GRE Test Study
Guide

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Table of Contents
GRE TEST RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................... 5
GRE OVERVIEW..................................................................................................................................... 6
TESTING AND ANALYSIS................................................................................................................. 8
INTRODUCTION TO THE GRE ...................................................................................................... 10
THE GRE SCORING SCALE ............................................................................................................. 11
QUANTITATIVE TEST ....................................................................................................................... 13
MATHEMATICAL REASONING.................................................................................................................. 14
Math Ability..................................................................................................................................... 14
Quantitative Comparisons......................................................................................................... 15
QUESTION TYPES .................................................................................................................................... 17
ARITHMETIC ............................................................................................................................................ 17
DIVISIBILITY ........................................................................................................................................... 18
MULTIPLICATION ..................................................................................................................................... 20
ADDITION ................................................................................................................................................ 20
SUBTRACTION ......................................................................................................................................... 20
EVENS AND ODDS .................................................................................................................................. 22
PRIME NUMBERS ..................................................................................................................................... 24
PERCENTS ................................................................................................................................................ 25
SQUARE OF A NUMBER ........................................................................................................................... 29
EXPONENTS ............................................................................................................................................. 31
ROOTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 33
AVERAGES ............................................................................................................................................... 33
VERBAL TEST ........................................................................................................................................ 36
READING COMPREHENSION ................................................................................................................... 36
FLYING OVER THE PASSAGE .................................................................................................................. 36
CREATING A TENTATIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 37
OPENINGS AND ENDINGS ...................................................................................................................... 38
EXTRANEOUS INFORMATION .................................................................................................................. 39
USING KITCHEN LOGIC .......................................................................................................................... 39
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GETTING INTO THE AUTHOR’S MIND .................................................................................................... 40
EMOTIONAL WORDS ............................................................................................................................... 40
FINDING THE KEY WORDS ..................................................................................................................... 42
MAKING PROPER INFERENCES ............................................................................................................... 43
APPLYING IDEAS FOR GENERALIZATIONS ............................................................................................. 43
USING CONTEXT CLUES ......................................................................................................................... 44
BREAKING DOWN PASSAGE ORGANIZATION ....................................................................................... 45
FIRST WORD ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................................... 47
UNDERSTANDING THE INTIMIDATION ................................................................................................... 47
FINDING YOUR OPTIMAL PACE .............................................................................................................. 48
DON’T BE A PERFECTIONIST .................................................................................................................. 50
FACTUALLY CORRECT, BUT ACTUALLY WRONG .................................................................................... 51
DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ........................................................................................................................ 51
ANALOGIES AND ANTONYMS.................................................................................................................. 53
Characteristic ................................................................................................................................. 53
Source............................................................................................................................................... 53
Location............................................................................................................................................ 53
Sequential ....................................................................................................................................... 53
Reciprocal........................................................................................................................................ 54
Cause/Effect ................................................................................................................................... 54
Creator/Creation........................................................................................................................... 54
Provider/Provision ........................................................................................................................ 54
Object/Function............................................................................................................................. 54
User/Tool ......................................................................................................................................... 54
Whole/Part ...................................................................................................................................... 55
Category .......................................................................................................................................... 55
Synonym or Definition................................................................................................................ 55
Antonym or Contrast................................................................................................................... 55
Intensity........................................................................................................................................... 56
Word Part/ Meaning .................................................................................................................... 56
USING SENTENCES ................................................................................................................................. 56
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU KNOW ................................................................................................................ 57
SENTENCE COMPLETIONS ...................................................................................................................... 59
TRY EVERY CHOICE ................................................................................................................................ 59
READ CAREFULLY .................................................................................................................................... 59
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MULTIPLE BLANKS .................................................................................................................................. 60
ANALYTICAL WRITING TEST....................................................................................................... 61
PLANNING STAGE ................................................................................................................................... 61
STICKING TO THE PLAN.......................................................................................................................... 61
REVIEWING THE PLAN ............................................................................................................................ 62
BRAINSTORMING SMART ........................................................................................................................ 62
MAKING THE CUTS ................................................................................................................................. 65
ENDING AT THE START ........................................................................................................................... 65
STAYING CONSISTENT ........................................................................................................................... 66
MAINTAINING THE FLOW........................................................................................................................ 67
BACKING UP YOUR POINTS .................................................................................................................... 68
USING PROPER GRAMMAR ..................................................................................................................... 68
WATCHING YOUR VOCABULARY ............................................................................................................ 69
AVOIDING TUNNEL VISION .................................................................................................................... 70
JUST DO IT ............................................................................................................................................. 71
CONCLUSION IS REVIEW........................................................................................................................ 72
COMMUNICATING REASON, NOT PASSION ........................................................................................... 73
ANSWERING THE WHY? ......................................................................................................................... 73
GETTING READY FOR TEST DAY................................................................................................ 75
POST GRE................................................................................................................................................ 77

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GRE Test Resources
Free GRE Practice Tests
http://www.testprepreview.com/gre_practice.htm
Financial Aid Facts
http://www.finaidfacts.org
Scholarship Help
http://www.scholarshiphelp.org
Study Tips and Information
http://www.studyguidezone.com/resource_tips.htm

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GRE Overview
As stated in its title, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is
indeed a difficult examination, and as such, it was required that media
be chosen by which intellectual ability could be measured. In the caseof the GRE, math, verbal, and writing were the selected media. While
there is an ongoing, low-profile controversy about whether or not thistest truly measure’s your abilities with regards to what you’ll need for
graduate school, that is not the purpose of this book. The purpose is,however, to make sure that you’re able to achieve the best possible
state of preparation, allowing you to maximize your score potential no matter if your actual aptitude has been measured.
As no test can measure all aspects of a person’s intelligence, the GRE
measures those skills deemed most critical to a new graduate student.
Then again, if any admission test, no matter how cleverly assembles,is inherently inadequate, why perform this type of testing at all? Thisis a question posed by every student who sees the GRE looming aheadof him/her. Nevertheless, the answer to this question is quite simple,
and quite reasonable; to make graduate school acceptance a more fair
experience, by expanding the basis approval beyond your grades.
Your GRE score is one of the most critical elements to yourqualification for graduate school, so it is naturally much too importantfor you to take this test unprepared. The higher your GRE score, thebetter your chances of admission will be for a respected, competitive
graduate program.

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While different graduate programs assign a different weight orimportance to your GRE scores, it is safe to assume that your GRE will
be a major determining factor when it comes to the final admission
decision made by each graduate school to which you’ve applied.
Careful preparation, as described in this expert guide, along with hard
work, will dramatically enhance your probability of success. In fact, it
is wise to apply this philosophy not only to your graduate school
applications, but to other elements of your life as well, to raise you
above the competition. Your GRE score is one of the areas in thegraduate admission process over which you have a substantial amountof control; this opportunity should not be taken lightly. Hence, arational, prepared approach to your GRE test as well as the rest of theadmission process will contribute considerably to the likelihood of
acceptance.
Keep in mind, that although it is possible to take a GRE test more thanonce, you should never take the test as an “experiment” just to see
how well you do. It is of extreme importance that you always be
prepared to do your best when taking the GRE.

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Testing and Analysis
It won’t take you long to discover that the GRE is unlike any test
you’ve taken before, and it is probably unlike any test you will evertake again in your academic career. The typical high school or college
test is a knowledge-based test. The GRE, however, is skills-based.
What does this mean to you? It means that you’ll have to prepare
yourself in a completely different way! You won’t simply be reciting
memorized facts as they were phrased in some textbook.
The GRE requires you to think in a thorough, quick and strategicmanner…and still be accurate, logical and wise.
This test is designed to judge your writing, verbal and mathematicalability in the ways that graduate schools feel is vital to the success offirst year graduate students.
To some extent, you have already gradually obtained these abilities
over the length of your academic career. However, what you probably
have not yet become familiar with is the capability to use theseabilities for the purpose of maximizing performance within the complex
and profound environment of a standardized, skills-based examination.
There are different strategies, mindsets and perspectives that you will
be required to apply throughout the GRE. You’ll need to be prepared
to use your whole brain as far as thinking and assessment isconcerned, and you’ll need to do this in a timely manner. This is not

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8something you can learn from taking a course or reading a book, but itis something you can develop through practice and concentration.
This guide provides you with the professional instruction you require
for understanding the traditional GRE test. Covered are all aspects ofthe test and preparation procedures that you will require throughout
the process. Upon completion of this guide, you’ll have the confidence
and knowledge you need for maximizing your performance on yourGRE.

