Need-to-Know GRE Tips & Strategies
General
- Get to know your test
You won't get any extra time to read the directions during the exam, so make sure you're familiar with them before you take it. - Relax the night before the test
Don't cram. Studying at the last minute will only stress you out. Go to a movie or hang out with a friend - anything to get your mind off of the test!
Test Specific
- Antonyms
Keep in mind that many words have more than one meaning. If no choice seems to have the opposite meaning, think of other meanings for the question word. - Analogies
Because the questions are so short, use analogies as a time saver. If you can do them quickly (and correctly!) you will have more time to spend on the lengthier reading comprehension questions. If you are having trouble determining the relationship of the first pair of words, try examining them in reverse order. But remember, you must then look at the answer choices the same way! - Sentence completion
Don't look at the choices until you've read the sentence and tried to guess what the missing word or words should be. Then scan the answers, looking for the one that means the same as your guess. - Reading comprehension
Read the questions first; that way, you'll quickly recognize important information when you read the passage. - Multiple-choice math
If the answer choices are close together, like 267, 369, 270, 272, and 273, you will need a fairly precise answer. If, however, they are far apart, like 110, 282, 468, 687, and 792, feel free to work with approximate numbers. You'll probably come up with an answer that is close enough to pick the right answer. - Quantitative comparison
If both columns of a quantitative comparison contain the same variable, like x, try plugging in a few values for the unknown. - Analytical Writing
Concentrate on the elements on which you'll be scored: your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. Grammar and mechanics are not emphasized.
