Award-Winning GRE Courses & Classes in Portland, OR

If you'd like help preparing for the GRE, you can rely on Varsity Tutors to provide a high-quality Portland GRE course. We can set you up with an online class experience where you meet live with your instructor and a group of classmates. This encouraging, collaborative course provides comprehensive content review and additional information on how the GRE works, what test day looks like, and other pertinent details.

The GRE is recognized worldwide as providing graduate program admissions boards a reliable indicator of how well prepared applicants are for graduate-level study. Even for programs that don't require you to take the GRE, your test score and information will be accepted with the rest of your application materials and taken into consideration. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of every opportunity to study as effectively as possible.

What will the Portland GRE course cover as far as subjects?

There are common skills that all graduate students need to be successful. Whether your goal is to earn your master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University's College of Urban and Public Affairs, or you plan to obtain your Master of Engineering at the University of Portland's Shiley School of Engineering, it's important to be proficient in reading, math, writing, and critical thinking. These are the subjects tested on the GRE's Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing sections. We can look at a brief overview of each section here.

The Verbal Reasoning section consists of 40 multiple-choice questions with a time limit of one hour. Reading comprehension questions are passage-based, allowing you to demonstrate your understanding of the material you read. Text completion problems provide short passages, each with a blank section. You choose the option that best expresses the thought. Sentence equivalence questions give you partial information in one sentence, and you need to choose the best answer to form a proper and informational sentence.

The Quantitative Reasoning section contains 40 questions of three types: quantitative comparison, multiple-choice, and numeric entry. They cover basic math, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. This is your chance to display your abilities in problem-solving and logical reasoning. You have a total of 70 minutes to complete this section.

The Analytical Writing section requires you to provide clear and coherent written responses to two passages. In one, you analyze an issue, and in the other, you analyze an argument. You're allowed 30 minutes for each response, from reading to planning and writing. It's important that you can analyze the author's use of supporting evidence to back up their claims, and that you can use evidence found in the author's essay to back up your claims about it. Finally, you must use proper written English conventions such as grammar, punctuation, and so on.

This gives you an idea of the skills that will be assessed on the GRE. You can expect to conduct a thorough review of all of them in your Portland GRE course. The instructor may be able to spend a bit more time on a subject if most or all of the students need more time. If you face a subject that's especially challenging to just you, you can sign up through one-on-one tutoring sessions through Varsity Tutors. You can spend as long or short a time with your tutor as necessary for you to feel confident that you've mastered the material. Varsity Tutors does everything we can to make sure you have a positive GRE test prep experience.

What are the benefits of preparing for the test in a Portland GRE class?

An important advantage of studying with a professional instructor is the fact that it can be very difficult to evaluate your own deficiencies. Or more precisely, you may know what's causing you problems, but not be certain of the cause. It's difficult to find a solution without knowing the cause. An experienced instructor can be more likely to diagnose your particular challenges and better yet, offer suggestions for improvement that have worked for other students.

Speaking of other students, you can discuss different strategies to improve your prowess with the other students in your Portland GRE class. Maybe you have some ideas that may benefit one or more of them, as well.

Standardized exams call for additional preparation beyond content and capabilities review and practice. In order to truly be ready for the GRE, it may be important for you to know things like a detailed breakdown of the schedule on the day of the exam, and the structure of the test and the questions. Sometimes questions on these types of tests are worded in a way that seems confusing. Your instructor can go through some commonly misunderstood questions and describe what they are actually asking for, almost like you're learning to speak a new language.

Your Portland GRE class instructor may also introduce test-taking strategies to help alleviate anxiety and manage your time. These can go together. Because the stakes for this exam are high, you're under pressure to finish in time. The more confident you are that you can answer questions at an expedient pace, the less likely that pressure will cause you great anxiety. Your GRE class can include additional techniques for helping you on test day. Why not give Varsity Tutors a call and find out more?

How do I get set up with a Portland GRE course that fits into my schedule?

At Varsity Tutors, we value convenience. Not our convenience, but yours. That's why we offer both two- and four-week GRE courses, and begin multiple new class sections each week at different times of the day and days of the week or weekend. Since classes are online, you can study from your home in the evening, your lunch break at work, or another convenient time.

We also make it as easy as possible to sign up for a GRE class. Simply contact Varsity Tutors today, answer a few questions regarding your test prep situation, and we'll set you up in an appropriate Portland GRE prep course that matches your GRE preparation needs. We look forward to guiding you as you work towards your goals.