For takers of the TOEFL examination, the www.toeflgoanywhere.org website offers a host of preparation materials and tips for cracking the exam. One easy-to-use resource is the Online Study Group that presents a creative and interactive way for students to pick up helpful hints.
The Study Group covers all the four sections – Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing – in four separate videos, each showing a conversation among four friends. The casual style of the videos makes it much easier for students to grasp the strategies than reading study material about the exam.
The videos mainly focus on important support skills such as paraphrasing and summarizing, which come in handy for the Writing, Reading and Speaking sections. The suggestions for the Listening section include simple things that one can do as part of one’s daily routine – watching American sit-coms and listening to English songs to improve vocabulary, for example. Or, reading aloud articles from magazines to improve fluency in speech for students who find it difficult to come up with quick answers in the Speaking section.
The Study Group videos are an interesting and quick way to learn some basic strategies for the TOEFL exam, and are especially useful for students who are just starting out on their TOEFL preparation. So, if you haven’t yet begun on your TOEFL preparation, take fifteen minutes out of your study schedule to visit this link:
http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/meet-study-group-tips-test-takers-you
Raj, Val, Min and Celia will share important tips with you based on their TOEFL experience!
Here’s the next part of Debanjana’s tips – this time with lots of specifics for each section of the test!
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Before starting with this set of tips specifically for the Quantitative, Verbal and AW sections, I must mention that I took classes from Dilip Oak’s Academy and I will be talking a lot about the Academy’s classes and materials because I found them extremely useful in preparing for these sections. In giving these tips, I am also assuming that you too are a student of Dilip Oak’s Academy. Of course, you will have your own experience and perspective, but here’s what I would suggest.
Tackling the Quantitative Reasoning Sections:
- OK, I know this is going to sound a lot like what Ashwin wrote in his post, but I still have to say it: attend all the classes and pay full attention. The formulae and techniques that are taught in class are absolutely invaluable and going through the sums in class is great practice – which is important especially if you are working and have little time to practice after the classes.
- I know that engineers find the GRE Quant easy, but don’t give up on practicing. If you can keep pace with the classes (and understand what is happening in them!) and then do some practice on your own, you will be able to come up with your own techniques that will help you solve problems faster and more accurately.
- Practice all the sums given in the workbooks by Oak’s. They will help you cover most of the common problem types that appear in GRE. Aim at completing at least 20 sums in 35 minutes (i.e. the equivalent of one Quantitative section) every day. (Check with the explanatory answers as well to make sure you understand the answers.) Go to other material only after finishing the Oak’s material.
- Before going on to the advanced formulae, make sure you get a good grasp of the basic ones. Begin by applying these first and foremost. All GRE sums can be done using these formulae. Advanced techniques are mainly to save time.
- Remember, GRE sums are never difficult, but they may be tricky. When you encounter a tricky sum, don’t panic or confuse yourself by trying to use the advanced formulae. Use the basic ones. Keep it simple.
- In case of geometry or co-ordinate geometry, draw figures as much as possible, even if you feel that the questions can be solved using formulae. Difficult sums are much easier to tackle with this approach.
- Don’t neglect Data Interpretation. You will definitely get a high percentage of DI sums on the test. Here, try to deduce as much as possible just from looking at the graphs. If time is short and you panic and cannot quickly come up with some efficient technique, use direct calculations – and please make use of the calculator; DI sums were the only ones in which I used it.
- First concentrate on accuracy and then on timing. This will lead to more efficient practice.
- Finally, learn certain data by heart like the value of pi, or the percentage equivalent of some commonly used fractions and vice-versa, or the squares and cubes of some commonly-used numbers and whatever else you feel like knowing.
Tackling the Verbal Sections:
- Here too, there is no substitute for classes, especially for learning the techniques for SC, SE and RC question. If you are in doubt about how to apply them, please consult the teachers and they will help you. The GRE is all about thinking in the right way.
