Tip #1 – Examine the pie chart fully before reading the question. Read the heading of the chart first, and then look at the labels for each “slice” of the pie. What can be readily inferred? Keep track of the units, and make sure there isn’t any additional information printed below the chart that may be required to solve.

Need to check to see how you’re doing on “DI: Circle Graphs” questions so far? Grockit has skill data for each type of question you’ve answered. Check it out here.

Tip #2 – Don’t equate percents with numbers. The pie chart may display a percentage only, while the question may ask about an actual, “real-world” number. Don’t conflate the two.

Tip #3 – Use estimation and approximation as much as possible. Round numbers up or down to make the math easier. Just like in other GRE Quantitative questions, the answer choices may be far enough apart so that it is easy to estimate. Rounding to the nearest whole number if usually the simplest way to solve, then proceed with the actual computations as you would normally.

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Already a Ratios & Proportions rock star? Check out your percentage correct for these type of questions on your personal profile on Grockit.

A ratio is a comparison between two quantities. It is usually expression as a fraction (x/y) or with a colon (x:y), or in a word problems (“the ratio of apples to oranges”). Typically, whatever follows the word “of” is in the numerator, and whatever follows the word “to” is in the denominator.

A proportion is a set of ratios set equal to each other. Basically, an equation with two fractions, such as 4/x = y/7. You can always solve a proportion by cross-multiplying the numerator of one fraction by the denominator of the other. 4/x = y/7 would become 28 = xy after we cross-multiplied.

Check out a sample ratios and proportion question by creating a Custom Game in the Grockit lobby and selecting that skill tag.

Ratios are usually expressed as part: whole or part:part. Making that distinction is important, especially in complex GRE word problems. Ratios are always reduced to the simplest form, but you can multiply them by any integer to increase the numerator/denominator values, as long as you do the same thing to the top and the bottom of the fraction.

Remember: When given a part:whole ratio, at at least one “real-world” number, you can solve for the other “real-world” value. For example, if the ratio of girls to total students in a class is 3:5, and there are 8 boys in the class, how many girls are in the class?

We know the ratio of boys:total students must be 2:5, since there are 3 girls out of 5. Let’s set up a proportion to solve: 2/5 = 8/x. There are 20 students total in the class, so there must be 12 girls.

When working with proportions, make sure to carefully look for any change in units. This especially occurs in questions involving time. Don’t forget – there are 60 seconds in 1 minute, and 60 minutes in 1 hour. J

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Step 1 – Write down what the question is asking. This is especially important for long word problems. Don’t start solving unless you know what you’re solving for. Is the question looking for the area of a circle, or just its diameter? X, or 1/X? Part of a ratio, or the entire ratio?

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Step 2 – Extract any given information. As you read the question, pull out any definitions (“x is an integer,” “the set contains only primes,”etc.), or numerical relationships (z < 13, y = -1/2x + 14, etc.). Write them down in shorthand.

Step 3 – Examine the answer choices. What are they? Numbers, variables, words, or some combination? What does that tell you about the question? Can you potentially pick numbers or backsolve (plug-in)? If you had to guess strategically, are there any answer choices that seem illogical based on the definitions and numerical relationships established by the question stem? Any odd “outliers,” or answer choices that are suspiciously different from the rest?

Step 4 – Select your strategy and solve. There are only 4 ways to solve: Do the Math, Backsolve, Pick Numbers, or Guess Strategically. Based on the answer choices and your overall pacing within the Quantitative section, select the strategy that feels right to you, and go for it! Don’t second-guess yourself, or spend too long considering which way is “best.” Many GRE questions can be solved in more than one way, but you don’t get extra points for knowing that.

Step 5 – Double check your answer. Are you really done? Did you find what the question was asking? Before you confirm your answer, just make sure you didn’t skip a final step. The “second-to-last” step is frequently an incorrect answer choice on GRE questions.

Now that you understand the basics of Multiple Choice – Select One strategy, practice some questions on Grockit to raise that Quantitative score!

1. Notice which type of multiple choice question you are dealing with.

The GRE has some typical multiple-choice questions with five answer choices and one correct answer.  However, there will also be questions with more than one right answer.  The quickest way to distinguish between these two question types is to look at the letters of the answer choices.  If they are inside a circle, there is one correct answer.  If they are inside a square, there could be more than one correct answer choice.  However, still pay attention to the directions because sentence equivalence questions have exactly 2 right answers, while other squared answer choice questions could have 1 correct answer choice or up to several correct choices.  Familiarity with the different question types and directions through lots of practice is the sure-fire way to avoid missing questions because of marking the wrong number of answer choices.

