Best way to improve In math section?

[Mgp06]

I apologize if this isn't the right section to be posting this, but I'm new to this forum. I'm preparing for the GRE and I've always had a good vocabulary, I'm not having huge trouble with the verbal part. However I have always been terrible at math, maybe I never applied myself or maybe it just never sparked my interest. Either way, I want to continue me education and I have to improve on this section.

Right now I'm using the Princeton Review book to study, but they go a little quickly for my taste since I honestly haven't been doing algebra or anything close to it for about 10 years. Does anyone have a recommended method for studying if I really need to start from the basics? I was thinking about Magoosh but it's $80 just for the math part and I don't want to spend at if I get the same result. I think once I re-learn basics like algebra, square roots, etc. it will start to come back but I've been applying hours to studying and I'm not just getting it.

Thanks for any advice.

[Crucial BBQ]

First off, I would look into a handful of programs you have your eye on for admissions/application statistics.  Some programs will list average GRE scores, TOEFL scores, and GPAs.  And some do not.  You might also want to check if these programs also take a holistic approach towards applications or if they have strict cut-offs.  The averages should give you an idea of what kind of score to shoot for.

 

For how to study, that is really up to you.  I did the Princeton Review, used both the book and on-line practice tests.  I consistently scored in the 160s on these tests.  When I took the actual GRE, I was surprised at how different the questions where.  I mean, they were the same concepts, but....let's just say my real score was lower than my practice scores.  

 

When it comes to math you pretty much just need to know the basics: simple algebra and geometry.  You also do not necessarily need to know how to do basic math, but need to know the concepts.  For example, knowing how to find the area of square inside of a circle with the only known information being the radius of the circle is helpful.  

 

What you really need to know is how to do the problems.  Supposedly, the quant section is designed so that anyone, even say an art major, can ace it.  So practically all math problems are word problems.  However as you may be aware they are not that easy.  ETS uses a lot tricks and traps to encourage you to select the wrong answer.  You need to study how to read the questions, spot the tricks and traps, as much as you need to study the math itself. 

 

Good luck. 

[PhDerp]

Even once you think you know the material on a specific section: practice, practice, practice!! Get your hands on any practice test possible. Doing the test within the time limit is a huge obstacle!

 

I'm a math major, and I should've scored way higher on my quant. But I was cocky and didn't practice how to take the test. I didn't time myself well and was rushed at the end to just make some answers. So yeah, practice.

[bsharpe269]

Practice tons of problems! I really recommend magoosh. It's $100 but they give you 500 each of math/verbal practice questions along with video explanations of how to answer each question. You can also watch videos that review concepts you may be struggling with.

[beautifultania]

Mathematics eBooks:

 

freecomputerbooks.pickatutorial.com/category/mathematics.htm

 

Rgd

 

Tania

[MathCat]

If you want more practice problems, I would recommend buying the official GRE practice book written by ETS. It's only around $20 on Amazon, and it includes a lot of practice problems with explanations, as well as two full-length paper based tests. If you are taking it as a computer based test, also try the practice test available on ETS, so you are not surprised by how the system works.

 

I felt very prepared having used the ETS book. I was originally practicing with other (free) resources before the book shipped, and the questions were really a lot different. On actual test day, I felt that the book questions were representative of what they really asked.

[StatsG0d]

There's two parts you have to train for: the material and the endurance.

 

For the material, I HIGHLY recommend Manhattan's Strategy Guides. They are expensive, but they go in depth into every possible thing that could be covered. And then, at the end of the book, they have challenge questions.

 

For the endurance, you can usually find a few free practice tests but be aware that the majority of the free ones are intended to be VERY hard so that way you buy the rest of the practice questions and maybe other practice material. Try to mimic actual testing as much as possible (no water or snacks except on breaks, etc.).

 

Still, there's nothing like the actual test. For example, I was scoring 169-170 consistently doing practices, and ended up with a 164 on the real one. Still not a bad score, but not nearly what I thought I was going to get. Good luck to you.

[Ellies]

Yes, practice is most important! I am a math major too, and thus, like PhDerp, I felt I didn't need to practice that part at all. I only had a week to prepare anyway, so I spent all my time practicing for the verbal part (which I assumed to be my weak spot).

The first quant section was indeed a piece of cake. I am pretty sure I got 100% of those questions correct, with time left over. The second section was a little more challenging, and I spent too much time on it. Suddenly I found I had to answer 6 more questions in just a few minutes! The time limit set for this test is pretty tight. I ended up with a 163. Not quite as high as I should have had, given my background.

However, I believe that anything between 160 and 170 is a good enough score for most programs, so I am not too concerned about that.