BenchPrep's GRE Playbook

BenchPrep’s
GRE Playbook 2014
The one-stop resource for everything GRE.

Dear Student,
This Playbook is a compilation of some of the best BenchPrep
material and blog posts on the GRE. Combined with useful infor-
mation about the content of the GRE, we’ve provided advice about
how it might be smart to tackle your GRE study program and grad
school application process. We’re pleased to offer it to you for free
online and also as a downloadable PDF file.
The Playbook includes:
∞∞ Basic information, statistics, and advice about the Revised
General GRE and Grad School Admissions.
∞∞ Information about the Sections of the GRE: explanations
of the Quantitative, Verbal, and Analytical Writing sections,
and of each question type on each section.
∞∞ Test Prep Tips and Strategies
∞∞ Reviews of Test Prep Material and Online Courses.
Feel free to print this Playbook out, give it to friends and teachers,
and use it in any way that’s helpful for your study plan. As with any
Playbook, it’s up to you to call the shots, but we’re here to try to
coach you as best we can. We hope you like it!
As always, if you have questions, comments, or suggestions about
this Playbook, feel free to reach out 24/7 at 855-BENCHPREP
(855-236-2477) or email us at support@benchprep.com.
Happy Studying!
The Team at BenchPrep
Welcome

Table of Contents
Ch. 1: Introduction
Introduction to BenchPrep’s GRE Test Prep
Program • BenchPrep Games, Flashcards,
Adaptive Nature and Other Features • How
BenchPrep Can Improve Your Score
Ch. 2: GRE 101
Overview of the GRE • Why You Should Take
the GRE • What the GRE Measures • What
Programs Accept the GRE • Infographics
Comparing GMAT, MAT, and GRE • How the
GRE is Scored • What the “Adaptive” GRE
Means • What is a Good GRE Score?
Ch. 3: Taking the GRE
When Shoud You Take the GRE Infographic •
How to Register for the GRE • What’s the Dif-
ference Between the Paper-Based and Com-
puter-Based GRE? • About the GRE Subject
Tests • Should You Take the Subject Tests?
Ch. 4: Quantitative Section
GRE Quantitative Basics • Multiple Choice
Questions • Quantitative Comparison Ques-
tions • Numeric Entry Questions • 25 Things
to Know for the Quantitative Section • Quan-
titative Section General Strategies and Tips •
A Special Note on the Quantitative Section
Ch. 5: Verbal Section
GRE Verbal Basics • Sentence Equivalence
Questions • Reading Comprehension Ques-
tions • Text Completion Questions • A Special
Note about Vocabulary • 25 Things to Know
for the Verbal Section • Verbal Section Gen-
eral Strategies and Tips
Ch. 6: Analytical Writing Section
GRE Writing Basics • “Analyze an Issue” Task
• “Analyze an Argument” Task • Sample Essay
Prompts • 25 Tips for Analytical Writing • What
the GRE Graders are Looking For • How to Get a
6 • Writing Section General Strategies and Tips
Ch. 7: GRE Test Day
How to Manage Stress Before the GRE • Why
Staying Relaxed Will Help You Score Well on the
GRE • Things to Bring on GRE Test Day • The 10
GRE Commandments
Ch. 8: GRE Resources
GRE Resources Overview • Group Classes and
In-Person Tutoring • Free ETS Resources • GRE
Apps • Physical GRE Books and Flashcards •
GRE Prep Books • GRE Prep Book Reviews and
Recommendations
Ch. 9: After the GRE
Understanding Your GRE Score Report • How
Do Schools Look a Multiple GRE Scores
Ch. 10: Conclusion
Special $50 Off BenchPrep Promo Code
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Chapter 1
Introduction
Introduction to BenchPrep’s
GRE Test Prep Program
Games, Flashcards, BenchPrep’s
Adaptive Nature, and Other Features
How BenchPrep Can
Improve Your Score

BenchPrep | GRE Playbook 2014 | 5
Chapter 1 – Introduction
The BenchPrep GRE Prep Course
Online GRE prep courses have become especially popular in recent years, and
BenchPrep is the leading option. With BenchPrep, you can take your lessons any-
where you go with unlimited mobile access and the ability to sync your progress
across all devices.
The BenchPrep GRE Prep Course combines four first-class study courses into a one-
of-a-kind digital resource. These courses include GRE Prep by McGraw Hill, GRE
Prep by Nova, GRE Math Prep by Nova, and GRE Math Practice Questions by Allen
Prep. Together the BenchPrep course comprises seven full-length practice tests,
900+ lessons, and over 4,100 practice questions. The course contains detailed ex-
planations for answers, time-tested success strategies, and top-tier review material
for the GRE Revised General Test.
You can choose if you’d like to have access to just one of the courses (if, for exam-
ple, you want to focus on improving your Quantitative score) or you can purchase
access to all four of the courses. Either way, by using BenchPrep you’ll be ready to
study anytime, anywhere with 24/7 access. Your material will be all in one place,
available on all of your devices.
With BenchPrep, you’ll have multiple courses from the world’s best publishers, and
customized study plans to track your progress and find your strengths and weak-
nesses. Learn more at www.benchprep.com/gre

Available Study Units
There are four courses available from first-rate education publishers when your sign
up for the BenchPrep GRE online study program.
1. GRE Prep by McGraw Hill
This course includes excellent content for the revised General Test, including hun-
dreds of lessons and practice questions, provided by the reputable publishing com-
pany McGraw-Hill. Activate a study plan to keep yourself organized and receive
frequent reports and analysis of your progress. This course includes:
∞∞ 317 Lessons
∞∞ 105 Practice Questions
∞∞ 6 Full-length Exams & 4 Quizzes
∞∞ 470 Flashcards, including vocabulary flashcards
2. GRE Prep by Nova
This online GRE Prep Course covers every topic tested on the updated version of the
Revised General Test, including Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Ana-
lytical Writing. Upon completing this course, you will be ready to tackle your transi-
tion to graduate or business school. Access course material across devices, activate a
study plan, and receive frequent reports and analysis regarding your course progress.
∞∞ 120 Lessons
∞∞ 23 Quizzes
∞∞ 4364 Flashcards, including vocabulary flashcards
3. GRE Math Prep by Nova
This online GRE Math prep course by Nova presents a comprehensive review of each
math topic tested on the GRE. Featuring hundreds of lessons and practice questions,
you’ll be ready to achieve your desired score on the GRE Math section. Enjoy a per-
sonalized study plan to keep yourself organized, and receive detailed reports and
analysis every step of the way. Access your personalized course information any-
where, anytime.

∞∞ 108 Lessons
∞∞ 7 Quizzes
4. GRE Math Practice Questions by Allen Prep
Allen Prep’s online GRE Math Prep course offers over a thousand practice questions
to help you ace the Quantitative Reasoning section. Get a handle on the basic math
skills and elementary concepts you’ll need to know before the test, and enhance
your ability to reason quantitatively and to solve problems with proper quantitative
methods.

The BenchPrep GRE Course is Smart and Adaptive
At BenchPrep, we think test preparation technology should move off the page and
into the 21st Century! Because we are an online service, we are able to collect and
analyze millions of data points every week to identify techniques and learning pat-
terns that can help you get a better score. We use these learnings to create a person-
alized study plan that lays out step-by-step weekly tasks for you. The plan adapts to
your schedule and goals and will tell you exactly what to do next. Unlike most cook-
ie-cutter, one-size-fits-all programs, we personalize the entire course around you!
Select a date, and BenchPrep will figure out what you need to do.
After you select a date, BenchPrep’s algorithm will calculate what the important con-
cepts you need to learn before your test date. Whether you have one month or one
year to prepare for the GRE, BenchPrep can adapt to suit your needs.

The BenchPrep GRE Course Makes Learning Fun
At BenchPrep, we also know that studying for a test can get boring at times. That’s
why we created a full-scale game center packed with fun, addictive games built on a
foundation of spaced-repetition strategies that help you learn things like vocab fast-
er and enhance memory retention. We make sure your hard work doesn’t go unre-
warded either. That’s why we’ve added leaderboards to show you how your scores
compare against your peers.
The BenchPrep GRE Course Gives You Unrivalled
Data about Your Progress
When you work your way through the GRE Course, BenchPrep will automatically
compile information about your performance. For example, after taking of the GRE
Practice Tests, you can see data about:
∞∞ how you performed on each question,
∞∞ how you performed each question type,
∞∞ the time spent on each question,

∞∞ the time spent on each question type,
∞∞ your estimated percentile rankings,
∞∞ your progress across tests, and
∞∞ solutions and detailed explanations for every question.
You can use this data to find areas where it’s most smart to focus your effort in or-
der to boost your score with minimal effort. We make sure your hard work doesn’t
go unrewarded. We’ve added leaderboards to show you how your scores compare
against your peers, and achievements to acknowledge your skill and progress as you
work through your test.

At BenchPrep,
we think test prep
should move off the
page and into the
21st Century!

Even More Features
Connections
Instantly jump to related
lessons while reviewing solu-
tions to practice questions so
that you can understand the
concept better.
Discussions
Start a conversation with
thousands of other students
studying for the same test and
are ready to help.
Ask-an-expert
Ask any question to our army
of experts and expect a de-
tailed answer within 24 hours.
Rest assured that help is
always just a click away.
Confidence Levels
Personalize the course by
marking lessons and questions
with confidence levels so that
you can focus on parts that re-
quire most attention.
Notes & Bookmarks
Create bookmarks and write
custom notes to remind yourself
of tips, questions, or concepts
that you want to revisit later.
How BenchPrep’s Subscription Can Improve
Your Score
At BenchPrep we firmly believe in listening to you, the student, when we make
changes to our platform. And, we listen in different ways. Sometimes we get written
and verbal feedback and other times we dig into data to better understand what you
like and what you don’t. Data not only helps students and educators gain insight into
performance, it also guides us in making decisions that will make studying easier,
more efficient and more productive for you.

