Anyone here taken the GRE?
 

I've taken about 1 month off from work to study for this exam. I requested another month for additional studying last week.

Any tips on how to do well? Anything to avoid? Exam experiences?

So far, I've gone through all the math on Barrons and Kaplan. Gone through and know most of the 5000 most common vocab words. Still have Nova, Big Book, and Power Prep to go through.

Anything else I missed?

number one rule of shit like that man is to chill the fuck out if your get to stressed you will spazzoid and not show your potential. Seeing as you are a newb that can't be good anyway :P GL man

I found it harder than the SATs. But that's probably because I had 4 years of doing nothing in college to rot my brain.

You've already prepped too much. That thing is cake.

One word of advise though: don't fall asleep during the test. Ask me how I know!

I took it back in... '03? I don't know if the format is any different now. It wasn't nearly as arduous as the SATs. Taking the thing on the computer made me less likely to go back and check my answers, that's about all I recall.

This was the first time I scored higher on math than english in a standardized test. I don't know if I got dumber in college, if I under-prepped for language, or if the language test was actually difficult. I only took one math class in college - 'Discrete Math', yet the math section seemed easier than the SAT. Meh.

basically - if you're shooting for percentile similar to your SAT performance, just remind yourself how to take a standardized test, remember or relearn the little cheats that narrow down the choices, and get some good rest.

1. I didn't study for it. I'm glad I didn't, because just like the SAT/ACT, if I'd stressed out and wasted my time/effort and then realized how easy it was, I'd have been royally pissed at myself.

2. It's easier than the SAT. It's easier because there aren't a bazillion sections asking the same thing.

3. I'm assuming you'll take the computer test. Just make sure that you outsmart the computer and do well on the first few questions. I'm sure you got this tip (at least I hope you did) from your prep materials, I got it by googling "GRE" the morning before my test.

4. In all likelihood you'll score somewhere around your SAT score. My GRE score was 20 points below my SAT score.

I took it back in 2005. English not being my first language, I was very thorough with the word lists and it paid off. Math was a piece of cake. The essay stuff took most of my prep time after the word lists.

My only advise is, take as many mock tests as you can; its like doing actual laps in a racecar as opposed to sitting in the paddock and talking about what lines to take on the track: You are honing your "racecraft" in the most direct way possible.

Just took the GRE again. Kicked ass. So happy, had to share...

770 verbal (98th percentile)
740 quantitative (94th percentile)
-----------
1510 total

Now I'll have time to get to what's really important...turboing my miata.

Nice score man... Congrats.

Very nice. I took the GMAT in 06, thought it was pretty stressful, mainly because I had been out of school for 6 years and hadn't had to use my brain that much. I will be taking the GRE, along with the GRE Math Subject Test this fall, though.

Yah, I've been out of school for 5 years. It was hard getting back in it.

GF took the GRE a few years ago and scored the max on math and analytical. She's a fart smeller.

the material is not difficult. its the time limit that can be a problem. Math i'm good, but verbally im retarded. I don't think there is a lot a person can do about raising their verbal score. It's learned over time. Reading helps a lot. Math is easy to learn quickly.

True.

I reviewed the material for all of about 1 day. Went in took it and did just fine.

This for me as well... I almost scored perfect on the SAT in the math section with a 760, but my verbal score dragged me down. Thank God I know math well and don't use my verbal skills at my job.

I had the same problem, I pegged math at 800, and my verbal was like 610. Not so good with latin and word roots, etc.

610 was HIGH compared to my 550 in verbal... :(

Took the GMATs last summer, I realize it's a totally different test but the advise I can give you is just be familiar with the testing schema, know what type of questions they tend to ask.

And like everyone else said, DON'T STRESS OUT!!!!

Tests.... So useless in the real world.

Will not argue with that... Experience > tests

At least I hope so.......