10 Days To Go - What's My Best Study Tactic?

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Hey all. I'm in a little bit of a dilemma (most of which is my own doing). I wrote my GRE two years ago when I finished my BA and got a 154V, 149Q and 5AW. I spent the majority of my time practicing and studying for Quant for about 6 weeks. At the time I was working, and I had a lot of family issues. I also panicked after a power outage occurred and my computer terminal turned off right as I submitted my second essay. They didn't explain to us what would happen in the event, and I had to sit and stare at a blank computer for 40 minutes in silence while it rebooted wondering about anything and everything. I can remember being about halfway through and just wanting to get out of there. All this considered, my scores were pretty good. Now I'm working towards PhD applications and I know I have to re-write the test. I am scheduled to do so on November 14th (so just 10 days from now).

My coursework as an MA student this Fall has been working out my vocabulary and critical reading skills these past few months and I did take an intensive 4 week quantitative methods course this summer so math isn't entirely foreign but the basics are pretty raw (oh geometry...I can't remember the last time I used that really beyond considering planes of data). But yeah, I have 10 days and I'm lost as to where to focus my preparation. I have, by luck, the Manhattan prep series of 8 books, and both sets of their vocabulary flashcards after a lucky find on craigslist. I've been reading through their reading comprehension tactics and going through about 50-75 flashcards a night. When it comes to Quant, I'm not sure what the best balance between tutorials and practice is. I have signed up for the one month of Magoosh prep, and I also have a copy of the ETS official guide. I've watched a lot of the basic videos. I haven't had much time yet for formal practice. I intend to write a practice test over the weekend, and a second next week after a few more days of practice.

I've dropped as many commitments as I can these next two weeks, but I am a TA and my coursework can't drop off the face of the planet entirely either. My stress other this test and how badly it went the first time has left me with a ton of anxiety. I also had a very bad application cycle when I was applying out to standalone MA programs following my BA so the process is something I'm not confident in despite my profile. I asked my supervisor if I would be better off focusing on my current work and applying next Fall after I've graduated, effectively taking time off in the middle since I'm set to officially graduate by August 2016 and writing to wrap up in April (bureaucratic red rape means it takes 3-4 months to process everything when it's submitted). He said two weeks seemed like enough time for me to prepare without going crazy. A few friends who have applied out to top-15 PhD programs in international relations and been successful also said the same given the rep of my home institution and the rec letters I have behind me. Having done my BA and MA at the same institution is something of a blessing as my supervisor and my mentors know me very well. That said, I'm still looking for advice. Where are the best tips and tricks for quant? Is it all about practicing as much as possible or would the tutorials help?

Edited November 5, 2015 by CarefreeWritingsontheWall

[St0chastic]

With only 10 days to go, I would focus on quant as I think it's easier to improve in math in a short time span.  Prioritize the following:

1. Word problems (age questions, motion, average speed, multiple travelers, work, growth and decay, mixtures, sets and venn diagrams, sequences, sums of sequences, etc.).

2. Algebra (simplifying and multiplying expressions, FOIL, factoring, difference of two squares, factoring quadratics, solving equations, eliminating fractions, solving two and three equations using elimination/substitution, absolute value equations, function notation, operators, inequalities).

3. Percents/fractions/ratios (percent increases and decreases, sequential percent changes, simple and compound interest, combining ratios, ratios and rates, converting from fractions to decimals and vice versa, mixed numeral and improper fractions, etc.).

4. Data interpretation (i.e. reading graphs).

5. Geometry (lines and angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons and regular polygons, circles and circle properties, arcs, sectors, volume, surface area, converting to different units of measurement, etc.).

6. Statistics (mean, median, mode, weighted averages, range and standard deviation, normal distribution, quartiles and boxplots, percentiles).

7. Exponents (negative and fractional exponents, laws of exponents, square and other roots, simplifying roots, etc.).

I wouldn't even worry about probability or combinatorics problems as you don't have much time to review these topics and there only a few of those questions on the test.  You should be targeting around a 155 in quant IMO.  If you review the basics of the above concepts and do a couple hundred practice problems, this should be doable.  Just make sure you master one area before moving on to the next one (or at least get to the point where you can answer all medium difficulty questions for that area correctly).  ETS' Math Review might also be helpful as that's something you can go over quickly: https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_math_review.pdf

It might also be worth getting a subscription for Magoosh.  Feel free to use the Manhattan books you already have if you feel that they work for you, but the Magoosh lesson videos really helped me master the foundational quant concepts when I was studying for the test.  Magoosh also has over 500 practice quant problems broken down by topic and difficulty level.  Even if you don't subscribe to Magoosh, check out their free Math Formula ebook: http://magoosh.resources.s3.amazonaws.com/Magoosh_GRE_Math_Formula_eBook.pdf

Also, see if you can find anyone to cover your TA work for ten days.  I took a week off work to study for the test and did math problems 12+ hours a day.  I think that this helped me do well on the test.  

