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Aug 2022

Tips to Skyrocket Your GRE Performance

Hundreds of thousands of hopeful students take the GRE exam every year. Getting an excellent score on the test is one of the biggest reasons students get into top ranked b-schools. Moreover, boosting someone’s GRE performance is about more than just the quantity of study time, and more about studying and preparing effectively. Getting a high GRE score may seem like something reserved for those Ivy league type students, but it’s something that anyone has the capability of doing. We’ve prepared some tips for you that we think will help skyrocket your GRE performance!

Pace Yourself

This is one of the largest factors when earning a great GRE score. Absolutely pace yourself, both studying for the GRE and while taking the GRE itself. Give yourself months beforehand to study, and space out your studying for a short time everyday. Do not cram in the last few days for the exam, giving yourself time will let your brain absorb more information, while also relieving much of the stress that will be put on you right before the exam. You want to go into the GRE relaxed, prepared, and confident.

However, it is equally important not to rush through the exam and try to remain focused and consistent in your pacing. If a question is taking you too long, skip over it. If a question seems way too easy, make sure you take a moment to read it once more. The last thing you want to do is make a simple mistake just because you weren’t paying enough attention.

Performing Under Pressure

Being prepared and taking your time are very good ways at reducing stress during the GRE exam. But it is important to be able to think on your feet. No matter how much you study, you cannot predict and know every single question on the test . In this sense, it becomes paramount to try and develop strategies and skills for dealing with the pressure of GRE.

Make sure that your GRE prep involves materials that you are unfamiliar with, make sure you are studying a variety of questions. Address reading, writing, and quantitative materials. If you feel weak in one area, spend more time with it, but do not completely ignore the other ones. Read complex texts that will help train your brain to essentially think critically, analyze, and problem solve, as you try and decipher some of these more difficult readings. Choose math problems that challenge you, that you struggle to comprehend. If you need help, turn to a colleague or friend, or even better, a private tutor.

Get a Private Tutor

Here at Apex GRE we believe private tutoring sets many applicants apart during the GRE exam, and any other standardized tests. What we at Apex offer is a highly personalized approach to tutoring, in which a tutor essentially acts as a personal guide and mentor for testing success. Private tutoring has helped boost the scores of many, and it’s a great advantage over others who are studying alone or in a group setting.

Also it is important to not be afraid of the price point. Hiring an expensive private tutor is a worthy investment, and is an investment for the long run. Trusting and buying into your tutors philosophy and time can really benefit you, as your private tutor will embrace you, your education, and your potential. Here at Apex GREwe offer top of the line private tutoring. Don’t hesitate to sign up for a free 30 minute consultation with one of our tutors!

In Review

A GRE score can become something that can define you, the stress and anxiety caused by the ever looming test day can become a cripple for many. While it may be a crucial test, something that could change your life, it is best to approach it in a calm and composed manner. With proper preparation, anyone can boost their potential on the exam and their score.

Contributor: Lukas Duncan

Aug 2022

GRE Prep: Do’s and Don’ts

If you’re planning to take the GRE exam, getting a high score on it is definitely one of your goals that will lead you to your dream school. Nevertheless, it’s not the easiest task to do, especially when one doesn’t spend enough time studying and/or understanding what the do’s and don’ts are when it comes to the exam. In this article, you will be walked through what can help you succeed in your GRE prep and what will most likely distract you. Read on to find out more!

GRE Prep Do’s

1. Do Spend More Time Working on Your Weaknesses

Before you even start your GRE prep, it is a good idea to take a practice test to identify your weaknesses and strengths and have an understanding about what you need to work on more. Afterwards, you can go ahead and find materials about the specific section(s) you need more time with, and start mastering your skills. While it is important that you spend appropriate time on each and every section of the exam, you need to be able to differentiate between the ones you’re good at and the ones you’re not very familiar with yet. After some time, make sure you take another practice test to make sure you’re on the right track and you’re actually improving your skills.

2. Do Keep Track of Your Time

Time management is one of the most important skills you need to have when preparing for any kind of exam. During your GRE prep, you need to constantly keep an eye on the amount of time you’re spending on each section, practice tests, reading materials, etc. While it’s crucial not to rush and really deep dive into each concept of the exam, you don’t want to spend your valuable time on things that could have been done quicker. So, before you start preparing, be sure that you’ve chosen the right materials and that the time you’re spending on the GRE topics reflect your skills and knowledge in those.

3. Do Take Breaks

For every test taker, taking breaks occasionally is helpful and necessary. Studying as much as needed and taking your exam seriously will always benefit you, but you need to make sure that you’re not over-doing anything. Your brain needs to rest to be able to serve you well, so take breaks as needed to improve your overall performance. Those breaks can be in the form of listening to music or watching a movie. Whatever it is, take the time to do what makes you feel relaxed and “escape” from the GRE prep for some little time!

GRE Prep Don’ts

1. Don’t Mess Up Your Sleep Schedule

Depending on one’s busyness and study schedule, they can study at different times during the day. Some prefer studying in the morning, others would like to read some materials in the evening. However, one thing you should never do is mess up your sleep schedule by staying up all night and studying. Not only is it not effective in terms of you understanding the concepts, but it is also bad for you in terms of your health. Moreover, studying at night can easily become a habit, too, making you feel tired all the time and drastically affecting your whole preparation process. So, make sure you sleep properly to rest and make your GRE prep more effective.

