Studying for the new GRE to get into graduate school

Studying for the new GRE to get into graduate school? Get off Facebook and Twitter, put some classical music on Pandora, and brush up on your reading comprehension strategies for the GRE test. Apply these tips to practice tests and youll be on your way to acing the GRE and getting that masters!

1. Focus on the opening and closing paragraphs of longer passages. -The majority of the passages you will encounter on the reading comprehension questions of the GRE will be shorter, but one or two will be longer. If you are running out of time, read the opening and closing paragraphs and skim the middle. The first and last paragraphs contain the passages main idea inmostpassages. You can go back and read body paragraphs more carefully as questions call for it.

2. Use context to help you.-If a question asks about a particular line, dont go back in to the passage and read just that line. A good rule of thumb is to read at least 2 sentences before and after the line in question. This will give you an idea of where the point started and where the author is going with it.

3. Save unfamiliar passages for last.-The GRE passages will cover a variety of subjects, from history to science to literature. Like with any question type, do the questions that are easier first and save the harder ones for last. Each question is worth the same amount, so you dont want to waste a big chunk of time on a passage with a few questions when you could answer twice as many questions on easier passages. If science passages are confusing to you, come back to that one after youve completed the rest. The great thing about the GRE is that it lets you skip around within a section, so use this to your advantage.

4. Really understand what the question is asking.-Reading comprehension questions have the most gray area of any question type on the GRE. Some people skim through the question, not really understanding what it is specifically asking, start reading the answer choices, and pick the first one that sounds true. This is not a good strategymany times more than one answer choice will ring true or partially true with the passage, but only one will specifically and best answer that particular question.

5. Do not bring in outside knowledge.-The GRE does not require you to have any outside knowledge for the reading comprehension passages, so check any you have at the door. Your own biases might actually hurt you when answering the questions, especially if it is an opinion passage.

Try thisGRE reading comprehension application questionfor practice.

6. Note how vocabulary is used in the sentence.-You will come across some vocabulary in context questions where you will be given possible definitions of a vocabulary word in the passage. There may be more than one answer choice that gives a correct definition for the vocabulary word, but only one choice will fit the word in this particular context. Notice how the word is used in the sentence, and plug in the answer choices to see which one works best.

7. For Select One or More Answer Choices questions, consider each choice separately.-For some of the reading comprehension questions, you will have to choose one, two, or three of the answers. This format can lead you to second-guess yourself more than with a typical multiple-choice question where you can eliminate choices decisively. To avoid these issues, consider each choice separately and only select it if you feel that it could be the only correct answer to the question.

8. Underline and take notes as you read.-Read the passage actively. Underline key words or sentences that contain the main idea. Jot down any notes, probably just a word or two, that you think might help you. If the author is taking a side on a certain issue, write a positive or negative sign next to the passage to remind yourself later what his or her position is.

9. Avoid extreme answers.-Generally, if an answer choice sounds very extreme in tone, its not the best choice. Be wary of answers that use words like never, always, completely, etc. Theres usually an exception to the rule.

10. Dont make assumptions.-Inferring and assuming are not the same thing. When you infer, you make an inference based on the information in the passage. When you assume, you make an assumption that brings in outside information or biases and is not based solely on the given passage. An assumption may seem valid, but if you cant back it up with statements from the passage, its probably best to stay away from it.

Looking for even more strategies for reading comprehension and all other verbal content? Try a 10-question quiz:

Reading Comprehension Tips for CAT

1) Broaden your database (knowledge)What section of the newspaper do you turn to while reading a newspaper?Is it the sports section, the editorials, the celebrity column or some other section? I go with the sports section first. Why? Because I like to read news and reports about the sports events. Similarly, the section that you like to read the most if the one you are most comfortable with.

Do you ever get bored reading that section or do you ever have difficulty understanding whats written in that section? The answer, of course, is no. (or else you would not read it)

Reading essays on topics which you understand and know about is very easy as compared to reading on alien topics. Hence, it is very important to develop a broad background of knowledge in various fields. Remember that essays from any field can come in Reading Comprehension questions.

How do I do this?You can improve your knowledge base by reading books, newspapers, magazines, articles and periodicals regularly. Start taking interest in what is happening around the world. This would not only help you develop your reading skills but also help you during your Group Discussion and Personal Interview stage. Read from a broad range of topics to avoid

See more at: http://www.careeranna.com/7-tips-to-improve-reading-comprehension-score-in-cat/#sthash.hC2GxMcS.dpuf2) Learn to understand the structure of ParagraphsMost often, the paragraphs used in Reading Comprehension passages in CAT are taken from books, articles or periodicals written by good writers. These writers generally have a well defined structure of constructing a paragraph. Their paragraphs will mostly have a proper beginning, middle part and an end section.

Knowing the functions of the respective parts can help you understand what the passage is trying to convey. For example, the first sentence will most probably be constructed in such a way that it gives the reader the main idea of what is to come in the passage.