Test your GRE skills with this GRE reading comprehension detail practice question. 

2. When there’s more than one possible correct answer, consider each choice separately.

Disclaimer:  This does not apply to sentence equivalence questions, in which the two correct answer choices must both make sense in the sentence, as well as be synonyms.

When you are dealing with a question that could possibly have more than one correct answer, carefully consider each choice separately and either eliminate it or choose it, independent of any of the other choices.  Also keep in mind that while a few or all of the choices could be correct, it could also be that just one of the answer choices is correct, like a typical multiple-choice question.  If you wouldn’t choose one of the answer choices if there was only one correct choice, don’t pick it just because there could be more than one correct choice.  Only choose answer choices that you definitely agree with.

3. Write down the letters of answer choices and eliminate them on paper.

One disadvantage of taking a computer-adapted test is that you can’t physically eliminate answer choices by putting a line through them.  This strategy helps a lot with keeping your thoughts organized so you can pick the right answer.  Personally, if I’ve eliminated A in my head, I might forget that decision by the time I get through the other 4 choices and have to rethink A again, costing myself valuable time.  So, for the GRE CAT, quickly jot down A B C D E (or whatever the choices are) on your scratch paper and cross out each letter as you decide to eliminate it.

4. Be aware of scoring.

All answer choices you mark on a question must be correct to get credit for that question.  There is no partial credit.  So, don’t pick all 3 answer choices for a reading passage question if you’re only sure about 2 of the choices, thinking that you will get 2/3 of a point for your two right answers.  You must put down all of the right answers, be that 1, 2, 3 or more, and none of the incorrect answers to receive full credit.  Try to answer all of the questions or as many as you can.  Leaving questions blank does not grant you any type of advantage in scoring.

5. Watch out for “except,” “not,” etc. questions.

These types of questions are sometimes referred to as “negative” questions.  I like to say that you have to think “backwards,” find the “wrong” answer choice, or “find the one that doesn’t belong.”  Don’t assume that every question is asking a positive question and wants you to find the choice that fits that description.  Sometimes they want you to pick the choice that the author would NOT agree with, or whatever the wording may be.

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both

and

in addition

additionally

then

too

also

nor

moreover

etc.

If your blanks represent consistent ideas signaled by your key word (such as “and”), the correct choices will be similar in tone (both positive or both negative) and/or meaning.  However, be aware that while you may have consistent ideas, a negative in one clause such as “not” means your correct choices should actually be opposites.

For example:

My aunt suffered from _______ migraines, and sometimes the pain was not _________.

Because of the negative clue “suffered” in the first clause, you can predict that the first blank will be some kind of negative word such as “terrible.”  The “and” signals that the second clause will contain a similar idea as the first, but that does not mean that the second blank will also be negative since we have the word “not.”  Because of “not,” we actually want a word that means the opposite of “terrible,” so a positive word such as “bearable” would be the best choice for the second blank.

As with any text completion question, remember that there could be multiple relationships within the text.  Maybe there are consistent ideas in the first sentence, the second sentence contrast with the first, and the third sentence contains a blank that is defined within the sentence.  The more comfortable you are with spotting these clues, the more you will be able to use them to your advantage to complete the text correctly.

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Here’s an example of a two blank text completion question from Grockit:

It’s important to know that you should select each blank’s answer independent of the other blank.  Also, be aware that if you get one of the blanks wrong and the other correct, you receive no credit.

As with any text completion question, make sure to identify key words that can provide clues to the blanks, and to note the relationships between the clauses and sentences.  Are the ideas contrasting or consistent?  Is cause and effect shown, or a definition for the blank given in the sentence?

If you come across a two blank text completion question with a long paragraph, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.  Take it chunk by chunk and use the same vocabulary strategies you would use for a shorter text, such as predicting words for the blanks and using clues in the sentence.

If you’re looking for more GRE Verbal tips, message me on Grockit for private tutoring sessions!

Advantages

Getting ahead of the game - The sooner you go to grad school, the sooner you’ll graduate and be able to pursue a higher-paying career.  If you’re ambitious and looking to be successful at a young age, this might be the right route for you.  Or, maybe you just don’t enjoy school and see it as a stepping stone that you want to get over with, the sooner the better.