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Introduction to the GRE
The purpose of the GRE is to establish a standard method of
measurement for the skills that have been acquired by graduate school
applicants. These skills are considered critical to graduate schools fora first-year student to be able to succeed. The principle behind the
GRE is similar to the SAT’s that are required for application to
American colleges. Although these tests are similar experiences, theGRE is much more challenging and complex.
Fortunately, the GRE does not change very dramatically from year toyear. What this means to you, is that it has become possible for
quality practice tests to be produced, and if you should take enough ofthese tests, in addition to learning the correct strategies, you will beable to prepare for the test in an effective manner.

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The GRE Scoring Scale
GRE scoring is not hard to comprehend when it is properly explained.
There is no “passing” score to the GRE, but you will need to know what
the cut off average score is for the graduate schools to which you’relooking to apply. For this information, check their website, or call, andthey’ll tell you the average score of students who are accepted.
Each graduate school has a different policy for weighing GRE scoreswith your GPA. The majority of graduate schools will weigh your GRE
score more heavily than your GPA. In fact, some schools will weighyour GRE at 70% and your GPA at 30%, which means that this one
examination is worth more than your 4 years of undergraduate work.
It’s up to you to look into the graduate schools to which you’ll beapplying, so that you’ll have this information, and know the exact
value of your GRE. Many schools will make their calculation structure
for the combination of GRE and GPA available to the public.
Knowing this information before you enter the GRE examination meansthat you know exactly what you’re facing that day. You will have arealistic perception of the worth of the test, and you will have theproper motivation to fully apply yourself to reach your maximum
potential.
You’ll also be able to realistically judge the type of school to which you
should be applying, and you can better set out your future plans inyour mind.
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Copyright © StudyGuideZone.com. All rights reserved.

12Quantitative Test
The Quantitative Test will require you to:-understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data
analysis-reason quantitatively-solve problems in a quantitative setting
To identify the skills that need extra work, complete a practice GRE
test that gives additional information, and have a look at the skill
report that is produced by your sample GRE.

Or, complete a practicetest and look for yourself at the areas where you excelled, and theareas where struggle was apparent.
Your “critical” math skills will be in the areas where you have made themost wrong answers on your practice GRE.

Those will be the mathskills that will best help your score in the shortest period of time, if
you manage to practice and better these skills. This is the area inwhich you can maximize your score increase potential.
To master your critical math skills, there are certain steps you may
take:

y

Read over the skill lesson in this book, very carefullyyFind some practice GRE tests and work specifically on the questions
that test your six critical math skills, practicing the new skills thatyou have learned in through your review.

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y

Use textbooks for increased detail, assistance, and question
examples for the areas in which you are struggling the most.

yPractice, practice, practice!

The best way to get to learn your math skills is to rehearse them withas many new sample questions as you can get your hands on. The
questions you do, the more you will become familiar and comfortablewith that type of question, so that you can move on and concentrateon other areas for perfection.

Mathematical Reasoning
As we discovered in the previous chapter, there are two different
mathematics sections in the GRE, each containing a different kind ofquestion. These are:y

Quantitative ComparisonsyMath Ability

To give you an idea as to the types of questions presented, pleaseconsider the following examples:
Math Ability
Here is a sample of a math problem:
If one-sixth of all female students at Princeton like chips, and onethird of Princeton’s male students have nachos. Therefore, whatfraction of the entire student population likes chips?
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A. 1/9
B. 1/3
C. 5/18
D. 10/18
E. It cannot be determined from the given information(Note: the answer would be E)

Quantitative Comparisons
These questions require you to deal with word problems, algebraic
manipulations or geometric problems. Keep in mind that only fouranswer-choices are available here (A, B, C, D) are provided. If you
select “E,” you will not receive a mark. Here is an example:
There are two quantities; one quantity is in column A, and one
quantity is in column B. Compare these two quantities and choose thecorrect statement:
A. the quantity in column A is greater
B. the quantity in column B is greater
C. the quantities are equal
D. the relationship between the quantities cannot be determinedfrom the given information
Remember that an “E” response will not be scored.
(Note: the answer would be A)
Column A

Column B

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b+x

-b-x

Note: [b<0] [-b-x]

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Question Types
The test is very consistent with the type of mathematics questions thatit uses, year after year. The following are the types of mathematicalquestions that you are likely to encounter:yArithmeticyDivisibilityyMultiplicationyAdditiony

SubtractionyEvens and Odds

yPrime NumbersyPercentsy

Square of a NumberyExponents

y

Roots

y

Averages

Arithmetic
Arithmetic skills refer to the questions that can be solved by using
addition, subtraction, multiplication and/or division.
On many questions, you’ll need to recall your order of operations. A
good trick to recall your order of operations is “Please Excuse My Dear
Aunt Sally”…before you say “huh?” recognize the first letters in thisphrase:Copyright © StudyGuideZone.com. All rights reserved.

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yWork within ParenthesisySimplify ExponentsyMultiplication and DivisionyAddition and Subtraction

The majority of arithmetic questions will require you to take multiple
steps, and will likely test other skills as well, instead of being purely
arithmetic. Often, the questions will be presented in the form of word
problems, where you will need to decide when to add, subtract,
multiply and divide.
For example:
How many egg cartons are needed to hold 300 eggs, if each carton
can hold one dozen (1 dozen = 12)
A. 15
B. 18
C. 22
D. 25
E. 28
Note: the answer is 25

Divisibility
The factors of integer X are the integers by which X can be divided
without leaving a remainder. Thus, X is divisible by its factors.

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For example:
The number 10 is divisible by both 5 and 2. 10 can be divided by bothof these integers without leaving a remainder.
To review the rules of divisibility, have a look at the following:
1. Numbers divisible by 2 ends in even numbers.
2. Numbers divisible by 3 can be determined by adding the sum of
their digits and checking if that number is divisible by 3 (for example
the number 123: 1+2+3=6, 6 is divisible by 3 with no remainder).
3. Numbers divisible by 4 can be identified if their last two digits will
divide by 4 without a remainder (for example, the number 624: thelast two digits are 24, which are divisible by 4 with no remainder).
4. Numbers divisible by 5 end only in 5 or 0.
5. Numbers divisible by 9 occur when the sum of its their digits aredivisible by 9 (for example, the number 639: 6+3+9 = 18, which isdivisible by 9).
6. A number is only divisible by 10 if it ends in 0
The following is an example of a divisibility question:
Which of the following integers divides into both 200 and 150?
A. 3
B. 7
C. 30
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D. 50E. 300Note: The correct answer is (D)Multiplication
The following are a few simple rules to keep your multiplications on
track:
Positive x Positive = Positive
Negative x Negative = Positive
Negative x Positive = Negative

Addition
Here are some rules to be certain that there are no slips while doing
addition:
Positive + Positive = Positive
Negative + Negative = Negative
Negative + Positive = either positive or negative (you must use theabsolute value of both: subtract the smaller from the larger and keep
the sign of whichever absolute value was larger)

Subtraction
The definition of subtraction is: A - B = A + (-B)
A minus B is the same as A plus (the opposite of B)
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X > 0, means that X is a positive number
X < 0, means that X is a negative number-(A - B) = -A + B = B - A(-X)2 = X2
If X - 0, X2 > 0

If, on the number line, one number occurs to the left of anothernumber, the number on the left is the smallest number.
Therefore, when studying the line above, you will know that X < Y and
Y < Z.
For example:
Use the number line to make conclusions with regards to whether eachnumber is positive or negative.
In this situation, you will have an easier time if you implement specificnumbers to fit the problem. For example, let X = -7, Y = -2, and Z =3. Be certain to utilize some negative numbers while substituting.