Last year, we introduced a subscription model. With this new model, a student can
access all courses related to a test in our library and pay a monthly or yearly fee,
rather than having to purchase them one at a time. We wanted students to explore
more courses and do more without worrying about paying every time they wanted
to try a course.
We have found that with this new
model, students enroll in more
courses and scores improve by
over 20%.
We measured score improvement
by comparing performance on
test of students who finished more
than 60% of a course vs students
who finished less that 20%.
With more engagement and en-
rollment in courses, BenchPrep
subscription users have the
highest score improvement at
20.5%. This is by far the most ex-
citing finding for us of offering the
new subscription model. So sign
up now!

Chapter 2
GRE 101
Overview of the GRE
Why You Should Take the GRE
What the GRE Measures
What Programs Accept the GRE
Infographics Comparing GMAT,
MAT, and GRE
How the GRE is Scored
What the “Adaptive” GRE Means
What is a Good GRE Score?

Chapter 2 – GRE 101
What is the GRE?
Summary
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is required by most institu-
tions and programs granting Master or Doctorate degrees. Not surprisingly, the most
competitive programs generally have higher score requirements. Some programs
also require Subject Tests, which are beyond the scope of this volume. You should
speak to the admissions department at the school to which you are applying to con-
firm whether you will need to take one or more of the subject tests.
The GRE does not measure your knowledge of business procedures or law, or any
specific content area. In addition, it does not measure your value as a person, nor
does it predict your success in life. However, the GRE does a fairly good job of pre-
dicting how hard you will have to work to understand the material in your chosen
program. If you prepare for this test seriously now, you’ll sharpen your comprehen-
sion, math, and reasoning skills, and be able to focus on the relevant information in
your course work much more easily once you start graduate school.
Format
The GRE General Test is a computer-based (or, in some locations, paper-based) test
that includes five scored sections: one Analytical Writing section (with two scored
writing tasks), two Quantitative sections, and two Verbal sections. Your test will also
include an experimental section, called the “pretest” section, which is mixed in with
the other sections of the test and appears as either a Verbal or a Quantitative sec-
tion. There might also be a “research” section, which will always be the final section
presented if you have one included in your test. The answers on the pretest and
research sections will not count toward your GRE score. The questions are meant to
help the test writers at Educational Testing Service (ETS) refine their methods and try
out new material that may be included in future GRE tests. The pretest is not identi-
fied and will seem like just another test section as you work through it. The research
section, if you have one on your test, will be identified as such.
The GRE always begins with the two Analytical Writing tasks: the Issue Task and the
Argument Task. For both tasks, if you are taking the computer-based GRE, you will

write your response using the word processor that is built into the GRE software.
The Verbal and Quantitative Sections may appear in any order on your test. When
working on these sections, you may skip around, first answering questions that you
find less challenging, then coming back to the more difficult questions. Once you
have completed a section, you may not go back to it. You are allowed a total of 3
hours and 45 minutes for the computer-based GRE, including the unscored section,
and a total of 4 hours and 5 minutes for the paper-based GRE, including the un-
scored section.
Why Should I Take the GRE?
“Why am I here?” Big question! You’re likely here because you’re interested in taking
the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) to get into Graduate School . . . woo hoo!
The GRE is a standardized test required for admissions to over 60% of the graduate
schools in the US, and there’s really only two reasons why anyone would take the GRE:
Reason #1 : You know you want to pursue a Graduate Degree, and it’s a require-
ment for admission.
You’ve got this bold vision of yourself heading back to Grad School to study
X, Y, or Z. Great! It’s a smart move: on average, advanced degree-holders
earn higher salaries. Masters degree-holders make 22% more than workers
with only a Bachelor degree. And workers with Doctorate degrees make a
whopping 52% more than Bachelor degree holders.
If you’re trying to go to Grad School programs that aren’t medical school or
law school, then it’s likely that you’ll have to take the GRE for admission. So,
if you’re planning on the Grad School route, then the GRE should be on your
to-do list.
Reason #2: You might want to pursue a Graduate Degree in the future, so it’s a
smart move to get it out of the way.

Unlike other standardized tests where you need to know specialized content
which you might only learn in the later years of college, you already learned
most of the content on the GRE in high school (hopefully!). So, if you’re in
college now, there’s no real advantage to waiting to take the GRE later. If you
think Grad School might be in your medium-term future, it might be a smart
move to go ahead and take the GRE, because the scores are valid for 5 years
after you take the test. In fact, studies have even shown that performance on
the GRE decreases as you get older.
Taking the GRE when you’re already in in academic-mode, when high-school
math and ACT and SAT preparation is still fresh, might be a smart strategy to
get your best score and to hedge your bets about your future. This is espe-
cially true because in 2012 the GRE introduced the ScoreSelect option, which
means that even if you don’t do as well as you hoped the first time around,
you have the option to take the GRE again, and only report only your best
test results. With this new option, there’s no real risk in taking the GRE early.
Either way, the decision you make about going to Graduate School is a tough one
and ultimately a personal choice. While there are plenty of unknowns, taking the GRE
early can only help your odds of succeeding in your personal and professional goals.
What Does the GRE Measure?
According to ETS, the organization which designs and administers the GRE, the GRE
“General Test features question types that closely reflect the kind of thinking you’ll do
— and the skills you need to succeed — in today’s demanding graduate and business
school programs.”
That ETS-lingo sounds so intimidating! But it shouldn’t be. The GRE boils down three
pretty simple concepts: it tries to test how well you can (1) read, (2) do math, and
(3) write.

The three sections of the the GRE—Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing—try to
measure just this. In the list below, I’ll look some of the main things that ETS claims
the GRE measures, along with a much simpler translation of what you need to know
for the test.
#1 The ability to “analyze and draw conclusions from discourse”
Translation = can you read and understand arguments in text?
In the Verbal Section, the GRE features a number of multiple-choice ques-
tions following a short passage that makes some sort of argument. The ques-
tions ask you to identify the overall logical flow of the passage.
#2 The ability to “understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts”
Translation = how good is your vocabulary?
The GRE has variety of fill-in-the-blank questions (sometimes called “Text
Completion” questions) asking you to identify the correct words to use in a
given sentence or short passage. “Sentence Equivalence” questions are simi-
lar: they basically ask you to identify synonyms.
#3 The ability to “interpret and analyze quantitative information”
Translation = can you understand charts and graphs?
In the Quantitative Section, you’ll be presented with various forms of quanti-
tative information, including graphs, charts, shapes, and tables. You will need
to know how to analyze this information quickly and effectively to get to the
right answer.
#4 The ability to “solve problems using mathematical models”
Translation = can you apply formulas correctly?
Distance = rate * time. Remember?! Many questions in the Quantitative Sec-
tion will ask you to apply a mathematical formula to get a correct answer.

#5 The ability to “apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical
concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data interpretation”
Translation = can you do high school math?
Throughout the Quantitative Section, you’ll face questions where a basic
understanding of high school math properties will apply. Oh yes, dear reader,
PEMDAS is back.
#6 The ability to “support ideas with relevant reasons and examples”
Translation = can you write and analyze a logical argument?
The final part of the GRE is the Analytical Writing Section. The Writing section
will ask you to write two essays, one on an Issue and one on an Argument.
While these tasks are slightly different, both will ask you to present an orderly
response to an essay prompt.
#7 The ability to “control the elements of standard written English”
Translation= can you write well?
Where “well” is pretty broad: how well-chosen are your words? Do you vary
your sentence structure? Do you use transitions to usher the reader along your
argument? All of this matters to score well in the Analytical Writing Section.
The GRE is a general test: it tries to get a lot of information about your intellectual
horsepower in a mere three hours. And so, it covers a lot of ground. Or course, the
GRE has its flaws, but by understanding what the GRE tries to measure, you can bet-
ter prepare yourself to get the score you want.
What Types of Programs Accept the GRE?
There is a huge variety of Graduate Programs out there, just waiting for eager stu-
dents like yourself to apply! Taking the GRE opens you up to a truly inspiring list of
different opportunities for professional and personal development. It’s likely that
there’s some program out there tailored just right for your interests and personality.
In particular, the GRE can prepare you for a number of different programs:

#1 Master of Arts Programs (MA)
Name a Master of Arts Program, and it’s likely that the GRE is the required
standardized test. Master of Arts in History? GRE. Master of Arts in Interna-
tional Development? GRE. For MA programs, it’s likely that the admission of-
ficers reviewing your application will look at your performance on the Verbal
and Analytical Writing requirements with more scrutiny than your score on
the Quantitative section.
#2 Master of Science Programs (MS)
Most Master of Science Programs also require the GRE. Masters of Science
in Nursing (MSN)? GRE. Master of Science in Information Technology? GRE.
It’s more likely that a Master of Science program will weigh more heavily the
Quantitative Section of the test, though it’s always wise to check with the
program you’ll be applying to.
#3 Master of Business Administration Programs (MBA)
Most MBA Programs will accept both the GRE and the GMAT for admissions,
though some MBA programs prefer that you take the GMAT. For more infor-
mation on the distinction between the GMAT and the GRE, check out our
handy GMAT-GRE infographic in this chapter.
#4 Other Masters Programs and Joint Masters Programs
Yep, you guessed it. Even Masters Programs which aren’t strictly an MA or MS
program accept the GRE. For example, the MPA or MPP (Master of Public Af-
fairs or Public Policy) both accept the GRE. So does a Masters in Architecture.
Joint masters programs, like an MPA/MBA, also accept the GRE.
#5 Doctorate Programs (PhD)
If getting that “Dr.” in front of your name is in the works, then the GRE will
likely be too. Most PhD Programs require the GRE.
#6 Graduate Certificates and other Grad School Programs
There really are just a multitude of Graduate Programs offered nowadays,
including distance-learning courses, Graduate Certificates, and other online
options. Some Certificate programs will require that you have taken the GRE,
as do Grad School Programs that we haven’t even heard of yet!