- You will have to learn all the 4000 words. There is no alternative. Words from outside the list will also come. However, learning all the 4000 words will ensure that you have at most one unknown word in your options.
- Don’t leave words for the end or try and mug more words than you can in a day. Actually, you need to ‘cultivate’ the words rather than mugging them up.
- While learning words, try and get familiar with their connotations, collocations, usage and tone of the words. This can only happen if you read (or use) these words. I personally used to read novels by authors like Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer and the unabridged versions of the classics. Many of you will find this boring, but you reading books will give you a very good feel for the words. Also, this will provide you with practice on understanding unknown words from the context, which is very helpful if you come up with unknown words in passages in the exam.
- Oak’s will show you a variety of ways of learning words. Try all of them and choose the one you feel comfortable with. The VaiVocabulary software is very helpful. Try it at least once.
- Some of you may find learning roots of words useful. This will help you remember words longer.
- Revise a lot. If possible revise every few days all the words you have learnt till that point.
- Try different ways of revising. For example, revise synonyms together or revise similar sounding words together and so on.
- You must learn or revise some words every day.
- Since I read a lot, I did not find doing RCs very difficult. Oak’s will teach you a number of tricks to tackle RCs. Use them if you are comfortable with them. I personally used to read the whole passage and understand it in my own way and then answer the questions. I did not use any trick.
- In all Verbal questions, use elimination to arrive at the correct answer. Even if you are pretty sure of the answer, do eliminate the other options.
- If you come across unknown words in the options during the exam, I would suggest using elimination to narrow down the options. I found this more useful than trying to guess the meaning of the word from the roots.
- In SC and SE questions, after choosing your options, read the whole sentence or paragraph again fitting in the words you chose in the blanks. If you do so, you will eliminate many silly mistakes that tend to creep in if you choose answers only by looking at the options.
- Practice from Oak’s workbooks and once you are through with them practice from other books.
Tackling the AWM Section:
- Don’t ignore this section altogether. I know the Quantitative and Verbal scores matter the most. But with a 330+ in Quant and Verbal, a 3.0 or less in AWM does not look at all good.
- Make full use of the AWM counselling sessions provided by Oak’s. The personalized, in-depth feedback they provide is really very helpful.
- Try to distribute the counseling sessions evenly out throughout the period of your preparation. It is difficult to correct errors in your writing style overnight. So if you start getting feedback early, you will have more time to make the required changes.
- Everybody has his/her own writing style. Stick to your natural style (except for the errors, of course!) and don’t try and make major changes in your style to make it seem more impressive. People will tell you to use GRE or Barrons words in your essays. But if they don’t come naturally to you, don’t use them. It will only decrease your score. The AW counsellors will guide you very well in this and other matters of style. They know how much change is required or can be expected out of you. Follow their advice.
- Give emphasis to the organisation and structure of your essays rather than to words.
- Practice writing timed essays. If you don’t do so, you may face problems in the main exam.
This week’s blog is by another of our high scorers, Debanjana Nayak who got a a really great score of 330/340. What makes this score a special one is that Debanjana is working.
So, this post is especially for all the working folks: if you are in a job and feel it might be difficult for you to prepare, here’s some inspiration! (By the way this post is just the first part. More to follow!)
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Before, I start with my tips, here is a bit on my background. I graduated with an Electronics and Communication Engineering degree from WBUT in 2010 and soon after joined Tech Mahindra as a Technical Associate. I have been working there for almost 2 years now.
After having worked in the company for about 1 year, I decided to pursue higher studies in the US (targeting fall 2013). Since I intended to keep my job and prepare for the exams (GRE & TOEFL) side-by-side, I started preparation early, around October, 2011, almost 7 months in advance. I finally gave my GRE on 25th April, 2012. My scores are as follows:
- Quantitative – 166/170
- Verbal – 164/170
- AWM – 4/6
I feel that the key to cracking the GRE test lies in the Verbal Sections (though one cannot neglect the Quant sections either). The fact that my entire education has been in English medium helped me a lot. So did the fact that I am an avid reader and read articles on any and every subject. My exposure to a wide variety of fields really helped me with the RCs and vocabulary. Quant was relatively simple and did not bother me much. However, the ‘4000 words’ was a real burden, but it was a necessary one, as far as GRE is concerned.
