentration in economic development or applied economics.

All this studying is making people really uptight. Chillllll outtt. Personally, the OP gives me hope. I have cleared 1 month to study FULL TIME for this test, and I can't even enjoy a study break without my heart rate increasing and finding myself in panic mode. I wish I was kidding. My test is on Dec. 15th! Yet, I can't help but feel like I should have started studying earlier, and that I'm a terrible person for not doing so. The OP just gives us all a different perspective. Am I going to continue studying? Yes. Will my mini panic attacks be less frequent after reading this? I hope so.

I suggest you address it. I know a number of the people who sit and read apps all day, they are trained to note all of your weaknesses. Trust me, you won't be "drawing attention to them" like another poster said. You are smart enough to recognize your weakness AND SO ARE THEY. It is to your advantage to explain, in a more eloquent manner, why math is an issue for you. Do not leave any stones unturned in your app, squeeze in what you can. Talk about your struggles with math (don't just say you hate it), why are you bad at it? Did you have a bad teachers? etc. Analyze this carefully and make a case for yourself. Perhaps even note that you would be willing to take more math courses over the summer/on the side upon being admitted.