GRE advice?

[Darien]

Since it's summer for me, I figured now is a good time to prepare for the GRE (the general exam and the physics one. Right now the latter would probably beat me down).

Any tips on how to prepare? What's a good book for both of them? I was thinking about just using Physics by Tipler (it's used in the normal engineering/science sequence), but it's awfully large and I just need to get to the meat of things. (The advance sequence used Ohanian for mechanics and e&M and then Eisberg and Resnick for the quantum course. That last one is really wordy. My quantum course only finished 8 chapters of that).

Thanks.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Your language score is highly dependent on your vocabulary. Math is pretty simple, and strategies offered in books are very effective on them.

take some practice exams.

 

[yellowperil]

Also check out the Powerprep software. Since the test is computerized it's helpful to take a couple practice exams by software. Good luck

 

[ryzmah]

Don't know about the physics - subject tests can be pretty tough. For the general, use powerprep and maybe look at some vocab lists. The most important thing for the general test is to take your time early so you don't make any silly mistakes - because it's an adaptive test you can't go back, and the early questions are worth much more than the late ones (first ones put you in a general score range, later questions are fine tuning).

If Princeton Review makes a guide for the Physics test, it will show you everything you're expected to know. That way you can be sure to cover those subjects, and not waste time on material that won't be included. ETS usually publishes old exams as well, which should give you a good indication of what to expect.

 

[bUnMaNGo]

it might be a little tough finding old exams from ETS since they just changed the test in October... luckily I took the test during the last week of September and got the old analytical section They got rid of the old analytical section for an analytical writing section. Not sure how it is though, when I took the test, the writing sample was optional so I just skipped it

 

[Darien]

bump

 

[arynn]

I just took some practice computer tests to become familiar with the format and find out what my score should be. I would take a few practice tests and if you are unhappy with the score of any one section, look at the corresponding section of a test review book. I'm not sure how that will work for the writing section.

You'll probably need much more time to prepare for the Physics test, but there should be available study guides with practice exams.

 

[bigalt]

they don't have the logic section anymore, right?

for vocab, flash cards actually do work. go through the list from some book of the common words (which really do appear commonly) and make notecards of the ones you don't know. carry them around like 5 at a time and look at them during commercials, until you know them.

 

[Darien]

Evening bump

 

[amorse2183]

those flash cards work well, or just get a couple of those how to prepare books. i did quite well on the gre's and i am taking the LSAT next week, just to keep all options open. those kaplan books are pretty good.

 

[Darien]

Late night bump