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The following is an example of a subtraction question:
Y-X
Solution: Positive Y is greater than X.
-2 - (-7) = -2 + 7 = 5

Evens and Odds
An even number is any word that is divisible by 2: numbers that arewithin the set {…-6, -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, 6,…}. Remember, though, that aneven number is divisible by 2 and not have any remainder. Keep inmind also that 0 is an even number. Consecutive even numbers are all
located 2 units apart. For example, if x is an even number, then thenext consecutive even number would be represented as X + 2.
Odd numbers, on the other hand, are numbers within the set {…-5, -3,-1, 1, 3, 5,…}.
The following charts demonstrate the properties of odd and evennumbers. To check the property of a number, you can simply
substitute the appropriate numbers.
Properties of odd and even numbers with Addition

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Property

ExampleEven + Even = Even

2 + 8 = 10

Odd + Odd = Even

3 + 9 = 12

Odd + Even = Odd

3 + 8 = 11

Properties of odd and even numbers with Multiplication

Property

ExampleEven x Even = Even

4 x 6 = 24

Even x Odd = Even

4 x 5 = 20

Odd x Odd = Odd

3 x 9 = 27

Consider the following example:
If R is an odd integer, what are the next two consecutive odd integers?
A) T and V
B) R and R+1
C) R+1 and R+2
D) R+2 and R+4E) R+1 and R+3
Note: the correct answer is (D)Here’s another example:
If x is an odd integer and y is an even integer, tell whether each
expression is odd or even.
A. x2
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B. xyC. y2
D. x + y
E. 2x + y
Note (A) is odd. (B) is even. (C) is even. (D) is odd, and (E) is even.

Prime Numbers
A prime number is defined as an integer that is greater than 1, andhas only two positive factors, 1 and itself.
For example, 7 is a prime number, as its only factors are 1 and 7.
However, 6 is not a prime number, because its factors are 1, 2, 3, 6
The first ten prime numbers are: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29Note, though that 1 is not a prime number, and both the smallest andthe only even prime number is 2.
Prime factorization is the process by which you express a number as aresult of only prime numbers.
For example:
To create the prime factorization of 24, you’d represent it as:
2 x 2 x 2 x 3 or 23 × 3
To create the prime factorization of 15, you’d represent it as:
5x3
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An example of a factor question is:If xy = 13 and both x and y are positive integers, then what is the sumof x + y?
A. 13
B. 14
C. 16
D. 20
E. 26
Note: the answer is B
Here is another example:
What is the sum of the first 5 prime numbers?
A. 18
B. 28
C. 30
D. 34
E. 38
Note: The first five prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11 and their sum is
28. The answer is B.

Percents

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The word percent means “hundredths” or a number which is divided by100. Converting a number into a percentage involves multiplying thenumber by 100.
A percent can be determined by performing the division of the part by
the total and multiplying it by 100:
Percent = Part x 100
Total
For example, if Wendy missed 12 out of 80 examination questions,what is the percent of questions she missed?
Percent = missed questions x 100 = 12/80 x 100 = 0.15 x 100 =
15%
Total
The phrase “X is N percent of Y” can also be written mathematically as
X=N

xY

100
The word “is” means equal (=), while the word “of” means “multiply”.
However, before multiplying, you must change a percent into a
decimal or fractional format.
For example:
5 is 20% of 25, means 5 = 0.20 x 25

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To change the fraction into the percent, you must first change thefraction into a decimal, and then multiply by 100 (or move the decimal
point by 2 places to the right)
For example:
Change the fraction 1/5 into a percent.
First, change the fraction 1/5 into the decimal 0.2, and multiply by 100(move the decimal 2 places to the right). Therefore:
1/5 x 100 = 20%
The following table provides the common percentages that you will use
on a regular basis, and may wish to memorize.

Fraction

DecimalPercent

1/100

0.01

1%

1/10

0.1

10%

1/7

0.1428571

14.3%

1/6

0.16666...

16.6% or 16.7%

1/5

0.2

20%

1/4

0.25

25%

1/3

0.33

33.3%

1/2

0.5

50%

3/5

0.6

60%

1

1.0

100%

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3/2

1.5

150%

Please note that numbers over 1 achieve percentages that are greaterthan 100%

Consider the following example:
What is 20% of 50?
A. 5
B. 8
C. 10
D. 12
E. 15
Note: the answer is C
To solve this question, you must rewrite it as an algebraic question.
Therefore, let x represent the unknown number.
X = 0.20 x 50
Keep in mind that to change the percent to a decimal, and that theword “of” means that you should multiply.
X = 10

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Here is another example:
5 is what percent of 2?
A. 2.5%
B. 25%
C. 100%D. 250%E. 500%
Rewrite this as an algebraic equation. 5 = n × 2
Solve for n and remember to change the answer to a percent.
n = 5/2 = 2.5 = 250%
Therefore, the answer is (D)Square of a Number
Squaring a number means to multiply that number by itself.
The notation for squaring a number (x) is as follows: x2
When squaring an integer, the result obtained is called a perfectsquare.
When preparing for the test, make sure that you are fully capable ofunderstanding and reproducing the following table, as well as
recognizing the numbers that are perfect squares and perfect cubes.

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n

n2

n3(n > 0)n3(n < 0)

1

1

1

-1

2

4

8

-8

3

9

27

-27

4

16

64

-64

5

25

125

-125

6

36

216

-216

7

49

You will not

You will notneed to know

need to know

any higher

any higher

8

64

9

81

10

100

11

121

12

144

Squared numbers and special propertiesyx2 > 0 always, except for x = 0yx2 > x for x > 1yx2 < x for 0 < x < 1*importantyx2 = x for x = 1 or 0y

The square root of x2 equals the absolute value of x.

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y

If x2 = y2, then either x = y, or y = -x, or x = -y.

The following is an example:
Of the following numbers, which is a both a perfect square and aperfect cube?
A. 4
B. 8
C. 9
D. 16
E. 64
Note: the answer is (E)Exponents
The mathematical notations for numbers which are the result of anumber that is multiplied by itself a number of times is called
exponents.
Examples:x3 = x × x × x
x5 = x × x × x × x × x
The expression of xn is also called the nth power of x. The x is thebase, while the n is the exponent. Math questions will usually only
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utilize integral exponents. x2 is read as x-squared, and x3 is read as xcubed. All others are read as a power of x. x4 is read as the 4th powerof x.
When it comes to the power of 10, there is a simple, quick rule that
simplifies the powers of 10, by writing it as 1, followed by the numberof zeros as specified by the power.
Examples: 105 = 1 followed by 5 zeros. 100000 = 100,000.
An example you may find is:Represent 32,456 to the power of 10.
The solution would be as follows:
32,456 = 3 × 104 + 2 × 103 + 4 × 102 + 5 × 101 + 6 × 100
Consider the following example:
Solve for x: (x - 3)2 = 49.
You could use algebra and take the square root of both sides or since
49 is a perfect square you could guess integers for x. Just remember x-3 must be positive or negative.
If you try guessing, the integers 10 and -4 work. To get an algebra
solution, do the following:

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(x - 3)2 = 49
x - 3 = 7 or x - 3 = -7
x = 10 or x = -4
It is your goal to get problems correct quickly. Sometimes guessing(Guessing in this case means substituting in numbers to see which
satisfy the equation.) is faster than solving an equation, if you train
yourself to use the technique. Of course, if you cannot "see" theanswers fast enough, use other approaches to answer the problem.

