too much time left on clock is bad?

[t_macc]

I've been finishing my exams with extra time left on the clock - more than 5 minutes for each section. Is there anything I can do to improve my score and make use of the extra time? Thanks.

Powerprep scores were

590 V / 720 Q

510 V / 700 Q

My vocabulary is weak, and I'd like to try for an 800 Q.

Edited December 30, 2010 by t_macc

[Strangefox]

I've been finishing my exams with extra time left on the clock - more than 5 minutes for each section. Is there anything I can do to improve my score and make use of the extra time? Thanks.

Powerprep scores were

590 V / 720 Q

510 V / 700 Q

My vocabulary is weak, and I'd like to try for an 800 Q.

The obvious solution would be to try spending more time on each question. Identify sections that you have most troubles with (reading comprehension? analogies?) and use slower pace while moving through them. Good luck!

[csquare]

Also, due to the computer-adaptive nature of the test, maybe spend a little more time on the first 5-10 questions in each section. If you get those ones right, it'll set you up for a higher score, even if you get some of the later ones wrong.

[Strangefox]

Also, due to the computer-adaptive nature of the test, maybe spend a little more time on the first 5-10 questions in each section. If you get those ones right, it'll set you up for a higher score, even if you get some of the later ones wrong.

This! How could I forget about this! It is very important!!! Shame on me

[t_macc]

Thanks for the replies. That makes sense - to get the first few questions correct.

I have 5 months, so I want to spend some time doing rote memorization of vocabulary. I get more RC questions right compared to the analogies and SC.

Happy New Year!

Edited December 31, 2010 by t_macc

[cherubie]

Just wanted to add something else too- that practice exams may not ALWAYS be exactly like the real exam. If you look around, a lot of people say princeton review/kaplan are a lot harder than the real GRE, and powerprep is right on. However, there are others who say the opposite too. Just because you have extra time on the clock doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong. When you focus on the first 10 or 15, don't spend TOO much time on it, as this may hurt you on the real exam. Just try to make a mental list of things you need to improve on, and work on those. I had the same problem on Verbal. I always finished with 6-8 minutes to spare. As I did more practice tests, I realized I was rushing through RC- it had nothing to do with the beginning questions.

Also, I just checked my GRE exam's diagnostic service thing. I got a perfect Quant score, but missed #10 wrong (out of 28 questions)- you wouldn't expect to get a 800 with such an early question wrong. But I ended up getting all the rest of the questions right except for #19. My point here is that you do want to be careful with the first couple questions, but if it's at the expense of the later ones- it can still kill your score.

Edited January 1, 2011 by cherubie

[DrFaustus666]

I agree with everything all the posters have said (so why am I putting my two cents in?) ....

One last thing -- on your verbal score. It's not bad at 590, but I understand perfectly how an extra 50 to 100 points would strengthen your application.

Step 1. There is a list of "400 most commonly tested words" available from Barron's. You should make sure you know ALL 400 of these COLD. Meaning, you not only know the definitions of them, but you can use them in sentences, you know secondary meanings of all 400, and you never confuse words like "elicit" and "illicit" etc.

Step 2. If you can do all of the above, go through Barron's entire list of 3600 words. Find those that look familiar, but you can't define them precisely. Then learn as many of those words as you can, using the same precepts in Step 1.

If you can learn ALL 3600 of Barron's huge list of words, and learn them at "Step 1 standards," then an 800-V is possible. If you can learn half of the 3600 words, then 700-750 is possible. I speak from experience!

Good luck,

John

Edited January 2, 2011 by DrFaustus666

[pearls]

I thought I'd share my experience... I finished every single practice test with 5-10 minutes to spare on each section. The real thing really shocked me - I almost ran out of time during the quantitative section and I had to guess the last five questions in the verbal section (3 of them were reading comprehension). I guess I was too concerned with getting every single question right. Needless to say, I didn't do too well - 600V & 730Q. I'm an international, though, and the GRE was my first standardized and my first computer-adaptive test ever.

Edited January 3, 2011 by LostLittlePianoPearl

[DrFaustus666]

Needless to say, I didn't do too well - 600V & 730Q. I'm an international, though, and the GRE was my first standardized and my first computer-adaptive test ever.

You didn't say what for what type of program you're applying---BUT---unless you're applying for a Ph.D. in English at a top 30 school, or an M.S. or Ph.D. in a hard science (math, physics, statistics, engineering, computer science, etc.) almost anywhere---those scores are not bad at all.

Good luck,

John

[pearls]

Thanks! I'm applying for a PhD in Linguistics. I was kind of disappointed with my verbal score because I have a BA in English(/Linguistics), but I got over it (and now I'm stressing over other parts of my application(s)).