Edited November 5, 2015 by St0chastic

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

@St0chastic

Thanks! Thankfully I do have a one month subscription to Magoosh already. I agree that their tutorials have been helpful. The few I've seen have left me confident they'll be useful and worth watching for at least a day where I know I need some real help. I'm just unsure if my time is better spent practicing or focusing on lessons first. The 7 areas to focus are a great help. I've skimmed part of ETS' official guide and their Math review. Definitely a go to for the things that I'm unfamiliar with on top of the Manhattan books. I've like their strategy tips thus far too.

Unfortunately there's only one other TA for the course I'm covering, and they're pretty overwhelmed by their workload as it is. Asking them to cover my four tutorials is too much, but I've already got the next week of material covered and prepared for. I also don't have the money to pay them for covering my hours, or the time to return the favor down the road. I'm not super worried about the commitment. It's normally 10-12 hours of work a week, but the majority of my prep is done so it's really the 5-6 hours of teaching and office hours next week between Monday/Tuesday. Pretty minor.

 

 

[St0chastic]

If I were you I would go through one of the Magoosh math sections and then spend an hour or so doing practice problems for just that topic.  So maybe today you can start with arithmetic and fractions, tomorrow you can do percents and ratios + integer properties, the next day do algebra, and so on until you get to statistics.  Also, be sure to watch the videos at 1.5X speed so you can cover more with the time that you have.

Two or three days before your exam be sure to do the official practice tests to identify your remaining weaknesses and get a sense of pacing.  When doing the practice tests, make sure that you skip and mark the most difficult questions so that you have enough time to answer all the easy and medium ones.  If you have time left at the end, you can attempt the hard questions.

Edited November 5, 2015 by St0chastic

[phillyhed]

I'm taking the GRE on Monday and have been using Magoosh for the past month. I'm not sure what happened but the prep I'm doing seems to have "clicked" in the past three days. I've watched most of the videos. Pretty sure I'm not going to be able to get through everything. I need to spend a little more time on Geometry, including watching the videos about slope, and a little time on probability but what has really helped me in the past few days is doing tons of problems. I was doing maybe 20 problems a day for the past month. For the past few days, I've been doing at least double that including Magoosh and the Manhattan 5 lb book and I think it's making a world of difference. Because I haven't taken a math class in 17 years (I know, I'm old!) I had to watch the videos because I hadn't seen the material in such a long time but my advice is to spend as much time as possible doing problems and, if you are using Magoosh, watching the answer videos, especially for those you get incorrect.

Good luck!

[PhdApplicant311]

Cafewriting, I have 10 more days to go as well (Nov 19th really but I am assuming 10 days, I am also pregnant so I have 'off-days'!) and my practise test scores are just like your real test scores and am really nervous. I have been prepping diligently but over the last few days my brain has frozen. I am unable to even do basic addition and I seem to have forgotten all the rules I learnt a while ago. I am not able to solve problems and when I see the explanations, I go, "of course!" I seem to know the stuff but I am not able to do it. I was going through the Manhattan 5 LB problems topic by topic, 10-15 problems in each topic. 

Now, I am wondering if I should just stop for a while and if it's worth spending two days cramming all the basics again through Manhattan Guides, Magoosh Videos and the Empower Videos, and then start practising again.

BTW, if you haven't taken practise tests, start taking them ASAP. You will feel much more confident, given all that you've done so far, you're probably not as far behind as you think you are.

Unhelpful post but I thought I'd just share what someone in a similar position is going through. Good luck! And whatever you do, just don't stop studying. It's incremental and all adds up.

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

@PhdApplicant311

Ah! I know how you feel. I did a full Magoosh practice test this morning and got a 160V, and 148Q - a sign of my inability to remember basic Geometry and remember the strategies to conquer the different question types. After taking it I know exactly where my Math weaknesses are as well as where to focus some quick practice for Verbal. Oddly the percentages, statistics, counting and probability questions were the only things I tended to get right because of my quantitative methods training. I think there's something to be said about pushing through it. I was very tempted to call it quits and push it off until next Fall (after I graduate) when I realized I had 2 weeks to go with very little studying logged. That would mean applying for Fall 2017, so there would be an 8 month gap between when I finish/apply and then when I could start. Doing what, I don't know. But, then I got to thinking, the sections themselves are short (20 questions each) which feels like nothing when I consider the length of exams I've completed in far less time. I'd also kick myself if I didn't try and have the option to attend a program. 