#7 Job Opportunities!
Even if you don’t end up going to Grad School, many employers, like con-
sulting firms and investment banks, will ask for your standardized test scores.
Having a knock-out score can only help you land that big-time job.
As you can see, if you take the GRE, it opens the door to a huge number of oppor-
tunities. By understanding your options and how the GRE can help you reach those
goals, the next step is to start improving your chances at acing that GRE test!
Comparing the GRE to the GMAT and MAT
When applying to Grad school you’re force-fed large spoonfuls of alphabet soup:
LSAT, MCAT, General GRE, GRE Subject Tests, GMAT, MAT…
We know, we know! Information overload! It’s okay; here at BenchPrep we’ve drawn
up some handy infographics to help you understand the differences between: (1) the
GRE and the GMAT, and (2) the GRE and the MAT.

GMATGMAT GREGREvs
Which test is right for you?Which test is right for you?
All MBA
Programs
Over +1000 MBA
Programs
Grad School
Programs
business
school
business
school Show business schools that you
are serious about getting an MBA
GRAD School
& MBA
GRAD School
& MBA
Investment banks and
recruiters review scores for
employment
Generally easier for most
students than the GMAT
Time Section
30 min.
30 min.
75 min.
75 min.
Analytical + 1 essay
Integrated Reasoning
Quantitative
Verbal
Time Section
30 min. × 2
30 min. × 2
35 min. × 2
30 min.
Analytical Writing
Verbal
Quantitative
Experimental
(math or verbal)
$250$250 $185$185
0 . =
+
-
×÷±c
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
! Excruciatingly difficult math
! More emphasis on grammar ! Greater emphasis on writing
! Harder verbal and vocabulary
It is common to spend
hundreds of hours preparing
The grading curve
is easier
Economics
Programs
Computer
adaptive tests
Scores are
both valid for yrs
www.800score.com/gmat-and-gre.html
www.princetonreview.com/gmatvsgre.aspx
www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/mba/programs/ http://benchprep.com
GMAT
GRE
If you are applying to MBA
and/or graduate school programs.
3 HRS.
45 MIN.
3 HRS.
45 MIN.
3 HRS.
30 MIN.
3 HRS.
30 MIN.

MATMATGREGRE vs
Which test is right for you?Which test is right for you?
Over +1000 MBA
Programs
Grad School
Programs
Grad School
Programs
If you are applying to MBA
and/or graduate school programs
Time Section
30 min. × 2
30 min. × 2
35 min. × 2
30 min.
Analytical Writing
Verbal
Quantitative
Experimental
(math or verbal)
or
http://psychcorp.pearsonassessments.com/haiweb/Cultures/en-US/site/Community/PostSecondary/Products/MAT
http://www.ets.org/gre
http://benchprep.com
5
yrs
score
valid
1
yr
score
valid
Can be taken anywhere and anytime of year
120 questions
100 will count towards your score
20 experimental items
You won't know which
are experimental.
?
!
MAT ONLY has one question type -
analogies. The test has a broad range.!
There are math, verbal, AND
essay sections to study for.
avg 400
600200130
Verbal Quantitative
Writing
170 130 170 0 6
If your program accepts it and if
you are weaker in math and strong
in reading comprehension
0 . =
+
-
×÷±c
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
1 hr1 hr3 HRS.
45 MIN.
3 HRS.
45 MIN.

How is the GRE Scored?
When you take the GRE, you’ll get three scores reported back to you: (1) your Verbal
Reasoning score; (2) your Quantitative Reasoning Score; and (3) your Analytical Writ-
ing score.
The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores are based on the number
of correct responses you answer, called the “raw score.” As you may remember, all
questions on the GRE are equally weighted within sections. However, the GRE is
section-adaptive, meaning that the second Verbal or Quantitative Reasoning section
you see may be more difficult than the first, and may be more difficult than another
test-taker’s second section.
To adjust for these differences, ETS converts the raw score into a “scaled” score using
a process called “equating.” This process attempts to ensure that no matter the diffi-
culty of your specific test or sections you saw, the same scaled scores should identify
the same performances across time and place.
Scaled scores on the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning Sections range from 130-
170, graded in 1-point increments. The statistics listed below are based on the re-
vised GRE general test taken by 417,000 students between August 1, 2011 and April
30, 2012.
For the Verbal Section, the worldwide average score is 150.8. A score of
159.3 places you in the 80th percentile, while a score of 167.8 places you in
the 97th or 98th percentile.
For the Quantitative Section, the worldwide average score is 151.3. A score
of 160 corresponds to the 81st percentile, while a score of 168.7 places you
in the 97th or 98th percentile.
The Analytical Writing Section is scored differently, on a scale from 0-6, in
half-point intervals. These essays are first graded by humans, who assess the
essays on overall quality. The essay score is then reviewed by a computer-
ized program to monitor the human reader. If there is a discrepancy between

the two grades, then a second human reader will be brought in, and the final
score will be an average of the two human readers. Then, the scores on the
two essays are averaged, and a single score is reported.
What Does it Mean that the GRE is Adaptive?
“Adaptive” testing means that the content of the test changes based on how well you
performed in previous sections. The computer-based GRE has always been adaptive,
but the current Revised GRE (introduced in 2011) is adaptive in a different way from
the “Old” computer-based GRE. Here’s a primer on the distinction.
#1 The old GRE was “question adaptive.”
The pre-2011 GRE had only one Verbal section and one Quantitative section.
This “old” GRE changed its questions within these sections based on how
well you did on previous questions. So, if you got previous questions incor-
rect, then the test would adapt to present you relatively easier questions. If
you got previous questions correct, then the test would adapt to present you
relatively more difficult questions.
#2 The new GRE is “section adaptive.”
Since there are now two sections on the Verbal section and two sections
on the Quantitative section, the Revised GRE no longer adjusts its questions
based on your performance within a section. Rather, the GRE only adjusts
difficulty between sections. So, your second graded Quantitative or Verbal
section (Remember: there will be one experimental section, and you won’t
know which section that is.) could be more or less difficult than your first
section, depending on how well you do.
#3 Within sections, questions are of random difficulty.
It’s important to note that within each section, the questions are of random
difficulty, regardless of the overall level of difficulty of the section. So on both
the first and second sections of the test, the first question is no more likely to
be easy or difficult than the last question. This is important to consider when
thinking about test-taking strategies.

#4 “Adaptive” tests are supposed to measure performance better.
The reason ETS, the organization which designs and administers the GRE,
uses adaptive testing is because it better allows the test-makers pinpoint
how well you do on the GRE, by getting to questions which suit your apti-
tude quicker. So, if you do well on the Quantitative sections, for example, the
adaptive GRE can get to more difficult questions which can better determine
how well you do compared with other test-takers of similar aptitude.
#5 What this means for the test-taker.
What does this mean for you in practice? Not too much. One things to con-
sider is that because the content of the second section depends on how
well you do on the first section, then you may want to be careful to do well
on the first section. While each question is still weighted the same within
sections, it could be the case that your second Verbal or Quantitative sec-
tion might be more difficult (or easier) than the first. That’s it. Either way, you
should try to do your best and answer every question.
As computers tend to be used more and more in the classroom, it’s likely that “adap-
tive” testing technology will be used increasingly more in the future. For the test-tak-
er, it doesn’t make too much difference, but it’s helpful to be aware of how the tech-
nology works for each test.
What is a Good GRE Score?
A lot of students ask us – “What is a good GRE score?” Taking a quick look at the sta-
tistics informs our perspective on the GRE score and what you should aim for.
The statistics are based on the revised GRE general test taken by 417,000 students
between August 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012.
Quantitative worldwide average as provided by ETS.
∞∞ 151.3, with standard deviation 8.7
∞∞ 160 is one standard deviation above mean/average, corresponds to the 81st
percentile

∞∞ 168.7 is 2 standard deviations above average, corresponds to the 97th or
98th percentile
Verbal worldwide average as provided by ETS.
∞∞ 150.8, with standard deviation 8.5
∞∞ 159.3 is 1 standard deviation above average, corresponds to approximately
the 80th percentile
∞∞ 167.8 is 2 standard deviations above average, corresponds to the 97th or
98th percentile.
Worldwide Averages By Field of Study as provided by ETS:
Analysis
As you can see, anything at least one standard deviation above the average is a solid
score, and anything at least two standard deviations above the average is an excep-
tional score. Also note that students pursuing graduate degrees in Physical sciences
and Engineering might look more favorable with a higher Quantitative Score than a
Verbal score as shown by the results. A score that is one or two standard deviation
above the average could be considered a good score, depending on your own indi-
Intended
Grraduate Major
Verbal
Score
(Mean)
Verbal
(sd)
Quantitative
Score
(Mean)
Quantitative
(sd)
Analytical
Writing
(Mean)
Analytical
Writing
(sd)
Life Sciences 151 7 151 7 3.8 0.7
Physical Sciences 153 9 158 7 3.8 0.8
Engineering 150 9 159 6 3.6 0.8
Social Sciences 153 7 150 8 4.0 0.7
Humanities & Arts 157 7 149 7 4.2 0.8
Education 157 7 149 7 4.2 0.8
Business 150 7 152 8 3.7 0.8

vidual situation. In fact, some schools simply recommend a GRE score that’s “above
the average.”
But how do you interpret all of this in terms of your own personal circumstances?
Let’s look at the Yale School of Forestry to help put things in context. The school’s
“2012 Incoming Student Profile.” states that accepted applicants had an “average of
2-4 years of professional experience prior to enrollment.” This tells us that profes-
sional “real world” experience seems to be a factor taken into account during the
admissions process. We can probably generalize a bit. If you have a great deal of
professional, real world experience, it may very well offset a GRE score lower than
the average accepted by a program.
On the other hand, if you have an exceptionally high GRE score, it could help to
compensate for a lack of professional experience; say, if you’re looking to go straight
from finishing a bachelor’s degree straight into tackling a master’s degree.
Of course, we have to remember we’re generalizing. It’s possible that some schools/
programs expect or require a combination of extensive professional experience AND
high GRE scores. Always get your information “straight from the horse’s mouth” by
referring to the information provided by the school/program you wish to apply to.
That being said, it’s still pretty safe to say that, generally speaking, schools/programs
consider lots of other things besides your GRE scores when making admissions deci-
sions. Professional experience, recommendation letters, academic record, co-curric-
ular activities, community involvement, leadership achievements, publications, port-
folios, personal interviews: these are all ways in which you can put your best qualities
and qualifications on display to help you impress those making the admission deci-
sion that you are a candidate worth pursuing.
It really all comes down to your own unique set of circumstances. To find out what
is a good GRE score, first determine the minimum GRE requirements of the schools
you’re interested in. Search and you will find: you may even find that your target
school/program doesn’t require a GRE score, or even if it does, does not specify a
minimum GRE score to be considered for admission.

