Navigating the murky waters of college admissions can be quite a rough ride. That’s why we’ve brought you an easy guide to America’s top universities. Take a glance and you’ll find both the locations as well as SAT ranges of first-rate universities like Stanford and Cornell.

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Vocabulary. Noun. The bane of a student’s existence when it comes to standardized testing. While one would think that learning the definition of a word is enough, the antonym section of the GRE makes sure that a student can accurately define what a word means and also what a word doesn’t mean. There are a few ways to study for this portion of the exam: visual, audio, kinesthetic, or a combination of either of the three types. By the time most students take the GRE they have pinpointed their best method of study. For less well-rounded students though, or students who are more suited for mathematical and analytical reasoning studying English can be like studying a foreign language. In these cases it is always a good idea to figure out how information would be absorbed most efficiently. For any type of learner it is recommended that he or she obtains a GRE practice exam guide and thesaurus, which are available at any local library or bookstores nationwide.

Using the words listed in the study portion and practice exams of the guide, the visual learner can make flash cards that list the word and several–not just one–of its antonyms. For example, repudiate means to reject OR disapprove of something, thus its antonyms are accept OR approve. By using more than one antonym understanding of a word’s more subtle meanings increases. Audio learners may have someone study with them, or record themselves saying the word they want to learn with a few antonyms. Also, creating a pneumonic device for the word may help for this type of learner. Kinesthetic learners could also benefit from making flash cards, helping them learn and memorize equations in this matter, and then working out a problem written on the answer side pertaining to the equation.

In all cases, learning the etymology, or language origin of a word is very helpful because the roots of a word may carry over into its antonyms. A word with a Greek root often has an antonym with a Greek root, which may help eliminate answers during the exam. Figuring out how to study most efficiently for this test is half the battle. The other half is giving oneself enough time to study efficiently. Review for this test should start weeks if not months in advance, and similar to the ACT and SAT, should be taken more than once if at all possible. The more it is taken, the more familiar–or less foreign or strange it becomes.

The GRE sentence completion tests your ability to recognize logical consistency and grammatical correctness. Here are ten tips to handle these types of questions.

The sentences may come from any field of study like history, art, science, humanities and literature. No need to get anxious if the sentence deals with an unfamiliar subject. GRE is not intended to test your subject knowledge.

1. Try to grasp the tone of the sentence. Many a times the conclusion of a sentence strongly depends on whether the intent is an irony, fact or satire. The skill to identify such a tone will come with due practice.
2. Try to break down the sentence into smaller segments and try to understand the crux of the matter. Once you have understood the author’s intent, it becomes easier to come to a logical conclusion.
3. Pay additional attention to connectives such as either, or, along with, hence, thus, etc. These can influence the structure and meaning of the sentence a great deal.
4. If the meaning of the sentence is easily understood, try to write down your own answer on the scribble pad before looking at the answer options. This makes it easy to arrive at the final answer choice.
5. Even if you are a 100% sure of your answer, ensure that you read through all the answer choices before marking the answer. Test takers usually succumb to such traps.
6. If the sentence is too complex to comprehend and you have only a vague idea of what is being said, try to look at the answer options to derive additional meaning. At times answer options greatly assist in discovering the complete subject matter.
7. Once you have arrived at the answer, give the question another 15 seconds and try to eliminate the remaining answer options. In this way you will ensure that you have done due diligence with the question.
8. Beware of words that convey a contrasting meaning or a near antonym. They may form a small part of the sentence but have a potential to completely change the meaning of the sentence. Some examples of such words are nevertheless, notwithstanding, rather than, yet and still.
9. Treat the sentence completion section like just another reading comprehension. The answer to the question lies in understanding the information provided and not on any prior knowledge. Good reading habits will go a long way in making one better prepared to handle GRE sentence completion questions.
10. Relax! Remember to take a deep breathe and give yourself a breather if you are stuck.

