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Taking postgraduate studies like a master’s or doctoral degree can help one further explore their chosen career path as these can help open up opportunities that would have been otherwise unavailable with only a bachelor’s degree.
However, similar to entering college for a bachelor’s degree, many universities require you to see your results for the Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, before you can start your postgraduate study.
The GRE is a way for universities to assess a candidate’s preparedness for postgraduate studies and also how they compare candidates against one another. Therefore, it’s safe to say that acing the GRE can be a significant factor in your acceptance to your postgraduate course of choice.
Still, preparation for the GRE can be difficult – not to mention expensive. So, how can you ace the test without spending too much on preparation? Here are the top cost-efficient tips on how to ace the GRE.
1. Before anything, learn how the test works.
If you want to maximize your preparation time and ensure you’re not wasting time, you should first learn how the test works. After all, how can you score well on a test you’re unfamiliar with?
With that said, getting a GRE study guide that can help you familiarize yourself with how the test works. There are many options for this, including but not limited to the official guides by ETS – they’re the ones responsible for creating the exam. They’re completely free so it’s a great way to start your preparation.
However, it’s also ideal if you can find resources that won’t just show you how the test is structured but also tips on how you can apply what you know on the exam itself. This can help you not only save on costs for preparation but also allow you to become more efficient at taking the GRE.
2. Study what you will encounter in the test.
Aside from learning how it’s structured, it’s also ideal if you only study what you will encounter in the exam itself. It might be obvious for most but it can be easy to lose focus and end up taking in unnecessary information that can’t be used on the exam.
This is especially true for the math section of the exam as many would have already stopped learning math after graduating from high school. Nevertheless, before you go and take out your old high school math books, try to find out which concepts will actually appear and focus on that.
This will allow you to work on your weaknesses and further improve your strengths, therefore, increasing the chances of you acing the test. If you are considering buying an affordable prep course ,Magoosh or Manhattan can be a good choice. You can see full comparison here.
3. Utilize the free resources you have available.
If you’re having more trouble with the verbal and vocabulary section of the exam, checking out your local library can help you further enhance your vocabulary.
Switching up what you read from contemporary literature to books by classic authors like Charles Dickens and F. Scott Fitzgerald can help expand your vocabulary and improve your score on the verbal section of the exam.
Checking out some of the periodicals available at your local library can also help with this. Reading articles from the New York Times, the New Yorker, and more can help not just expand your vocabulary but also broaden your knowledge on different topics.
4. Look for free practice tests you can take online.
Instead of enrolling in a prep course where it can cost you thousands, why not test your knowledge yourself? For this, you can look for free practice tests online that you can take to gauge your knowledge on different topics and how well you’re prepared for the exam.
These practice tests can also help you identify what areas you need to further improve and as they say, practice makes perfect, so continuously taking practice exams can help you ace the GRE when you finally take it.
This can also help reduce the nervousness of taking the exam as you can be more or less already familiar with how the exam works.
5. Create a study method that works for you.
Lastly, don’t forget to create or select a study method that works best for you. After all, not everyone absorbs information the same way so make sure that it’s something that can help you learn as much as you can for the exam.
For example, visual learners are more likely to absorb information when the information is presented to them visually like videos and flashcards. The latter is perfect if you don’t have much time to sit down and focus as they already have all the important information on them.
The only downside is that creating flashcards can be tedious. If you’re not up to creating flashcards of your own, then some of the free flashcards available online can be of help for this.
While some of them will offer you access to more flashcards for a fee, it’s recommended that you keep scrolling as you most likely won’t need them.
Final Thoughts
Earning a postgraduate degree can help open more opportunities for your chosen career path, allowing you to further explore options that would have been unavailable otherwise. However, before you can do so, you first need to take the GRE which can determine whether or not you get into the university of your choice.
While no one trick can help you ace the test, following the aforementioned tips can help you be more prepared and possibly ace the test – all while saving on costs for preparation.
However, the most important thing is that you keep on practicing and do your best during the actual exam.
