Want to know how to prepare for the GRE?
I’m no expert on this, so I’m going to give you my quick and dirty tips. Basically, they are:
1) Start Early
2) Pick a Program and
3) Stick to It.
Start Early:
If you’re serious about boosting your score: Start Early.
I repeat, Start Early.
6 months is probably enough time.
Learn about the test:
The first thing you’re going to want to do is learn about the test. I could summarize the information for you here, but it might change and you’re better of going directly to the source: Educational Testing Service (ETS).
I recommend checking out this official page on the Test Structure & Content.
Another great place for information is the Magoosh GRE Blog.
Set a date for the exam:
Start with when your applications are due (January probably). So you’ll want to take the GRE in November at the latest to allow time for the scores to be sent. If you’re going to take the GRE more than once, maybe try it once in September and then again in late October or early November. So, to give yourself about 6 months of practice time, you’ll want to start around April.
Pick and register for a test date ASAP. Test dates can fill up quickly and if you have a date in mind, it’ll help you to stay focused on your preparation.
Figure out a Program
To Pay or Not to Pay:
You’re probably thinking about using just free materials to prepare for the GRE. That’s great, but I have to tell you it can be a little overwhelming. I tried that approach at first and found I was wasting a lot of time just trying to figure out which materials were good!
In the end, I saved myself a lot of time and headaches and paid for a study program.
Setting a Schedule for You:
Once you’ve figured out what material you’re going to use (like a program or a book), you want to set a realistic study schedule. Two hours a day is probably not going to happen. Shoot for something more reasonable like 30 minutes per day. If you’re consistent, the effort will pay off.
Magoosh offers some free study plans targeted for different lengths of time.
Magoosh and why I like it
I’ve mentioned some of Magoosh’s free resources above, and so I want to mention why I like Magoosh so much. First off, their material is really good. Read my in-depth review of it here. Second, their mission is to make test-prep affordable & accessible.
Now, I’m going to get on a soap box here for a moment and talk about the cyclical nature of generational poverty – if you can afford $1,000+ for a great GRE prep course, its probably going to help boost your score a lot. Which might help you get some great financial aid. Which means you won’t have as much debt when you get out of college. Which means you’re ahead in creating wealth… which means when you have kids you can pay for their GRE prep course…and so the cycle continues. It might sound crazy, but if you take a moment and think about privilege and the status quo (or better yet research it!), you’ll find it is true. So, more than saving you a few dollars, affordable test preparation is part of the engine of social change and closing socioeconomic achievement gaps. Research it. Read about it. I dare you.
Stick To It
Once you’ve got a study program, STICK TO IT!
It won’t help you at all to pay for a program or order a book if it just sits on your shelf gathering dust. You have to USE IT!
Motivation:
I admit, I’ve had a few rough patches during my GRE prep where I don’t study for a few days and I feel like I’m not advancing at all. It’s tough. To remain motivated, I might read about success stories, try to just do something small everyday for the GRE (even if its just learning one new word).
Prepping for the GRE so SLP school is a huge task. Really thought, the steps you need to follow are quite simple: Start early. Pick a program. Stick to it.
Good luck!