2. Don’t Take Practice Tests Too Often

As we mentioned earlier, taking practice tests will help you identify what you’re good at and help you design your study schedule accordingly. However, it is equally important for you to know that taking practice tests too often is not the right thing to do, as it will not show any progress, giving you biased information about your performance. There should be some time gap between your practice tests during which you will work on your weaknesses and spend appropriate time mastering your skills. Hence, taking practice exams too often will make you feel as if you’re making no progress.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as you’re preparing for your GRE exam, there are some do’s and don’ts to it you might want to consider. To begin with the do’s, first of all, make sure you spend relatively more time on your weaknesses to perform better on your test day. Secondly, always keep track of your time and do your best to use it as optimally as possible. Finally, make sure you take breaks as often as you need it, in order for your mind to rest. When it comes to the don’ts, don’t stay up all night reading and writing, messing up your sleep schedule which can cause problems not only in terms of your exam, but also your overall health in general. Finally, do not take practice tests too often. Make sure you actually learn/revise topics for some time before you take your next practice test!

Finally, here at Apex, we are more than happy to support you on your GMAT journey and assist you in every step of the process. You can sign-up for a 30-minute complimentary consultation call with one of our instructors who can help you develop your personalized GMAT prep schedule!

Jul 2022

How to Get the Most Out of Private GRE Tutoring

Working with a private tutor is one of the best ways to prepare for standardized tests. The success of this journey is heavily dependent on both the tutor and the student. They should work collaboratively the whole time and do their best to get the most out of it. Here are some GRE tutoring tips to make this happen.

1. Hire the Right Tutor

Obviously, before even starting anything, you need to hire a professional. This is the first and one of the most important steps because they will be the person you’ll work with and rely on during your GRE prep. Make sure that you conduct research appropriately and choose an experienced and qualified professional. Also, check if you can find some testimonials about them, as well as their background information. You might want to find a few options and then filter them out according to some factors that are important for you, such as price, qualifications, etc.

2. Build the Relationship with the Tutor Right

Another useful GRE tutoring tip for you is having a good relationship with your tutor. Once you’ve already hired a tutor, it is time to get the communication with them right. As you will be working closely with the whole team, it is important for you two to have mutual trust and respect towards each other. Another important step is for you to be fully transparent and honest with your background, target score, weaknesses and strengths. A professional tutor will never judge you based on how much knowledge you have, and this is something you always need to remember. You need to be understanding towards each other and also have some flexibility when working.

3. Constantly Ask for Feedback

Being open to feedback is another important thing you need during the whole preparation process. Do not be limited to how often you will usually be provided with feedback from your tutor – ask for it yourself as needed. The best way to learn and progress is to constantly be aware of your weaknesses and work on them. Moreover, although receiving positive feedback is also important and it feels very nice, you should be even more open to the negative ones. Those are the types of feedback that will indicate your weaknesses and make you concentrate on them.

4. Allocate Enough Time to Your GRE Prep

Last but not least, our last GRE tutoring tip for you is to spend as much time as needed on your materials. Make sure you talk to your tutor and form a study schedule that will reflect your busyness, and then follow it regularly. You might skip some lessons sometimes, but you need to make sure that it doesn’t happen too often. Concentrate on the preparation fully, as this is one of the most important steps towards getting the education that you want to get so much. Challenge yourself and unleash the hardworking persona that’s inside you and get the most of this journey!

Conclusion

To conclude, we discussed some GRE tutoring tips that can help you get the most out of your GRE prep. First of all, you need to choose the right tutor to work with. Secondly, you need to build a strong and honest relationship with your tutor to make the preparation process effective. Another tip is to ask for feedback frequently and learn from your mistakes. Finally, you need to work as much as needed. The feedback and practice test results will also help you understand how much time you need.

Jul 2022

Average GRE Scores for Top Business Schools 2022

For top graduate schools in 2022, having a GRE score is a massive advantage, even if they don’t necessarily require it. For those looking to get into the most prestigious schools globally, an excellent GRE score is of utmost importance to make sure you don’t fall behind the crowd.

Taking the GMAT may also be a preferable option in case you want to go to a top b-school and potentially get an MBA. Although it can be a difficult decision to make, finding out which test is the best option for your application is salient. And, taking either test is a difficult process but getting any advantage you can is imperative.

GRE Scoring

GRE scores in the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections vary from 130 to 170, while the analytical writing assessment ranges from 0 to 6 with half-point increments. The mean GRE score for verbal reasoning is 150.37, while the mean for quantitative reasoning is 153.66. While the average may be your aim, in order to get into a top b-school, your GRE scores may have to be a bit higher. Below are the average GRE scores for those admitted to some of the best business schools in the world.

Business students have the option to take the GMAT, the GRE, or even the Executive Assessment (EA) to get into business schools. Below are the average GRE scores for some of the top b-schools in the world.

Business School	Average GRE Score	Average Verbal Score	Average Quant Score	Average AWA Score
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)	324	162	162	4.6
University of Chicago (Booth)	325	162	163
Harvard University	327	163	164
London School of Business	320	160	160
University of Oxford (Said)	320	160	160
Imperial Business School	314	156	158
HEC Paris	310	155	155
Northwestern University (Kellog)	327	162	165
Yale University	328	164	164	4.6

Here you can also take a look at the average GRE scores for some of the top law schools in the United States.