First, here’s some general stuff about the GRE test.
Overall:
1.) The GRE test can be given in 2 slots – the first in the morning (from 8 a.m.onwards) and the second in the afternoon (from 12 noon). Consider both the times very carefully and decide on the slot when you feel you would be able to give your best performance.
Many people choose the 2nd slot. I personally felt that 8 a.m. was better for me. Very few people are present in the morning slot, so there is a lot less disturbance (I was alone in my case). Afternoon slots are usually full. So take that into consideration as well.
Once you have decided your time slot, create your study schedule such that you do most of the studying during this time. Also, give the practice exams in the timeframe you have decided for the main GRE.
2.) I know many people suggest concentrating on maths more. But GRE Quant is very simple for engineering students. So the better approach for engineers would be to improve your Verbal skills, while brushing up your Quant concepts through regular practice. Trust me 170 in Quant would get you nowhere, if you get only 135 in Verbal!
3.) Don’t give the GRE test as a ‘trial’. A few of my friends went for trial attempts at GRE with the idea that it would be very simple. Their scores were not at all good. This got them demotivated and they have entirely given up on the idea of studying abroad. So I feel that you should not go for trial attempts.
4.) So, do not underestimate the GRE and take it very lightly. Practice a lot. Prepare very well for the GRE, and fix on a date only when you think you are ready.
Again, do not overestimate it and stress yourself too much about it. Do not stress yourself in the last week. Don’t even think about studying on the day before the exam. Stress can create problems on the D Day.
5.) While taking the actual exam, do not worry about scores.Don’t worry if you feel that the 2nd sections have not increased in difficulty level.Take each section as it comes. I found it useful to train my mind to think that I was giving 7 exams of about 30 minutes each, rather than 1 exam of about 4 hrs. This was one thing that helped me perform well on the actual exam.
6.) After completing a section if you have some time left, revise. Don’t be in a hurry to submit the exam. There is no award for this.
7.) I know a lot of people who have given the GRE recently and it is my general observation that people who got 3 Verbal sections scored more than those with 3 Quant sections. I have no logical explanation for this. The GRE algorithm is very complex and you cannot predict how it will behave.
8.) After giving the GRE, if you feel that you could have done better, don’t worry, you can write it again. Analyse your performance, work on your weaknesses and, if your preparation was not as good as it should have been the first time, with good preparation you should be able to do better on the second attempt.
Practice Material & Tests:
Oak’s workbooks are very good and first complete these. I found that it good to go through as much material as possible and complete as many CBTs as possible. Get all the practice you can.
That’s all I have to say about the test in general. In my next post there will be more specific tips on Verbal, Quant and AW.Keep watching this space!
Here are some more hot tips from one of our students who is a star performer on the GRE. This time it’s Tanmay Gurjar. As you can see, his performance has won him another of our ‘gold medals’! First here is a brief ‘bio’.
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Name: Tanmay Gurjar
Stream/College: Bachelor’s, Mechanical Engineering, COEP (currently in final year)
GRE Score: 335
Break up – Quant – 169, Verbal – 166
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First of all, let me say that what worked for me may not work for everybody else, so please adopt the approach which best suits you. But here are some tips based on what I did.
1. I started my test prep in about March. I did nothing but vocab for the first two months. I worked at a rate of hundred words a day. The words require constant revision and verbal practice becomes much much easier once vocab is in place. I used Dilip Oak’s flash cards for vocab because I could use the cards to revise easily in my free time, especially in college.
2. After vocab was done I started practising RC from the Dilip Oak’s material. I solved one long and one short passage per day. But the important thing is time management. So, I started timed practice almost immediately.