In 2009, the pirates vs. ninjas debate became a sensation. With ninjas in the lead, who wouldn’t want to be one? How can you become a ninja without all the martial arts training? How about being a GRE Discrete Quantitative Comparison Ninja? Studying for the GRE is a daunting task, but why not make it fun?

In the Discrete Quantitative Comparison section, work on different mathematical problems, using memorized formulas to solve them. Along with your memorization, you will need to work with accuracy and speed. The way of the ninja is precise – doing your best and working quickly and accurately. Ninjas are trained for many years in order to achieve accuracy and precision. Their method for learning martial arts is the same method that should be used to study for the GRE; repetition and practice. The only way to memorize the mathematical formulas you need is through consistent, focused practice.

It is important to remember any skill you would like to learn requires a certain amount of diligence. As a ninja practices his martial arts daily, so should you practice your math skills. You will have 28 questions on the Quantitative Comparison section, and forty-five minutes to complete it. This gives you about a minute and a half to complete this section. By practicing your math skills and training your mind every day, you too can have a black belt; but in math! Math is an important skill that will be useful to you no matter what job you have.

So become a GRE Discrete Quantitative Comparison Ninja today!

There are many MBA/MS applicants who are unhappy with their GMAT/GRE scores, so you are not alone! The GMAT/GRE are tough and competitive exams, and thousands of applicants are aiming for the top percentile. However, a low GMAT/GRE score is not necessarily the end of the world. In fact, it is very likely you can still get through to the University of your choice, provided you follow a few simple steps.

First, decide whether your current GRE/GMAT score is acceptable or too low. You may then decide whether you need to take the test again. Although there is no such thing as a ‘cut-off’ score, you can still reasonably estimate your chances at a particular university with your score.

If you have a stellar academic record with glowing recommendations and a well-composed personal statement, you can get through to a good university even with a really poor GMAT/GRE score. For example, there was one international student who got admitted to a graduate program in Columbia with a GRE score of 1060, because he could cover it up in other areas.

If you are an international student, you may also want to know that a good TOEFL score can offset a poor verbal score. GMAT/GRE scores are also program dependent, especially in case of GRE scores.

An applicant to an MS program in a field related to engineering need not worry if his verbal score is, say 350. But a student who wants a graduate degree in English Literature will find it most difficult to get admitted to a good graduate program, with the same verbal score. Try to keep in mind your program requirements before you make a decision about giving the test again.

If you decide to apply with a low GMAT/GRE score, don’t try to make excuses in either your recommendations or your personal statement. Never tell the admissions committee that you deserved a better score. They’ve heard it all before, and it only gives them the impression that you can’t get the job done, so you’re looking for excuses.

You cannot blame pressure for failing to perform, the GMAT/GRE are designed to be challenging and to see how well a student can perform under pressure.

If you had a personal problem or medical condition that affected you, try to get in touch with someone from the admissions committee who will be sympathetic to your cause. If you really wish to mention it in your personal statement, say ‘personal problem’ but leave out any other details.

If you have time, make up for your low scores. If you can get straight A’s in all the courses relevant to the graduate program that you wish to pursue, then it will further your cause to no end.

Remember good grades in relevant courses can mask a low GMAT/GRE score, but even the best GMAT/GRE scores cannot completely mask a poor academic record! As mentioned before, also make sure that your recommendations highlight your strengths and expertise in the fields related to your graduate program.

Don’t be under the impression that taking the test twice is a handicap. In many cases, the admissions committee considers it as an effort by the student to improve, which gives a very positive vibe about the student.

In a nutshell, low GMAT/GRE scores need not stop you from pursuing the course of your choice in the college of your choice, so don’t be unduly bothered about it. Best of Luck!

Are you looking to be accepted into graduate school? If so, most graduate schools require that you take a standardized test like the dreaded SAT you sat through during high school. The GMAT and GRE are the two qualifying exams for graduate school admission. You may be thinking that it has been a long time since you have taken a standardized test. Here is some advice for test preparation whether you are taking the GMAT or the GRE.

