LITGRE Tomorrow!

[augustquail]

So I assume a lot of you are going to take the lit test tomorrow. I took the princeton review practice test last night, and it did not go well at all!! The test is so LONG. The princeton review likes to say that there's a "guessing bonus" and not a "guessing penalty," but if you guess on 70 questions there's definately a penalty! I have a billion flashcards, but it's just hard to memorize all those poetic terms when I never had to learn them before. And also--don't know if this is just the princeton review, or if it reflects the real test: there are only 3 so called "theory" questions. Three. And you barely have to know anything to get them right. Did anyone take the test in april and have only 3 theory questions? I thought it was supposed to be a bigger part of the test now.

So I'm feeling pretty nervous about it--how about you guys? What kind of last-minute studying are you doing? Did anyone get a *good* practice score?

[BillyPilgrim]

At least you finished the princeton review practice test. I am only on question 100 and I have been slowly working on it here and there throughout the week. So in addition to the overwhelming amount of info on the test I will be unprepared for working with the time limit/under pressure.

Tonight I am just going to cram a bunch of literary terms and relisten to some of the "essential" poems that are guaranteed to be on there.

A good study tip: The YouTube channel SpokenVerse has really REALLY good readings of some of the poems the Princeton Review book recommends reading. Check out the channel. It will help with becoming more familiar with the poems.

So I assume a lot of you are going to take the lit test tomorrow. I took the princeton review practice test last night, and it did not go well at all!! The test is so LONG. The princeton review likes to say that there's a "guessing bonus" and not a "guessing penalty," but if you guess on 70 questions there's definately a penalty! I have a billion flashcards, but it's just hard to memorize all those poetic terms when I never had to learn them before. And also--don't know if this is just the princeton review, or if it reflects the real test: there are only 3 so called "theory" questions. Three. And you barely have to know anything to get them right. Did anyone take the test in april and have only 3 theory questions? I thought it was supposed to be a bigger part of the test now.

So I'm feeling pretty nervous about it--how about you guys? What kind of last-minute studying are you doing? Did anyone get a *good* practice score?

[augustquail]

At least you finished the princeton review practice test. I am only on question 100 and I have been slowly working on it here and there throughout the week. So in addition to the overwhelming amount of info on the test I will be unprepared for working with the time limit/under pressure.

Tonight I am just going to cram a bunch of literary terms and relisten to some of the "essential" poems that are guaranteed to be on there.

A good study tip: The YouTube channel SpokenVerse has really REALLY good readings of some of the poems the Princeton Review book recommends reading. Check out the channel. It will help with becoming more familiar with the poems.

thanks for the tip! some poems I remember from reading once, just because they're so good. But the John Milton on the other hand...UGH. I will definately be watching some of these tonight.

[diehtc0ke]

So I assume a lot of you are going to take the lit test tomorrow. I took the princeton review practice test last night, and it did not go well at all!! The test is so LONG. The princeton review likes to say that there's a "guessing bonus" and not a "guessing penalty," but if you guess on 70 questions there's definately a penalty! I have a billion flashcards, but it's just hard to memorize all those poetic terms when I never had to learn them before. And also--don't know if this is just the princeton review, or if it reflects the real test: there are only 3 so called "theory" questions. Three. And you barely have to know anything to get them right. Did anyone take the test in april and have only 3 theory questions? I thought it was supposed to be a bigger part of the test now.

So I'm feeling pretty nervous about it--how about you guys? What kind of last-minute studying are you doing? Did anyone get a *good* practice score?

The Lit GRE has definitely become more theory heavy since that Princeton Review book was published and my test last October certainly had more than three theory-centric questions on it. I had to know what theorists were associated with which kinds of theories generally and then book titles of specific theorists (Umberto Eco was the one I remember but there were a couple of others). They weren't the most challenging questions but I hadn't taken a theory course so I was pretty lost there. It's probably a little late but don't go in to the test thinking that it won't have much theory on it.

Edited October 8, 2010 by diehtc0ke

[augustquail]

The Lit GRE has definitely become more theory heavy since that Princeton Review book was published and my test last October certainly had more than three theory-centric questions on it. I had to know what theorists were associated with which kinds of theories generally and then book titles of specific theorists (Umberto Eco was the one I remember but there were a couple of others). They weren't the most challenging questions but I hadn't taken a theory course so I was pretty lost there. It's probably a little late but don't go in to the test thinking that it won't have much theory on it.