Simultaneously I practiced SC and SE questions from the Dilip Oak’s material.
3. The Verbal section is not that hard. But timing is absolutely crucial. I found during initial practice that I required much more time for RC’s. I read and understood the entire passage before attempting any questions. So as a rule I attempted all the SC and SE questions in the verbal section first. I allotted 9 minutes to attempt these 10 SE/SC questions – and if vocab is in place it’s really not that difficult.
4. Quant is pretty easy. So you can’t afford to lose marks in this section. Practice from Dilip Oak’s material is more than sufficient. Timed practice is important in this section too. In this section generally DI questions take the most time. So I kept these questions (14-16) for the last. About 1 hour of regular practice for about 1-1 ½ months is enough.
5. After some prep I went for full length practice tests. They really helped me iron out all my flaws. I attempted a total of 9 full length tests in general including 4 Dilip Oak CBT’s
6. Lastly the review feature is a very big boon. Use it to recheck everything if you get time, especially in maths. In fact, on my final GRE I found I had attempted 4 questions wrong in Quant. If I hadn’t reviewed them, I would definitely have paid the price.
In conclusion, I would say that the GRE test is not all that hard if you study regularly. I am sure all of you can crack it as well.
BEST OF LUCK to you all!!!!!!
We have assembled US university application deadlines for Fall 2013 semester. Here are 118 universities with application deadlines from December to July for the Fall 2013 semester.. Note that these are the general (or graduate school) deadlines. Be sure to check the departmental deadlines for the specific department you are applying to since these may differ from the general deadlines. Remember also that some universities have separate deadlines for sending documents by mail and for online submission. Finally, keep in mind that if you are applying for financial aid the deadlines are earlier. Wherever information is available on these aspects we have included it.
Related: US University Application Deadlines – Spring 2013 Semester
December 12
- Indiana University, Bloomington – 1 Dec 12
- University of Miami, Coral Gables – 1 Dec 12
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – 1 Dec 12
- University of South Carolina, Columbia – 1 Dec 12
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology – 15 Dec 12
- Tufts University – 15 Dec 12
- Yale University – 15 Dec 12
- Michigan State University, East Lansing – End of Dec 12
January 13
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – 1 Jan 13
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County – 1 Jan 13
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute – 1 Jan 13
- University of South Florida, Tampa – 2 Jan 13
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville – 10 Jan 13
- Washington State University, Pullman – 10 Jan 13
- Florida Institute of Technology – 15 Jan 13
- Indiana University Purdue University – 15 Jan 13 with funding, 1 Mar 13 without funding
- State University of New York, Buffalo – 15 Jan 13
- State University of New York, Stony Brook – 15 Jan 13
- Texas A & M University, Kingsville – 15 Jan 13
- Texas Tech University – 15 Jan 13
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – 15 Jan 13
- Vanderbilt University – 15 Jan 13
- Duke University – 30 Jan 13
- Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago – 31 Jan 13 with funding, 1 May 13 without funding
February 13
- East Carolina University – 1 Feb 13
- Kansas State University – 1 Feb 13
- University of Rhode Island, Kingston – 1 Feb 13
- University of Tulsa – 1 Feb 13
- Eastern Michigan University – 15 Feb 13
- Marquette University – 15 Feb 13
- University of Illinois, Chicago – 15 Feb 13
- University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth – 15 Feb 13
- University of Oregon, Eugene – 15 Feb 13
March 13
- University of Maine, Orono – 1 Mar 13
- California State University, Chico – 1 Mar 13
- California State University, Sacramento – 1 Mar 13
- Illinois State University, Normal – 1 Mar 13
- North Carolina State University – 1 Mar 13
- Oklahoma State University, Still Water – 1 Mar 13
