Writing sections of standardized tests are perhaps the most difficult to prepare for, only because you never know exactly what you are going to be asked. Granted, you don’t know specifically what math problems or English questions you’ll have to answer either, but at least you can study the basic concepts. When it comes to writing an essay, you can only prepare so much – but there are ways to prepare, and it all begins with getting an understanding of what type of writing test you are facing. On the GRE, the writing section is formally referred to as the Analytical Writing section. As you could easily assume, this is because... Read More About How to Study for the Writing Section of the GRE

When you first begin preparing for this portion of the exam, the seemingly endless variety in math problems may overwhelm you. Such a wide array of mathematical concepts are covered, making it seem impossible to digest them all. That is why committing a substantial amount of time to them is key. In fact, the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE may be the most time-consuming in terms of studying. But don’t freak out just yet – not all of these problems are going to be foreign to you. In fact, you’re likely to remember a lot of them, or at least recall the processes relatively quickly. This is because the math on this exa... Read More About How to Study for the Quantitative Reasoning Section of the GRE

The Verbal section of the GRE is actually quite simple in terms of what to expect. When you first take a look at a set of practice questions, you’ll most likely be reminded of elementary school English tests because of the high volume of fill-in-the-blanks. Yes, a big part of the section is choosing which words will fill in the blanks of sentences most logically. Sounds easy, but it actually requires more preparation than you’d think. The reason for this is that the options of words given to you are not going to be every-day vocabulary. Most of them won’t even be close to every-day vocabulary. This section is going to throw ... Read More About How to Study for the Verbal Reasoning Section of the GRE

One of the many pressures of attempting to get into grad school is scoring well on the GRE.  A very quirky test, it can be quite intimidating when you first start reading up on it, but the structure is actually quite simple.  There are six sections total, but only three broad skill areas that will be covered – analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.  Now, it should not be underestimated how broad these areas really are.  In studying for this exam, you will need to go back and re-learn a ton of information you may or may not have looked at since high school.  But what makes the structure ... Read More About How to Prepare for the GRE

The classes you take outweigh the grades you earn in them – or at least that’s the case at most grad schools. Grad schools want to see that you challenged yourself academically, instead of just padding your GPA. While most schools still require a strong GPA to be accepted, they pay very close attention to the classes you took. For example, an A in a cooking class like “Cuisine 101” can actually hurt your chances of being accepted, and a B (or even a B-) in an Advanced Chemistry class can improve your chances, especially if you’re applying to a science program. But, ultimately if you can earn an A in your Advanced... Read More About Best Classes For Grad School Admissions

Graduate schools receive more applications than you could ever imagine. That’s no secret to anyone. So, grad school admissions committees (comprised of counselors, professors and sometimes even students) use a systematic process for filtering applications. When admissions committees see your application, they are trying to answer one question: will this student be successful here and in his/her career? This is the filter most grad schools drag applications through: 1. GPA/GRE screening: Typically, grad schools place a stronger emphasis on research and practical experience than test scores, assuming they are a better predictor of futur... Read More About How Graduate Schools Analyze Applications

The sooner you figure out exactly what it is you want to do, the better. Then, you can start marketing yourself as a budding chemist (for example). And that is exactly how to perk up a grad school admissions counselor. Graduate schools don’t want students who are still trying to figure out what they want to do. They want students who are set on a field, and are now doing everything they can to get there. There’s one simple way to show you’re one of those students: take a GRE subject test. A GRE subject test measures your knowledge/analytical thinking skills in a specific field and is much more specialized than the standard... Read More About How To Prepare For GRE Subject Tests

On your application, great test scores and grades speak for themselves, and everyone knows how important those are. But, there are a lot of other factors that can boost your application and ultimately your chances for acceptance. Most grad schools require a transcript, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and admissions essay(s). Make sure you include all these components, or you may be automatically rejected. Transcripts: It’s not all about your GPA. Grad schools want to see a challenging undergrad curriculum. So, if you earn a 4.0 with a bunch of easy classes like “The History of the Alphabet 101,” you will rank lower t... Read More About Improving Your Graduate School Application

First things first: the GRE is for graduate schools, but not for MBA programs (that requires the GMAT); however, some business schools may accept it. Background: The GRE is a computer-based test that generates questions based on your previous answers. If you continue to correctly answer questions, they will get harder. The test has three sections: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and analytical writing. The test was updated in August 2011 to more accurately reflect the current thinking skills needed in graduate schools. The quantitative reasoning/verbal reasoning sections are now scored on a 130-170 range with one point increments. T... Read More About How To Improve Your GRE Score