Roots
The test will require you to manipulate both square roots and cube
roots. Some of the questions will measure whether or not you
understand these expressions.
You should remember that none of the following should ever occur:
1. No perfect square can be left underneath a radical (square root)sign.
2. No radical can be within the denominator.
3. No fractions may occur within the radical sign.

Averages
There are three basic components that comprise an average problem:
1. Total
2. Average (also known as a mean)
3. # of numbers
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The average is the total of elements that are within the set.
To discover the average, simply divide the total by the # of numbers.
For example:
Jenna’s last four test scores were 35, 56, 75, and 28. What is theaverage of Jenna’s test scores?
A. 43
B. 48.5
C. 52.5
D. 54
E. 47
Note: the answer is (B).
35 + 56 + 75 + 28 = 194
194 / 4 = 48.5
Five things to remember when solving averages:
1. If a number that is the same as the average is added, the new
average will not change.
2. If a number is added and it is less than the average, the average
will decrease.
3. If a number is added and it is greater than the average, theaverage will increase.

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4. If a pair of numbers are added, and they are “balanced” on bothsides of the average, the arithmetic mean is the middle value.
5. To discover the average between two evenly spaced numbers, add
the first and the last terms and divide them by 2.

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Verbal Test
The Verbal Test will require you to:-analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information
obtained from it-analyze relationships among component parts of sentences-recognize relationships between words and concepts
The reading comprehension section of the GRE Verbal test measures atest taker’s ability to understand, analyze and evaluate written
passages. The passages will contain material that will be from avariety of sources and on a number of different topics.
Each of the passages in the section will be followed by a series ofquestions covering the content of the passage or statement, in which
you will have to answer questions, which will demonstrate how well
you understand the passages and are able to draw conclusions about
the material.

Reading Comprehension
Flying Over the Passage
A topic that is hotly debated among test taking circles is whether or
not you should read the reading passages before you read thequestion. One theory is that you can save time if you read thequestions first and then go back and read over the passage. Anothertheory is that you should read the passage first and then go into the
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questions. Both theories have their own individual merit and due tothe differences in ability and preferences among test takers, one
method may work better than another for you.
Our recommended theory is the flyover. You want to spend some timeon the passage, at a bare minimum so that you have a general idea
about what the questions are going to ask and get your mind into theproper mindset for the series of questions. However, you don’t want
to waste too much time on reading the passage, because much of thedetail will be forgotten by the time you get to the questions anyway.
Therefore, you should fly over the passage. You should read it very
quickly for a high-level overview (hence the flyover) understanding ofwhat is contained in the passage.
In part, this is a compromise between the theories that gains most of
the benefits of each. You won’t waste time on the details and yet will
have a general idea of what the passage is about and what to expect.

Creating a Tentative Summary
After you’ve finished your flyover of the passage, take a few seconds
and compose a tentative mental summary of what you’ve just read.
Try to sort out the details you picked up on and arrange them into aloose organizational pattern that describes the passage. Rememberthat your goal in the flyover is not to check it off of a test-taking list ofthings to do. You want there to be some purpose behind the flyoverand having the definite goal of being able to put together a brief
mental summary will allow you to maintain some focus and gain

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benefit from the flyover – as opposed to just skimming it for the sakeof skimming it without actually picking up on anything.
As you begin going through the questions and answer choices, if you
get good enough at putting together your mental summaries frompractice, you should be able to eliminate a number of answer choicesthat are immediately contrary to your summary. Note, however that if
you find yourself without any good answer choices remaining (because
you’ve eliminated them all) you obviously had to have eliminated theright answer choice. Don’t hesitate to reopen an answer choice thatyou’ve already “eliminated” from consideration and reconsider it as apossibility. If you think an answer choice contradicts your initialsummary, you’re probably right, but are not infallible.

Openings and Endings
A main focus of this flyover will be the opening and ending sentencesin each paragraph. These are likely to contain the main ideas of theparagraphs and should be mentally tagged for future reference. Try toremember a vague idea of what the different paragraphs are about,because this will save you time when answering questions later.
For the most part, make sure you never try to just answer thequestions from this first flyover. Always try to go back and confirm
the answer, as your memory will play tricks on you and the writers of
the test questions may deliberately have planted a trap for you –remember that they don’t exactly have your best interests at heart.

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Extraneous Information
Some answer choices will seem to fit in and answer the question being
asked. They might even be factually correct. Everything seems tocheck out, so what could possibly be wrong?
Does the answer choice actually match the passage, or is it based on
extraneous information not even contained in the passage. Just
because an answer choice seems right, don’t assume that you
overlooked information while reading the passage. Always try to go
back and find the support for the answer choice in the passage. Your
mind can easily play tricks on you and make you think that you readsomething or that you overlooked a phrase.
Unless you are behind on time, always go back to the passage andmake sure that the answer choice “checks out.”

Using Kitchen Logic
When a question asks the test taker to identify a main idea, you
should first focus on the opening and ending sentences of the passage
and each individual paragraph. If you can’t find the main idea fromthese key sentences, then ask yourself how you would describe thepassage to someone who had never read it. Which words and phrases
would you use to explain the principle ideas of the passage?
This is called “Kitchen Logic” - when you explain something the way
you would if you were talking to your friends and family, while sitting
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at your kitchen table. So, when faced with identifying the main idea ofa difficult passage, make it easier on yourself by backing away fromthe passage and thinking about it in terms of using easy “kitchen
logic”.

Getting into the Author’s Mind
A number of questions become much easier when you place yourself
into the mind of the author of the passage. Ask yourself a few
different questions:“Why did the author write this passage?”“What was the author trying to say?”What angle is the author taking?”“What is the single most important point the author is trying to
make?”Put yourself in the shoes of the author and imagine that you wrote thepassage and try to identify what you were trying to describe and how
you were trying to describe it. If you take on the opinions and ideas
expressed by the author as your own, then it becomes easier toanswer questions that would be easy for the author to answer.

Emotional Words
Each question will be about a different angle of the passage. For
questions asking about the author’s emotions, find words in thepassage that are adjectives describing emotions.

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So, if a question asks what sort of attitude an author had towards thepassage or subject, then look throughout the passage for attitude
words that might convey a positive or negative attitude. Are words
such as brilliant, excited, delightful used, or are words such as
depressive, gloomy, disappointing used?
A lot of questions could be answered correctly simply by going throughand circling all the adjectives in a passage. Without looking atanything else except for the adjectives in a passage, most questions
about attitude or emotion could be answered correctly.
Another way of handling these situations is to arrange all of theanswer choices in a list going from most negative to most positive.
Example:Question: The author’s attitude on this topic is best described as:
A. indignation
B. eagerness
C. impartiality
D. fearE. consent
Now arrange these in order from negative to positive:( - ) indignation, fear, impartiality, consent, eagerness (+)
This will help sort out the different choices and keep you fromoverlooking an answer choice and making an easy mistake.

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Finding the Key Words
The strategy of finding certain “give-away” words does not only apply
to adjectives in questions about emotions or attitude. Many questions
about specific details will have key words that hold the “key” to finding
the right part of the passage to look in for the answer.
Rather than answering based on your memory of the passage, youalways want to have support for your answer choice rooted in a
specific part of the passage. To gain that support, it follows that you
have to identify which part of the passage to look in. While reading
back over the entire passage may be the most foolproof method offinding that important part of the passage, it definitely is not the mosttime economical method of finding that part of the passage.
A better route is to find key words in the question or answer choicesthat are likely to stand out in the passage and will enable you toquickly narrow your search down. These key words will be nouns orverbs in the question or answer choices. Once you’ve identified
possible key words, then you should scan through the passage quickly
looking for either those key words to be repeated in the passage, or
their synonyms to appear in the passage. Once you find a particularpart of the passage that either has the exact key word repeated or asynonym of the key word, you have probably identified the particularpart of the passage that will contain the support or justification thatyou need to correctly answer the question and will allow you to be
confident in your answer choice selection.