Keep in mind, however, that even if you don’t have to achieve a minimum score, that
doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set a target score and strive hard to reach it. To help
determine your target score when no minimum score is given, check to see if the
school provides information on average GRE scores of successful applicants, as well
as other information that paints a profile of the qualifications/backgrounds of suc-
cessful applicants. That information will help you to determine your target “Good
GRE Score,” and also help you to determine what you need to do to make your over-
all application as solid and well-rounded as possible--something that will stand out
from the crowd.
Of course, the higher your GRE score is, the better it will make the rest of your ap-
plication look, so set goals and pay attention to details when prepping for GRE and
when preparing your other application components.

The GRE boils down three
pretty simple concepts: it
tries to test how well you
can (1) read, (2) do math,
and (3) write”

Chapter 3
Taking the GRE
When Shoud You Take the GRE Infographic
How to Register for the GRE
What’s the Difference Between the
Paper-Based and Computer-Based GRE?
About the GRE Subject Tests
Should You Take the Subject Tests?

Chapter 3 – Taking the GRE
When Should I Take the GRE?
Whether you’re a college student or college graduate, you should try to take the GRE
so that it makes sense for your schedule. When thinking about when you should take
the GRE, it’s smart to take the following factors into consideration.
#1 Application deadlines.
First and foremost, you certainly will want to check the application deadlines
for the Universities and programs you plan to apply to: this is why you’re
studying for this thing after all! Many American Masters and PhD programs
with start dates in the Fall have deadlines for application some time from
January-March. Other programs have rolling admissions deadlines. Either
way, it’s generally best to submit your application early to have the best
chances of getting accepted.
You’ll definitely want to make sure your schools have your GRE scores in time
to consider your application, which brings us to point #2.
#2 Test processing times.
Because the Writing Section is now part of the GRE, you will not receive
your results immediately after the test, though you will receive your unoffi-
cial scores on the Verbal and Quantitative sections. Your official scores will
be available approximately 10-15 days after your test, and are sent out to
schools you specified then. Some schools may not actually need your GRE
scores exactly on the application deadline, but this is something you’d defi-
nitely want to check with your individual program.
#3 Your schedule.
If you’re in college, your Senior year is going to be chock-full of work or fun
or both, and so it may be best to try to get the GRE out of the way during
your Junior year, or in the summer or early fall, when you’ll be stress-free and
best able to focus. If you’re out of college and working, then you’ll want to
schedule the GRE so that you’ll have time to prepare and be calm :)

#4 Your confidence in achieving the score you want.
If you aren’t sure if you’ll achieve the score you want on your first try, then
you may want to schedule the GRE so that you can take it again if you score
poorly. You can take the GRE revised General Test once every 21 days, up
to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period. With the new
ScoreSelect option (we’ll explain that later), you can choose exactly what
scores you want to send to your grad school program.
Of course, the GRE is an expensive test, so you won’t want to take it more
times than you have to, but it might be a safe move to take it early anyway.
#5 Whether your college coursework will prepare you for the GRE.
Unlike other standardized tests where you need to know specialized content
which you might only learn in the later years of college, you already learned
most of the content on the GRE in high school (hopefully!). So, if you’re in
college now, there’s no real advantage to waiting to take the GRE later. Then
again, if you’re taking some coursework which might benefit you on the GRE
(like Algebra or Geometry classes), then it could be smart to learn from these
courses before you take the GRE. In fact, the ETS notes that statistically, per-
formance on the GRE tends to decline with age.
So, if you think Grad School might be in your medium-term future, it might
be a smart move to go ahead and take the GRE, because the scores are valid
for 5 years after you take the test.
#6 The most popular time to take the test is in October, November,
and December.
It’s possible to take the GRE on short notice, but keep in mind that many
people choose to take the GRE in the late fall to meet application deadlines,
so it may be harder to find a time slot you want during these months.
No matter what, if you want to perform your best on the GRE, it’s best not to put
it off to until the last minute. Of course, everyone’s situation is different, so even if
you decided to apply to grad school late and must take the GRE in a hurry, then you
can make the best of it. Whenever you decide to take the GRE, BenchPrep has study
plans to suit your needs.

212121
When Should ITakeThe GRE?When Should ITakeThe GRE?
Sources
2013
Have you started studying?
Are you feeling
ready for the test?
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the BenchPrep app
& start studying
Are you ready now?
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YET
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Business
Education
Engineering
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Science
Library & Information sciences
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Health
Public Affairs
BenchPrep
Presents
Facts to ConsiderFacts to Consider
When do you want to
apply to graduate school?
http://ets.org/gre
http://gradschool.about.com/cs/aboutthegre/a/gre.htm
http://www.igrad.com/articles/taking-the-gre
http://www.happyschoolsblog.com/average-revised-gre-scores-universities/
TOP GRAD
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
In August 2011, the
GRE was updated
to a new format
PERFECTSCORE
THE
GRE
your score is good for ﬁve years
The GRE is
3 hrs. 40 min.long
There are
3 sections.
Verbal, Writing,
& Quantitative
EVERY
UP
TO YEARDAYS
RETAKE THE
YOU CAN
IN A
Receive your GRE results
10–15 days after you
take the exam
185

How to Register for the GRE
All right, you’ve made the big decision: time to the take the GRE! Great, but now
what? Luckily, registering for the GRE is as easy as 1-2-3. Check out these easy steps
below to get some more information on the registration process.
#1 Go to the ETS website and create an account.
ETS is the organization that designs and administers the GRE. The first step
to registering for the GRE is to go to the ETS website and create an account
with your name, address, and email. After that, click on the ”Register for a
General Test” on the my GRE Home Page.
You can register via phone, mail, and fax. However, test-takers with disabil-
ities or health-related needs who are requesting special accommodations
may not register online. You can also not register online if you’re applying for
fee reduction or stand-by testing.
#2 Select your testing date, time, and place.
You can register for the GRE way far in advance, and if you’re taking the test
during a busy testing time (October, November, and December, for example)
then it’s a smart move to register early, as many testing times will be filled.
As you select your testing location, you will be redirected to the Prometric
website to select a date, time, and place to take the GRE. This is what’s sup-
posed to happen: Prometric is the testing center company who will actually
administer the test. Make sure you select a location that is close to where you
live, and where you will feel comfortable taking the test.
Also, you should register for the GRE with a name that matches your Identi-
fication (drivers license, passport, etc.) exactly. You might not be allowed to
take the test if your name doesn’t match exactly.
#3 Pay, plan, and prepare.
As of July, 2013, the Revised General GRE costs $185. After paying this fee
and completing your registration, the final step is to plan and prepare! For

example, it would be smart to scout out the location ahead of time, because
some GRE testing locations are in places you wouldn’t really notice other-
wise. Plan to be at the testing center for about four and half hours, and know
what to take with you. There is a $50 fee to change your testing location or
your date, and these changes must be made four days in advance.
Finally, after registration, now is a great time to assess how much time you
have to prepare, and budget a sensible study plan. BenchPrep offers a num-
ber different study plans, depending on how much time you have.
What is the Difference between the Paper-Based
and Computer-Based GRE?
Okay, you’re taking the GRE, but you see there’s both a computer-based test and a
paper-based test. What’s the difference, and which one should I take? I’ll break down
the differences into four main reasons, and provide a little more background info on
the test.
#1 The computer-based GRE is much, much more common.
Let’s start here: if you are located in the United States, you will take the
computer-based GRE. The paper-based test isn’t offered in the same places
where the computer-based test is offered. The paper-based test is offered for
the GRE subject tests, but that’s a different story. If you are located outside
the US, there is a chance you may take the paper-based test, but it’s still most
likely that you will take the computer-based test. In 2012, ETS begin to phase
out the paper-based test, so it’s not really offered as much anymore.
The GRE is offered year-round as a computer-based test in most locations
around the world. Paper-based tests, on the other hand, are offered only up
to three times per year.
#2 The computer-based test is way more convenient.
With the computer-based test, you will get your unofficial Verbal Reasoning
and Quantitative Reasoning scores at the test center, but not your Analytical

Writing score. About 10-15 days after your your test date, your official scores
and your Analyztical Writing score will become available. With the paper-based
test, on the other hand, you won’t get your score back for SIX weeks!
#3 The computer-based test is “adpative.”
The computer-based GRE has always been adaptive, but the current Revised
GRE (introduced in 2011) is adaptive in a different way from the “Old” com-
puter-based GRE. The pre-2011 GRE changed its questions based on your
how well you did on previous questions. Since there are now two sections on
the Verbal section and two sections on the Quantitative section, the Revised
GRE no longer adjusts its questions based on your performance during a sec-
tion. Rather, the GRE only adjusts difficulty between sections.
What does this mean for you in practice? Not too much. Each question is
still weighted the same within your section, but it could be the case that your
second Verbal or Quantitative section might be more difficult than the first,
and so a correct answer on a more difficult section might be “worth” more
than a correct answer on an easier section.
#4 The Computer-based test means you’ll have to prepare differently.
It’s a different experience taking a standardized test on a computer: you can’t
scratch out answers or scribble all over a reading passage. So if you’ve never
taken a standardized test on a computer before, it’s wise to prepare a little
differently. Familiarize yourself with how the testing screen will look, and how
you answer a question. An online resource like BenchPrep is the perfect tool
to help you prepare for this new interface, making you comfortable as you
approach test day and maximizing your score.
Most likely, the computer-based exam will be the way you take the test. With this in
mind, it’s smart to take steps to make sure you’re as prepared as possible for test day.

