Work for Top GRE Verbal Score!

Hi all, a good score in GRE is indispensable to your grad school admission. Even so important is a good score in the Verbal Reasoning segment. Research shows that some very good Universities in the US do zero in on an admission based on the Verbal score. Now is that not really great!!

The ETS, the official examiner of GRE states that the Verbal Ability segment is evaluated over a score of 800. Students taking GRE can secure anything between 200 and 800 (the least being 200 and the maximum being 800). So a judicious and proper preparation for the test will certainly ensure a maximum score of 800.

Some top Universities in the US like University of California, Berkeley insists on an 85 percentile for admission. And to surprise you all let me tell you even a score of 550 in Verbal is considered just a 75 percentile. So one thing is obvious in order to join the University that is globally reputed and realize your dreams you need to score more than 550 in Verbal.

Work for Top GRE Verbal Score

There might be exceptions certainly. In the sense, if a student is applying for a Pure Mathematics degree and has had a commendable track record i.e. undergraduate education in the same (some basic research work, papers, presentations etc), there might be some concession the University offers in the GRE Verbal score.

Whether we like it or not the ‘Adaptive’ nature of the test puts the students into a comfort zone. Although a student appearing for GRE is allotted a specific number of questions, the questions are asked in the increasing order of difficulty. It means if you are able to solve a tough question, then you are posed with a tougher one. And if you are unable to crack the tough question, the next question that appears is going to be considerably simpler.

Hope I made it as clear as possible. This is what a ‘Computer Adaptive Test’ means. So even if you have had answered many simpler questions correctly, you may not expect an awesome GRE score, on the contrary if you have answered a few tougher ones, the score reflects positively and on the higher side. Ahem, interesting isn’t it?

So now let us get back to our test preparation strategies. No examination on this earth is predictable. It is no longer an examination once it becomes predictable isn’t it? So the best thing to do is to prepare for the examination in a determined way, in stead of performing an autopsy on examination strategies and techniques (doing an autopsy like that according to me is a magnificent wastage of time!!).

We now know that the Verbal Reasoning section in the Graduate Record Examination is given a lot of importance then why not spend some quality time preparing for it?

Let me come to the point. I see many students asking me the most desirable time frame for GRE preparation. When can I, or when should I start preparing for GRE? These types of questions keep appearing and reappearing in my inbox. There is nothing called decent time frame. Learning pace is relative. So as an aspiring student you know your speed. Don’t you?

Hence determine the time frame accordingly. If you are a very fast learner and your retention power is on the higher side then you can perhaps spend six diligent months on GRE Verbal.

If your conscience keeps whispering in your ear that you keep forgetting things, then give yourself a realistic time frame. It means you need to practice and more than that revise a lot.

Remember you need not curse yourself if your learning pace is slow. On the contrary respect all your psychological mechanisms and work in harmony with them. You are not working to impress anybody. You have set for yourself some awesome goals and you have to reach them come what may!

Can’t remember words? Then Work with the words.

The second question that appears in my inbox is ‘I don’t remember words what should I do?’ The fact is nobody remembers. God has not given us a brain that can be tampered and adjusted to our requirement. Miracles don’t happen as they used to in the days of yore. We need to remember one of the Principles from Darwin’s Theory of Evolution ‘Survival of the fittest’. Yes, if you adopt the best learning strategies nothing hinders you from committing words permanently to your memory, indelibly rather. You need to work with the word, not just look at it and admire it.

Human memory is volatile, until and unless you practice, put lots of effort and work relentlessly you will not, never memorize.

The third and very interesting question that students ask is: ‘How many words should I learn?’ Well, definitely there is a word list that many ace institutions have come up with and many words in the GRE exam appear from this list. It is called the High-Frequency GRE Word List. Words that usually you get to here on a University campus in America are listed here. These are some 3,500 words ranging from very difficult to very easy words.

The question ‘how many?’ itself induces certain amount of stress because there is a pressure of learning. Instead start imbibing the flavor of the word and work with it. You will memorize words faster and in a happier way if you follow this methodology. The number of words stated and the time frame in which you need to complete your preparation makes you feel giddy.

So the best thing is taking the task of memorizing words in your stride complete one after the other, as if they are not words but acquaintances that are going to stay with you and help you all through your life. They are indeed!