The practice test was definitely helpful today, though exhausting. I definitely have a lot to get through in 7 days. I'll be sure to check in here as I go, and after my test day.

[PhdApplicant311]

Cafewriting, I'd say that's a nice big jump on Verbal, and Magoosh Quant questions can be tougher than they are on the exam, as attested by many users. Good luck! I am also trying to get through the day reviewing all the topics again. Btw, don't skip Data Interpretation, that's a guaranteed set of 4 questions at least on the test (a minimum of 2 in each section).  

[sriz1]

I think you should focus on Manhattan 5lb. for quants. I have my GRE on Nov 12th and need advice on how I can prepare for essays?

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

@PhdApplicant311

I know the initial conditions of my first take of the GRE strongly affected my scores, especially verbal. Now that I'm almost done my MA, the concepts aren't that foreign. I've found that I fall for particular traps largely because I don't pay enough attention to the specifics of questions. A little bit of practice on that front will probably secure me staying around that score (which is what I'm hoping for). Reviewing my mistakes through Magoosh has reminded me of some basic concepts I still know but forgot to apply and specific areas to focus. I have a plan for the weekend, I just need to stick with it.

@sriz1

Thanks for the tip. I have the 8 books from Manhattan, which are useful refreshers and full of good strategies in the areas of math that I struggle (and some good verbal recommendations too. Writing isn't something I'm worried about, and to be honest the first time I wrote the test I went in having never written a practice questions though I did read what the questions were looking for. I know I'm in a different position than many people as writing is a core feature of what I do (and I also spend a lot of time writing as a hobby) whereas others don't have to focus on it at all. For people who aren't in my position (which is the majority of people) I would tell you to practice but write about things you're interested in. The ETS GRE website has their database of prompts for both issue and argument essays. It's worth skimming them and finding one that appeals to you. The first time you do it, don't time yourself. Break down the issue or argument. I always develop a structure first (during an exam or even a paper) and then step back before I write to see if all of these parts are cohesive. If each part supports the next, as well as my overall argument, I move onto writing. As I write, I keep this structure in mind. If a new point comes up that I didn't initially think about, I add it in but I'm careful not to make it a tangent. Everything you present should be concise and related to your argument. Be specific and avoid using passive voice. I'm not sure if these things help, but I know writing about things I'm interested in both in terms of deconstructing arguments made in pieces (try doing it to news articles on topics of interest, or even journal articles in your field) and making a statement about something I'm interested in (do I fall into the same logical traps?)

[greMS15]

2 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

@PhdApplicant311

I know the initial conditions of my first take of the GRE strongly affected my scores, especially verbal. Now that I'm almost done my MA, the concepts aren't that foreign. I've found that I fall for particular traps largely because I don't pay enough attention to the specifics of questions. A little bit of practice on that front will probably secure me staying around that score (which is what I'm hoping for). Reviewing my mistakes through Magoosh has reminded me of some basic concepts I still know but forgot to apply and specific areas to focus. I have a plan for the weekend, I just need to stick with it.

@sriz1

Thanks for the tip. I have the 8 books from Manhattan, which are useful refreshers and full of good strategies in the areas of math that I struggle (and some good verbal recommendations too. Writing isn't something I'm worried about, and to be honest the first time I wrote the test I went in having never written a practice questions though I did read what the questions were looking for. I know I'm in a different position than many people as writing is a core feature of what I do (and I also spend a lot of time writing as a hobby) whereas others don't have to focus on it at all. For people who aren't in my position (which is the majority of people) I would tell you to practice but write about things you're interested in. The ETS GRE website has their database of prompts for both issue and argument essays. It's worth skimming them and finding one that appeals to you. The first time you do it, don't time yourself. Break down the issue or argument. I always develop a structure first (during an exam or even a paper) and then step back before I write to see if all of these parts are cohesive. If each part supports the next, as well as my overall argument, I move onto writing. As I write, I keep this structure in mind. If a new point comes up that I didn't initially think about, I add it in but I'm careful not to make it a tangent. Everything you present should be concise and related to your argument. Be specific and avoid using passive voice. I'm not sure if these things help, but I know writing about things I'm interested in both in terms of deconstructing arguments made in pieces (try doing it to news articles on topics of interest, or even journal articles in your field) and making a statement about something I'm interested in (do I fall into the same logical traps?)

Hi, 

Can you please let me know where can i find  prompts for both issue and argument essays  in  ETS GRE website ?

Many thanks!!