Unlike other
standardized tests
where you need to know
specialized content which
you might only learn in the
later years of college, you
already learned most of the
content on the GRE in high
school (hopefully!).”

About the GRE Subject Tests
The General GRE is to the GRE Subject Tests are much like SAT is to the SAT Subject
tests. Just as the SAT assess more general skills, and the SAT Subject Tests measure
more specific knowledge about a particular subject, the General GRE and the GRE
Subjects act in the same way. The GRE Subject Tests are used by Grad Schools as a
measure of how much you know about a specific field of study.
There are some key ways that the GRE Subject Tests differ from the General GRE, and
I’ll outline some of these differences below.
#1: The GRE Subject Tests are more specific.
The GRE Subject Tests are more specific than the GRE General Tests, and test
your knowledge in a specific field of study.
#2 There are 7 GRE Subject Tests.
There is only one General GRE (though of course there are different versions).
There are, in contrast, 7 GRE Subject Tests: Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular
Biology; Biology; Chemistry; Literature in English; Mathematics; Physics; and
Psychology.
#3 GRE Subject Tests are paper-based.
It’s very likely that you will take the General GRE on a computer, while the
Subject Tests are only given in paper-based format.
#4 GRE Subject Tests are only offered three times per year.
The General GRE is offered year-round, but the GRE Subject Tests are only
offered three times per year: in September, October, and April.
#5 Not all Grad School Programs require GRE Subject Tests
Most Grad School Programs (that aren’t medical school or law school) require
the General GRE, but not all Grad Programs require the GRE Subject Tests.
#6 GRE Subject Tests are one section, of 2 hours and 50 minutes.
The structure of the GRE Subject Test depends on the specific test you need

to take. For example, the Biology GRE Subject test consists of 194 five-choice
questions. The test is split into three major content categories: cellular and
molecular biology, organismal biology and ecology and evolution. However,
each GRE Subject Test is 2 hours and 50 minutes of continuous examination.
#7 You get your scores back later.
With the General GRE Test, you get your unofficial scores immediately after
you take the test, and your official scores approximately 10-15 days after you
take the test. With the Subject Tests, you don’t get your scores back until one
month after you take the test.
You might have to take the GRE Subject Test to complement your application to
Grad School. Be sure to check the requirements for each school you’re planning on
applying to.
Should I Take the GRE Subject Tests?
Just as the SAT assess more general skills, and the SAT Subject Tests measure more
specific knowledge about a particular subject, the General GRE and the GRE Subjects
act in the same way. The GRE Subject are used by Grad Schools as a measure of how
much you know about a specific field of study.
If you are applying to a Grad School Program related to the topics of the seven GRE
Subject Tests, then there’s a chance you might have to take the GRE Subject Tests.
The seven GRE Subject Tests are:
∞∞ Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology,
∞∞ Biology,
∞∞ Chemistry,
∞∞ Literature in English,
∞∞ Mathematics,
∞∞ Physics, and
∞∞ Psychology

But just because there’s a GRE Subject Test in the area which is your intended field
of study doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have to take that test: some Grad
School programs in areas where there are GRE Subject Tests don’t even require GRE
Subject Tests.
For example, if you Google the list of Graduate Programs and Test Requirements
listed at the University of California, Berkeley, you’ll see that if you’re applying to get
a PhD in Applied Mathematics, Astrophysics, Chemistry, English, Integrative Biology,
Mathematics, or Physics, then they recommend you take the Subject Test relating to
those areas. However, even if you’re applying for a PhD in Psychology, the Psycholo-
gy Subject Test is not required.
So, what does this mean for me? If the Subject Test is a requirement for admission,
then of course you must take it. But even where the Subject Test is not required, if
you have a strong background in a related subject to which your Graduate major
will be, then it might be a good idea to take a Subject Test to showcase this specific
knowledge and stand out from other applicants. Solid performance on a subject test
vividly demonstrates your competence and acumen in your subject area, and can
help you to present yourself as an applicant who stands out from the pack!

Chapter 4
Quantitative Section
GRE Quantitative Basics
Multiple Choice Questions
Quantitative Comparison Questions
Numeric Entry Questions
25 Things to Know for the Quantitative Section
Quantitative Section General Strategies and Tips
A Special Note on the Quantitative Section

Chapter 4 – Quantitative Section
GRE Quantitative Section
The GRE Quantitative section (the “math” section) is designed to test your ability to
reason mathematically, to understand basic math terminology, and to recall basic
mathematical formulas and principles. You should be able to solve problems and ap-
ply relevant mathematics concepts in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data anal-
ysis. Keep in mind, though, that the GRE is primarily a critical thinking test, so your
ability to apply reason and logic to solving the quantitative questions is more import-
ant than your ability to recall mathematical formulas and principles.
The GRE Quantitative question types include:
∞∞ Two kinds of Multiple-choice questions, each with several answer choices
from which to choose,
∞∞ Quantitative Comparison questions, each with four possible answers (A−D),
and
∞∞ Numeric Entry questions, for which you must come up with an answer on
your own. Some of the Multiple-choice and Numeric Entry questions are part
of question sets based on the data in charts or graphs.
In this section, we will discuss the format of each question type and provide you with
specific strategies for successfully answering the GRE quantitative questions.
A. Quantitative- Multiple Choice Questions
The GRE includes two kinds of multiple-choice questions: (1) Multiple-choice— Se-
lect One Answer and (2) Multiple-choice—Select One or More Answers.
∞∞ Multiple-choice—Select One Answer questions each have five answer
choices. Your task is to select the one correct choice.
∞∞ Multiple-choice—Select One or More Answers questions can have fewer
than five answer choices or more than five answer choices. Your task is to se-
lect all the choices that answer the question correctly. The directions may tell
you how many choices to select. If you are told how many, you should select
exactly that number of choices.

Some GRE multiple-choice questions involve straightforward calculations, while others
require you to evaluate a word-problem in a real-life setting. Still others may be part of
question sets called Data Interpretation sets. All of the questions in a Data Interpreta-
tion set are based on the same data presented in tables, graphs, charts, or figures.
To solve GRE Multiple-choice questions, you typically will not be required to perform
complex calculations. However, you will be given scratch paper for whatever figuring
you wish to do, and you will also be provided with a calculator to assist you when
necessary. (In the computer-based test, the calculator will appear on screen.)
Example:
B. Quantitative Comparison
Quantitative Comparison questions ask you to compare two quantities and deter-
mine whether: (1) one is larger than the other, (2) the quantities are equal, or (3) there
is not enough information to determine a relationship between the two quantities.
Some questions include additional information that is centered above the two quan-
tities that concerns one or both of the quantities. Quantitative Comparison questions
generally require more logic skills than math skills.
Q. If 5x - 6 = 14, then 8x =
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
4
20
32
8
5
64
5
Q.The ratio of two quantities is 4 to 5. If each
of the quantities is increased by 3, which of the
following could be the fraction of theses two new
quantities?
Indicate all answer choices that apply.
A.
B.
C.
7
8
23
28
11
13

You will be asked to select from answer choices A through D.
∞∞ If you decide that Quantity A is greater than Quantity B, select answer choice A.
∞∞ If you decide that Quantity B is greater than Quantity A, select answer choice B.
∞∞ If you decide that the quantities are equal, select answer choice C.
∞∞ If there is not enough information to determine a relationship between the
two quantities, select answer choice D.
It’s smart to memorize the order of these answer choices before the test, as they will
always be the same.
In each Quantitative section, the Quantitative Comparison questions always come
first. The other question types do not appear in any predetermined order, nor is there
any set number of each question type on every GRE General Test. The best way to
handle the Quantitative Comparison questions is to simply determine the value of
each quantity. It is often better to estimate values because you are really just trying
to decide if one value is greater than the other. After you have calculated the values,
you can easily determine the relationship, if one exists.
If one quantity is sometimes greater than or sometimes less than the other quanti-
ty, the relationship cannot be determined from the information, and so you should
select answer D.
Example:
This question gives you two quantities, Quantity A and Quantity B. Compare the two quan-
tities and choose one of the following answer choices:
Q. A $25 CD was bought on sale for $17.50.
A.
B.
C.
D.
if Quantity A is greater;
if Quantity B is greater;
if the two quantities are equal;
if you cannot determine the relationship based on the given information.
Quantity A Quantity B
The difference between the original price and the price of
the CD during the sale
75% of the original price

C. Numeric Entry
Questions of this type require you to enter your answer as an integer in a single an-
swer box or as a fraction in two separate answer boxes. You will use the computer
mouse and keyboard to make your entry.
Once you’ve calculated your answer, click on the answer box(es) to activate, then
type your answer. To erase, simply backspace. For a negative sign, type a hyphen,
and for a decimal point, type a period. You should apply the standard rules of round-
ing if the question asks for an approximate answer; otherwise, type in the exact an-
swer. It is not necessary to reduce fractions to their lowest terms.
Example:
Q. Solve the equation for x:2(x-3) + 9 = 4x - 7
x = ?