Law School	Average GRE Score	Average Verbal Score	Average Quant Score	Average AWA Score
Yale Law School	334	168	166	5.5
Columbia University	330	167	163	5.5
Harvard Law School	332	167	165	5.5
Northwestern University (Pritzker)	322	163	159	5.0
New York University	329	167	162	5.5
USC Gould School of Law	319	162	157
University of Chicago	328	165	163
Stanford University	328	162	165
Georgetown	322	169	153	5.0

What might be noticeable is the lack of scores for the analytical writing assessment. The AWA section for many schools is not required, and may not even be regarded. It is critical to pay attention to your GRE score while looking at which schools you want to apply to. Your GPA and coursework can take you far, but taking the GRE can take you even further. A GRE or GMAT score is still a requirement for the majority of business schools, while the GRE is required in the majority of graduate schools across all disciplines.

GRE Study strategies and an excellent pre-plan are almost required to do well on the GRE. Also, a GRE private tutor can be the best way to put yourself over the top. One-on-one tutoring from world-class educators can keep you on track to a great GRE score and business school success. Here at Apex GMAT, we offer top-of-the-line tutors both online and offline with some of the best courses in the world. Click here now for a free consultation with one of our educators and click here to see our top 50 b-schools.

Contributor: Lukas Duncan

Jun 2022

Everything You Need to Know About the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment

If you are currently prepping for your GRE or want to do so soon, this article is just what you are looking for. Knowing your test’s sections will give you an overview of how you should prepare and divide your time. Not to mention, getting a glimpse of what’s to come on your exam day will for sure help put your nerves at ease.

Today’s headliner is the GRE’s Analytical Writing Section. Continue reading to get introduced to the third section in the GRE.

Today’s main topics to be discussed will be the following:

What is the GRE Exam?
What is the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section?

- What is this section testing?
- What is this section made up of?
  - Analyze an Issue
  - Analyze an Argument
  - Duration
- What are the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section scores like?
  - Score Percentile 2021
- Apex’s GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section Studying tips

What is the GRE Exam?

The GRE, also known as, The Graduate Record Examinations, is a standardized exam done for the sake of testing the test-taker’s ability to think outside the box when it comes to analytical writing, mathematics, and vocabulary. The majority of GRE test takers are students looking into Business Schools and in some cases Law Schools and also students considering Master’s (M.A., M.S., M.Ed.), MBA’s, or Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D.).

This GRE test consists of three main sections. These sections being Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing Assessment Section.

All these sections’ scores will, later on, sum up and make a minimum total of 260 and a maximum total of 340.

What is the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section?

Now that the bigger picture is clear, let’s talk about our main focus for today, The Analytical Writing Assessment Section.

This section aims to test your ability to critically think and write analytically. It also aims to assess your skills when it comes to articulating, supporting complex ideas, constructing and evaluating arguments, alongside your ability to discuss coherently.

The GRE Analytical Writing Assessment has two separately timed tasks. These two different sections are:

- Analyze an Issue task
- Analyze an Argument task

Now, let’s break down these two different tasks asked of the GRE test-taker to complete.

Analyze an Issue task

In this task you are given a particular point of view on a specific issue, which is then followed by instructions on how to respond to that issue. You are expected to evaluate the issue at hand while considering its complexities. You should also develop and present an argument, backing it up with reasoning and examples.

This task in specific aims to assess your ability to express your thoughts in the form of writing, while linking different points together to make a solid point. These types of questions can be discussed and interpreted in many different ways. You are asked to present your point of view on this issue, as well as your stance on it.

Before anything, make sure to read the issue and the instructions that follow carefully. Take a minute and see the issue presented from several different points of view. After that, make an outline of what you want your essay to look like. Do not forget your examples and supporting details!

Analyze an Argument task

Similarly to the “Analyze an Issue” task, you are to evaluate a particular argument while following specific instructions. However, what makes this task different is the fact that you are asked to consider the logical soundness of the argument given, rather than agree or disagree with the provided stance.

Like the whole GRE Analytical Writing Assessment, this task aims to test your critical thinking and analysis. Your writing skills, when it comes to voicing your opinion, are also under the telescope here.

As mentioned before, in this specific task, you are expected to discuss the logical soundness of the provided case by examining critically and providing reasoning and evidence.

While reading the given argument, take note of the following:

- What is mentioned, and what is not.
- What is used as support or proof.
- What is clearly stated, and what should be inferred.

Make sure to keep a close eye on the structure of your argument and how you linked pieces of evidence together. While doing that, assess the harmony of the points and if they are linked logically, and in a way that makes sense. You do not want your argument to fall short and sound blocky.

Each task in the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section is allocated half an hour to be completed. That means that these two tasks are timed separately, meaning that once you are done with the first task, the half an hour timer starts again for your next task.

These two different tasks complement each other. That is, one task requires you to put together your own argument, and that is through taking a position and backing it up with supporting details. The other one requires you to assess another person’s argument by evaluating the argument’s evidence and claim.

What are the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section scores like?

As we all know by now, the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section includes two different tasks, but that does not mean that these tasks will have two different scores recorded. For a more reliable score, you are provided with one single score that ranges from 0 to 6, in half-increments*

* In half-point increments: Suppose you got a 4/6 on the Issues essay and a 5/9 on your Argument essay. This then means that your total GRE Analytical Writing score would be 4.5. Your final Writing score—the average of the two essays— is then rounded up to the nearest half-point.

GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section Percentile (2021):

Score	1.0	1.5	2.0	2.5	3.0	3.5	4.0	4.5	5.0	5.5	6
Percentile	0	0	1	5	13	37	54	80	91	98	99

Apex’s GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section Studying tips

Choose your words carefully: When writing during this part of your GRE Exam, make sure to pick the best words that would best express what you mean to say. Focus on using strong words, and avoid using weak words. That would then result in strong, declarative statements. Keep in mind that having your two tasks written perfectly with strong vocabulary would sure help in boosting your final AWA score!
Focus on your transitions: Moving from one point to the other can be difficult and sometimes challenging. For that reason, use just the right transition word when shifting from one idea to the other. Transition words like, “Moreover, On the contrary, Not only, Similarly”, would help a harmonious essay seem organized and coherent. Which is exactly what you should be aiming for while writing your AWA tasks.
Refute the opposing view at the end: When it comes to your GRE ISSUE ESSAY, do not forget to refute the other point of view. Considering that this specific task provides you with a certain point of view that you are considered to evaluate, a lot of GRE test-takers tend to forget to refute the opposing point of view at the end of your essays. Remember, the structure is similar to that of an argument essay.
Practice: To mentally feel at ease, you need to feel like you have grasped the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section’s material and type of questioning. Knowing what you will be asked and getting the gist of this section will for sure help you in acing this section.
Avoid using the First Point of View: While providing reasoning and backing up your argument, and even when you are stating your stance, avoid at all costs, using the First Point of View. That is, do not use self-reference. Avoid statements like, “I believe”, “I found that”, or “I say” at all costs. Using such statements will weaken the credibility and trustworthiness of your tasks. Your readers want to see how you are utilizing professional sources and where you fit them in your essays.

Long Story Short

Every GRE Test-taker should take the AWA section in their GRE seriously, and allocate ample time for prepping before the big day. Knowing the skills that you will be tested on will guide you into knowing what and where to spend time on while studying for this specific section.

Take your time to fully understand and grasp the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment Section material. With the right amount of dedication and hard work, acing your GRE is more than possible.

If you are looking for professional help to boost your GRE performance, head to our official website and book your 30 minutes complimentary assessment session, now!

Contributor: Lilas Al-Sammak

Jun 2022

How Does GRE Scoring Work?

You’ve booked to take your GRE or you have already taken it, you have quite the number of questions that you would like to get the answer to. More specifically, you’re probably concerned about how GRE scoring works.

If that is the case, then this article is just the one for you.

We will touch bases on the following topics:

-The GRE Exam
-The GRE Scores
-The GRE Score Calculation
-The GRE Percentiles
-Top MBA Universities and their Average GRE Scores

1. What is the GRE

The GRE, also known as the Graduate Record Examination, is a standardized test created and is still administered by the Educational Testing Service (the ETS). Just like any exam needed for graduate school admissions, the GRE is there to test and assess the level of readiness, academically and intellectually, for grad school.

Along with undergraduate transcripts, recommendation letters, and other requirements, the admissions will be able to estimate whether or not you will be capable of doing well in the program you applied to. Your GRE score is used as a common tool to compare your application to the other applicants’ applying as well.

Some of the GRE test takers are worldwide applicants that are looking to pursue a master’s in business, MBA JD, or doctoral degree. Your GRE test score is required in thousands of schools. Schools like

- Business Schools
- Law Schools
- Institutions and fellowship sponsors.

The GRE takes exactly three hours and 45 minutes to finalize. These three hours and 45 minutes are divided between 3 main sections. Between these different sections, you are given a 10-minute break. The different sections in your exam will appear in the following order:

Section	Number of Questions	Time Needed
Analytical Writing	“Analyze an Issue” task, and “Analyze an Argument” task.	30 Minutes/task
Verbal Reasoning	20 questions per section	30 minutes/section
Quantitative Reasoning	20 questions per section	35 minutes/section

2. GRE Score

The GRE total score ranges between a minimum of 260, a maximum of 340, and a midpoint score of 150. Let’s break it down even further. Each of these three different sections has a certain minimum and maximum score, which is as follows:

Section	Score Scale
Verbal Section	130-170, 1-point increments*
Quantitative Section	130- 170, 1 point increments
Analytical Writing	0-6, in half-point increments**

* In one-point increments: This means that there are 41 possible scores. In other words, you are receiving one point for each question you get right in both the Verbal or Quant sections. These points will be added up to get your raw score (0-40) for each section.

** In half-point increments: Suppose you got a 4/6 on the Issues essay and a 5/9 on your Argument essay. This then means that your total GRE Analytical Writing score would be 4.5.

After 10-15 days from your test date, your GRE test scores should be available. These same test scores will still be reportable after five years following your test date. You have the choice to pick which test scores you want to send out to your desired institution(s). For that, you have two options:

- On Test Day: You can either send your Most Recent GRE score or All your GRE scores. (For four FREE GRE score reports
- After Test Day: In that case, you have three choices you can pick from
  - Most Recent GRE score
  - All GRE Scores
  - Any GRE Score. (For a FEE of US$27 per score recipient)

3. GRE Score Calculation

Now that the basics are covered, it’s time to look into the different sections of the GRE and their grading system.

