One of the most daunting parts of early GRE prep planning is realizing how many seldom-used words can appear on the test. While a comprehensive plan to comb through the dictionary memorizing each word you don’t know may sound like the best plan of action, odds are you don’t have the time, energy, or patience to do this. Even if you were to (which would be quite impressive), it doesn’t guarantee a perfect score on the vocabulary portion of the test. I’d recommend using the below strategies (in no particular order) to develop a robust and effective study plan.

As someone who’s spent over twenty years in school and is currently pursuing both MD and MPP degrees, I’ve taken my fair share of tests. For as long as I can remember, tests have been both milestones and gatekeepers. The first “high-stakes” tests I took were the SAT and ACT in preparation for college admissions. After many midterms and finals in college, I faced the MCAT for admission to medical school and the GRE for admission to public policy school. Since then, I have gone through three USMLE Step exams for my medical license and numerous finals during medical school. Along the way of taking all these tests, I settled on three strategies for success.

When I first approached GRE text completion questions, I did what came naturally to me and what has been reinforced by years of standardized testing: I read the question, read the possible answers, and decided which answer seemed most right using the tools in my toolbelt--process of elimination, logical deduction, and the like. Maybe, if I was working extra hard, I’d follow my dad’s age old advice of going back to double check my answers if I had extra time.

Maybe you have just begun studying for the GREs; maybe you’re about to write your personal statement for applications; maybe you have a set of formulas you need to memorize. Whatever it is you are setting out to begin, your relationship to that work and how it fits into your life isn't just a matter what it is you want to accomplish, but how you do it. You might spend Saturday in an anxious combination of studying for the GREs and checking primary results, Instagram, and researching the best [face masks/bluetooth stereo/indoor houseplants/techniques for combatting insomnia] OR spend Saturday morning studying in six pomodoro sessions and Saturday afternoon doing something fun with your friends. You’ve done the same amount of work, but the first option leaves you feeling stressed out and depressed, and the other option leaves you feeling accomplished and invigorated.

So you got your score back, and you’re not thrilled. What now?

Increasingly, law schools are rethinking the LSAT as the best (and only) metric of law school success. Its predictive value has long been questioned, and law school deans often publicly question how useful a tool it is (and then proceed to use it, powerfully, anyways).

I taught GRE and LSAT for several years at Pagoda Academy in Seoul, one of the largest test-prep companies in South Korea and during that time. I helped many Korean students who spoke English as a Second Language achieve significant improvements in scores thanks to shortcuts and techniques I developed (after 4 years of studying for the LSAT) to get a 99^th percentile on the June 2016 LSAT (my 5^th try). 

Some people may think that the LSAT and GRE have nothing in common.  In actuality, there are many strategies from the LSAT that can be transferred to the GRE verbal.  As someone who has not only taught the LSAT and the GRE for years, but speak English as a second language, I have a unique perspective on verbal test taking strategies.  You may think it would be impossible for me to out-perform native speakers in the verbal section, but I received a perfect score of 170 in both sections of the exam.  I did this by deploying a few strategies, as outlined in my synopsis!

Basic Data Analysis Topics

Do not underestimate the data analysis section of the GRE. It covers a lot of material, one of which is probability (which is an advanced topic) and that isn't taught very well in school. But probability is also a very small percentage of the test, so think hard about whether or not you want to spend time on it if you have limited time to study. A lot of my students come to me and say straight off the bat that they want to start with probability. They know they are weak in it and want to attack it right away. But 100 percent of the time, I find that it is not the probability that is costing them valuable points, but basic arithmetic, word problems, or table reading. So don’t underestimate the basic topics!

Whatever the next chapter of your life that you’re getting ready for here, I promise you that being a more effective, thoughtful reader is not going to put you at a disadvantage.

Now the other two question types on the verbal reasoning section are known as “text completion” and “sentence equivalence.” questions. These are confusing terms for confusing questions that are essentially just college level vocabulary tests.