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One warning that should be made here is that often question writers
may use the exact same word or wording in their answer choices thatare used in the passage, but have done so in such a way as to misleadyou. So, simply because a particular word or phrase appears in ananswer choice and also appears exactly the same in a passage does
not make that answer choice correct. Be sure that you reread theanswer choice and consider the context that it is in, to ensure that you
are not misled by a cheap trick.
In conclusion, always try to connect the question to the right words inthe passage that will allow you to save time in finding the right part ofthe passage to look in for the answer and will give you the key to thecorrect answer choice.

Making Proper Inferences
Questions that ask you to make an inference from the passage will
require you to use your own personal judgment. Anything directlystated by the author is not an inference. You will need to understandthe main idea of the passage in order to make a proper inference
about the author’s intent and mindset.
The obvious will not be enough to answer an inference question. You
must logically deduce what follows from what the author has stated in
the passage. You are looking for what can be inferred by the passage,
not what is directly stated in the passage.

Applying Ideas for Generalizations

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Generalization questions are similar to inference questions in that you
have to go beyond what is directly stated in the passage by theauthor. It helps to put yourself again in the author’s shoes. If you
were the author and believed in what you had just written, how would
you feel about another similar situation? What would either
strengthen or weaken your argument. How would you apply the
information you have just expressed to a completely different
situation?

Using Context Clues
Context clues are a valuable aide in helping you understand difficult
phrases or words in the passage. A number of questions will ask you
about the meaning of words as they are used in a given passage.
If you already know the definition of the word, or have somefamiliarity with it, a common mistake is to go with your first impulse
and choose the answer that you immediately recognize. However, thereason the test writers may have chosen that particular vocabulary
word is because it is used in an unusual context. Therefore, return tothe passage and find where the word is used and make sure that you
understand how it is being used in the passage.
Once you’ve made your choice of a good definition go back again to
the passage and reread that particular section, but mentally replace
the answer choice you’ve chosen for the word being asked about.
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A passage states: “He was notorious for making decisions on the spurof the moment…”
Question: Which of the following words, if substituted for the word
“notorious” would introduce the LEAST change in the meaning of thesentence?
A. evilB. disturbed
C. famousD. despised
E. powerful
If you knew that the most common definition for “notorious” meant
being known in an unfavorable sense, then you might be tempted tochoose choice A, “evil.”But once you review back over the passage, choice C, “famous” fits inbetter into the context of the sentence of passage. Read the sentence
again and substitute your chosen answer choice for the word it
replaces. This gives you:““He was famous for making decisions on the spur of the moment…,”
which makes sense and is correct.

Breaking Down Passage Organization
In trying to understand the author’s perspective, you will sometimes
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simplest way to find the answer is to note how the opening sentence ina passage or paragraph relates to the rest of the passage. How does
the author’s main idea get developed and broken down into supporting
ideas and statements?
As you go through the answer choices for these organization problems,
quiz yourself on each answer choice.
Example:Question: Which of the following best describes the organization of theauthor’s discussion of this topic?
A. He provides an example – Ask yourself, is there an example in
the question? Don’t work exclusively from your memory. Make
sure you can go back and actually find the example in thepassage.
B. He makes a comparison – Ask yourself, is there a comparison in
the question? Again, go back to the passage and actually findthe comparison being made and verify that it exists.
C. He makes an acknowledgement – Ask yourself, where is theacknowledgement made and to whom?
D. He discusses a theory – Ask yourself, which theory is being
discussed?
E. He praises the research – Ask yourself, where is the praise
mentioned?
After each of these initial questions, remember that it is not enoughfor them simply to be true, they have to answer the question. Simply
because the author provided an example, doesn’t make choice A
correct. The example provided may have been to support a

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comparison that he was making and the comparison may be the main
method of organization, which in this case would make answer choice
B correct. So always read all the answer choices and only choose theone that is the best, not just the first one you read that is factuallycorrect.

First Word Analysis
When asked for main ideas that best summarize the passage, an easystrategy is to look at the first words in each answer choice and withoutlooking at the rest of the answer choice, see if you could make adecision based on those first words alone.
Example:Question: Which of the following best explains the author’s primary
purpose?
A. dispute…
B. describe…
C. condemn…
D. convince…
E. criticize…
If you know that the passage is fairly neutral about the subject, theneven if you know nothing else, you can probably eliminate the stronger
verbs used in answer choices A, C, D and E, leaving you with“describe” or answer choice B as being correct.

Understanding the Intimidation

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The test writers will generally choose passages that will be completely
foreign to most test takers. You can’t expect the passages to be on a
topic with which you have any familiarity. If you do happen to comeacross a passage that you are familiar with, consider yourself lucky,
but don’t plan on that happening.
The passages will also frequently be drawn from longer passages inbooks, articles, journals, etc. Therefore, the passage that you will faceon the test may almost seem out of context and as though it begins in
the middle of a thought process. You won’t have a nice title overhead
explaining the general topic being covered but will immediately bethrown into the middle of a strange format that you don’t recognize.
Also, while the topics chosen may have originally been interestingreading in their original state, after a particular section is pulled andused for the test passage, it will likely be dry and boring.
Getting hit by strange reading topics that you don’t recognize, of which
you may only have a small part of the original selection, and that are
dry and boring can be a bit intimidating if you’re not adequately
prepared. Just remember that the passages themselves will containall the information necessary to answer the questions and you don’t
need any prior knowledge of the topic in order to succeed and do wellon the test.

Finding your Optimal Pace
Everyone reads at a different rate. It will take practice to determine
what is the optimal rate at which you can read fast and yet absorb and
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comprehend the information. This is true for both the flyover that you
should initially conduct and then the subsequent reading you will haveto do as you go through and begin answering the questions. However,on the flyover, you are looking for only a surface level knowledge andare not trying to comprehend the minutia of details that will becontained in the passages.
You can practice with any form of reading material. Read an article atyour normal pace and then after you’re finished, ask yourself somequestions about what you just read and see how well you cancomprehend. Experiment with reading articles faster and slower andalways gauge how well you comprehended what you read at the end.
Train your brain to remember the details and absorb the facts.
With practice, you will find the pace that you should maintain on thetest while going back through passages. It should be a comfortablerate. This is not a speed reading exercise. If you have a good pace,and don’t spend too much time on any question, you should have asufficient amount of time to read the different sections of the passages
at a comfortable rate. The two extremes you want to avoid are thedumbfounded mode, in which you are lip reading every word
individually and mouthing each word as though in a stupor, and theoverwhelmed mode, where you are panicked and are buzzing back andforth through the passage in a frenzy and not comprehending
anything.
You must find your own pace that is relaxed and focused, allowing you
to have time for every question and give you optimal comprehension.
Note that you are looking for optimal comprehension, not maximum

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comprehension. If you spent hours on each word and memorized thepassage, you would have maximum comprehension. That isn’t thegoal though, you want to optimize how much you comprehend withhow much time you spend reading. Practice will allow you todetermine that optimal rate.

Don’t be a Perfectionist
If you’re a perfectionist, this may be one of the hardest strategies, andyet one of the most important. The test you are taking is timed, andyou cannot afford to spend too much time on any one question.
If you are working on a problem and you’ve got your answer split
between two possible answer choices, and you’re going back throughthe passage and reading it over and over again in order to decide
between the two, you can be in one of the most frustrating situations
possible. You feel that if you just spent one more minute on the
problem, that you would be able to figure the right answer out anddecide between the two. Watch out! You can easily get so absorbed
in that problem that you loose track of time, get off track and end up
spending the rest of the test playing catch up because of all thewasted time, which may leave you rattled and cause you to miss evenmore questions that you would have otherwise.
Therefore, unless you will only be satisfied with a perfect score andyour abilities are in the top .1% strata of test takers, you should not
go into the test with the mindset that you’ve got to get every question
right. It is far better to accept that you will have to guess on somequestions and possibly get them wrong and still have time for every
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question, than to work on every problem until you’re absolutely
confident in your answer and then run out of time on the last few
problems.