 Riding your college momentum - You have just spent four years honing your study skills and essay writing strategies.  All of this will be fresh in your mind if you jump right into grad school.  You are already in academic “mode,” so the transition could be easier.  Some people find it difficult to go back to the classroom and long nights of studying after being in the working world for a significant amount of time.

Less commitments - When you graduate from college, you’re more likely to have the freedom to move anywhere to go to your dream school than if you wait.  The longer you spend out in the real world, the more likely that you’ll have commitments that might hold you back, such as your job, a spouse, or even a family.  Even if you aren’t planning on starting a family anytime soon, life happens and you never know where you’ll be in a few years or even one.

Disadvantages

 Less time to study for entrance exams - Particularly if you have a difficult course load or thesis senior year, it can be tough to juggle your last semesters of undergrad and studying for an important test such as the LSAT or GMAT.  Many students opt to take a year off so they can study for entrance exams, work on applications, and maybe work part-time.

Less work and world experience - If you have worked for a while, you may be able to make more informed decisions about which type of grad school program you should enter.  By “doing” out in the working world, you might realize the field you always thought was perfect for you really isn’t.  You could also get more out of your grad program when you’re able to apply course content to real-life situations you have experienced.  Additionally, some grad programs, particularly business schools, are more likely to accept you if you have some experience under your belt.

Less money - If finances are an issue, you may want to take this year off to work–not just so it will look good on your application, but also to save up some money for those tuition and living costs while in grad school.  This will leave you tied down by less loans when you do graduate from your grad school program.

If you’re taking the GMAT soon, one of our expert Grockit tutors can help you reach your full potential!

Give yourself time to plan, shop, and pack, and you’ll be as well prepared for your masters classes as you were for your GRE test.  In Part 1 of this article, we learned about the importance of adding under-layers of light, breathable fabrics and over-layers of flannel and wool; keeping your extremities warm and your laptop dry; and staying cozy with flannel pajamas.  Here are five more cold-weather things to put on your packing list:

6.  Wear a Warm and Classy Coat

You might be wearing several layers already, but when you add a winter coat, you can still look sleek and chic.  Choose a sporty, hooded jacket with a waterproof shell (which is great in wind and wet, sleety snow) and a zip-in fleece liner (which adds a warm layer under the shell and can be worn alone on balmy fall and spring days).  Then, for a dressier look, also choose a warm coat – like a wool overcoat or peacoat; a belted and quilted down-filled coat; or a gem-toned swing coat with a faux-fur collar.

7.  Put a Lid on It

Hats are essential for whole-body warmth in cold temperatures, since body heat is lost from an uncovered head.  Get several hats that are practical and suit your style – and be aware that your favorite baseball cap or fashionable fedora won’t be adequate.  Find a couple of thin, knit caps that you can wear in the library and lecture halls.  Find a fleece hat and/or a wool hat lined with fleece (since wool can be scratchy).  To really cut the cold and wind, get a bomber-style hat with ear flaps.

8.  Boot Up

Did you shuffle around in Uggs as an undergrad?  Well, it’s time trade up for a new pair of winter boots that are just as cozy, but more sturdy.  Choose boots that have some lining for warmth and some traction to keep you from falling on your bum in the middle of campus.  Waterproofing is a must – so make sure you get boots that are already waterproof, or pick up a waterproofing agent to apply yourself.

9.  Curl Up in Flannel

If you’re from a warmer climate and you’ve never slept in flannel sheets, you’re in for a luxurious surprise.  Yes, it’s a humble luxury, but there’s nothing that feels better for a long winter’s nap.  Sometimes the combination of flannel pajamas with flannel sheets can cause difficulty in turning over, because of a velcro-type effect, but you’ll be warm!

10.  Add Cocoa, Tea, and Candles

Finally, get a nice espresso machine, whistling teapot, and a bunch of bright mugs.  Stock up with coffee beans, tea bags, and hot cocoa, along with honey, mini marshmallows, and maybe your favorite liquor to add!  Choose several candles in scents that you find relaxing, energizing, and comforting.  The first nine things on this list will keep your body warm and dry – add spiked hot chocolate and candlelight, and you’ll warm your spirits, too.