- GRE Verbal and Quant Score System: The more questions you get right, the higher your raw score is. You will not be penalized for the questions you got wrong. This raw score you ended up getting will, later on, be converted into a scale score. This means that GRE uses equating. What is meant by this term is that the GRE ensures that the different versions of the exam and their difficulty level do not affect your score. The process of equating makes sure that your score isn’t lower than that of previous GRE test takers.
- Analytical Writing Score System: Upon the quality of your writing, a trained reader and an e-rater (which is defined by ETS as a “computerized program developed by ETS that is capable of identifying essay features related to writing proficiency”) will be able to score your essays. You will have to focus on bettering your critical thinking and analytical writing skills to ensure a higher score in your AW Section.

In other words, your Total GRE Score is not the summation of all the scores you got on its three sections. Each section in the exam is scored separately.

4. GRE Percentile

The percentile is there to give you an overview of how well you’ve done. Through your percentile, you will be able to see the percentage of test-takers that scored lower or higher than you. The higher your total GRE score is, the higher your percentile is, which means the more impressive your score is. In the GRE however, there are different percentile ranks. Unlike the GMAT, the GRE is ranked upon its sections, and not its overall score. The percentiles are distributed on its three sections.

For example, if your scaled score was that of a 152, then that means that you’re ranked at a 54 percentile on your verbal section and a 45 percentile on your quant section. In other words, this shows that your verbal section score was 54% higher than the other test-takers, and your quant section score was 45% higher than the other test-takers.

Here is a list of officially published GRE Percentiles 2022:

Scaled Score	Verbal Reasoning Percentile Ranks	Quantitative Reasoning Percentile Ranks
170	99	96
165	96	84
160	85	70
155	67	54
150	44	35
149	39	35

Here is a list of officially published GRE Percentiles 2018:

Score	Analytical Writing Percentile Ranking
6.0	99
5.0	93
4.0	60
3.0	18
2.0	2

5. Top MBA Universities and their average GRE Scores

The following table includes a list of Top MBA universities and the average GRE scores of their applicants. Get a glimpse of how the GRE scores range from one university to the other.

Business School	Verbal Score	Quant Score	Writing Score
Yale SOM	165	164	4.7
Stanford GSB	165	164	4.9
Harvard	164	164	NA
UCLA (Anderson)	164	164	4.5
UC-Berkeley (Haas)	164	161	5.0
NYU (Stern)	162	161	4.4

To Conclude

To ensure a groundbreaking GRE score, take your prep journey one day at a time. Make time to know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and prepare the perfect study schedule tailored just for your needs. Once everything is set and ready, your prep journey starts with confidence and hard work and ends with victory and rejoice.

ApexGMAT offers private one-on-one GRE tutoring with one of the top instructors. Reach out and book your complimentary 30 minutes assessment session, now!

Contributor: Lilas Al-Sammak

May 2022

How a Private Tutor Can Boost Your GRE Quant Confidence

The Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE can be overwhelming for many. Say you are trying to get into Grad School, but you studied History – you may not have taken a math class in years. In cases like this, the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE can seem like foreign territory. At the same time, even if you have studied math for years, testing may just be the bane of your existence, or you just may not know the quirks of the GRE. A Private Tutor is a great way to boost your GRE Quant confidence. Follow below to see some of the best reasons as to why getting a private tutor is your best course of action when approaching the GRE and its quantitative section.

A Tutor is a Guide

A private GRE tutor is someone who will support you throughout the preparation process. Not only through giving tips but by being a resource to reach out to when you have questions about either specific problems or strategies for GRE test day. Remember, these tutors have taken the test as well. They know what it feels like to be nervous or even to feel lost. You may find them more helpful than you intended, they are people too, and their job is to help you. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

An Easily Accessible Resource

A private GRE tutor will give you their undivided attention. Instead of being in a class with dozens of other students or scrolling through impersonal forums and blogs for advice, they are right there in front of you, and they are knowledgeable. Any question you may have, they can answer. It is a quick resource at the end of the day. While pricey, a proper private GRE tutor will be by your side during the entire study process. Your tutor’s job is to give you all the help you need, and here at Apex, our tutors are available online and in-person, giving you more options and flexibility. Especially if it has been a while since you have encountered math, a private tutor can really uplift your GRE quant confidence.

Time Management with Quantitative Reasoning

A private tutor will help you develop particular strategies and skills for each section. The Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE is the longest portion of the exam, with two sections lasting 35 minutes. It may not be as long as some other notorious exams, but it is still a long time to stay focused. If you know what the exam is going to throw at you, navigating this portion of the exam is much easier. That is where a private GRE tutor comes in. They help you fine-tune your internal clock while giving you strategies for handling the quirks of the test.

Helpful in Breaking your Quant Plateau

Even if you are a math major, or you feel very confident with the exam, but you could score just a bit higher to stand out amongst the crowd. A private tutor can help you break your scoring plateau on the quant portion of the GRE. Especially since the GRE’s sections are adaptive. This means that if you do better on the first section of the quantitative portion then the second section becomes harder. So even if you are doing practice tests, these aren’t fully representative of the difficulty of the test. A private GRE tutor can help you prepare for this.

What You Will Be Missing

It may seem like a better option to not get a private tutor, but a lot will be missing.

You will have to come up with your own study plan and method, unlike the carefully procured study plan created by a tutoring professional.

It will be harder to know the ins and outs of not only the quantitative reasoning section, but the GRE as a whole.

You will be on this journey alone.

At the end of the day having a helping hand is never a bad thing. With a private tutor you will have a guide to help you not face the GRE quant section alone and give you the structure to have solid GRE quant confidence.