I'd be really happy if I saw lots of theory questions! Then I would know I would not completely fail. My program was very theory oriented. On the other hand, I never read Milton, Marvell, Gray , Yeats, or Marlowe in any of my classes, so I've had to learn all of that stuff this past week.

It seems weird that they would put Eco on the test though. I mean, not that he isn't famous, but if they were trying to refer to a semiotic guy that everyone would know, why not pick saussure instead?

[diehtc0ke]

I'd be really happy if I saw lots of theory questions! Then I would know I would not completely fail. My program was very theory oriented. On the other hand, I never read Milton, Marvell, Gray , Yeats, or Marlowe in any of my classes, so I've had to learn all of that stuff this past week.

It seems weird that they would put Eco on the test though. I mean, not that he isn't famous, but if they were trying to refer to a semiotic guy that everyone would know, why not pick saussure instead?

Haha that's good news then. Good luck tomorrow! And, yeah, that's probably exactly why they put him on there.

[Pamphilia]

So, how did it go?

[augustquail]

so i just got back from the test......what a nightmare. I think I left like 60 questions blank.

Why is there so much fucking poetry on that test, anyway? YARGH

[mnemosyne]

I took the GRE Lit test today myself. To describe my day, I turn to netspeak for its concision: FML.

The biggest FML moment today was when my glasses broke five minutes before I had to leave for my test. I'm blind as a bat: I can't see the big E on the vision chart. I also have nasty astigmatism. Needless to say, driving and testing with broken glasses was great fun.

Does anyone else have any stories they would like to share?

[papillon]

I took the test today as well! Very happy to be done with that ordeal, and trying not to think about my score until it's available.

I did think there was quite a bit of theory! I only have the most tenuous grasp of theory, so I took some bold guesses. We'll see how that worked out in November. For now, I'm just glad it's over!

[wreckofthehope]

I took it on Saturday too... had to travel to a different city to do so; so, just got back. Eugh, it's such a beast, I was unbelievably exhausted when I finished! For me, it was slightly less difficult than the practice tests I took... but I'm not sure that actually means anything - since such a large proportion were educated guesses!

Edited October 10, 2010 by vallensvelvet

[BillyPilgrim]

I was surprised by how quickly the time went by. I left way question more unanswered than I wanted - didn't have time to get to them.

I did the Princeton Review method and did a first sweep, answering all the easy questions. My Second Sweep spending a little more time on questions I had to figure out or had a good idea for a guess. My Third Sweep left my stuck and I probably left 30 questions unanswered. Oops.

Though I hear it's common to not finish the exam. Thoughts?

[poco_puffs]

When I took the test last year, I think I left somewhere between 25 and 35 questions unanswered. I went through answering easy questions and trying not to get bogged down in passage questions. If there was something that I couldn't summon up out of my brain in 20 seconds-- recognizing a poem or an author-- I left it blank.

Something to consider for future test-takers: Crosswords are a great way to exercise the ability to retrieve information from your memory. There are times when I stare at a clue and think that I don't know the answer, but after 10-15 seconds I can almost physically feel the answer work it's way out of my gray matter and into my conscious thought. Improving your ability to recall information that you have stored away will help you work through the test more quickly, and perhaps recall things that seemed hopeless otherwise. Besides that, crosswords are a nice way to distract yourself from flashcard or book studying while still using the language part of your brain and occasionally using a bit of your newfound literary trivia.

I was surprised by how quickly the time went by. I left way question more unanswered than I wanted - didn't have time to get to them.

I did the Princeton Review method and did a first sweep, answering all the easy questions. My Second Sweep spending a little more time on questions I had to figure out or had a good idea for a guess. My Third Sweep left my stuck and I probably left 30 questions unanswered. Oops.

Though I hear it's common to not finish the exam. Thoughts?

[BrandNewName]

That test was insane. Aside from the awful commute I had to undertake to make it to Zurich by 8:30 in the morning (thank you Deutsche Bahn!), I was tempted to throw in the towel halfway through the test. I even stopped and went to the bathroom at about the 1:50 mark to throw some water on my face and try to regroup. My first sweep garnished me maybe 60 to 70 points. And some of those I was even struggling with. I posted some comments in another thread here, but here are my (somewhat angry) thoughts:

-a majority of the American questions seemed to the easy questions...most of the in-depth comprehension and identification questions were heavily concentrated in 17th and 18th century British poetry/essays.