25 Things to Know: Quantitative
The Quantitative section of the GRE (the “math” section) doesn’t really have many
complicated math concepts. But there are a lot of concepts that you might have
learned in high school that are handy to catch up on.
Try to memorize as many of the math tricks below to make your GRE Quantitative
section a breeze!
1
2
3
4
5
6
3:4:5 Triangle is a “Pythagorean triple” with a
90° angle and sides lengths of 3:4:5 or 6:8:10 or
12:16:20 . . . you get the picture.
30°-60°-90° triangle has sides
of lengths of s - s√3 - 2s.
45°-90°-45° triangle has
sides of lengths s - s√2 - s.
(n-2 =180) = The sum of all
interior angles of any polygon
a²+b²=c² = the
Pythagorean Theorem
1/2(base × height)
= area of a triangle

13Πr³ = volume of a sphere
12Πr² = area of a circle
11C=2Πr = circumference of a circle
8
10
9
7length×width =
area of a rectangle
base×height = area of a parallelogram
1/2(base1 + base2) × height =
area of a trapezoid
side² = area of a square

14
16
17
18
19
15
length × width × height =
volume of a rectangular solid
(1/3)³ = (1³/3³) = 1/27
Distance between two points =
√[(X2-X1)²+(Y2-Y1)²]
Fraction tip: 1/y + 1/x = x + y /xy.
Example: 1/2 +1/3 = 2 +3 / 3 × 2 = 5/6
Simple interest = P[(1 + rt)/100], where P= Principal,
r=rate, and t=time. So the interest on $100 at 5% for
two years = 100[(1 + .05×2)/100] = $11
edge³ = Volume of a cube

20
21
22
23
24
25
Compound interest = P[(1 + r/100n]^nt, where P= Princi-
pal, r=rate, n=number of periods, and t=time. So the com-
pound interest on $100 at 5% for two years, compounded
monthly = 100[(1 + .05/100×12]^12×2 = $110.49
Work rate formula = (1/time taken by
both) = (1/time taken by person A) +
(1/ time taken by person B)
Distance = rate × time
Order of operations =
PEMDAS = Parentheses, Exponents,
Multiplication, Division, Addition,
Subratction
Solving an inequality: when multiply-
ing both sides by a negative number,
always switch the direction of the in-
equality sign. So -2x > 6 yields x<-3.
Standard deviation: the greater the standard deviation, the
more spread out a set of values is. The small the standard
deviation, the more closely the values are to the mode.

On the Quantitative
section, your ability to
apply reason and logic to
solving the quantitative
questions is more import-
ant than your ability to
recall mathematical for-
mulas and principles.”

GRE Quantitative Strategies
General Math Strategies
The following strategies can be applied to all of the GRE math sections:
∞∞ Draw pictures on your scratch paper as necessary to help you figure out problems.
∞∞ Look for a way to reason through the problem. Use your on-screen calculator
only if you really need it.
∞∞ When reading word problems, translate them into mathematical equations.
(“Carrie has 3 more CDs than Amy” is equivalent to C = A + 3)
∞∞ Remember to estimate or “ball-park” answers when you can. It is often possible
to eliminate all but the correct answer choice without doing any actual math.
Multiple-Choice Questions
∞∞ Make sure that you understand what information is given and what question is
being asked. Paraphrase if necessary.
∞∞ Many questions will allow you to “reason” your way to find an answer by per-
forming only a few or even no calculations. Avoid lengthy and complicated
calculations when possible.
∞∞ Remember that some questions call for more than one correct answer. For
these questions, be sure to carefully analyze ALL of the answer choices. Don’t
just select the first correct answer you see and move on.
Data Analysis Questions
∞∞ Before answering each question, scan the given data.
∞∞ Many of the questions will allow you to approximate an answer by making a
visual comparison only. Avoid performing calculations when possible.
∞∞ Do not base your answer to any question on an assumption or any outside in-
formation. Use only the data given.
∞∞ You might be asked to select more than one correct answer, so pay close atten-
tion to the format of the question.

Quantitative Comparison Questions
∞∞ Many comparisons require estimation only. Avoid lengthy and complicated
calculations.
∞∞ Be sure to take into account any information given that applies to both
quantities.
∞∞ If one quantity is sometimes greater or sometimes less than the other quanti-
ty, then the relationship cannot be determined from the information (Answer
choice D means that no one can determine the answer, not just that you can’t
determine the answer.)
Numeric Entry Questions
∞∞ Read the question carefully and be sure to provide the type of answer
indicated.
∞∞ You will not have any answer choices to course you, so check your answer and
make sure it is logical based on the information provided in the question.
A Final Note on the Quantitative Section
The GRE Quantitative Section is pretty broad in scope: it tests you on your knowledge
of math that you learned in first grade all the way to high school algebra and geometry.
That’s a lot! And it’s way too much to even scratch the surface with this Playbook. By
searching around on the web, you can find information on all of the topics covered by
the GRE, but the resources will be shoddy and inconsistent.
By studying with an online course like the BenchPrep GRE Prep Course you can be
assured that you’ll cover all the important topics for the Quantitative Section, so that
you can get your highest score. BenchPrep’s GRE Course even has two units specially
designed for Math review: GRE Math Prep by Nova and GRE Math Practice Questions
by Allen Prep. These units present a comprehensive review of each math topic tested
on the GRE. Featuring hundreds of lessons and practice questions, you’ll be ready to
achieve your desired score on the GRE Math section.
The Quantitative Section is definitely a section where studying can improve your score!

Chapter 5
Verbal Section
GRE Verbal Basics
Sentence Equivalence Questions
Reading Comprehension Questions
Text Completion Questions
A Special Note about Vocabulary
25 Things to Know for the Verbal Section
Verbal Section General Strategies and Tips

Chapter 5 – Verbal Section
GRE Verbal
The GRE Verbal section is designed to measure the skills required to carefully read
and understand sentences and passages in standard written English, skills vital to
success in graduate school. A GRE Verbal section includes questions of the following
types: Sentence Equivalence, Reading Comprehension, and Text Completion. The
questions appear in random order.
This section provides you with useful strategies and techniques, an overview of the
question types, and a breakdown of the critical reading skills that will be tested. This
section also includes some sample practice questions.
Types of Questions
Sentence Equivalence
The Sentence Equivalence questions on the GRE Verbal section are designed to
test vocabulary in context as well as your ability to understand relationships among
words and concepts. You should be able to answer many questions with only a gen-
eral knowledge of vocabulary; however, some challenging questions might require
you to make distinctions between more subtle meanings.
Questions in this section are composed of a sentence with one blank, followed by six
answer choices. You must select the two choices that, when independently inserted
in place of the blank, best fit the meaning of the sentence as a whole and produce
two completed sentences that are alike in meaning. In other words, the two answer
choices should be synonyms that perform equivalent roles in the sentence.
Because this section of the exam tests your ability to determine the relationship be-
tween words, both answer choices are equally important. There is no partial credit
given if only one word is chosen or if only one choice is correct.
In general, the words that appear in Sentence Equivalence questions are limited to
nouns, verbs, and adjectives. Answer choices will be either single words or short

phrases. Some of the answer choices might be very similar to one another. Your job
is to select the two best choices from among the six options. Keep in mind that a
complete sentence is clear and concise, conveys a logical meaning, and is uniform in
grammar and style.
Example:
Reading Comprehension Questions
GRE Reading Comprehension questions are designed to measure your ability to read,
understand, and analyze a written passage. Correctly answering a question requires
you to recognize both what is stated and what is implied within the passage, and to
establish the relationships and ideas expressed in the passage.
The GRE includes a balance of reading passages across different subject matter areas,
such as humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Each passage will be ap-
proximately 150 words in length and will be followed by one to three questions. You
should select the best possible answer, or combination of answers, for each question.
In the revised GRE, Reading Comprehension questions have three formats:
1. Multiple-choice Questions—Select One Answer Choice
Question Stem: It comes as no surprise that different cultures have certain behavioral norms;
however, to an outsider, the specifics of these behaviors can often be .
Answer Choices:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
explicit
startling
predictable
unexpected
derisive
admirable

2. Multiple-choice Questions—Select One or More Answer Choices
3. Select-in-Passage Questions
While these variants add some complexity to the Reading Comprehension section,
you will use essentially the same strategies to tackle questions in all three formats.
Familiarity through practice will help you tremendously. Students who possess two
key skills—paraphrasing and skimming— usually earn the best scores on this section.
These skills, along with techniques on how to determine the main idea, read and an-
swer the questions, and use the process of elimination, are discussed in more detail
in the following sections.
Example:
Text Completion Questions
This question type includes a short passage, usually one or two sentences in length,
containing one, two, or three numbered blanks. The blanks indicate that something
has been omitted from the text. You are required to select words or phrases from
corresponding columns of choices to fill all the blanks in a way that best completes
the text.
For questions with one blank, you will be given five answer choices. Otherwise, you
will be given a choice of three answers per blank, each of which functions inde-
pendently. Selecting an answer choice for one blank does not affect your choice for
the second or third blanks. A correct answer must include one choice for each blank,
and you will not be given partial credit.
Q. The main purpose of the passage is to
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
explore biological and physiological similarities between humans and chimpanzees.
examine the hunting behavior and diet of chimpanzees and compare them to human activity.
discuss the health benefits of eating and hunting meat while simultaneously predicting the
effect of this behaviors on chimpanzee offspring.
bring attention to the pioneering research of Dr. Jane Goodall in Tanzania.
educate the public on the impact that tool use had in early human societies.