- Portland State University – 1 Mar 13
- University of Nebraska, Lincoln – 1 Mar 13
- University of Oklahoma, Norman – 1 Mar 13
- University of Toledo – 1 Mar 13
- George Washington University – 15 Mar 13
- Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Brooklyn – 15 Mar 13
- South Dakota School of Mines & Tech – 15 Mar 13
- University of Colorado, Denver – 15 Mar 13
- University of Kentucky, Lexington – 15 Mar 13
- University of North Texas, Denton – 15 Mar 13
- University of Pittsburgh – 15 Mar 13
- California State University, Northridge – 31 March 13 Online, 30 April 13 Supplementary Documents (to be sent by courier)
April 13
- California State University, Long Beach – 1 April 13 Online, 15 April 13 Supplementary Documents (to be sent by courier)
- California State University, Fresno – 1 Apr 13
- Oregon State University, Corvallis – 1 Apr 13
- San Jose State University – 1 Apr 13
- Stevens Institute of Technology – 1 Apr 13
- University of Houston, University Park – 1 Apr 13
- University of Michigan, Dearborn – 1 Apr 13
- University of Texas, Arlington – 1 Apr 13
- University of Texas, San Antonio – 1 Apr 13
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City – 1 Apr 13
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University – 1 Apr 13
- West Virginia University, Morgan Town – 1 Apr 13
- Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo – 1 Apr 13
- Wichita State University – 1 Apr 13
- Florida International University – 1 Apr 13 & 1 Jun 13
- Lamar University – 15 Apr 13
- Northeastern University, Boston – 15 Apr 13
- Old Dominion University, Norfolk – 15 Apr 13
- South Dakota State University, Brookings – 15 Apr 13
- University of Georgia – 15 Apr 13
- University of Iowa, Iowa City – 15 Apr 13
May 13
- University of San Francisco – May 13
- Minnesota State University, Mankato – 1 May 13
- Mississippi State University – 1 May 13
- New Jersey Institute of Technology – 1 May 13
- North Dakota State University, Fargo – 1 May 13
- Northern Illinois University, Dekalb – 1 May 13
- Oakland University, Rochester – 1 May 13
- Southern Methodist University – 1 May 13
- Tennessee Technological University – 1 May 13
- University of Idaho, Moscow – 1 May 13
- University of Louisville, Louisville – 1 May 13
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas – 1 May 13
- University of North Carolina, Charlotte – 1 May 13
- University of Texas, Dallas – 1 May 13
- University of Texas, El Paso – 1 May 13
- Villanova University – 1 May 13
- Wayne State University – 1 May 13
- Western Illinois University – 1 May 13
- California State University, Fullerton – 4 May 13
- California State University, Los Angeles – 15 May 13
- University of Louisiana, Lafayette – 15 May 13
- University of North Carolina, Greensboro – 15 May 13
June 13
- Louisiana Tech University, Ruston – 1 Jun 13
- Monmouth University – 1 Jun 13
- Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville – 1 Jun 13
- University of Detroit, Mercy – 1 Jun 13
- University of Wyoming, Laramie – 1 Jun 13
- Drexel University – 13 Jun 13
- Texas State University – 15 Jun 13
July 13
- Arkansas State University – 1 Jul 13
- Florida State University – 1 Jul 13
- New York Institute of Technology – 1 Jul 13
- Santa Clara University – 13 Jul 13
- Lehigh University – 15 Jul 13
- Marist College, Poughkeepsie – 15 Jul 13
- Missouri University of Science & Technology, Rolla – 15 Jul 13
- University of South Alabama, Mobile – 15 Jul 13
August 13
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology – 1 Aug 13
- University of Houston, Clear Lake – 1 Aug 13
- New Mexico State University, Las Cruces – 26 Aug 13
Miscellaneous
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell – 12 months prior to the beginning of the semester in which you would like to join
- University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – 12 months prior to the beginning of the semester in which you would like to join
- University of Memphis – 4 months prior to the beginning of the semester in which you would like to join
- Lawrence Technological University –90 days prior to the first day of the semester in which you would like to join
- Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison – Rolling
- Rochester Institute of Technology – Rolling