To Review

The quantitative reasoning section of the GRE may be harder than you anticipated, or it could be completely overwhelming. It is more common than you may think for many taking the GRE to be a bit rusty with their math skills. Feeling intimidated is normal and a private GRE tutor is a great resource to help you get over the hump. At Apex we offer top-notch professional tutors who will be excellent guides on your journey to build GRE quant confidence.

Contributor: Lukas Duncan

May 2022

GRE Verbal Questions – Expert Tips On How To Solve Them

The Graduate Record Examinations, also known as the GRE, is a standardized exam done for the purpose to assess the test taker’s ability to think outside the box when it comes to analytical writing, mathematics, and vocabulary. The majority of GRE test takers are students looking into Business Schools and in some cases Law Schools and also students considering Master’s ( M.A., M.S., M.Ed.), MBA’s, or Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D.).

Now, what is the GRE made up of? The GRE consists of three main sections: Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative, and Verbal. All these sections sum up to a total score of a minimum of 260 and a maximum of 340. To break it up, each section of the GRE takes up a specific percentage out of the total score. Both the Verbal and the Quantitative Reasoning scorer lay on a 130-170 score scale, in 1-point increments. The Analytical Writing, however, lays on a 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.

In today’s read, our main focus will be on the GRE’s Verbal Section and questions.

The GRE Verbal Section

The GRE Verbal section consists of around 20 questions that need to be completed within 30 minutes. This leaves you with approximately between one minute to four minutes per question, depending on the question type. The order in which the question types appear is as follows:

Text Completion
Reading Comprehension
Sentence Equivalence

1. GRE Verbal – Text Completion Questions

For these GRE Verbal questions, you are provided with a small passage made up of one to six sentences, with one to three blank spaces to fill in. It is asked of you to fill in the blank space with the most suitable option provided to you. When it comes to the forms in which these questions can come in, there are two distinctive forms. In that passage, you might have three blank spaces to fill in, and for that, there is a list of three options to choose from per blank space. You can also come across questions that have one blank space per passage. To fill it in, you are given a list of five options. In both cases, there is only one right answer.

Here, your ability to interpret and understand the full picture is tested. You are expected to fully comprehend what you are given so that you can put the missing pieces together and still get a harmonious passage.

Example

In parts of the Arctic, the land grades into the landfast ice so _______ that you can walk off the coast and not know you are over the hidden sea.

(A) permanently

(B) imperceptibly

(D) precariously

(E) relentlessly

Correct Answer: B

Apex’s Expert Tips

Before anything, take a step back and make sure that the whole passage’s idea makes sense to you. Do you feel like all the points are clear to you? Do you feel confident in completing the sentence? This is important because your answers are fully based on your understanding of the passage. If you missed the passage’s main purpose, chances are, you missed the points to its questions too.
While reading, in your own words, try to predict what might come next in the passage. Try to complete the text while reading and see if the harmony is still there. When you’re done with that, move on to the next step, and try to link your predictions for the text completion with the options given. If you could not find the exact same completion, choose the option with the closest concept. Trust your gut.

2. GRE Verbal – Reading Comprehension Questions

These types of questions come in three different forms, which are:

a. Select-in-Passage: This form of question requires your referral back to the given passage for the reason of direct extraction. That means you have to select a sentence directly from the given passage that best suits a certain description that you are asked to substitute.

b. Multiple-Choice Questions – Select One Answer: The classical and traditional multiple-choice questions you are used to with five answer options for you to choose from.

c. Multiple-Choice Questions – Select One or More Answers: This last form of Reading Comprehension questions gives you a list of three answer options, and you are asked to select all the answers that you think are correct and suitable. This means that your selected answers can be one, two, or even three.

All these questions are there to evaluate your ability to summarize, identify writers’ points of view, understand larger pieces of text, draw conclusions, and to be able to reason from given information.

Example

Questions 1 to 3 are based on this passage

Reviving the practice of using elements of popular music in classical composition, an approach that had been in hibernation in the United States during the 1960s, composer Philip Glass (born 1937) embraced the ethos of popular music in his compositions. Glass based two symphonies on music by rock musicians David Bowie and Brian Eno, but the symphonies’ sound is distinctively his. Popular elements do not appear out of place in Glass’s classical music, which from its early days has shared certain harmonies and rhythms with rock music. Yet this use of popular elements has not made Glass a composer of popular music. His music is not a version of popular music packaged to attract classical listeners; it is high art for listeners steeped in rock rather than the classics.

Select only one answer choice.

1. The passage addresses which of the following issues related to Glass’s use of popular elements in his classical compositions?

A. How it is regarded by listeners who prefer rock to the classics
B. How it has affected the commercial success of Glass’s music
C. Whether it has contributed to a revival of interest among other composers in using popular elements in their compositions
D. Whether it has had a detrimental effect on Glass’s reputation as a composer of classical music
E. Whether it has caused certain of Glass’s works to be derivative in quality

Consider each of the three choices separately and select all that apply.

2. The passage suggests that Glass’s work displays which of the following qualities?

A. A return to the use of popular music in classical compositions
B. An attempt to elevate rock music to an artistic status more closely approximating that of classical music
C. A long-standing tendency to incorporate elements from two apparently disparate musical styles

3. Select the sentence that distinguishes two ways of integrating rock and classical music.

Correct Answers:
1. E
2. A and C
3. The correct answer is the last sentence of the passage.