Factually Correct, but Actually Wrong
A favorite ploy of question writers is to write answer choices that are
factually correct on their own, but fail to answer the question, and soare actually wrong.
When you are going through the answer choices and one jumps out forbeing factually correct, watch out. Before you mark it as your answer
choice, first make sure that you go back to the question and confirm
that the answer choice answers the question being asked.

Different Viewpoints
Some passages will express the author’s viewpoint on a topic, alongwith the viewpoint of other experts or other individuals. This can leadto trouble in answering questions though. If asked for the viewpoint of
the author, you might go back to the passage, find where a certain
viewpoint is expressed, answer the question based on what you readand move on.
For most passages, that would be fine, but when other viewpoints
besides the author’s are expressed, you have to discern who isexpressing their opinion in the passage. Make sure that if multiple
individuals are giving their viewpoint on a topic, that you sort them out

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for any questions and associate the right viewpoint with the rightindividual.

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Analogies and Antonyms
Characteristic
Some characteristic analogies will focus on a characteristic ofsomething else.
Dog: Paw – The foot of a dog is its paw.
Lady: Lovely – A lady has a lovely personality.
Some characteristic analogies will focus on something that is NOT acharacteristic of something else.
Desert: Humidity – A desert does not have humidity.
Job: Unemployed – A person without a job is unemployed.
Quick: Considered – A quick decision is often not very considered.
SourceCasting: Metal – A casting is made from metal.
Forest: Trees – A forest is composed of trees.
Slogans: Banners – A slogan is printed on banners.
Location
Eiffel Tower: Paris – The Eiffel Tower is a structure in Paris.
Welsh: Wales – The Welsh are the inhabitants of Wales.
Pound: England – The pound is the monetary unit of England.
Sequential
One: Two – These are consecutive numbers.
Birth: Death – These are the first and last events of a life or project.
Spring: Summer – The season of Spring immediately precedes
Summer.
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Reciprocal
Parent: Child – A parent cannot exist without a child.
Power: Work – Power is a function of work.
Owner: Possession – For possession to occur, there must be an owner.
Cause/Effect
Storm: Hail – Hail can be caused by a storm.
Heat: Fire – Heat results from a fire.
Monotony: Boredom – Boredom is a consequence of monotony.
Creator/Creation
Carpenter: House – A carpenter builds a house.
Painter: Portrait – A painter makes a portrait.
Burroughs: Tarzan – Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote the novel Tarzan.
Provider/Provision
Job: Salary – A job provides a salary.
Therapist: Treatment – A therapist treats patients.
Army: Defense – An army enables national defense.
Object/Function
Pencil: Write – A pencil is used to write.
Pressure: Barometer – A barometer measures pressure.
Frown: Unhappy – A frown shows unhappiness.
User/Tool
Carpenter: Hammer – A carpenter uses a hammer.
Teacher: Chalk – A teacher uses chalk.

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Farmer: Tractor – A farmer drives a tractor.
Whole/Part
Door: House – A door is part of a house.
State: Country – A country is made up of states.
Day: Month – A month consists of many days.
Category
Door: Window – Both a door and a window are parts of a house.
Thigh: Shin – Both a thigh and a shin are parts of a leg.
Measles: Mumps – Both measles and mumps are types of diseases.
Synonym or Definition
These are analogies in which both terms have a similar meaning.
Chase: Pursue – Both of these terms mean to “go after”.
Achieve: Accomplish – Both of these terms refer to the successfulattainment of a goal.
Satiate: Satisfy – Both of these terms mean to gratify a desire.
Antonym or Contrast
These are analogies in which both terms have an opposite meaning.
Disguise: Reveal – To disguise something is not to reveal it, but toconceal it.
Peace: War – Peace is a state in which there is no war.
Forget: Remember – The word “remember” means not to forget
something.

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Intensity
These are analogies in which either one term expresses a higher
degree of something than the other term.
Exuberant: Happy – To be exuberant is to be extremely happy.
Break: Shatter – To shatter is to strongly break.
Deluge: Rain – A deluge is a heavy rain.
Word Part/ Meaning
These are analogies in which one term explains what the other termmeans.
Pre-: Before – The prefix “pre-“ means before; for example,
predetermine means to determine before understandingor seeing all of the facts.
Excessiveness: -ard – The suffix “-ard” means to do something
excessively; for example, a drunkard is someone that drinks
excessively
Mis-: Poorly –The prefix “mis-“ means to do something poorly; forexample, to misspell a word is to spell it poorly.

Using Sentences
The most commonly used strategy for solving analogy problems is still
the best. You should try to put the word pairs into sentences thatmake it easier to understand the meaning of the relationship. The
sentence doesn’t have to be complicated, but it needs to explain therelationship between the two words.
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You wouldn’t want to create the sentence “A joey and a kangaroo areboth mammals.”
A sentence that explains the relationship would be “A joey is a baby
kangaroo”.
To solve the problem you would want to plug in the other answer
choices into the sentence that you’ve created. A ____ is a baby______ . This sentence with its blanks is the template that you willuse. By inserting each analogous pair answer choice into thoseblanks, you should determine which is correct.

Focus on What You Know
Many test takers are panicked when they realize they don’t know what
a word means. The key is to use what you do know. Does theunknown word have any prefixes or suffixes that you recognize? Do
you know of any familiar words that have the same root word? You’ll
be surprised what you can determine about a word when you dissect it
appropriately.
If you aren’t able to dissect the word, there are still lots of other words
in the other answer choices that you do know and can work with.
Since there are only five choices to choose from, if you are able toeliminate the other four, then even if you don’t know all the words inthe fifth answer choice – it must be right. Also, if you are confident
that another answer choice is correct, you can immediately move on,
without worrying about a word that you don’t know.

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Sentence Completions
The sentence completion section will offer you a sentence that has ablank that must be filled in. The word(s) that best complete(s) the
sentence will be correct. The sentences may either have one or two
missing words and blanks.

Try Every Choice
Just because you think that one of the answer choices sounds best, go
ahead and try all of them by plugging each of them into the blank(s)and seeing which one sounds the best. The test writers will be sure to
put in additional choices that may sound “close enough,” but you wantto make sure that you pick the one that is the absolute best possible
answer choice.

Read Carefully
Don’t make the mistake of reading through the sentences carelessly.
A prepositional phrase or a tiny word can alter the entire meaning of
the sentence.
This is particularly true for transition/hedge words like if, then,therefore, also, sometimes, never, not, and always. These words are
particularly critical to watch for, as a word such as “not” can make ananswer choice directly opposite of the correct answer choice soundcorrect.

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Multiple Blanks
Instead of being intimidated by the sentences that have multiple
blanks, you should be excited, because they give you more data points
to use to determine which answer is correct. The additional
information required to answer the question actually helps, as if you
aren’t sure about one of the words in an answer choice word pair, you
can still check the other word and see if it is right or wrong.

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Analytical Writing Test
The Analytical Writing Test will require you to:-articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively-examine claims and accompanying evidence-support ideas with relevant reasons and examples-sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion-control the elements of standard written English (this factor plays arole only to the extent that poor writing skills impede readers'
understanding of the argument)
You need to know that in evaluating your essays, readers are looking
for your essay to be well organized and properly developed. All of themain ideas should be clearly outlined and explained. They should be
error free and contain a variety of examples and reasoning to explain
your ideas.

Planning StageYou should spend a few minutes planning and jotting down a few quick
notes. Consider the position you are taking, determine a few goodreasons for making your choice, some evidence or explanation that
support the choice, some effective details you might include, and whatorder you should use to effectively present your points.