-there were a lot of Middle English questions (I think I counted 13+)...many of which were translation/grammar based...and I was shocked, I had been hadnling them very well in my practice runs, but they stumped me during the exam.

-there were whole identification sections (on essayists) that I left blank, just no clue. at all.

-where was Shakespeare aside from three or four questions on a sonnet and a reference to AMND in one question...I don't recall any (also no Marlowe from what I can remember)

-and screw New Criticism...the theory questions are the one part of the test where those of us not trained in old school British literature can really pick up some points, and what do the testmakers do? Throw us five questions on New Criticism, most of which referred back to metaphysical poetry. Ugh.

I handled what I knew well, but there was quite a bit that I could not identify. I'm sure I'll get some heated responses -- not that anyone is in love with this exam -- but the one I took on Saturday had what I perceived to be a troubling bias (in comparison to the practice tests I took, at least).

Oh well, it was/is frustrating, but I don't think it will be the make or break factor in my applications, at least I hope not. If anything, it would have just been nice to have left the testing with a sense of accomplishment that could push me through these final phases. Leider nicht...

[wreckofthehope]

I was astonished by the amount of C18th questions - they were making me doubt myself: I assumed I must have made some massive errors in identification.

That test was insane. Aside from the awful commute I had to undertake to make it to Zurich by 8:30 in the morning (thank you Deutsche Bahn!), I was tempted to throw in the towel halfway through the test. I even stopped and went to the bathroom at about the 1:50 mark to throw some water on my face and try to regroup. My first sweep garnished me maybe 60 to 70 points. And some of those I was even struggling with. I posted some comments in another thread here, but here are my (somewhat angry) thoughts:

-a majority of the American questions seemed to the easy questions...most of the in-depth comprehension and identification questions were heavily concentrated in 17th and 18th century British poetry/essays.

-there were a lot of Middle English questions (I think I counted 13+)...many of which were translation/grammar based...and I was shocked, I had been hadnling them very well in my practice runs, but they stumped me during the exam.

-there were whole identification sections (on essayists) that I left blank, just no clue. at all.

-where was Shakespeare aside from three or four questions on a sonnet and a reference to AMND in one question...I don't recall any (also no Marlowe from what I can remember)

-and screw New Criticism...the theory questions are the one part of the test where those of us not trained in old school British literature can really pick up some points, and what do the testmakers do? Throw us five questions on New Criticism, most of which referred back to metaphysical poetry. Ugh.

I handled what I knew well, but there was quite a bit that I could not identify. I'm sure I'll get some heated responses -- not that anyone is in love with this exam -- but the one I took on Saturday had what I perceived to be a troubling bias (in comparison to the practice tests I took, at least).

Oh well, it was/is frustrating, but I don't think it will be the make or break factor in my applications, at least I hope not. If anything, it would have just been nice to have left the testing with a sense of accomplishment that could push me through these final phases. Leider nicht...

[Alette]

My condolences to you all... I'm not taking it until November (they only offer it twice a year in my neck of the woods) so I haven't felt your pain (yet).

How closely are the October and November exams related? Are questions or specific time periods/authors/genres repeated? Should I be looking forward to 18th century madness?

[mnemosyne]

-there were a lot of Middle English questions (I think I counted 13+)...many of which were translation/grammar based...and I was shocked, I had been hadnling them very well in my practice runs, but they stumped me during the exam.

I feel your pain!

My perception may be a bit skewed, but I walked out of the room with the distinct feeling that I had taken an exam on early modern British poetry and grammar. My biggest surprise was at the amount of Old English translation required. The same goes for Middle English, but I am much more comfortable with it than Old English. As for the grammar component, I mostly had to answer questions pertaining to poetry with heinous, tortuous lines.

[stormydown]

My perception may be a bit skewed, but I walked out of the room with the distinct feeling that I had taken an exam on early modern British poetry and grammar. My biggest surprise was at the amount of Old English translation required. The same goes for Middle English, but I am much more comfortable with it than Old English. As for the grammar component, I mostly had to answer questions pertaining to poetry with heinous, tortuous lines.

They must be bumping up the amount of Old English grammar stuff they're putting on these, then. I took the test last November and had quite a bit of Old English on it as well, and it seems like it wasn't the case a few years ago.

[augustquail]

I took the GRE Lit test today myself. To describe my day, I turn to netspeak for its concision: FML.

