GRE's

Hey guys I am about to start studying to take my GRE's for the graduate program at JMU in Infosec, I was just wodering if anyone else on here has taken them and what they did to prepare for them. Should i just go out and buy a GRE study guide book or is there a better way than just the typical reading of a book?

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shednik

I thought they sucked...I used the kaplan books and did really well on the math but horribly on the verbal because of how they test you...oh well I'd ask JMU what they are looking for in the scores...My school was really only going to look at the math so I lucked out and got in...Good luck to you I don't want to take them over again.

BradleyHU

shednik wrote:

I thought they sucked...I used the kaplan books and did really well on the math but horribly on the verbal because of how they test you...oh well I'd ask JMU what they are looking for in the scores...My school was really only going to look at the math so I lucked out and got in...Good luck to you I don't want to take them over again.

same here...i used the kaplan GRE book, and did good on the math, but the verbal not so much. i took the gre twice, and got a 1080, and 1060. i've been accepted to a few grads schools, and decided on which one i'm goin to attend next semester. but yeah, the verbal was horrible. the reading part was boring, and the analogies, antonyms & synonyms parts were not fun either.

oo_snoopy

I'll be taking it soon but haven't been studying that much, from what I've seen the math is really easy but the verbal is all about writing how they want you to write it.

famosbrown

I did not take the GRE, but I took the GMAT, which is required for my Graduate school. I've been told that the exams are similar.

KAPLAN and others offer books and materials for the exam, but I used the Offical GMAT Guide that was published by the exam creators. If you can find material published by the GRE Test Makers, that would help in addition to the Kaplan books. The official guide said that they paractice questions were actual questions used in prior exams and gives a better feel on how the exam is. The only problem was that the book didn't have any questions in the 800 level and didn't rank the questions. The exam is adaptive, so you may get presented with a medium...say a 600 level question first, then go up from there if you continue to answer correctly, or vice versa. It then finds your level and that's the grade you will get for the specific section. So you might find that you are all of the sudden crusing through the exam, but it could be good and bad...the exam may have found your level and choose to stick with questions that aren't that hard, which may result in a lower score than you thought you would get. There are also prep courses out there if you are really rusty or can't remember anything from your SAT.

I agree with the above poster...contact James Madison and see what score they are looking for. Some schools look for scores and some like Harvard look for percentiles and scores (how you rank amongst others taking the exam during a specific period) which you will get with your results.

Good luck!! James Madison University Graduate Program is ranked in the top 20 for America's Best graduate Schools, so I'm sure it will definitely stand out on the resume, social/professional events, and the education you receive will be WAY above PAR.

BradleyHU

^^^
GRE & GMAT arent similar at all...maybe aside from a few comprehensive reading and problem solving questions...but thats it. GMAT is a totally different animal from the GRE.

hypnotoad

I took the GRE twice. I hated it and did bad....But I got admitted everywhere I applied (both M.S. and Ph.D. programs).

Here are some facts:
1. Many CS type people dont do well on verbal. Especially if their native language isnt english.
2. The GRE isnt weighed very heavily (or at all) in some admissions decisions.
3. Admissions decisions are often based on a number of different criteria, with the GRE being used more weakly than others in most admissions decisions. It depends on the department and the school.
4. A department head or academic dean can almost always override any graduate college admissions denial. Make friends with them or at least go visit and act like you know what youre talking about.

The kaplan books dont help, imo.

famosbrown

BradleyHU wrote:

^^^
GRE & GMAT arent similar at all...maybe aside from a few comprehensive reading and problem solving questions...but thats it. GMAT is a totally different animal from the GRE.

Yeah...after talking to a few more colleagues, you are right. The one's who took the GRE General exam said it was kind of similar though, but the subject versions were totally different.

Below are websites for more information on the GRE.

http://www.800score.com/gmat-and-gre.html

http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=b195e3b5f64f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD

GT-Rob

My girlfriend just took here GRE yesterday.

She used 3 or 4 books off amazon. Flash cards for words, some math course books etc.

She did pretty well. Although all that matters is whether she gets in anywhere now (wont know for 6 more months or so)