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Starting a new year of studies can be both thrilling and nerve-wracking – and you might be especially nervous about what to bring if you’re unfamiliar with a cold climate.  Give yourself adequate time to plan, shop, and pack – at least several weeks prior to your departure – and you’ll be as well prepared for your masters classes as you were for your GRE test.  To get you started, here are ten cold-weather things to put on your packing list:

1.  Add an Under-Layer - Don’t buy an entirely new wardrobe for the cold weather – instead, get pieces to layer beneath your other clothes.  Long underwear is no longer the bulky and baggy waffle-weave of your grandfather’s day!  Cold-weather outfitters carry comfortable and thin leggings and long-sleeve t-shirts in great colors and patterns.  This layer next to your body should be made of breathable fabrics, so be sure to choose long underwear in silk, cotton, hemp, and other natural fibers.

2.  Add an Outer-Layer - Children growing up in northern states from Montana to Maine hear the refrain: “If you’re cold, put on a sweater!”  So in addition to the layer you’ll wear under the shirts, skirts, and pants you already have, you’ll want to get several pullover sweaters, vests, cardigans, and flannel or wool shirts to further winterize your wardrobe.  Remember that you’ll want both casual and dressier pieces.

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3.  Keep Fingers and Toes Toasty - To keep your whole self toasty, keep your hands and feet covered and warm.  You’ll wear socks daily, so get a couple of 12-packs of socks with cuffs, and a few pairs of thicker knit and wool socks, too.  For your hands, it’s wise to have both gloves and mittens, and to have multiple pairs of each, because you’ll inevitably lose some.  Choose styles for different situations: fingerless knit gloves, waterproof down-filled mittens, and fleece-lined wool mittens.

4.  Keep Your Books & Laptop Dry - Speaking of waterproofing… Snow isn’t as wet as rain, but it’s wet enough to ruin your books and laptop, and soak everything that you’re carrying in your arms or inadequate bag.  So make sure you’ve got a backpack or messenger bag that’s roomy enough for all your stuff and is waterproof – and you won’t need to worry about ruining your datebook or hard copy of your thesis.

5.  Pull on the Flannel - For staying warm on those chilly, late nights with your research papers, you can’t beat flannel.  You can find flannel pajamas, nightshirts, and lounge pants in every design from traditional red plaid to purple poodles.  For further cozyness, get a flannel, fleece, or vintage chenille robe or suave smoking jacket.  Add a pair of slippers, and you’ll be the picture of comfort.

Taking the new GRE? Try this sentence equivalence practice question and test your skills!

1. Find the Main Idea at the bottom of the first paragraph. Just like most 5-paragraph essays, the author of a reading passage on the GRE will often put the thesis at the bottom of the introductory paragraph. If you see any questions that use keywords like “main idea” or “purpose,” look here first.

2. Use your scratch pad! It’s there for a reason. You can’t possible remember every piece of information from the passage, so take short notes to help you focus.

3. Avoid skimming. Try to find the “big picture” of the passage, but if you skim, you’ll be going back through the passage inch-by-inch later on, searching for the answers to the more specific questions! Read thoroughly the first time.

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4. Come up with your own answer. For each question write down a Prediction based on your notes and your understanding of the passage. Process of elimination is a much more effective method than simply going straight to the answer choices as written.

5. Remember that Details support Functions. If a question asks you why the author includes a specific detail from the passage, consider that all the details within a paragraph are generally used to support the function of that paragraph.

6. Focus on how the argument is put together. When you read the first time, ask how does each paragraph fit into the author’s main idea? How does the author develop his discussion of the topic? You can always go back for the nitty-gritty details. Look at the structure first.

7. Don’t be thrown by concessions. Sometimes the author will have a very strong opinion and argue it throughout the passage, and then will unexpectedly stop and make a concession to the opposing side, seeming to weaken his argument.

8. Look for the Tone, even if it feels neutral. The author does not always have a strong “voice” in GRE passages. If you have a hard time finding the author’s opinion, it may simply be that he doesn’t have one!

9. Wrong answer choices are often out of scope. The scope of the GRE passage is what ABOUT the topic interests the author. What is his focus? Incorrect choices will involve info the author doesn’t focus on.

10. Put confusing answer choices in your own words. If you’re having a hard time making sense of a difficult set of answer options, you can always “dumb them down” by simplifying them in your own words.

Looking for a more interactive way to learn? Check out Grockit’s GRE Video Course!