GRE Practice Tests?

Updated on September 29, 2013
P.G. asks from San Antonio, TX
5 answers

Hi moms - I'm looking to go back to school, but need to take the GRE. I'm going to check and see if my library has a practice resource.

Does anyone know of a trust-worthy free resource to take a practice test? I've googled, but I just don't want to click on something and end up being hounded by it forever if I click on the wrong web page.

Thanks for your help!

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A.L.

answers from Seattle on

I am about to take it as well. The ETS website where you register for the GRE has some free practice questions on it. They also have free prep software and materials.

I also have a preparation book that was relatively inexpensive that has a number of free tests, your library may have more as well.

I have found a bunch of apps as well which are great for learning vocab (not so great for math).

Inquire at your target school whether you should take a subject test as well. Make sure you talk to someone in the department you are applying to, preferably the professor you would most want to work with.
My school's official application information says it is not "required" but I talked to faculty who regularly sit on the graduate admissions committee and they told me that usually they don't even look at people who haven't taken the subject test... that was quite a surprise for me as I had not intended on taking it.

I have been leisurely preparing for a few weeks, starting in earnest this weekend 4 weeks out. I have looked through everything and would say that none of the materials tested are terribly "hard". A lot is memorization and recalling stuff from high school, particularly in the math part. The test starts off with two 30 min essays, those you just need to get into a habit of writing. The entire test is more of an exercise in time management and staying focused, rather than real knowledge.

Good luck.

2 moms found this helpful
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A.P.

answers from Washington DC on

I would consider it part of your test.

You want to get into graduate school, and you can't even find the practice tests?

What are you going to do when the questions get much harder?

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T.S.

answers from Washington DC on

The GRE itself (ETS) offers PowerPrep which you can download from the GRE website. It gives you one (I think) practice test along with practice exercises to learn about the different test sections.

You can buy a prep book for about $40 at any book store which will have a cd with several practice tests and study sections.

Don't waste your time with any paper based practice tests because they just don't echo the true format of the test. The GRE is computer adaptive so a paper test where you score your self on a percent correct won't give you a good gauge of the score because the real GRE moves you up and down in difficulty as you answer correctly or incorrectly and scores you based on the level you achieve.

HTH
T.

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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

When I completed my GRE there were no free online options, but I did purchase software and used free books from the library to help prepare.
In fact, go to the library first. Do some of the practice books, if you can't complete them consider a tutor or other support in areas you are weak.

Then look online for testing facility locations and see what they recommend in terms of software/sites, etc.

Also, call the school you are interested in. My program did not require the essay portion as I recall. It was 10+ years ago, but I do remember it being a very intense process and I spent months preparing so I felt confident.

Good luck.

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E.M.

answers from Phoenix on

I would look for a link on a university's web page, maybe their library page or their grad student admissions page?

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