Sticking to the Plan

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You should spend the bulk of your time writing your essay. Refer backto your plan, remembering that the topic requires you to make achoice or take a position, and explain your reasoning in some detail.
You should also consider the criterion specified so that your essay isconvincing to the addressed audience. Make sure that the language
you choose communicates your ideas clearly and appropriately.

Reviewing the Plan
You should spend a few minutes reviewing your writing, adding or
removing as necessary and making any changes needed to enhanceclarity.
You should make clear the answer and angle you will choose for youressay, offering a few good reasons for your choice and explaining yourreasoning in some detail. As you explain the reasons for your choice,you should develop explanations for each, including such things asevidence, examples, or observations.

Brainstorming Smart
Brainstorming is a process of directing your mind toward idea
generation.
Every book on essays will advise you to brainstorm. It’s a method
proven to be successful for several reasons. This is the point at which
different writers will begin to disagree about how to brainstorm.
The method of brainstorming that is recommended here is two-tier.
First you have to brainstorm about what you are going to write about.
You want to determine what is going to be the focus of your essay.
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Example:
Sample topic: “If you could change one thing about yourself, what
would it be? Discuss why.”
Example Brainstorming Level 1: What should I write about?
Intelligence, looks, personality, wealth, family, friends, time, fame,etc.
Your first impulse, and honest reaction, might be to respond withsomething such as making yourself more beautiful, more intelligent, ormore popular. But remember that you want to be able to write at
length about this topic. If you choose an answer that while truthful,
may sound shallow to an essay reader, such as to become more
beautiful and better looking, then you probably won’t win any points
with the reader.
Don’t automatically go with your first impulse. The scorer is not giving
points for essays that are the most honest, but for essays that are thebest written. A well-written essay needs substantial support to explain
the reasoning behind your choice.
A choice such as more intelligence could sound shallow, but with alittle creativity, you can turn this into an excellent essay. Instead of
stating that you want to be more intelligent in order to get better
grades, use deeper reasoning. Explain what you would do with that
added intelligence. Give examples of how your side research intomolecular biology and genetics would be greatly improved with added

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intelligence and enable you to have a greater chance at your goal ofcontributing to finding a cure for cancer or diabetes.
If you choose “more popularity” as your topic, you could discuss how
you would use your popularity in order to persuade more people tosupport your humanitarian causes and to be a positive role model forothers.
After you’ve decided which topic you are going to write about, thenyou should begin the second wave of brainstorming, which will be
about what you want to discuss about your chosen topic, which
examples you want to use and which observations you hope topresent.
Example Brainstorming Level 2: You’ve chosen to write about having
more free time. Now you brainstorm about what you should say tosupport that choice.
spend more time with friends and family, work at a local homelessshelter, write a novel, open a new business, adopt some children,
enjoy your hobbies, etc.
You have to have a proper balance at each level. If you spent too
much time at brainstorming level 1, then you won’t have time todecide on what you want to use as examples in level 2. But if you
spend too little time at brainstorming level 1, then you may not comeup with a really good topic to use for your essay. A good strategy is topractice using this two level brainstorming process until you get
comfortable with using it and quickly generating lots of ideas.

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Making the Cuts
Once you’ve finished the brainstorming level 2 process, you shouldlook over the supporting ideas you hope to use and the examples
you’ve written down from the brainstorming process. Look back overthe ideas and see which ones look the best. Which ones could you
write the most about and would give you the most sound reasoning
and logic to back up your initial decision of what to write about?
Make mental notes about which supporting ideas from brainstorming
level 2 you hope to use, because those will be the ones that willcomprise your successive body paragraphs.
Your goal is to hit the high notes. Pick the best ideas you’ve
developed and write about those. You only need 3-5 good ideas towrite about and may have a loss of focus if you try to write about
more than a few important supporting topics.

Ending at the Start
Many essay writers will start off by writing their introductory
paragraph, along with the main ideas and supporting ideas that will be
used, and then force fit the essay into the guidelines that they havepredetermined for their essay.
The problem with this is that many of the best ideas will occur to awriter while writing the essay. Rather than immediately jumping intowriting your introductory paragraph, take the brainstorming ideas thatyou’ve developed and begin writing your essay, by expanding on each
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of the supporting ideas that you’ve chosen and writing your bodyparagraphs first.
As you write your body paragraphs, new ideas may occur to you thatyou would prefer to use. Rather than having to go back and makechanges to your introductory paragraph, since you haven’t written it
yet, you can just adopt the new ideas as you write and incorporate
them into your body paragraphs.
When you’re finished writing your body paragraphs, which should each
include at least one primary supporting idea, then you can go back andwrite your introductory paragraph and make sure that it matches up
with each of your body paragraphs and covers the overall topic you
are discussing.
Additionally, don’t make the mistake of writing too much in yourintroductory paragraph. The introduction is not where you explain
your reasoning. Save your logic for the body paragraphs, and only use
the introductory paragraph in order to briefly outline what you aregoing to discuss. Brevity is better than wordiness in an introduction.

Staying Consistent
A lot of writers write their introductory paragraph, then their bodyparagraphs, and then their conclusion at the end. The problem withthis is that often the whole focus of the essay may have morphed as
the writer wrote the essay and the conclusion seems to have acompletely different focus than the introduction and the body

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paragraphs seem to lead take the reader through a tortuous path thatchanges course with every sentence.
It is vitally important that the introductory and concluding paragraphs
are consistent with each other and that the body paragraphs matchthe introduction and conclusion. You want your paper to be consistentthroughout.
Writing your introduction at the end, after you’ve written your bodyparagraphs, and then following it with your conclusion will be a huge
help in maintaining the consistency, but always look back over youressay when you’re finished and make sure that the essay keeps thesame focus all the way through.

Maintaining the Flow
Part of maintaining consistency in your essay is the proper use oftransition words while you’re writing. Use transition words to maintainthe essay’s flow. Transition words such as first, second, third, finally,
also, additionally, in conclusion, in summary, and furthermore all givethe reader an understanding of how the paragraphs flow together.
Example:Paragraph 1: Introduction
Paragraph 2: First of all, …
Paragraph 3: Secondly, …
Paragraph 4: Finally, …
Paragraph 5: In summary, …

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Backing up Your Points
If you make a point or statement in your essay, make sure that you
back it up with clear examples from your personal experience orobservation. Don’t let your points remain unsupported, but ensurethat they are provided with some back up substance.
Example: You make the statement, “Renovating older downtowns canbe expensive, but is definitely a worthwhile endeavor.”
While many readers may agree with this statement, it shouldn’t bemade without backup support:
Consider the following as backup for that example statement: My own
hometown created a ten year plan to renovate their downtown area. A
higher sales tax was passed in order to pay for the renovation, which
ultimately cost $1 million dollars. But once it was finished, the sales
tax was removed and the antique shops, which now fill much of thedowntown, attract tourists and collectors from hundreds of miles away.
The downtown is now completely self-supporting and is a constantsource of both pride and new tax revenue to the town’s residents.

Using Proper Grammar
Remember that this essay is your chance to write and make yourself
look good and well educated. It is not a test of your knowledge ofgrammar rules. You don’t have to demonstrate knowledge of every
nuance of grammar. Therefore, if you find yourself wondering whether
a given phrase should have commas around it or not, rewrite the
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68phrase such that you’re confident it doesn’t need commas or does
need commas. There is no need to have any punctuation in youressay that you are only 50% confident of being correct and conforming
to the rules of grammar.
Example: You write, “Each of us must choose which path to take inlife, whether to strive for improvement, or to settle in to theirsurroundings.”
You aren’t sure whether you need a comma or a colon after the phrase“to take in life” in the preceding sentence.
Simply rewrite the sentence until you are confident in how it isphrased. Change it to something such as:“There are two paths: strive for improvement, or settle into
surroundings.”
At this point you know you are using the colon properly, and so you
can feel free to move on in your essay without fear of having made agrammar mistake.