The biggest FML moment today was when my glasses broke five minutes before I had to leave for my test. I'm blind as a bat: I can't see the big E on the vision chart. I also have nasty astigmatism. Needless to say, driving and testing with broken glasses was great fun.

Does anyone else have any stories they would like to share?

I can definately sympathize with you; i wear contacts, so when they get fucked up my eyeball feels like its on fire.

And I have a similarly awful story...friday night I started coming down with the FLU. Fever, chills, sore throat, headache, all that good stuff. I didn't sleep at all, and getting up at 7 isn't really my normal schedule anyway. I was a mess...since they didn't let me have tissues during the test, or water, I was constantly wiping my nose on my sleeve and coughing. Not a pretty sight. I'm hoping the fever-hallucinations somehow aided my test performance.

[augustquail]

I feel your pain!

My perception may be a bit skewed, but I walked out of the room with the distinct feeling that I had taken an exam on early modern British poetry and grammar. My biggest surprise was at the amount of Old English translation required. The same goes for Middle English, but I am much more comfortable with it than Old English. As for the grammar component, I mostly had to answer questions pertaining to poetry with heinous, tortuous lines.

I had at least three questions that were straight old english translation. i think i left them all blank.

I really felt like it was a test on 17th british poetry, with a few random theory identification questions thrown in there. The only thing I was happy about was the moby dick passage...it was that really homoerotic one "squeeze squeeze squeeze." i bet ets thinks they really shook things up.

[wreckofthehope]

They moved the place where I was sitting the exam without telling anyone! - There was a note written in Biro behind the forsted glass on the door letting us know... but no-one noticed it until 8:30! So, then we had to run like crazy people through an unfamiliar city trying to find this new building. They didn't even apologize when we got there... just carried on as normal, and as if we were at fault for being a bit late. It was not a good way to start an exam.

I took the GRE Lit test today myself. To describe my day, I turn to netspeak for its concision: FML.

The biggest FML moment today was when my glasses broke five minutes before I had to leave for my test. I'm blind as a bat: I can't see the big E on the vision chart. I also have nasty astigmatism. Needless to say, driving and testing with broken glasses was great fun.

Does anyone else have any stories they would like to share?

[papillon]

I only remember one Old English translation question, and then a whole bunch of Middle English...but I skipped some questions, so maybe I skipped those and then forgot that they existed. I was most surprised by the number of very difficult reading comprehension questions. I was mostly nervous about identifying obscure passages, but I ended up having more trouble with tricky reading comp questions, particularly the grammar-based ones. I teach English, and I still had trouble figuring out whether a word was being used as a dative, vocative, etc. Maybe if I knew Latin...

For those of you who are taking it again though, I found a somewhat effective way to study. I have a long commute to work, so I went to the library and got a literature lecture series on CD to listen to in the car. I listened to one on great American novels (Grapes of Wrath, Native Son, so forth), two on great novels of all time (Ulysses, War and Peace, so forth), one of Walt Whitman, and one on British Romantic poets. It actually turned out to be pretty helpful. I wasn't counting very carefully, but I think that I was able to answer about 10 more questions because of the tapes. It's not a whole lot, out of 230, but every little bit helps. Of course, that strategy would only work for people with long commutes like me (45 minutes to an hour each way--ugh). But it's not very easy to study for this test without reading all literature ever, so I thought I would share my method.

Good luck to everyone! I hate waiting for scores...I will definitely be spending the 12 dollars to get my scores early, much as I hate to give any more money to ETS.

[Sparky]

Maybe if I knew Latin...

It's not worth it.

[noxrosa]

They moved the place where I was sitting the exam without telling anyone! - There was a note written in Biro behind the forsted glass on the door letting us know... but no-one noticed it until 8:30! So, then we had to run like crazy people through an unfamiliar city trying to find this new building. They didn't even apologize when we got there... just carried on as normal, and as if we were at fault for being a bit late. It was not a good way to start an exam.

The best part was ending up going down the wrong street, wasn't it?

[Pamphilia]

They moved the place where I was sitting the exam without telling anyone! - There was a note written in Biro behind the forsted glass on the door letting us know... but no-one noticed it until 8:30! So, then we had to run like crazy people through an unfamiliar city trying to find this new building. They didn't even apologize when we got there... just carried on as normal, and as if we were at fault for being a bit late. It was not a good way to start an exam.

That's awful!