Apex’s Expert Tips

When answering, try to derive the answer from the basis of the information given. This means that no outside knowledge is needed nor accepted. Make sure that you try to find the answers from the provided information. You might feel like the presented views in the passage are the exact opposite of yours, and for that reason, go into the exam with an open mind and expect to encounter different points of view.
These types of questions revolve around different and variant topics like sciences, business, art and humanities, and/ or recent topics that can be academic or nonacademic. If by any chance you were unfamiliar with the material provided, don’t panic! All the questions asked can be answered nonetheless. Keep in mind, though, if you feel like the passage is too difficult for you, save it for last and move on to the next question.

3. GRE Verbal – Sentence Equivalence Questions

These types of questions can seem a little similar to the Sentence Equivalence questions. That being said, these two question types assess your ability to draw conclusions and test your capabilities to be able to complete passages while being given only partial information.

Sentence Equivalence Questions include a single sentence, accompanied by one blank to fill. You are asked to choose the best two options that would complete the sentence’s coherence and main point from a list of six options.

These types of questions examine your capability when it comes to conclusion making, and your ability to focus on the sentence’s meaning as a whole. They train you to look at the bigger picture but still keep an eye out for smaller details.

Example

It was her view that the country’s problems had been _______ by foreign technocrats, so that to ask for such assistance again would be counterproductive.

A. ameliorated
B. ascertained
C. diagnosed
D. exacerbated
E. overlooked
F. worsened

Correct Answers: D and F

Apex’s Expert Tips

Try your best to understand the main ideas mentioned in the sentences. However, here it is mostly important to understand the whole idea at hand, by making out bullet points that can summarize the whole idea provided. Through that, the right answer will become clearer.
Make sure that the pair of words you have selected makes sense and can still produce harmony and coherence in that sentence. Substitute both words in the sentence before making your final decision. Don’t rush.

To Conclude

All the information mentioned above might seem overwhelming and you might be getting ahead of yourself, but with practice and dedication, everything is possible. Stay grounded and get to know your strengths and weaknesses and get ready with your GRE preparation schedule accordingly. Do not miss any chance you get to learn and grow even more.

Here at ApexGMAT, we understand how this journey can get a little challenging and sometimes frustrating. That is why we stand by our students and support them each step of the way.

Do not miss the chance to talk to our instructors in a 30-minute complimentary call now!

Contirbutor: Lilas Al-Sammak

Apr 2022

GRE Study Plan – Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Drafting It

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a very popular exam that thousands of students take every year. A large percentage of these students find the GRE extremely challenging, so don’t worry if you feel the same way. However, if you are determined to succeed in your exam, you should have a well-developed study plan. An important aspect to consider when drafting your GRE study plan could be some of the most common mistakes that test-takers make in the creation of their study plan or schedule. In this article, we’ll give you more information on some of the most common mistakes in drafting GRE study plans and tips on how to avoid them.

1. Dedicate enough time to preparation in your GRE study plan

The GRE is not an exam for which you can prepare within a matter of days. Although some students may be lucky enough to pass the exam with only 2-3 weeks of studying, do not rely on that. Most of them probably won’t get a satisfactory grade that will help them get into their dream school. To avoid such unpleasant situations, we suggest spending sufficient time and attention on your GRE prep. Different people take a different amount of time to prepare, so there is really no ultimate rule that applies to how early you should begin your preparation. However, it may be a good idea to start at least 3-4 months before your planned exam day in order to have enough time both for the exam preparation and the documentation part.

The most important thing to remember is that preparing for the GRE should be a methodical process. You can’t cram it all in two weeks and expect to achieve a satisfactory result. Give yourself the time you need to succeed. Start your preparation on time and go with the pace that fits your abilities. Eventually, your persistent gradual work will pay off.

2. Prepare equally for every section of the GRE exam

While drafting their GRE study plan, many students make the mistake of devoting too much time to the section they find the hardest. When they start preparing, they get carried away with this particular section and underestimate the others. Unfortunately, this mistake often hurts their overall score. No single section should be avoided or paid less attention to. Each section is equally important for your overall score and you have to spend as much time on it as you feel you need.

For example, the Quant is often considered the most difficult section by many students who tend to spend an enormous portion of their GRE prep time on it. However, you should not forget that you also get a large portion of your points from, for instance, the Verbal section. This means that you cannot overlook this section because you risk losing valuable points from your final result. Try to balance the different sections and spend enough time and effort on each of them, so that you can make sure you will achieve the highest result possible.

3. Take time to destress

We have already mentioned the importance of hard and consistent work while preparing for your GRE exam. It’s now time to turn our attention to something very important, which many students wrongly neglect. Many students are very ambitious and they want to achieve a high GRE score. They are ready to work for hours and hours to perfect their knowledge and skills. However, they often end up overworking themselves and forgetting to put their minds to rest and recharge. This is a major mistake. It doesn’t matter how skillful or knowledgeable you are when you can’t put into practice what you know because you are overworked. Pushing yourself too far will not only negatively affect your score but also your mental health.

You should learn to take care of your emotional and physical health because they are crucial for gaining knowledge and building long-lasting skills required for acing the GRE. Make sure to not underestimate the power of good rest and separate enough time for it when drafting your GRE study plan. By doing this, you will be able to improve your memory and learning skills in the GRE prep process.