Example:
A Special Note about Vocabulary
A special note about vocabulary is appropriate. While the GRE Verbal sections require
different types of analytical skills from the reader, a critical element in each of these
questions is vocabulary. The GRE and SAT have always been vocabulary intensive,
and GRE vocabulary on the revised GRE is no different. It may seem easier because
the vocabulary all appears in context, but learning lots of new vocabulary can still
improve your score significantly.
There are several resources to find the most often used GRE vocabulary words. An-
other strategy is to write down words you do not know while you are practicing for
the GRE and memorize those.
Unlike math skills, vocabulary skills are more difficult to increase in a short period of
time. You must start several weeks before the test and continuously learn new words
before the test.
Once a word is learned, continue to review with your new words. Vocabulary should
be a key element of your study plan throughout your preparation process.
Experts believe that humans have 10 trillion cells in their bodies that
(i) any number of essential genetic elements; scientists often marvel at what incredible
(ii) would ensure should the cells become jumbled or misunderstand their purpose.
Blank (i) Blank (ii)
A - govern D - order
B - organize E - method
C - dislocate F- chaos

The GRE Verbal
section is designed to
measure the skills
required to carefully
read and understand
sentences and passages
in standard written
English, skills vital to
success in graduate
school.”

25 Things to Know: Verbal
1
2
3
4
5
6
Use roots, prefixes, and suffixes to determine
the meaning of words you don’t know.
Vocabulary is essential. When it comes to the GRE
Verbal section, that’s the bottom line. Be proactive:
look up words you don’t know!
On definition questions, guess quickly! Many questions re-
quire you to know the definition, and because it’s likely that you
can’t use much logic to get to a better answer, select one and
move on. You can always come back if you have time.
Find your personal reading passage strategy. If you read the
questions first, when you read the passages, you can focus on find-
ing the right answers most quickly. However, some students find
that reading the passage first helps them understand the argument
more generally first, before delving into the specific questions.
Pay special attention to the first and last
sentences. They provide important clues to
the meaning of each passage.
Questions with Roman numeral answers are often confus-
ing and difficult. They ask you choose one more more or to
find an exception. If you’re running low on time, mark down
a guess and move to the next question.

8
10
11
12
9
7
On Reading Comprehension, make sure your answer actually
answers the question, and isn’t just a true statement.
On sentence completion questions, find
connector words like “although” or “but” that
may change the meaning of the sentence.
Think about connotation. On sentence completion ques-
tions, ask if the required word needs to have a positive or
negative connotation. Many times you can eliminate answer
choices because the connotations don’t fit.
Read, read read! News magazines with
well-written articles will boost your vocab.
13
Keep on pace. On the GRE, every question is
worth the same, so keep trucking through those
questions and don’t get hung up on one or two.
With analogy questions, create a sentence in your head that
shows the relationship between the two words and then use
that sentence on each answer choice.
Think of an obvious opposite word in your head on Ant-
onym questions first, before you look at the answers.

16
17
18
19
On the sentence completion, fill in the easiest
blank first. It doesn’t have to be the first blank.
When you have made your selection for each blank,
check to make sure the passage is coherent: logi-
cally, grammatically and stylistically.
Most often, answers on the Reading Comprehension
sections will not be negative answers, but rather be neu-
tral or positive.
Again: vocab, vocab, vocab! We’ve said it once al-
ready, but it’s the truth: improving your vocab is key to
improving your score on the Verbal section.
15
On sentence completion, don’t just look
among the answer choices for two words that
mean the same thing. Remember, the goal is to
make the whole sentence mean the same thing
14
On reading comprehension, distinguish
ideas that the author is advancing from
those the author is only reporting.

20
21
22
23
24
25
On Reading Comprehension, answer each question only
on the basis of the information provided in the passage.
Try to distinguish main ideas from
supporting ideas or evidence.
Remember that some Reading Comprehension and Sen-
tence Equivalence questions ask you to select more than
one answer choice. Carefully consider ALL of the answer
choices before making your selections.
Paraphrase when you need to. Putting the question
and answer choices into your own words often makes
them easier to understand.
Consider slight variations in the
meaning of each word.
Start with the blank that seems the
most simple to fill, and then work on
the others.

More GRE Verbal Strategies
Reading Comprehension
∞∞ Read the questions first and make a mental note when the questions refer to
specific lines, words, or boldfaced text. Do not try to memorize — just get an
idea of what you should be looking for.
∞∞ Read each passage for Topic, Scope, and Purpose. Then skim for structure.
Try to isolate one topic word or sentence for each paragraph. Don’t spend
precious time trying to “learn” details.
∞∞ Try to distinguish between details that are factual and details that are the
opinions of the author.
∞∞ Try to predict an answer before looking at the answer choices. If an answer
choice matches your predicted answer, it is most likely correct.
∞∞ Paraphrase when you need to. Putting the question and answer choices into
your own words often makes them easier to understand.
∞∞ Remember that some Reading Comprehension questions ask you to select
more than one answer choice. Carefully consider ALL of the answer choices
before making your selections.
Sentence Equivalence
∞∞ Remember that for Sentence Equivalence questions, you must select two
answer choices. Always consider ALL of the answer choices before you make
your selections.
∞∞ Use the Latin roots, prefixes, and suffixes to figure out what hard words mean.
∞∞ Try to look for “clue” words and phrases in the sentence that might suggest a
contrast or comparison.
∞∞ Try filling in the blank with your own words before you look at the answer
choices. If you find answer choices that are similar to yours, they are most
likely correct.
∞∞ When you think that you have the correct answers, read the entire sentence
to yourself, using your choices in the blank. If it makes sense, then mark your
answers on the computer screen.
∞∞ Consider slight variations in the meaning of each word.

Text Completions
∞∞ Read through the text once to get an idea of context.
∞∞ Pay attention to “clue” words in the text, such as transition words, that will
help you to identify the structure of the text.
∞∞ Start with the blank that seems the most simple to fill, and then work on
the others.
∞∞ Once you’ve made your selections, check the text for logic and grammar.

Chapter 6
Analytical Writing
Section
GRE Writing Basics
“Analyze an Issue” Task
“Analyze an Argument” Task
Sample Essay Prompts
25 Tips for Analytical Writing
What the GRE Graders are Looking For
How to Get a 6
Writing Section General Strategies and Tips

Chapter 6 – Analytical Writing Section
Analytical Writing Section
The Analytical Writing section of the GRE is purely a skills test. This means that you
are not tested on any knowledge whatsoever. Instead, you are given an opportunity
to demonstrate your ability to reason clearly and write coherently and concisely.
The GRE Writing Section is also perhaps the hardest section to study for. As with
writing in general, there isn’t any magic formula for success. Nonetheless, some dili-
gent study and practice can improve your score dramatically. ETS says that the Writ-
ing Section will measure how the test-taker can:
∞∞ articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
∞∞ support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
∞∞ examine claims and accompanying evidence
∞∞ sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
∞∞ control the elements of standard written English
There are two separate tasks within this section:
1. “Analyze an Issue” (which we’ll call the Issue Task)
2. “Analyze an Argument” (which we’ll call the Argument Task)
You are allowed 30 minutes for the Issue Task, and 30 minutes for the Argument
Task, including reading and prewriting. Note that the essays are generally weighted
equally by department admissions boards.
No specialized knowledge is required to complete either writing exercise. You are
not tested on what you might know about a particular subject. Instead, you are given
the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to reason clearly and write coherently
and concisely. Graduate schools are looking for logical reasoning, clarity, organiza-
tion, writing mechanics, and proper usage of the language.

In addition, how well you write is much more important than how much you write.
The GRE software provides more “space” than you will ever be able to use. You
should write enough to clearly support your position or analyze the given argument
within the allotted time.
It’s very important to note that the Argument Task has a very different purpose
than the Issue Task; you’re not being asked to write the same type of essay twice.
If, after practicing, you still have trouble separating the two in your mind, consider
how they might be used in graduate school. The Issue Task is similar to the writing
you have done and will continue to do in greater depth: to propose a thesis and de-
fend it. The Argument Task, however, reflects the processes used during research.
As an undergraduate, you have probably had most of your academic resources vet-
ted by your professors. As you will discover in graduate school, if you haven’t already,
not everything published is solid scholarship. Some theses are simply false. Others
are justifiable, but are poorly defended by their authors. You will have to be able to
evaluate published work and identify any logical flaws, if only to avoid introducing
the same mistakes into your own papers. The Argument Task measures your readi-
ness to perform this important part of academic research.
“Analyze an Issue” Task
The purpose of the “Analyze an Issue” task is to form an argument or a position and
express it clearly. The writing prompt will make a claim, and the instructions will ask
for your response to address the degree to which you agree or disagree with the
claim, as well as to provide compelling support for your position.
There is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” position to take on the GRE, and the
position you take should not influence your score. Your score will instead be based
on the quality of the evidence or support you provide, the soundness with which you
reason, and the clarity with which you express the position you have chosen. What
you say is less important than how you say it.
The best way to approach this writing task is to consider the issue carefully from
multiple points of view, and choose one that makes sense and for which you can

think of multiple sources of support. Then outline the main points of your position,
and write your response in the form of an introduction, body, and conclusion, mak-
ing sure your body contains at least three main supporting points.
“Analyze an Argument” Task
Rather than constructing an argument for the position of your choice, for the “Ana-
lyze an Argument” task you are provided with a writing prompt that states a position
and provides a supporting argument, and your instructions are to analyze and evalu-
ate the argument. You are expected to critically evaluate the logical soundness of the
reasoning the author uses to support his or her position as well as the strength of the
evidence given.
Note that you are not being asked to determine the truth or accuracy of the given
position, or to agree or disagree with it. What is instead being tested is your ability
to discern the structure of the argument and follow its line of reasoning. Your GRE
score is based on your ability to accurately understand, represent, and analyze the
argument you are presented with.
The best way to approach this GRE practice writing task is to read the position careful-
ly, paying special attention to the author’s use of evidence. In addition to noticing what
is offered as evidence, you should also notice the author’s explicit and implicit prem-
ises, as well as conclusions stated and implied. Write a brief outline for your response,
addressing the points in the order they are raised, and follow the instructions in formu-
lating your response, taking all of the points listed in your outline into account.
Sample Essay Prompts
“Issue” Task
Issues are carefully chosen so that they aren’t biased toward any one college ma-
jor or profession. However, luck is a bit of a factor on this section of the GRE. If you
happen to be presented with an issue that you know something about, you will
probably feel more comfortable writing about it. But, be careful to respond to the
issue presented. Don’t answer a question that wasn’t asked just because you happen