 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

3 minutes ago, greMS15 said:

Hi, 

Can you please let me know where can i find  prompts for both issue and argument essays  in  ETS GRE website ?

Many thanks!!

 

Pool of Issue Topics: http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/issue/pool

Pool of Argument Topics: http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/pool

[greMS15]

5 minutes ago, CarefreeWritingsontheWall said:

Pool of Issue Topics: http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/issue/pool

Pool of Argument Topics: http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/argument/pool

Thank you very much

 

[brown_eyed_girl]

I'm a bit late to the discussion, but one thing I don't think anyone here suggested yet is to look at average scores for people applying in your field vs. average scores of admitted students: 

http://magoosh.com/gre/2013/gre-scores-for-social-science-programs/

The scores given here seem to indicate that verbal is more important than quant, so I wouldn't totally give up on studying that quite yet, especially since you seem naturally better at verbal and studying could put you over the edge into an excellent score there whereas it seems like you won't become a math expert over night. Getting the quant score up a few more points (say a target of 150-154) would still put you in the right average range for admitted students at top 10 programs, as would raising your verbal just a point or two (maybe a target of 161-163).  

I'd also ask yourself where you think you can improve easily. I personally am terrible at retaining math, so I focused my attention on studying verbal since I'm much stronger in that and it's much more meaningful to my field (I got 166V). I know most people will tell you it's easier to improve math than verbal, but that's also quite dependent on your individual strengths. My studying for verbal consisted only of Magoosh vocab flash cards (the free app), since reading comprehension is not something you can improve much in a short time but words can be drilled easily, and knowing definitions off the top of my head was really helpful even when I already knew how to use a word in a sentence. I accepted that I'd never have a great Q score (or that it wasn't worth the effort/stress for me personally to try for that) but that a very good verbal score was within my abilities and would mean more to adcoms than a marginally better quant score. 

Good luck! 

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

@brown_eyed_girl

Ah yes! Great advice. I have the same approach when it comes to preparing for vocabulary. I've kept up with the Magoosh app and Manhattan flashcards. I'm onto the advanced sections now, and I have a list of complex words in my phone that I wasn't familiar with, paired with words I am. It seems to be helping and I'll admit, I'm learning words I never thought existed lol. I haven't completely avoided studying for Verbal, but I feel that practice is all I need to get it to being in the upper range. Congrats on a 166, that's fantastic!

Admittedly my Math score does need to be higher than that expected average of 151 for the programs I'm applying to - this is largely because most of them are focused on quantitative methods approaches to political science and they're within the top 15 schools in the US. The math itself isn't that difficult, it's more practicing and getting used to the time constraints - right now I'm getting over the 'panic under pressure' issue. I figure this isn't really going to go away until I've reviewed the content enough not to doubt my intuition, and I've practiced enough that I don't feel short on time. The Magoosh prep has already helped me to correct a lot of silly mistakes. I've also taken quantitative methods (statistical regression etc.) for a year now, both at my home institution and at reputable summer programs abroad. I have As in those courses and quantitative papers, which in a way could offset lower Quant score, but it's not guaranteed that they'll look for reasons to keep my application in the pile if my Q score remains in the 37th percentile (which is where I scored originally).

Across the next three days (MTW) I plan on going through the rest of the math I have yet to review (geometry, powers/roots, counting/probability) along with flashcards before I have two solid days of just practice questions (Thursday/Friday). I plan on doing sets of 20 verbal and math throughout both days and reviewing as I go. Right now I tend to get tripped up on Verbal questions only because I'm not reading the question clearly - so I'm going to focus on breaking that habit and getting used to what they're asking for. Test day is Saturday afternoon - 5 days to go!

[hdfries49]

Can anyone tell me how similar the actual gre questions are to the practice tests? I take the test in 3 days!!!

[StrongTackleBacarySagna]

4 minutes ago, hdfries49 said:

Can anyone tell me how similar the actual gre questions are to the practice tests? I take the test in 3 days!!!

If you're talking about Manhattan, ETS, etc. they're exactly the same

[hdfries49]

It's killing me! I do excellent on the Manhattan and not so good on the ETS. Took second ETS test, smashed it. Took another, did poorly. I am fairly consistent with my Manhattan scores, however...

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Just now, hdfries49 said:

It's killing me! I do excellent on the Manhattan and not so good on the ETS. Took second ETS test, smashed it. Took another, did poorly. I am fairly consistent with my Manhattan scores, however...

I think it would be worth it to consider what types of questions came up on the first ETS test that tripped you up. I know that I'm very good at a particular type of word problem, but if specific ones come up I might get stuck - which is all the luck of the test. Verbal might throw at you a bad passage. Have you reviewed the question types and the answers? Where did you get stuck? Might be good to practice those specifically.

