GRE actual test vs Mock tests

[Mayurb29]

I recently took the GRE Test in few days back (145V and 158Q). I had practiced a lot of Mock test from TPR and ETS (2) and I was easily able to finish the exams (Quant part and Verbal) within the stipulated time, however, to my surprise in the actual GRE I couldn't finish the exam on time (Quant). Is it because I was under-prepared or these mocks are not the correct representation of the actual exam ?

I'll be re-taking the exam, could anyone suggest good online GRE Test series or Question bank ?  I have finished TPR online resources, Manahattan 5lb and ETS as well.

[pebs]

I had the same problem with running out of time on the quant sections on the actual exam vs the practice exams taken under real test conditions.  All in all, I feel like the Magoosh prep I did hurt me on the quant portion. It really got me inside my head in a bad way.   

[.letmeinplz//]

Mock tests will score you a little higher, I wasn't prepared for the sticky keyboard, sticky mouse, sticky table, smelly room, etc. Lots more distractions on test day, and of course knowing it is the real deal will stress you more than knowing it is practice.

[dagnabbit]

Not sure if you saw it already, but there is a really extensive thread about mock tests vs. the real thing already:

Might be useful! I think the consensus is that ETS' PowerPrep tests are the best predictors of your actual scores.

[GREMasterEMPOWERRichC]

Hi Mayurb29,

Test Day is a rather specific event - the details are specific and they matter, so you have to do your best to 'mirror' those details when you take your practice MSTs. The more you deviate during your practice, the more your scores can be "off" (and that often means 'inflated'). Here are some things to consider when you took/take your MSTs:

1) Did you take the FULL MST (including the Essays)?

2) Did you take the MST at home?

3) Did you start it at the same time of day as your Official GRE?

4) Did you do anything during your MST that you couldn't do on Test Day (skip sections, pause the Test, take longer breaks, etc.)?

5) Had you taken that Exam before? Did you see any questions that you already knew the answers to?

Thankfully, the GRE is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

GRE Masters aren't born, they're made,

Rich

[sociologicalpizza]

The Kaplan test prep book I used was amazing, I scored 3-4 pts higher on the real test than all the practice tests, felt super prepared, and was very happy with my scores. It was $20 but worth it for me, if you don't want to pay you can torrent it.

[abcde12345]

https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep2

Take these tests. Do at least one fully all in one go (essays, math and reading). I scored almost identically on these practice tests and the actual test.

[AlbertaUndergrad]

On 1/7/2017 at 10:04 AM, wet gremlin said:

I had the same problem with running out of time on the quant sections on the actual exam vs the practice exams taken under real test conditions.  All in all, I feel like the Magoosh prep I did hurt me on the quant portion. It really got me inside my head in a bad way.   

I'm just getting ready to start studying for the GRE. So you weren't a fan of Magoosh?

[NoMoreOrgo]

8 hours ago, AlbertaUndergrad said:

I'm just getting ready to start studying for the GRE. So you weren't a fan of Magoosh?

I thought Magoosh was quite helpful. However, the essay portions of their practice exams are not graded because they are not well staffed to handle hundreds of essays. The videos they had were helpful. IMO, most GRE prep stuff are good if you are willing to devote time to study. I just wouldn't recommend paying for those classes.

[DogsArePeopleToo]

15 minutes ago, NoMoreOrgo said:

IMO, most GRE prep stuff are good if you are willing to devote time to study. I just wouldn't recommend paying for those classes.

This is true. I used Magoosh and found the content, especially quant, to be very helpful. In the end, I was able to improve my quant by 4 points. That's not much, and I'd have liked it to be more, but the modest increase wasn't because Magoosh videos were bad; it was because I didn't do enough practice questions. So the bottomline is that while test prep material is important, equally - if not more - important is what you do with it.

[abcde12345]

Btw download the Magoosh GRE vocab app. I could learn new words on the go (bus, etc..) Super awesome!

[Preped]

We asked the exact same question (or maybe similar question, not exactly word for word exact :D).

Gladly, Kamal Wadhera of TCYonline provided as with a very helpful answer. You may check the link below for the interview:

Are Practice Tests Harder Than The Actual Test For GMAT or GRE?  -  https://www.preped.com/blog/are-practice-tests-harder-than-the-actual-test-for-gmat-or-gre/

Hope this helps

[milka49]

On 2/1/2017 at 9:38 PM, abcde12345 said:

Btw download the Magoosh GRE vocab app. I could learn new words on the go (bus, etc..) Super awesome!

I'm pretty sure this alone raised my Verbal score 10 points. I took a practice test, got a 155, got the app, studied words for a month in the bus (so probably 3-4 hours a week), took the actual test, and got a 165. I LOOOOOVE that app.

Edited February 24, 2017 by milka49
to stress how much I love the app!