First, you need to decide which exam you need to take. Business schools typically require that you have taken the GMAT. Most other graduate programs, such as those offering science, math, literature and psychology degrees ask that you take the GRE. Some business schools will consider a GRE score. Take a look at your school’s website to make sure you are planning and studying for the right exam.

Make sure you have all the technical details prepared in advance. Sign up for your exam a few months ahead of time to avoid late fees. Signing up early will also allow you to obtain a testing center close to your home. Choosing a testing center you are familiar with will help to reduce stress on your testing day!

You should determine your study plan. Companies offer GMAT prep classes and GRE prep classes. If you can afford a course and feel as though you are not a great test-taker, a course may be your best study route! However, if you are self-disciplined and need to save some cash, there are ways to study on your own! There are many GMAT study guides and GRE study guides available for purchase for a fraction of the cost of taking a course.

While studying and practicing GMAT questions or GRE questions, you should try to look for patterns in the questions. Often, standardized tests will follow certain patterns, so pay attention. When you do not know the answer to a question, knowing the typical question patterns will make guessing the correct answer easier and help you to achieve the best score you can!

Timing can sometimes get in the way of getting a great score on standardized tests. You don’t want to feel pressured while taking the exam. After taking a few practice exams, start timing yourself. Timing yourself will allow you to determine how quickly you are moving through the exam and help you to figure out the best way to pace yourself.

It may sound obvious, but you should make yourself as comfortable as possible on the day of the GMAT or GRE. Do not do anything drastically different from what you normally would the week before the exam (such as any major life change like buying a house), as you do not need any unexpected stress! Do not study the night before the exam and get a full eight hours of sleep. Wake up early, eat breakfast, and give yourself plenty of time to fully awaken. Make sure you have plenty of time to arrive at your testing center. If you are unfamiliar with the location, take a drive to it the day before to make sure you are not late on the test day! Dress in what makes you comfortable and wear layers. You never know what the temperature will be like in at the GMAT or GRE test center, so be prepared to be cold or hot.

Your GMAT or GRE score could be your ticket for admission into the graduate school of your choice. The key is to be well-prepared for the test itself and mentally. Good luck!

You’ve decided to go back to school and have registered for the GRE or the GMAT. Then you discovered an awesome website that offers free, customizable 1 month and 3 month study guides, which you quickly signed up for. Now that you’re getting weekly emails that contain a set of weekly tasks, class and book recommendations, study tips and more, you’re starting to wonder in what other ways you can prepare for your exam to get the best score possible.

The answer: Have your study plan go mobile!

TeachStreet has made it’s amazing study guides available for easy and quick access right on your iphone.  Now you can easily stay on track, and take full advantage of your test prep time.

Going mobile is easy, follow the steps below to take your GRE /GMAT prep to the next level.

1. Sign for your study plan online at either gre.teachstreet.com or gmat.teachstreet.com.
2. Enter your phone # or email inside the box above your newly generated study plan to have the link to your plan sent via text or email.
3. Open the link provided in the email or text on your phone’s browser.
4. Bookmark the page in your browser, and choose the “Add to Home Screen” option
5. Give your study plan a title and then click “Add.”

Voilà! Just like that you will see your study plan icon on your phone, and you can access it just like any other application. Check out some of the pictures below to start imagining what your plan could look like.

For all those just starting your journey to B-School this guest blog post from Vanessa the GMAT Doctor provides an instructive look at creating a coherent strategy for tackling the GMAT exam.

So, What’s Your Game Plan?

A game plan is essential when you begin any project whether it’s a research project or the start of a new enterprise. Preparation for a test is no exception. Spending equal time to study/practice everything in every subject area on the GMAT would not be the best use of your time. The best use of your GMAT test preparation time will include 3 major steps.

