Advice for Studying in Pairs/Groups for the GRE Lit?

[Speromelior]

Has anyone studied with a partner or a group for the GRE Lit? How did you divide the resources and share information? We have the Princeton Review study guide, the REA study guide, and plan to use Vade Mecum's breakdown of periods and authors to help.

 

I should add that I sat for the test a year ago but need to raise my score. This will be my friend's first time taking it.

Thanks, in advance, for your input!

[egwynn]

I didn't study in a group and don't know anyone who did, but I do know someone who studied in a way that I think might be easy to divide up (and that was very successful for him).  He made a chart with all of the big titles, a list of characters (the most important ones from each text), and some main themes/well-known aspects of the work.  He then memorized the chart.  Maybe dividing up the work for making a chart like that would work?

[Speromelior]

Thanks! That's a great idea.

[RadioactiveD]

I'm 33, so you can imagine I took a pretty long break between my undergrad and grad years. I can't speak much for how one should study for the exam considering I did pretty poorly on it. Mind you, I haven't touched a Norton Anthology in probably a decade--and that's pretty much the test. 

 

It aims to be comprehensive, but honestly it's just a random, silly, expensive waste of time. Study your Shakespeare. There wasn't much Milton. Really, study any period you simply don't know well. I would start there first. There was a surprising amount of theory on the test I took, stuff about post-structuralism if I correctly recall.

 

Good luck. I personally thought it was much harder than the GRE General. 

[Drol Noryb]

Study your Shakespeare. There wasn't much Milton.

 

Funny how random the subject test can be. As I recall Shakespeare didn't even show up in mine (but Milton seemed to be a favorite for close-reading/grammar questions because his syntax can be weird). The Romantics seemed to show up more than any other group.

[RadioactiveD]

Random indeed, though at least between us the Romantics are a common denominator. Not my thing either, which would partly explain why I didn't do well!