Conclusion

Knowing the most common mistakes that test takers make when preparing and undertaking their GRE study plan can help you avoid or deal with them effectively. Here at Apex, we know that preparing for the GRE exam day may be a challenging task. For this reason, we are more than happy to support you on your GRE journey and assist you in every step of the process. You can sign-up for a 30-minute complimentary consultation call with one of our instructors who can help you with every stage of your GRE journey!

Contributor: Diana Materova

Apr 2022

5 GRE Memorization Techniques

Preparing for the GRE exam requires dedication, constant effort, and determination in order for one to achieve a satisfactory score. While there is theoretical knowledge that should be acquired and cannot be neglected, there are a few tips and tricks that you can learn relatively easily. The latter can save you some precious time so that you can focus on what is more difficult for you on the exam. Our tutors at Apex are 700+ scoring professionals who tailor their approach according to the mental and cognitive abilities of each client. Through this method of Cognitive Empathy, they help our clients learn tips on how to deal with the GRE exam and find simple solution pathways. Here are four of these GRE memorization techniques that our clients are taught.

1. Memorize the answer layout.

Some question types have the same responses. On the GRE, answers to the Data Completion Questions are presented in the same way. These being:

Quantity A is greater.
Quantity B is greater.
The two quantities are equal.
The relationship cannot be determined from the information given.

As a test prepper, you can memorize these statements, given they remain the same throughout the entire GRE. We suggest memorizing a more simple form of these answer types. For example:

A is bigger
B is bigger
Both are equal
Cannot know

By using this as a memorization technique it will cut down on the time you spend on the test. You won’t need to reread the answer types each time you come in contact with them.

2. Practice the vocabulary in everyday life.

Specialists argue that people can easily improve their English language skills if they broaden the size of their vocabulary by transferring words from their passive to active vocabulary. When a person knows what a certain word means but doesn’t ever use it in everyday life, this word is in their passive vocabulary. Once this word gets used when speaking or writing, it can be easily recalled from memory whenever it is needed. In this way, people can learn to use the word in a sentence while also considering the appropriate context and suitable collocations. This can be an immense benefit when preparing for the GRE, as the vocabulary section on the exam is quite challenging.

What many people do and what we would also suggest is using flashcards for memorizing the words and engraining them in your memory. Then commit to using a handful of them during the week. You can also keep a notebook with the most difficult terms, their dictionary definitions, and examples to revert back to them as your vocabulary grows.

3. Use Acronyms and Mnemonics.

If you are a couple of years out of school or if you are just having a hard time remembering mathematical concepts and formulas, the Quantitative portion on the GRE can seem like a daunting task. We understand this, which is why we avoid using math on the GRE all together! But sometimes, the best path is the most direct. Remember some basic math equations and formulas using the following tricks:

Simple Interest Formula
- Interest = principal x rate x time
- I = prt
- Remember the equation as: I am Pretty!
Distance Formula
- Distance = rate x time
- D = rt
- This equation can be remembered as the word: dirt
Linear Equation
- Y = mx + b
- B for begin / M for move
- To graph a line, begin at the B-value and move according to the m-value (slope)
Multiplying Binomials
- (x – a)(x + b)
- Remember FOIL for the order:
  - First
  - Outside
  - Inside
  - Last
Order of Operations
- When answering an equation which looks something like this: 7 x (4 / 6) + 2 = remember: PEMDAS or Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
- Parentheses
- Exponents
- Multiplication
- Division
- Addition
- Subtraction

4. Apply a visual meaning to things.

It is a common fact that people’s brains process visual stimulation much faster than textual information. That is why some people who have superior visual memory can recall visual information easily. Their brains have established relations between visual objects and data. This type of memory is very important when it comes to many academic tasks including doing reading comprehension exercises and mathematical operations. Naturally, it can be used on the GRE as well. So, if you are one of these people, or if you have never consciously used your visual memory to your advantage, this is your sign to try.

While studying, look at what is around you and apply meaning to objects. For example, when you are working on a particular math problem, stare at the radiator in your room. Then, during the exam (if you are taking the GRE online), look at the radiator once you come in contact with a similar problem. This trick will help your brain in remembering what you learned beforehand. If you are taking the GRE onsite, consider pieces of clothes or jewelry which you will wear during your test. Perhaps fiddle with a ring on your finger while memorizing words, or wear a favorite sweater which you associate with certain mnemonic devices.

5. Apply the knowledge you are learning often.

Reading information out of a textbook and taking notes is the approach most people have when learning. Although this may seem useful, people seem to forget most of the information they read about. For this reason, applying what you just read about in real life can be very useful. One way to do this is to practice doing questions in different locations – at a restaurant, while riding into work, while cooking dinner, etc. This will challenge your brain to think strategically in various situations and prepare it for the dynamic environment of the testing facility. You can do this both with the quantitative and qualitative portions of the exam. Plus it would look extra cool if you are seen jotting math equations down on a napkin while waiting for your food at a restaurant.

These GRE memorization techniques may seem straightforward, but they require work. However, hard work does pay off in the long run! The amount of work you put into your studying can dictate where you end up attending school, and thus the job you receive after graduating. While you are not your GRE, your test score does play a large role in your overall application to your dream school! If you are looking for extra help in preparing for the GRE, we offer extensive one-on-one tutoring with high-achieving clients. You can schedule a complimentary, 30-minute consultation call with one of our tutors to learn more!

Contributor: Dana Coggio