First, find out what will be tested on the GMAT (content, format of questions, etc.). This is the easiest step to accomplish; yet, it may be the one that sets you back the most (psychologically). Why? Because it seems like a lot of subject areas are covered on this exam. But, keep in mind that only some of the many concepts in these subject areas will be consistently tested and therefore, you can better focus your study on those areas! The GMAT covers questions that involve algebra, geometry, probability, permutations, combinations, functions, statistics, grammar, argument evaluation, writing and critical reading. You can get more details on what subjects will be covered on the GMAT by checking out the following web pages on www.mba.com :

Writing Section: http://www.mba.com/mba/TheGMAT/TestStructureAndOverview/AnalyticalWritingAssessmentSection/Default.htm
Math Section: http://www.mba.com/mba/TheGMAT/TestStructureAndOverview/QuantSection/default.htm
Verbal Section: http://www.mba.com/mba/TheGMAT/TestStructureAndOverview/VerbalSection/default.htm

Second, determine the knowledge gaps. How do you determine this? By taking a practice run of the test. As daunting as this step might seem, you must do it in order to determine where you stand, knowledge-wise, on this exam. Don’t worry about how well you do at this point, it is just practice Once you take a practice exam, analyze your results by asking yourself these questions:

1. Which subject areas do I feel most comfortable with? Which subject areas do I feel least comfortable with?

2. Did I complete each section in the time allocated?

3. How long did it take to complete each multiple-choice question?

Third and last, design a strategy for test preparation that tailors to the closure of those knowledge gaps. This strategy should minimize the use of your time and energy while maximizing your ability to improve competency on this exam. Here’s one brief example demonstrating how to devise a strategy for test preparation:

After taking a practice exam, a student found she had the following knowledge gaps in the math section of the exam:

Gap 1. Applied the incorrect formulas to geometric problems

Gap 2. Could complete basic probability problems but more advanced probability problems where they involve the application of more than one probability concept

Gap 3. Comfortable with algebra except for “word problems”. (Word problems usually do not involve explicit variables in a given problem.). Had difficulty setting up the problem properly and thus, kept getting incorrect answers.

Here’s part of this student’s possible game plan:

For every study session
a. Memorize at least 3 new geometric rules
b. Devise, test, perfect a basic method that will be used each time to complete a word problem*
c. List all probability concepts before completing each probability problem

* One proven method is described in a number of my GMAT Doctor Math workshops on BlogTalkRadio.

These 3 basic steps should get you started in the right direction to a game plan that will help greatly improve your score on the GMAT. I talk more about a game plan and other tips in my November 23, 2009 workshop on BlogTalkRadio.   For other great tips and techniques you can use to help you prepare for the GMAT, check out my other workshops at: www.blogtalkradio.com/gmatdoctor.

If you have any GMAT questions, send your e-mail to: gmatdoctor@gmail.com or fax at: (775) 637-8573

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Generally there will be two to four unique reading passages on the GMAT. There will be four questions about each passage. These questions usually show up a bit later into the exam and rarely appear before question eight.

Reading comprehension problems will be displayed so that you can view the passage and the question simultaneously. The passage will display on the left and you will be shown one question at a time on the right. Practicing on the computer is important for every kind of question on the GMAT, but its especially important for RC questions because many people rely on written reading techniques such as underlining, bracketing, etc. Additionally, I find it much more difficult to read on a computer screen than on paper. Therefore during practice even if you’re using a paper based practice exam avoid writing on the actual passage.

There are three types of GMAT reading passages:

General science passages can be thought of as liberal arts based approach to science. They generally focus on historical development of discoveries or principals, adequacy of science as an explanation and other “soft” scientific ideas. They display a much stronger point of view and may be persuasive rather than objective in nature.

Social-science passages cover social studies or humanities related topics specifically including art, literature, history, sociology, or culture. Despite the dense language often used in these types of passages your best bet is to stick to what the text actually says and avoid excessive interpretation or analysis.

Business passages involve very difficult structures, and present questions that require you to infer information and even to determine the authors’ moods and opinions. They need to be read slowly and carefully.

Frequently, business passages also include compound words that few people have ever heard before, and that even fewer people use in ordinary conversation. Don’t feel bad when you run into such terms. They are not very difficult to decipher if you break them down and examine each of their parts.