[hdfries49]

Yes, I've reviewed everything. Have spent more than 120+ hours reviewing since early September.

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

14 minutes ago, hdfries49 said:

Yes, I've reviewed everything. Have spent more than 120+ hours reviewing since early September.

I don't doubt that you've reviewed everything in that amount of time - but the difference in scores has to be coming from getting particular question types you might be continuously having issues with. They might pop up on one version of the test, but not the other just because of how the questions are drawn from the entire universe of possible questions that could come up. This is what I meant by looking for the questions you got wrong, and what about them might lead you to get those questions wrong, rather than others. Is there a substantive difference between the type of questions you answered in one practice test vs. another? I think this is why you asked how close both practice tests are to the real one. The thing is, they all draw from the same universe of possible questions, but it could be that you have one test randomly pulling up a bunch of question types that you struggle with more than the others never do just by chance. That's where you might be best placed to focus or pay your attention with only 3 days to go, but this is only my opinion. E.g. I'm good at word problems overall, but the distance gap/motion questions trip me up most. If I had a test with decay/sequences/groups I would be fine, but one with distance might hinder me so that's where I'm focusing my practice.

I would also suggest you relax and take some time for yourself. Let go of the stress of putting in all that time. Sounds like you're ready more than anything to just get it over with.

Do the score predictions between those practice tests vary significantly? (by more than 5 points?) There is another thread in this forum where people write out the results of different practice tests they took as they studied to show their progression vs. what they actually got. I don't have much to compare because my studying has been more condensed than most people. They tend to say that Manhattan and ETS are close to reality, but can under-predict what your scores will be - most prep software tends to be conservative in that respect. I'm also not sure, but the power-prep software has the exact format of the real test, does Manhattan have an identical layout?

[Vince Kotchian GRE Prep]

hi Carefree,

I would always make sure you're reviewing the ETS questions you've done to see if you can identify an easier way to do the problem. ETS questions, unlike most questions written by Magoosh, Manhattan, etc., often have a built in reasoning component. Technique and logic are necessary as well as conceptual knowledge. (I'm sure you know this, but I didn't see it overtly addressed in this convo yet.)

I'd make flashcards for math questions you think have something that will come up again on a future questions: "Next time I see (this), I will try doing (this)".

I.e., as you get better at a concept (for example, percentages), it's increasingly important to make sure you get experience with lots of different ETS percentage questions and identify any reasoning opportunities as well as takeaways.

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

3 hours ago, Vince Kotchian GRE Prep said:

hi Carefree,

I would always make sure you're reviewing the ETS questions you've done to see if you can identify an easier way to do the problem. ETS questions, unlike most questions written by Magoosh, Manhattan, etc., often have a built in reasoning component. Technique and logic are necessary as well as conceptual knowledge. (I'm sure you know this, but I didn't see it overtly addressed in this convo yet.)

I'd make flashcards for math questions you think have something that will come up again on a future questions: "Next time I see (this), I will try doing (this)".

I.e., as you get better at a concept (for example, percentages), it's increasingly important to make sure you get experience with lots of different ETS percentage questions and identify any reasoning opportunities as well as takeaways.

ETS prep questions meaning questions in the ETS powerprep software or the official guide?

[Vince Kotchian GRE Prep]

Any question written by ETS from its three GRE books or the Powerprep tests is worth doing this with.

[doctor-to-be]

On 11/5/2015, 8:54:58, PhdApplicant311 said:

Cafewriting, I have 10 more days to go as well (Nov 19th really but I am assuming 10 days, I am also pregnant so I have 'off-days'!) and my practise test scores are just like your real test scores and am really nervous. I have been prepping diligently but over the last few days my brain has frozen. I am unable to even do basic addition and I seem to have forgotten all the rules I learnt a while ago. I am not able to solve problems and when I see the explanations, I go, "of course!" I seem to know the stuff but I am not able to do it. I was going through the Manhattan 5 LB problems topic by topic, 10-15 problems in each topic. 

Now, I am wondering if I should just stop for a while and if it's worth spending two days cramming all the basics again through Manhattan Guides, Magoosh Videos and the Empower Videos, and then start practising again.

BTW, if you haven't taken practise tests, start taking them ASAP. You will feel much more confident, given all that you've done so far, you're probably not as far behind as you think you are.

Unhelpful post but I thought I'd just share what someone in a similar position is going through. Good luck! And whatever you do, just don't stop studying. It's incremental and all adds up.

I TOTALLY relate to this. I believe the "frozen" sense is from anxiety. Test for me in Sat.