Hire a GRE Tutor/Take a Class

The most obvious approach is to hire a tutor, if one is offered in your area, or take a class, if you find one nearby. One advantage of a tutor is he/she can help target areas where you need work, assigning practice problems and citing helping resources.

While a class does not offer as much individualized attention, concepts and strategies are neatly parceled out. Also, weekly homework assignments can keep you stay focused.

Change Your Prep Material

Most of previous takers of GRE are former Kaplan users. I know that is far from a ringing endorsement for the test prep behemoth, but many bought the Kaplan book thinking that test prep success could be had by simply opening the book.

The truth is you will want to prep with a variety of material. Some publishers offer excel in certain areas and are found wanting in others. Many are simply wanting.

So research the test prep cosmos to find the best GRE book. Actually, I’ve made this process slightly easier – read any one of my numerous reviews on the main prep books on the market.

Target Your Attack

When prepping for a test as diffuse and difficult as the GRE one can easily become overwhelmed. Where to prep and what to prep are just a few questions you may ask yourself.

Once you’ve found the best prep materials you will want to make sure that you become strong in all areas. Sometimes doing so means becoming pretty good in one area vs. trying to become really strong in one area while languishing in others.

If this is your second time around, make sure to come up with a study schedule that is a mix of practice questions and concept review. And make sure to cover new ground instead of becoming fixated in one area.

Tweak Your Strategies

Without a tutor by your side, you may find it difficult to tweak your strategies. A good idea would be to go through this blog and explore the recommended strategies for different sections. Do those strategies match up with your own? If not, you will seriously want to consider changing the way you approach certain questions.

Simulate the Test

Test day can be harrowing. But it can be a lot less so, if you’ve taken several practice tests under timed conditions. Make sure to simulate the test environment as fully as possible – no extended breaks. But don’t worry, you won’t have to raise your hand if you need to use the bathroom.