How hard is the GRE?

[zyphere]

How does it compare to other tests like the MCAT, PCAT, DAT, LSAT, GMAT, etc.? Is it easier? How long in advance should one start preparing for it?

[flexwong]

How does it compare to other tests like the MCAT, PCAT, DAT, LSAT, GMAT, etc.? Is it easier? How long in advance should one start preparing for it?

just out of curiosity, which school are you applying for that requires the GRE?

[mitboi]

i'm actually thinking to take the GRE as well.

i've went to the prep-school for it when I was in Taiwan, which I believe was about 2 months with a single class every week.

the thing is that on the actual exam, you fill out the schools you want the score to be send to, so i'm not sure you get more than one shot at doing well on it. i'm looking into this as well...

anyways, i find the reading comprehension a bit long and difficult. the math is pretty easy tho. lots of vocabs to memorize..

[zyphere]

just out of curiosity, which school are you applying for that requires the GRE?

I've looked into a few programs at a few schools like Western, Waterloo, and UofT. It's not so much the school, it's really a program-based thing. For example, most science (bio, chem, physics, etc.) faculties at most schools will not require GRE scores for their grad school applicants. However, for some other faculties like the social sciences (psych, sociology, etc.), the GRE is used.

It's used more in the States, I believe.

the thing is that on the actual exam, you fill out the schools you want the score to be send to, so i'm not sure you get more than one shot at doing well on it. i'm looking into this as well...

You do fill out the schools for the scores to be sent, but I believe if you do the GRE multiple times then they just send the scores again and the school will look at the most recent ones.

[bestknightmare]

the GRE is relatively fairly short in comparison, almost like an English proficiency test of vocabulary, reading comprehensions and basic arithmetic skills.

main emphsis is on learning like 1000+ vocabulary

[Yu_Qing]

i hated the math part of GRE, but i'm guessing you are applying for a Masters program in the US? usually they will only look at the verbal score, and disregard the math section.

the verbal section of GRE is not like the GMAT verbal at all. it has this weird question like:

"water to land is:"

a) x to y
b) y to x
c) y to y
c) x to x
e) none of the above

(I'm making that up btw just to illustrate). its a little intuitive and i found it really hard compared to GMAT verbal.

i used Kaplan. it was meh.

[zyphere]

Any other opinions?