There are generally four common types of Reading Comprehension questions:

Main Idea questions ask the test taker to identify broad trends and themes from the passage.

Discreet factual questions ask the test taker to identify specific pieces of information spelled out in the passage.

Inference questions ask the test taker to draw conclusions based on the information presented in the passage. This might include making a judgment about the other’s opinions or extending the authors “logic” to predict additional conclusions. These are often considered to be the most difficult type of question.

Tone questions ask the reader to identify the general color of the author’s “voice” or the tone of the passage. For instance is it positive, negative, or neutral?

Use the following tips to help guide you to the correct answer choice.

• Extreme statements are usually incorrect. In part because extreme statements are more difficult to defend as being indubitably correct. The GMAC is not interested in constantly disputing the validity of their answers.
• Do not pull outside knowledge into your answer. GMAC will never ask you a question that requires information that is not directly present in the reading passage.
• Answers may require information from different parts of the passage. Be careful not to rely on your memory to answer just because you remember something sort of related from the passage.
• Remember that an answer must be completely right. There can be no part that is incorrect. If there is then the answer is wrong.

Here are some other great tips from our friends over at AdmissionsConsultants! Check them out if you’re looking for an extra edge when applying to business school! They have admissions committee experience from top business schools and are an excellent resource to help you better your business school application.

Reading Comprehension Tips and Strategies

Tip 1: Use your scrap paper. Since these passages can be rather long and present difficult sentence and paragraph structures, you may want to use your scrap paper to take very brief notes on the main ideas of each paragraph. Because the GMAT is now computer adaptive, you will not be able to mark up the passages on your monitor.

Taking brief notes is particularly useful for remembering where to find factual information in the science passages. When we say very brief notes, what we have in mind is something along the lines of “Paragraph 1: The different types of butterflies, Paragraph 2: How their nervous systems work, Paragraph 3: Why pesticide A is killing too many of them,” etc. Use abbreviations liberally. Using scrap paper in this fashion can also help you outline passages and identify their main arguments for main idea questions.

Of course, you can also use your scrap paper as you go along, to keep track of the answer choices you are able to eliminate as incorrect.

Tip 2: Read the first question before the you read the passage. As we stated earlier, the new CAT structure of the GMAT prevents you from seeing all of the questions about a reading passage at the same time. Nonetheless, you will gain a slight advantage by reading the first question before you read the passage for the first time. This will give you a better idea of what you should be focusing on as you read, in order to answer that question.

Tip 3: Identify the type of passage you are reading. Memorize the 3 common passages types that we outlined above and remember that each one should be treated differently in order to optimize your score on this section.

Tip 4: When answering a fact question, read both the passage providing the data – and several lines before it – carefully. When a fact question directs you to look at a particular line of text for information, you will often find that one of the answer choices is a deceptive one, taken directly from that line number. More likely than not, there will be something in the sentence or two before the referenced line number that will give you the proper frame for interpreting the data – and hence direct you to the right answer to the fact question.

Tip 5: Don’t jump to conclusions with fact questions using Roman numerals to identify answer choices. You will recognize this style of question as soon as you see it:

1. I only
2. II only
3. III only
4. I and II only
5. II and III only

The catch is that, oftentimes, facts I and II will be presented very close to each other in the passage, but fact III will be buried much further in the text. Take the time to review and consider each fact on its own merits.

Tip 6: Eliminate the “oohs and ahhs” answer choices. When consultants refer to “oohs and aahs,” they are talking about interesting factoids that spice up presentations without adding anything of real value to the analysis. The GMAT also contains these types of answer choices. An ‘ooh and ahh’ choice will refer to a fact in the passage … but just not to one that answers the question being asked.

Tip 7: Practice, practice, practice. We just want to say this one last time. You can’t expect to become a scratch golfer just by reading a few magazine articles and watching a few golf tournaments on TV. Likewise, you can’t expect to become an expert at taking the GMAT just by reading some tips and advice. You also need to work through many practice questions and learn to put tips and strategies like the ones we have presented to use.