There are enough blogs on the site that deal with GRE verbal preparation. I wish you read them all and get back to us with your interesting queries and valuable comments. Please do follow the link mentioned below.

http://learnwordlist.com/blog/

Regards,

Anu Veluri

Manager- Learnwordlist.com

17 Responses to “Work for Top GRE Verbal Score!”

1. GBB Basnet on November 21st, 2009 6:27 am

   Unfortunately I got very poor marks in verbal section i.e. 290 and considerably, got good marks in Math(Quantitative) section i.e. 750. I well prepared in both sections but did not get the expected marks in verbal section. I want to join in graduate program i.e. ph.d in mathematics (either pure or applied) in USA. I’m very upset and worried about my verbal marks. My Analytical writing marks not get till date. Hope that I will get average marks. Please give me appropriate suggestions.

2. AnuVeluri on November 21st, 2009 4:31 pm

   Hey I think ur score in Verbal will not have much say if u are opting for a pure mathematics degree..I think only MIT values a verbal score..if u have a decent academic track record supported by a thesis in ur subject..it should be more than enough..start applying..:-)

3. Pannu on November 22nd, 2009 12:42 pm

   i had already selected my gre test slot……..it is on 21st dec.
   i have less than a month left
   I’m not performing good in verbal section…..should i still try to work with words or just read them repeatedly…..i have serious problems related to analogy section
   also can you suggest any website to prepare for quantitative section…..plz help

4. akslal on November 23rd, 2009 12:48 pm

   Dear Pannu,
   Try taking as many practice tests as you can.. In the starting it might b difficult to get good scores but taking ateast 10 mock tests score will improve.

   We have our analogy and sentance completion tests coming soon. It should be in early December so you should be able to take those.

   I hope this will help.
   Cheers,
   Amit

5. Pannu on November 24th, 2009 1:00 pm

   thanks Amit
   can you please tell me where i can find mock tests….i have done all tests which come with book…….now i want more tests to prepare

6. AnuVeluri on November 24th, 2009 5:10 pm

   Hi Pannu, did u work on the tests available on the site? I mean did you take all the tests..we have numerous tests based on GRE High Frequency words..take them all..these tests also help u evaluating your performance..

   http://learnwordlist.com/word-list-quiz.html

   Follow the above mentioned link…

7. waliullah on November 24th, 2009 6:40 pm

   I appreciate all the team of this org as you are the people who give the an easy way and free way to all subscribers if one should given a time he wiil get a lot of benefits from this apportunity.
   Thanks.

8. AnuVeluri on November 25th, 2009 6:05 am

   Hi Wali, do take time out and run through the site thoroughly..u will benefit a lot..thanks so much..:-)

9. Kaiti on January 15th, 2010 4:44 pm

   Hi Anu,

   I am an international student studying in the US. I made full preparation for both GRE verbal and math. However I got unexpected results especially the verbal. I got 340 for verbal and 690 for math.I was quite nervous during the test and did not get to finish large portion of the questions. I used this result to apply PhD program in Biomedical Sciences. I am very worried that whether this score will affect my chance to get into the programs. Can you give me some advice on it? Should I retake the test (most of the programs deadlines are passed)?
   (My GPA is 3.9 and I have 2 research experiences before. )

   Thank you so much!

10. AnuVeluri on January 16th, 2010 7:16 am

    Kaiti it depends on the school u applied for..can u tell that pls?

11. Tewodros on January 18th, 2010 8:24 am

    Hi Anu
    I have found this website very useful for some words which are difficult to memorize. Even though the site is intended for SAT aspirants, you can find many GRE words with video responses. Try them. I hope it will help u.

    http://www.vocabahead.com

12. AnuVeluri on January 18th, 2010 9:53 am

    Hi Tewodros..thanks for sharing this link with us…

13. JOSEPH MWANGALAWA on February 2nd, 2010 11:54 am

    send me the test please let me start now..am looking for your consinderation

14. Nicolaus on February 22nd, 2010 1:56 pm

    Hi, I am wondering why some universities need both GRE and TOEFL scores for admission?

    Your doing excellent job Anu Veluri, much appreciations.

    Regards

15. AnuVeluri on February 23rd, 2010 4:20 am

    GRE is for all Nicolaus..and TOEFLiBT is language proficiency test not for all..only for those whose mother tongue is not English..

16. Esther on March 8th, 2010 7:07 pm

    I really appreciate what GRE is doing by helping to improve in ones knowledge, especially the common words we use. It really helped me as an individual and as really improved my English words. U are doing a great job. Keep it Up

17. AnuVeluri on March 9th, 2010 5:12 am

    Thanks Esther..when are u appearing for GRE??

Post Your Comments and Questions