The SAT is a mandatory requirement for undergraduate admissions, and the GRE General Test must be passed by all graduate programs. Although the GRE does not test for any specific academic discipline, it will assess your executive functioning skills. GRE test writers aim to evaluate your executive reasoning ability in the way that a CEO thinks.

Your ability to organize and prioritize information in a way that allows you to problem solve efficiently is key to your success on the GRE. These GRE preparation tips will maximize your performance.

1. Analytical non-fiction is a great way to learn.

Is it possible to lose weight if you eat less calories than you get nutritionally? The same principle underlies proper nutrition.

If you don’t spend enough time engaging in non-fiction and analytical research, GRE preparation can become too difficult. Study after study shows that those who excel in the verbal section are often students majoring in philosophy or liberal art, who are well-versed with academic writing from their undergraduate courses.

While it might not be something you enjoy doing, reading about subjects that aren’t related to your main interests may prove rewarding. You will need to be able to read a wide range of texts in order to pass the GRE’s reading passages.

2. Follow a GRE study schedule

Individuals will need to spend a different amount of time studying for the GRE. However, students should be able understand the test and that usually takes three months of preparation. Five months might be more if time is available. It is important to have a well-structured study plan that you stick with.

You might not have to study as much if you are a high-achieving student in math and a good reader. However, your previous experience can help you get a head start. Don’t get too confident, and don’t underestimate your GRE.

Make sure to plan a realistic day. Your own coach and teacher. Preemptively studying is key to ensuring a smooth test day.

3. Practice tests

Stress is a big problem when taking the GRE. Each section might be manageable, but the test itself (3 hours and 45 minute) is too much. Preparedness is key. You should also be flexible and increase your GRE mileage each week over several months. Students who lack stamina are at risk of low scores.

Also, practice tests can be a great way to improve your speed. These practice tests will provide valuable benchmarks and help you build endurance during testing. You will be able to confidently complete the entire GRE test by practicing it.

You should practice your GRE test under similar conditions as the real thing. Your brain should become familiar with taking the test under realistic circumstances.

4. Recognize your weaknesses

These are the most difficult areas of the GRE. If you are a great math prodigy and can’t use dense prose on complex topics, then you might find it difficult to swim through dense prose. People who find integers, exponential properties tedious will often have difficulty understanding math concepts.

It is important to understand your weaknesses so that you can work towards them. This will help you build a balanced pace in your studies. Make sure you do everything possible to make your study plan more effective. Although it might seem daunting at first, it will become less complicated over time.

You should be able to focus on areas that you feel comfortable with, and not just exercises that are easy. Working through challenging and weighty material will help you focus.

5. Your progress can be charted

Prospective employers look for proof of applicants’ contributions to work projects when interviewing candidates. They value concrete, statistical evidence that shows accomplishments (such a 5% increase in sales or a 50% reduction in operating expenses).

GRE preparation is also enhanced by having clear benchmarks for performance. It is essential to track your progress. This will give you an overview of score improvement and objectively evaluate your study methods.

You should establish a consistent metric to measure improvement. This should include a set of criteria that you can use to track your progress each week or daily. Regular self-evaluation can help you identify your progress for each question type or section. You can also track your study schedule to spot any problematic patterns.

6. Trust your gut instinct

Most likely, you have faced multiple-choice questions. You may have narrowed your choices but couldn’t choose between two viable answers. After analysing the problem and gathering information, you’ve narrowed down your options, evaluated them, and then reduced them to two via elimination.

Gut instinct is not a frightening concept. It is simply another way to say intuition. You might be nervous about taking the GRE if you are putting your money on a 50% chance of passing. Trusting your gut is a great way to make rational decisions.

It’s okay to follow your gut instinct as long as you are well prepared and have a sound test-taking strategy. Your subconscious mind is a vastly important part of our lives. When your conscious mind fails to make the right decision, your intuition can be a valuable tool.

The key takeaways

GRE preparation with effectiveness will make your brain more flexible and smarter. Retrospectively, it is obvious that there are simple rules to improving your GRE studying habits. Finding a study space that allows you to concentrate without distractions will help you put your best effort towards achieving the highest GRE scores.

GRE is an international general admissions test that is accepted at thousands of graduate programs. The GRE is a great opportunity to get scholarships and admissions. A high GRE score can even be offset by a low GPA.

Follow the above strategies to sharpen your GRE study skills. You can expect to see improvements in your GRE scores as well as your reasoning skills if you put in enough effort.