I bet you looked right at this title, “How to Pass the GRE without Studying,” and thought, “Yes! This is exactly what I’m looking for”! However, it is not as simple as it sounds.
Think about it this way; time is money and vice versa. Taking the GRE is expensive, so why throw that away by not thoroughly preparing for the GRE test? Taking the GRE without studying is like wadding up a couple of hundred-dollar bills and lighting it on fire. Our goal is to provide you with practical tips for studying for the GRE without all the stress.
How to Create a Study Plan
To completely dominate the GRE with a minimum amount of study time, the first thing you should do is go to the source and understand how the GRE is structured. The ETS (education testing services) homepage gives a breakdown of the test and its components. Once you have reviewed all the components and clearly understand what each GRE section is about, consider your strengths and weaknesses.
Do you feel like you struggle more with analyzing text and sentence components or quantitative reasoning skills? Is that reading passage going to trip you up, or will it be that math question? Also, thinking about areas that you struggled with when attending high school will give an idea of areas you will need to focus on.
Further, many of the concepts that are on the exam were taught during your high school years. However, many students don’t remember what they ate for breakfast, let alone what was learned years before. One way to find out will help gear you to figure out which areas will require more focus. Take the practice test!
Test takers who take advantage of the GRE practice exam have a greater chance of success on test day. Why? Because they have allowed an opportunity for their brains to process, record, and become familiar with the types of questions and topics presented on the exam. Make sure to get the recommended GRE study guides and review how to score the practice exam.
How long should you spend studying for the GRE prep?
There is no set amount of preparation time for a test taker. But if you can give yourself at least one week of preparation time, you can follow our 1-week GRE study plan.
Magoosh GRE offers a fast minute 1-month plan that gives you access to 1200 practice questions, three full practice tests, and much more for one full month. Set aside some study time if you already have your GRE prep books. You will track how much time you require to complete the GRE mock test. When you complete your mock exam, score yourself.
If you did not receive your desired score, go back to the GRE questions, and review what you got wrong. Then try again with a different practice exam.
Lastly, your GRE score will appear through the ETS portal 10-15 business days after taking the GRE. Make sure that you get a copy of your exam for your records.