3) Choose your Passages Carefully

Until and unless CAT paper is very very easy. you are not required to solve each and every question. Accuracy holds the key in Reading Comprehension as well as Verbal Ability as a whole.

So, try and finish the easy passages first instead of wasting time on tough passages.

How do I know if a passage is easy?Keep two things in mind:

a) Is the topic of the passage something you are familiar with?

b) Are the question direct or twisted?

Solve passages having direct questions first. Its better if the passage is on a subject which you know about.

See more at: http://www.careeranna.com/7-tips-to-improve-reading-comprehension-score-in-cat/#sthash.hC2GxMcS.dpuf4) Avoid Long Passages with few Questions In continuation with the point above, try to avoid long passages with a few questions. This will save a lot of time and you can concentrate on smaller passages with more questions. However, you must remember that it is more likely that the long passages with few questions would be easier and may contain direct questions. In the end, you will have to choose your strategy carefully keeping in mind all the factors. But if you have an option, go for passages with more questions.

5) Focus on Comprehension, instead of speed While reading speed is a key factor in saving time in CAT, it is not the most important criteria. One can read a passage very fast without really understanding what it is about. Hence, you need to make sure that you pay more attention to Reading Comprehension instead of Reading Speed. You should be able to comprehend the passage fast. This will help you a lot in solving the questions. On the other hand, if you just read fast and do not comprehend properly, you may have to revert to the passage again and again. Remember how the tortoise won against the hare? - See more at: http://www.careeranna.com/7-tips-to-improve-reading-comprehension-score-in-cat/#sthash.hC2GxMcS.dpuf6) Keep noting the main points of the passage on a sheet of paper As long as possible, try to note down the main points of the passage while you are reading it. Most probably, you would be provided with some sheets of paper. Use them efficiently. Noting down the main points would help you in case you forget something. This will prevent the unpleasant experience of searching for that point I read somewhere. Follow these and I am sure you will come out with flying colors. - See more at: http://www.careeranna.com/7-tips-to-improve-reading-comprehension-score-in-cat/#sthash.hC2GxMcS.dpufMock CAT Analysis: Tips from IIM C Alumnus

On the long and arduous highway to CAT, the most important and critical halt is Mock Test Analysis!!! One cannot expect to reach the destination without encountering this halt and making the best use of it!!! Here, I put forth the way I analyzed mock CAT papers and hope it benefits all the aspirants. STEP 1: Appear for the mock. Any test series with good national base would be fine. Going by the current trends, you may prefer CL and IMS test series followed by that of TIME. Even if you are retaking CAT and did not enroll for any classroom program, taking a good test series is very important and is a vital part of preparation that should not be ignored.

STEP 2: After the test is over, analysis process should commence. And that too as soon as you have the solution of the mock with you. The first job that must be done is scoring and calculation. Check how much you scored and what was the accuracy rate. I loved this part. One thing that I would like to mention here is that there is not an absolute score that one may call good or bad. Rule of thumb is to score 40-50 % score that would fetch you 99+ percentile.

STEP 3:Now, start going through the questions that you solved correctly. Pat your back. But then, look out for shorter methods. This is very important. CAT is not only a test of aptitude but a test of your time management skills as well. Learn to do questions in the shortest time possible. This will help you save enough time for difficult questions.

STEP 4: Then see the questions that you solved incorrectly. This is the most important part. Make sure that you never make the same mistake again. Note down the mistakes(conceptual,logical,tukka) that you made somewhere and go through them periodically. Seems stupid but very helpful nevertheless.

STEP 5: Solve the unattempted questions setting a time limit and then analyze them using steps 3 and 4.

STEP 6: Solve the same paper in 3/4th time a week later. It will make you feel great. All these steps are not easy to follow and it requires a lot of diligence. Remember, analysis of a mock test with duration of 135 minutes may take as long as 6-7 hours for a detailed analysis. Just taking mocks would not help you, unless they are properly analyzed. But Why? While mock tests help you hone your test-taking ability and make you accustomed to perform under pressure, analysis helps you in multiple ways. Few of them are listed below:

1. Identification of the weak links in your preparation and hence the opportunity to overcome them. You might need to go back to your reference books or coaching notes for these topics.

2. Improving further on the areas you are already good at. Remember, CAT is not just about solving correctly but also about time taken in solving correctly. So, knowing the shorter methods always helps.

3. Understanding what kind of questions consume good amount of your time. This helps you in modifying your approach of solving the questions in a particular section.

4. Realization of your skills to solve a certain set of questions even without using pen/pencil/rough sheet. This enables you to solve atleast 5-10% of the questions within a section in almost no time.

And by the time CAT day comes, you have every possible arrow in your Armour to hit the bulls eye. - We hope that the pointers discussed above on mock analysis and its importance help you in performing better and eventually, in coming out with flying colors on D-Day. All the Best!!!!! -