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GRE Self Study: Preparation Tips, Study Plan, and Books

GRE self study is an affordable and convenient method of preparation. GRE self study material includes books, practice papers, and a study plan. GRE self study is perfect for candidates who don’t wish to spend extra money on coaching, or courses. Test-takers can set their GRE self study plan according to their engagements and also follow their own learning style. GRE self study preparation is mostly suitable for candidates who are disciplined and have few weak areas to work on.

GRE Self Study Preparation Tips

Candidates who are planning to opt for GRE self study preparation are often confused about the tips they need to follow. Firstly, the candidate needs to be motivated enough to do the GRE preparation on their own. Secondly, they need to constantly follow the GRE self study schedule they have created. Below are a few tips that will help candidates by stating how to prepare for GRE by self study:

Read During Break Times

One of the GRE self preparation tips asks candidates to read during their break times. A continuous reading of the previously learned concepts of GRE will help candidates to build the fundamental knowledge. Reviewing the basic math formulas, concepts, and also GRE grammar rules work as a helpful self-preparation guide.

Become Familiar with GRE Test Environment

Candidates need to learn as well as test their learning by taking GRE practice tests. Experts state that most students passively read GRE concepts and expect to know the meaning. When taking the test, they are unable to answer correctly. GRE self study material like flashcards, notes, practice tests, books are helpful in preparing the candidates for the exam. Candidates are also required to take GRE practice tests in a silent environment and only having materials allowed on the test day.

Gain Knowledge from Errors

One of the most important GRE self study preparation tips is learning from mistakes. Candidates will notice many mistakes when taking practice tests or solving problems. They need to consider those errors as an opportunity to improve their knowledge. Experts suggest candidates learn the concept and explain it to their friends, family, or acquaintances to know if they have properly understood it.

Time-Management

Candidates need to take care of the timings even when maintaining the GRE self study schedule. Candidates need to answer all the questions they are confident about when taking a GRE practice test. Later on, they can move to the questions they are less confident about.

Elaborative Strategy

Experts suggest that candidates can better remember the concepts by linking them with what they are learning. Candidates can link the hard topics with other concepts as well as other events of their life for remembering them. Candidates can also learn concepts through different approaches. They can learn by drawing the concept, or through a table. This is one of the biggest advantages of self preparation of GRE as it enables candidates to find their suitable method of learning.

GRE Self Study Plan

The best way for candidates to prepare for GRE is by following a GRE self study plan. Both IELTS and GRE self study materials contain study plans to help candidates cover all the concepts. Below is a sample GRE self study plan of two months:

Month 1
Week 1
  • Take a diagnostic test
  • Review the concepts
Week 2
  • Learn GRE exam pattern and syllabus
  • Go through fundamentals
  • Go through intermediate concepts
Week 3
  • 2 GRE prep classes x 2 hours, 3 days studying x 1.5 hours each day (4.5 hours)
  • Watch videos of GRE quant concepts
  • Practice GRE quant sums
Week 4
  • 2 GRE prep classes x 2.5 hours (5 hours), 3 days studying x 1.5 hours each day (4.5 hours)
  • Watch videos of GRE verbal
  • Practice GRE verbal sample questions
Month 2
Week 5
  • Take a PowerPrep test
  • Go through mistakes and learn from solutions
Week 6
Week 7
  • Take GRE practice test
  • Watch videos of difficult concepts
  • Take rest
Week 8
  • Take a full-length GRE practice test
  • Review the answers

GRE Self Study Books

The most helpful GRE self study material is the book. Most candidates prefer studying from the best book for GRE self preparation as it contains numerous sample questions, explanatory concepts, explanation of GRE exam pattern, scoring guide, and more. Below are some of the best GRE books for self study:

ETS’s The Official Guide to the GRE Revised General Test, 3rd Edition

For GRE preparation, one can completely trust this GRE self study book coming all the way from the official house or ETS. If you’re contemplating buying a single book that would suffice, then this is the one. It contains 4 full-length real tests – 2 in the book and 2 online and hundreds of real-time GRE practice questions to sharpen your knowledge level.

GRE Prep by Magoosh

The most useful thing in this GRE self study book is their video explanations. It is a 468-page book created by the collaboration of GRE students and experts. It contains 130 updated practice tests of quant, verbal and analytical writing along with answer explanations and a separate section for GRE AWA essay practice.

ETS’s Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions & Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions

If you are someone who is already introduced to the sections of the GRE exam pattern and want to engage in practice questions thoroughly, then this is the book for you. ETS has exclusively designed this book consisting of GRE verbal and GRE quant questions. It has over 150 verbal and quant questions with explanations and answers.

PowerPrep and PowerPrep Plus

These two are products of ETS which are quite famous in terms of GRE self study books. The PowerPrep 1 and 2 are free versions and the PowerPrep Plus products are to be purchased. They contain well-constructed explanations of answers. The paid versions or the PowerPrep Plus costs $39.95 each.