to know something about the subject matter. Finally, don’t assume your reader is an
expert in the subject; if you use specialized examples, always explain their signifi-
cance. Here are some sample Issue Prompts.
1. Prompt:
“In raising a child, love is important, but discipline is most important of all.”
Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the statement. Use relevant rea-
sons and examples to support your point of view. In developing and support-
ing your position, consider ways in which the statement might or might not
hold true. Explain how those considerations affect your point of view.
2. Prompt:
“Health care in the United States should be free for all citizens, fully financed
by the government.”
Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the statement. Use relevant rea-
sons and examples to support your point of view. In developing and support-
ing your position, consider ways in which the statement might or might not
hold true. Explain how those considerations affect your point of view.
“Argument” Task
On the argument section, if you happen to be presented with a topic that you know
something about, you will probably feel more comfortable in writing about it. In
these situations, be careful not to focus too much on facts themselves. Your job is to
criticize the way the facts are organized and presented. For example, you may dis-
agree with your prompt, and think that public libraries are an excellent use of public
funds. This is not the time to make that argument. Instead, focus on the ways the au-
thor has failed to be convincing. No matter what the topic, the argument will always
have multiple flaws.
1. Prompt:
“Funding for space exploration and colonization needs to be greatly expanded.
At present, Earth is the only planet known to support life. A cataclysmic event

could result in the extinction not only of human life, but of all life in the known
universe. Moreover, as human society continues to progress, it will seek new
frontiers to expand to and to gather resources from. For both of these reasons,
we must ensure that humanity establishes a foothold on other worlds.”
Critique the reasoning used in the argument above. You are not being asked
to discuss your point of view on the argument. You should identify and ana-
lyze the central elements of the argument, the underlying assumptions that
are being made, and any supporting information that is given. Your critique
can also discuss other information that would strengthen or weaken the ar-
gument or make it more logical.
2. Prompt:
The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a local newspaper: ‘Too
much emphasis is placed on the development of math skills in high school.
Many students who are discouraged by the difficulty of the content turn
away from schoolwork merely because they lack basic math skills. But prac-
tice questions and content review on the Internet provide an important alter-
native for students at this crucial stage in their education, an alternative that
the school board should not reject merely because of the expense involved.
After all, many studies attest to the value of using Internet-based math re-
view. Thus, allowing students to practice basic math skills and review relevant
math content on the Internet can only make students more eager to study
and learn math. Therefore, the school board should encourage schools to
purchase computers and permit high school students to access the Internet.’
In your assessment, analyze the line of reasoning used in the argument. Con-
sider what, if any, questionable assumptions underlie the reasoning and how
well any evidence given supports the conclusion. You can also discuss what
sort of additional evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what
changes would make the conclusion more logically sound, and what addi-
tional information might be needed to better evaluate the argument.

25 Tips: Analytical Writing
Keep these tips in mind when you’re thinking about how to get a top score:
1Plan first. Spend five minutes and outline what your
position will be, and how you will say it. You don’t want
to get caught changing your mind halfway through.
2There’s no “right” answer,
only well-argued and poorly argued.
3
You don’t have to get too fancy. The GRE Writing Sec-
tion tries to measure basic writing ability. You don’t have
to write with the flair of Mart Twain to get a great score,
but rather just display a general control of writing ability.
4 Write 3-5 paragraphs.
Use all 45 minutes.
6
Make an argument and stick with it! The essay prompts are often really
open-ended and vague, and tt’s easy to waste time waffling on the es-
says, but that’s not your job! Be 80% in favor of one opinion, especially
on the Argument task. Be disciplined about sticking with your plan.
5
Use topic sentences
to organize your paragraphs.
7Provide specific evidence.

8
10
11
12
13
9
Think about assumptions. On the “Argument” essay, there will likely
be a number of assumptions made, which can weaken the Argu-
ment. These may be generalizations, problems with statistics, false
causes, and assumptions. Your task: find and attack!
Use transition words and phrases. Words and
phrases like “However”, “On the one hand”, “Sec-
ondly”, “For instance”, “Nevertheless”, “While”, “Even
though”, and “Indeed” are your friends. Use them!
An easy “Issue” section structure =
(1) Introduction, (2) Body, (3) Qual-
ification (a paragraph that starts
with “However” explaining how you
could possibly be wrong), and (4)
Conclusion
An easy “Argument” section
structure = (1) Introduction,
(2) Body, and (3) Qualification
and Conclusion (what oth-
er information is needed to
persuade you one way or the
other?)
Keep the big picture argument in mind.
While it’s important to provide specific
examples, it’s perhaps just as important
tot keep your big-picture argument in
mind as you write your essay.
Use varied sentence structure. Start your sentences
with prepositional phrases and transitions to vary your
sentence structure and improve essay flow. One way to
check if your sentence structure is varied is to check if
your sentences are all of the same length: if they are, then
it’s likely that your structure is too similar as well.

14
16
17
18
19
15
Proofread. While minor errors
and misspellings are okay, it’s
always smart to spend minute
or to checking for silly typos.
Don’t repeat yourself in the conclusion. There’s a
fine line between summarizing and being repetitive,
but in your conclusion, make a conscious effort to
expand and deepen your argument, rather than just
repeat yourself.
Use the active voice. Why say “Hamlet was
written by Shakespeare,” when you can say
“Shakespeare wrote Hamlet”?
Active voice generally sounds better.
Avoid slang and cliches. Nothing says
“I am not a creative writer” than using
cliches and slang.
Keep on track. You only have 30
minutes for each essay; make sure
you keep on pace.
Good grammar
is a must.

21
22
23
24
25
Keep the introduction short. Get to the
meat of your argument and don’t rehash
that prompt in your intro.
Get expert help. If writing is not
your strongest subject, then ask
other writers to help you out.
Study sample essays. The best way to un-
derstand what is expected of you on the
essay section is to look at essays that are
already graded. Can you understand why
some got high scores and others did not?
Read sample prompts so that
you know what types of Issues
and Arguments to expect.
Practice! You won’t become a
better writer if you don’t write!
20
Go for breadth. It’s easy to spend your time analyzing
the nuances of one particular point or piece of evidence.
However, it’s a better strategy to cover multiple angles
than focusing too much on one particular angle.

The GRE
Writing Section is
perhaps the hardest sec-
tion to study for. As with
writing in general, there
isn’t any magic formula for
success. Nonetheless, dil-
igent study and practice
can improve your score
dramatically.”

What the GRE Readers Are Looking For
Logical structure is far more important than mechanics such as spelling and gram-
mar. However, you shouldn’t take any chances with mechanics. If you aren’t abso-
lutely certain how to use a semicolon properly, don’t use one. If you are unsure of
the meaning of a word, do not use it. Instead, think of a simpler term with the same
meaning and use it.
Here is a description of how the essays are scored at each level on both tasks. Essays
that receive the following scores exhibit one or more of the characteristics listed:
Score of 0: Response does not address the assigned task, is in a foreign lan-
guage, is indecipherable, or contains no text (not attempted).
Score of 1: Fundamentally deficient. The essay is extremely confusing or most-
ly irrelevant. There is little or no development of ideas. Contains severe and
pervasive errors. Does not present a logical analysis of the argument.
Score of 2: Seriously weak. Contains frequent problems in sentence structure
or use of language. Errors obscure meaning. The essay lacks analysis or de-
velopment of ideas.
Score of 3: Shows some competence. Contains some analysis and develop-
ment of ideas. The essay has limited organization with flawed control or nu-
merous sentence structure or language errors. It is vague and lacks clarity.
Score of 4: Competent. Main ideas are supported with relevant evidence and
examples. The essay shows adequate organization and is reasonably clear.
The argument is identified and important features are analyzed. There is ade-
quate control of sentences and language, but the essay might include some
errors that reduce overall clarity.
Score of 5: Generally thoughtful analysis of complex ideas. Sound reasoning and
well-chosen examples support conclusions. The essay is well-organized and

focused, and includes sentences of varying length and complexity. Any errors
are minor and do not affect the meaning of the essay.
Score of 6: Insightful, in-depth analysis of complex ideas. Compelling logic and
very persuasive examples. Essay is well organized and focused and displays
skill in structuring sentences; vocabulary is precise and relevant. If there are
any errors, they do not affect the logic or meaning of the essay.
GRE Analytical Writing Strategies
Issue Task
∞∞ Discuss the issue from any perspective. Remember, there is no correct posi-
tion. Choose the position that you can most strongly support.
∞∞ No matter which position you take, make sure you have compelling reasons
and examples to support it. Make sure you consider how someone might
challenge or question your position.
∞∞ Do not worry about the number of examples included in your essay or the
length of your essay; focus on the quality of your ideas.
Argument Task
∞∞ Carefully read the given argument. Pay attention to the structure of the argu-
ment and the statements or claims, assumptions, implications, and support-
ing evidence given or left out.
∞∞ Remember, your task is to find flaws in the logic of the argument, NOT agree
with, disagree with, prove, or disprove the argument.
∞∞ Do not worry about the number of examples or the length of your essay; fo-
cus on the quality of your critique.

Chapter 7
GRE Test Day
How to Manage Stress Before the GRE
Why Staying Relaxed Will Help You Score
Well on the GRE
Things to Bring on GRE Test Day
The 10 GRE Commandments

BenchPrep's GRE Playbook

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BenchPrep's GRE Playbook