Watching Your Vocabulary
Many essay writers feel that they have to impress the reader with thevocabulary that they have at their disposal. While a good vocabulary
can be impressive, and the right word used at the right time can makean essay appear much more professional, they should only be usedwith caution.
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Often a big vocabulary word will be used out of context and it will havethe reverse effect. Rather than looking impressive, a vocabulary word
used improperly will detract from the essay. So, if you think of a wordthat you don’t commonly use, only use it if you are absolutely positiveof its meaning and are sure that you are using it at the right place.
Most of the time, you will be safer by sticking with words you arefamiliar with and accustomed to using.

Avoiding Tunnel Vision
Remember that the goal of your essay is to properly cover a topic andwrite an essay that is somewhat exhaustive in showing every angle
and perspective. A lot of writers get tunnel vision. One particularangle occurs to them as the most important and they hammer away atthat angle of the topic throughout the entire essay.
Discussing the same angle of a topic at length is considered essay
depth. Discussing different angles of the same topic is consideredessay breadth. Your goal is to have greater breadth than depth. This
isn’t a 20-page thesis written on a specific, obscure topic.

Your topics

will be fairly generic and broad-based and should have lots of different
angles to consider and write about. You want to touch on as manydifferent angles as you can, while still providing supporting backup foreach statement you make.
Don’t get stuck in a rut with tunnel vision. Be sure you are spending
proper amounts of time on each angle you intend to discuss and not
spend the entire essay writing about the same angle.
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Example: The topic is whether or not athletics represents too much apart of today’s academic institutions, and you intend to take the sidethat athletics is not too much of a part.
Your main angle is that an education is far more than simply
academics and that athletics programs foster a richer, more diverse
education. However, don’t get stuck talking about that one angle.
Consider writing about how athletic programs create ties to thecommunity that academics does not. Discuss how athletic programs
also encourage donations that benefit academics, as well as athletics.
Always try to consider multiple angles and avoid getting tunnel vision.

Just Do It
Some writers will begin their essay by rephrasing the question andtalking about the different possibilities. Rather than stating what
you’re going to do: just do it.
Don’t use the introduction as a chance to expose your mental
ramblings. The introduction should be concise and to the point.
Example – Bad introduction: In this essay, I am going to discuss thething that I consider to be the most important quality in an individual.
It was a difficult decision to make, because there were so many
qualities to choose from. Good looks is only skin deep, but
intelligence, character, and personality run much deeper. I think theone that is most important is character. Character is the most
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important because it defines a person, exposes their true nature, andprovides strength to overcome any obstacle.
Example – Good introduction: While every characteristic in an
individual is important, one stands alone: character. Character defines
individuals, and exposes their true nature. When obstacles arise,character provides the strength to overcome them.
Notice how this second example is clear, concise, and does not ramble
on about the decision or ideas that are occurring to the writer.

Conclusion is Review
A conclusion is just that: a conclusion. It wraps everything that you’ve
written thus far up into a neat summary paragraph. This is not thetime to begin introducing new arguments and new reasoning. You
want to make sure that you are quickly and concisely reviewing what
you’ve written and have a solid ending in which you come across as
having proved your point, and made your case effectively.
So, when you’re ready to begin your conclusion, make sure thatyou’ve flushed out all the new angles you want to cover. Then go backover what you’re written and tie it all together at the end, hitting
briefly on all the angles that you’ve discussed.
Additionally, a conclusion is not an apology. You should neverapologize for not knowing more or writing more. End your essay withpurpose and definitively summarize what you have stated.

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Communicating Reason, not Passion
The readers that read and score your essay are not looking for
passionate essays that are full of hot air and lacking in reason. They
are interested in well thought out essays that communicate reasonablearguments and logic, backed up by sound examples and observations.
If the topic you choose is one that you are passionate about, makesure that you present more than just heated emotion, but also cool
logic.
Example: The topic is about school uniforms, and you are passionately
opposed.
Rather than writing, “School uniforms is a stupid idea, and will neverwork,” try writing, “School uniforms have been an admitted failure by
their original sponsors in all three implementation efforts during thelast decade.”
The first statement may be full of passion, but clearly lacks reason,
while the second statement contains solid facts as examples.

Answering the Why?
While it’s important that you communicate reason, misguided reason isineffective. Always make sure that the examples you are providing
and the reasoning you are using is being directed at answering the
topic question.

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Flawless logic that doesn’t answer the question and doesn’t contributeto the point you’re trying to make is completely useless. As you thinkof main ideas and supporting ideas to use, take a few seconds andconfirm that they will adequately answer the topic and veer off down atangent that is not directly related.
Example: The topic is about what was the most important thing you
have ever learned in school and asks you to discuss why.
Your answer is a quest for knowledge. Your supporting ideas include
having been forced to work on large projects and do exhaustive
research into topics that you normally wouldn’t read about, which
expanded your mind.
A tangent that you would not want to pursue might be to provide
statistics on how many hours you worked on a research paper inelementary school. While factual, those facts do not help answer why
a quest for knowledge is the most important thing you have everlearned in school.
Make sure that the facts and reasons you are stating directly help you
in your goal of answering the topic question.

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Getting Ready For Test Day
You’re all set to take your GRE! Now here are a few things toremember for test day:Get there early. Know exactly where the test will be held and how you
will get yourself there. Pay attention to traffic reports so that you cancompensate for any unexpected issues on the road. Leaving early will
mean that you’ll be more relaxed; red traffic lights won’t raise yourstress level, and you won’t be pulled over by the first officer who has
to fill his speeding ticket quota. And most importantly, you’ll havetime to use the rest room.
If you’ve got butterflies in your stomach, feed them! You’ve alreadydone all the practice tests you can do, and you’ve had a good night’s
sleep. Now it’s time to get a good, healthy breakfast - though it iswise not to overeat. Your body and mind will need the energy; plus
it’s distracting to listen to your stomach growl.
Give yourself a massage! Rub your head, neck and shoulders. Place
your hand over your heart while taking a very slow, deep breath.
Stay on track. Remember, you don’t want to rush, you only want toperform in a timely manner. Although there are time restrictions, if
you misread direction, accidentally fill in the wrong answer-choice, or
think illogically due to rushing, it won’t be worth all the time you save.
Remember, haste makes waste! Also, keep in mind that incorrect
answers don’t count against you, so you can always guess at any
answers that you are unsure of. Remember, an educated guess is
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better than no guess at all! Moving through a test methodically andefficiently will likely mean that you’ll have more time at the end than if
you were to rush and stumble, or dawdle over questions that you’re
struggling with.
Most importantly (at least to your sanity), remember that once it’sover, it’s over. Clear your mind of it, because you did your best. Go
treat yourself to a hot chocolate or an ice cream cone, catch a movie
with some friends and relax!

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Post GRE
After the GRE, when you’ve had the time to rest and relax from thestress you put your brain through, take the time to critically evaluate
your test performance. This will help you gain valuable insight into
how you performed, what sort of score you should be expecting (andtherefore what schools will be within your scope for application) andthe sort of mindset you’ll be expected to utilize when you’re actually in
graduate school.
Remember, this is neither an opportunity to over-inflate your ego, nor
to put yourself down. The main idea is to make your self-evaluation
objective and critical, so that you will achieve an accurate view of how
things will pan out.
This doesn’t mean that you should begin a session of “if only I’d…” or“I shouldn’t have…” This will only depress you. The point of thisexercise is to keep you grounded, open minded and optimistic.
Soon enough, you’ll receive your score, and the applications will start
rolling out. Make it an organized procedure, keeping as prepared andinformed as you were with your GRE, and this will only lead to abright, successful graduate career in your future!

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