Manhattan 5lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems

This book provides GRE self preparation tips and contains more than 1800 practice questions. It is recently updated and the updated version includes an online interactive platform called Interact® for GRE which provides lessons. The book comprises mixed timed sets, a cheat sheet of quant, and individual skill testing techniques.

Barron’s GRE WordBook (With Audio CD)

Barron's is a helpful GRE self study guide. The main striking factor about this book is the question types which provide an idea to the test-takers of the real GRE exam. The GRE verbal section comprises questions that are not extremely straightforward but need extra hard work.

Vibrant’s GRE Analytical Writing: Solutions to Real Essay Topics Books

This book is solely for analytical writing purposes. The main yellow book comprises 145 sample essays which will provide the test-takers with a proper idea of how to write an essay following the guidelines.

Check PDF Vibrant GRE AWA

Candidates opting for GRE self study will be helped by the above GRE self study preparation tips, and material.

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

GRE updated 2022 : 6 answered questions

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Ques. What is the percentile required to get into ISB Hyderabad?

● Top Answer By Akanksha Sharma on 30 Jan 23

In case you are enquiring about the CAT percentile let me clarify that ISB Hyderabad does not take into consideration CAT scores. It accepts GMAT/GRE scores only. Most importantly, the ISB Shortlisting process is profile-based. This means even with a lower percentile you can manage to get shortlisted provided you have an excellent profile. There is no fixed cutoff for GMAT. However, a 700+ GMAT score isn't a must-have for ISB if your application is strong in other areas. According to an ISB spokesperson, candidates were admitted to the 2021 cohort with scores as low as 580, and as high as 780. So the GMAT score range for ISB is 580-780....Read more

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Ques. Which exam to opt for admission in ISB hyderabad, GMAT or GRE?

● Top Answer By Arvind Verma on 30 Jun 22

ISB Hyderabad accepts both examination scores. So, you can opt for either of GMAT or GRE. Your chances of selection or rejection will remain the same. Go through the examination pattern and syllabus and choose the one in which you feel that you will be able to score better. Ultimately having a good score is what matters during admission. As per the recent trends, ISB Hyderabad cutoff for GMAT is 600, while for GRE it is 311. ...Read more

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Ques. I am an IIT Bhubaneswar 3rd year student looking for a classroom coaching centre for the GRE in Bhubaneswar. Which one is the best to join?

● Top Answer By Suranjana Ghosh on 14 Aug 20

There are a few institutes that offer classroom coaching for GRE preparation in Bhubaneswar. Given below are information about a few such institutes: Offshore Education Academy This institute is a one-stop point for good counseling and preparation of GRE exams in Bhubaneswar. Merit scholarships are given to students who perform well in the online admission test. The minimum time to be devoted will be 4 months although it can be extended to 5 months in case an individual wants more time to prepare. Prajna Prep Prajna Prep offers comprehensive class sessions on Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing. You can also take GRE Practice Tests to improve your preparation. Manya-The Princeton Review Manya-The Princeton Review is another excellent choice for GRE preparation. This institute offers different types of GRE courses and you can choose the one which suits you best. There is also an option for learning in groups or in one on one sessions. Besides classroom coaching, self-preparation is also a good option if your current academics are above average....Read more

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Ques. Which exam to opt for admission in ISB hyderabad, GMAT or GRE?

● Top Answer By Dhwani on 30 Jan 23

Of the two entrance exams, GMAT and GRE, the former is a better option. ISB Hyderabad has recently started accepting GRE scores. This doesn’t mean that taking the GRE is a bad idea. Many business schools apart from ISB are now accepting GRE scores. The best part is that ISB won’t be converting your GRE scores to GMAT for comparison during the MBA admissions. GRE is suitable for students who are considering other PG options apart from MBA like MS or MA.  For someone who is sure of their career in an MBA, the GMAT is a better choice because GRE is much more dynamic. GMAT shows your commitment to MBA and thereby increases your chances of admission in comparison to GRE which shows that you are open to various options. ISB Hyderabad prefers GMAT over GRE also because the former is a more quantitatively challenging exam than the latter.  Certain firms may ask for your GMAT score before shortlisting you for your interview. These include the biggest firms in the corporate world like McKinsey So from these points, we can safely conclude that GMAT is a better option for MBA students provided that you are sure of your course....Read more

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Ques. What sort of a GRE score would warrant a call-up from IIM Ahmedabad?

● Top Answer By Deepak Mehta on 12 Dec 22

Firstly, GRE scores are not accepted for the PGP MBA program . Only CAT/GMAT scores are accepted. To apply through the GMAT route you need sufficient work experience in a foreign country. For the FPM program , like any other doctoral program, the quality of the application matters the most and there is no cut-off for the GRE scores . Other factors that are actually considered are Profile Past research Publications There is no specific GRE score that would guarantee a call-up from IIM Ahmedabad....Read more

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