This is not what you actually planned for. Maybe you delayed it or procrastinated or it can be just that you recently found out that your program requires GRE or prefers GRE.
Against all odds stacked against you scoring a decent score, you CAN actually study and cram for the GRE, even if you have very little time. Below is a 1 week GRE study guide to help you improve your score!
Materials
• ETS Official Guide to GRE
• ETS’s Powerprep 2.0 Software
• GRE Flashcards (
Magoosh free link
https://gre.magoosh.com/flashcards/vocabulary, vocabulary.com, quizlet.com)
• New Barron’s 333 High frequency words.
Day 1 – 3 – Identify your strengths and weaknesses
If you are struggling in Math, then begin with reviewing basic concepts for the first 2 days from ETS GRE Math review. An effective learning strategy is to go through the problems in the ETS Official guide and learn from their solutions. There are many preps which offer very good solutions to the ETS problems. You can refer to those and learn the concepts in a reverse engineered way.
There are enough practice questions in the ETS Official guide and ETS Math review. Always remember the fact that the practice questions given in these books are the closest to actual GRE in terms of quality. So in other words. The more you practise the better for you in this short time.
Often, students are more casual towards the verbal section then they are the math section. They reason that if they know how to read, then they should be able to score well. The Revised GRE has many obstacles that can stymie even careful readers. You must learn the lay of the land, so to speak.
If vocabulary is daunting for you, use GRE flashcards. To memorize words as you go through practice questions, you can also use quizlet.com, which allows users to create online flashcards. Then, go through ETS official guide verbal practice questions to hone your newfound strategies, and strengthen your vocabulary.
If you are having difficulty with both sections, then make sure not to neglect one. Try as much as possible to balance your prep. This goes for those topics that you find difficult
Day 4 – Mock Test
Take a Practice Test – PowerPrep Software/The Official Guide to the GRE
There is no better way to prepare for the big day than by taking a practice test. Both the Official Revised Guide and the Powerprep offer you tests—the former paper-based, the latter online. After a few days reviewing concepts and doing practice problems from ETS Official Guide, the test shouldn’t be as daunting as it may have been only four short days ago. While you many not get your target score, you shouldn’t despair. You still have time.
Day 5 – Continue to do questions and lessons.
Continue doing practice questions from the Official Guide. Just as importantly, revisit questions you missed in the past. Can you get them right the second time? If not, why? Are there certain techniques and strategies that you are struggling to apply? By this time, you should have reviewed the basics.
Day 6 – Almost There
You are getting very close. It is key not to become too stressed out. I know this is hard, but even if you are still missing many questions at this point, know that each error is an opportunity for improvement.
If you are not ready to take another PowerPrep test, don’t feel you have to (if you have time, make sure to review your mistakes). Review questions, and do more questions from the Official Guide.
If you are struggling with vocabulary, don’t worry too much (after all, memorizing a thousand words in a week is difficult – and won’t necessarily help you identify words in context). Do your best to eliminate. And don’t be afraid to guess on test day. Still, it doesn’t hurt to try to learn the words you encounter in New Barron’s 333 HFW.
Day 7- Judgement Day
You should have gotten a good night’s rest. Make sure you are calm and as collected as possible. If you still need to go through formulas or strategies, do so, but make sure the experience isn’t making you feel stressed. If it is, stop. Remember, going in with a clear head is far better than shaking in trepidation as you walk into the test center. And remember, if you’ve followed the above GRE study guide, you have much to be proud of. You’ve come a long way in so little time.