ScoreItNow! is an online writing practice service from ETS, maker of the GRE. For US$20, you can write two responses to real Analytical Writing prompts and have them scored by e-rater, the automated essay scoring software used to check GRE essay scores assigned by human raters. I signed up and wrote an Argument essay. The […]
Unmasking Disguised Average Questions on the GRE
Sometimes the challenge in GRE Quant isn’t doing the math; it’s knowing what math to do.
Real-world prep for the GRE Reading Comprehension and the Argument Essay
A sizable chunk of the GRE requires you to think about arguments. Half of Analytical Writing is the Analyze an Argument task, and about half of Verbal Reasoning is Reading Comprehension, a question type that often uses argument-based passages. Conveniently, you can prepare for Reading Comp and the Argument Task simultaneously using free (and modestly […]
Reading Comprehension Challenge: Strengthen the Argument
GRE Reading Comp passages usually try to persuade you of something. An argument is given, and your job is to analyze it. Some of the hardest Verbal questions require you to identify information that would strengthen an argument. For practice, try this Reading Comp question that likely just 2 in 10 test takers would get right.
Data Analysis Challenge: Avoid Silly Mistakes, Do Simple Math
GRE Data Analysis will, true to its name, require you to analyze data. Sometimes the data will be a series of large values in a graph or table, and you may feel tempted to punch lots of numbers into your calculator. Yet the necessary math may be simpler—and less error-prone—than you realize. Try this table-based […]
How to Ace Your Grad School Application Interviews
This is our last post in the “Gearing up for Grad School” series, and we hope you’ve learned a lot over the past 10 weeks! For our final installment, we’re talking about grad school application interviews. Unless you’re applying to medical school or business school, it is fairly unlikely that a formal interview will be […]
Additional Documents to Submit with Your Grad School Applications
Applying to grad school can sometimes feel like a maze where documents are requested, fees are paid, tests are taken, and essays are written, all without any seeming rhyme or reason. How can you make sense of it all, and be successful in your quest for admission to a graduate program? We’ve been breaking it […]
How to Request, Submit, and Explain your Transcripts to Grad Schools
Applying to grad school can sometimes feel like a maze where documents are requested, fees are paid, tests are taken, and essays are written, all without any seeming rhyme or reason. How can you make sense of it all, and be successful in your quest for admission to a graduate program? Today’s post is pretty […]
What is a Curriculum Vitae Include?
We’re on week 7 of our “Gearing up for Grad School” series, and this week, we’ll talk about your CV. Although not all grad schools will request that you submit a résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) with your application, many will. It is important to know what to include, what not to include, and how […]
Statement of Purpose: What is It and How Should I Write It?
We’re up to our 6th article in our “Gearing up for Grad School” series. This week, we’ll talk about your statement of purpose: What it is and how you should write it. The statement of purpose is one of the primary elements of your grad school application. In it, you directly address why you want […]