David Freeling - 6 GRE Practice Tests

About the Authors

David Freeling , a graduate of Columbia University, has worked as a teacher and tutor since 1997, helping students of all ages improve their fundamental math and English skills. He prepares students for a wide range of standardized tests including the GRE, GMAT, SAT, ACT, SSAT, and HSPT. His other book titles include Barrons GRE Math Workbook, 2nd Edition , Vocabmonster , and the self-published classic First Fun SAT Book . Connect with his educational material online by visiting NoeValleyTutor.com , which features eight short videos presenting important GRE math test-taking tips, or by logging onto Vocabmonster.com , where you can learn to master advanced English vocabulary with funny, full-color cartoons and creative mnemonic devices. Mr. Freeling is currently completing his first novel, The Bug to End All Bugs.

Vince Kotchian grew up in Connecticut and completed the honors program at Boston College, graduating with a B.A. in English Literature. He has been privately tutoring standardized tests in San Diego for the past several years, and has helped hundreds of students get into the schools of their choice. He has authored nationally published books on the SSAT/ISEE and GRE. He teaches a GRE prep course at UCSD and has an official 170V 166Q score on the GRE. When hes not working, Vince enjoys playing and watching sports, reading and writing fiction, and running (which is enjoyable at least some of the time). Vince can be found online at vincekotchian.com.

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eISBN: 978-1-4380-6805-3

eBook publication: January, 2016

The GRE is the most widely accepted graduate admissions test worldwide, and taking it can bring you closer to achieving your academic goals. A wide range of graduate schools and business schools use GRE scores as a major factor in determining student admissions.

The test is designed to measure your skills in the following three areas:

Verbal Reasoning

You must be able to

Analyze and draw conclusions from written material; identify an authors assumptions and point-of-view; understand meaning on multiple levels, such as literal and figurative

Understand the structure of a text; distinguish between major and minor points

Understand the meanings of words, both in sentences and in relationship to an entire text

Quantitative Reasoning

You must be able to

Analyze numerical and quantitative information

Solve mathematical problems

Model and solve problems with quantitative methods

Understand basic math concepts in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis, including probability and statistics

Analytical Writing

You must be able to

Effectively articulate complex ideas in a logically organized way

Support ideas with relevant examples

Analyze arguments and critically evaluate evidence used in an argument

Sustain a focused, coherent essay

Demonstrate proficiency in the usage of standard written English

In most areas of the world, the GRE is administered as a computer-based exam. Hence, this introduction and the format of the practice tests in this book are designed to be consistent with the experiences of taking the computer-based test. However, the academic content of the exam is the same for both test formats, so by studying this book, you will be well prepared for either the computer- or paper-based test. Mastering the concepts covered herein is the best way to prepare for the GRE. Every practice test has been carefully created to match the structure and content of the actual test.

The first section of the GRE is always the Analytical Writing section, which consists of two separately timed writing tasks: a 30-minute Analyze an Issue task, and a 30-minute Analyze an Argument task. Strategies and sample responses for this section are outside the scope of this book. However, typical writing questions, or prompts, are presented within each practice test for completion.

The GRE always contains two scored Verbal Reasoning sections, often Sections 2 and 4. These are 30-minute timed sections with about 20 questions. The GRE always contains two scored Quantitative Reasoning sections, often Sections 3 and 5. These are 35-minute timed sections with about 20 questions.

TIP

Dont panic if your test has a third Verbal or Quantitative Reasoning section. Thats the unscored Experimental section. Since you wont know which section it is, apply yourself equally to all sections of the test!

Both the Verbal and Quantitative sections are scored from 130 to 170, in one-point increments. Subtle factors involving the adaptive difficulty level of the questions influence your final score. But a rough estimate of your score can be obtained as follows: on a section of 20 questions, 20 correct would result in a perfect score of 170. For every problem that is not correct, deduct 2 points from your score. So 12 correct, for example, would mean 8 incorrect answers, and your score would be roughly 170 8 2 = 170 16 = 154.

The Analytical Writing is scored from 0 to 6, in half-point increments, and is the only part of the test scored by human graders. Two trained readers will read each essay and assign it a score from 0 to 6; your score will be the average of these two scores. In rare cases when the scores differ by more than a point, a third reader will score the essay.

When you get your official scores, be sure to note what percentile your scores fall into. This measure will give you an idea of how you performed compared to other applicants.

ONLINE RESOURCES: REGISTER AND PRACTICE

The main online resource for the GRE is the official website of the Educational Testing Service, ETS, which you can visit at either www.ets.org/gre or www.gre.org . There you can find test-center locations, register for the test, and familiarize yourself with its contents. We strongly recommend that you download the free PowerPrep II software, which enables you to practice two computer-based tests and become familiar with the use of all onscreen tools and icons, including the built-in calculator.