Are you planning to take the GRE test soon but worried about the difficulty level of the test? Do you know how difficult it really is? In this article, we will compare the difficulty of the GRE test with other standardized tests.
How difficult is the GRE in general?
The quickest and easiest way to get a general idea of the GRE’s level of difficulty is to compare it to other standardized tests, one or more of which you have probably already taken.
Compared to the GMAT (undergraduate test), the GRE is generally considered a bit more difficult due to the verbal section; However, the mathematics assessed on the GRE is of a lower level than the mathematics assessed on the GMAT, the GRE has more challenging vocabulary and reading texts, not to mention that math problems are more complicated writing or require high-level reasoning. Higher level.
Based on AbbreviationFinder, the GRE is considered simpler because it requires less specialized knowledge and has less challenging math questions compared to other graduate exams.
Therefore, within the required examinations for master’s degrees abroad, the GRE is less challenging than the GMAT, however it is structured to assess students who generally go to specialized masters but not MBAs (although some MBAs accept your score).
What makes it so difficult?
Here are 5 of the most difficult aspects of GRE, along with who is most affected and what you can do to help overcome the problem.
1. Challenging vocabulary
One of the most difficult aspects of the GRE is vocabulary. The middle of the verbal reasoning section tests your knowledge of a rather cultured and sophisticated vocabulary. Throughout this section, you will be asked to select words or sets of words to fill in the blanks in the sentences. Even if you scored well on this section of the GMAT, remember that the GRE test has more challenging vocabulary, so you may need to practice even more.
This section especially affects students who are not as familiar with the English language.
How to beat it : Fortunately, the GRE test repeats many of the vocabulary words on the practice tests Push yourself and get familiar with the vocabulary words.
2. Solid mathematical knowledge
Most people who take the GMAT do so after taking regular math classes. However, for others, it may have been years since they last had a math class or perhaps they always disliked numbers.
Any of these situations can make the GRE test more difficult due to your difficulty or disinterest with numbers. The mathematics section of the GRE tests algebra, geometry, data tables and graphs, and basic statistics. For them, you will need to have a solid understanding of each of these areas in order to perform well on that part of the exam.
How to get over it: Prep books are a great way to improve your knowledge of GRE math. There are also many preparation courses available, that will help you familiarize yourself with mathematics.
3. Writing the questions
In addition to testing your knowledge of mathematics, the GRE test becomes more difficult due to the way the questions are written: They require more logic and analysis on the part of the student to find the correct answer. This can become a frustrating aspect because you may know all the content you need to do well, but you end up getting confused by the wording of the questions by not understanding what is being asked.
How to get over it: The way around this problem is to do a lot of practice problems that you start to see through the GRE tricks and they don’t fool you anymore. Take several tests and practice tests, and for each one, go over all the questions you answered incorrectly and make sure you understand what went wrong to avoid making those same mistakes in the future.
4. The weather
Like most standardized tests, the GRE does not give you much time to answer each question. You will have 30 minutes to write each essay, an average of one minute and 30 seconds to answer each verbal question, and one minute and 45 seconds for each math question.
You won’t be able to get a high score if you can’t answer many test questions because of time. You will need to take the exam quickly and efficiently in order to answer all the questions.
How To Get Over It : Practice, Practice, Practice! The more familiar you are with the GRE test and the types of questions that are presented, the faster you will be able to answer. Make sure to take timed practice tests to see which sections take the longest Additionally, keep in mind where you will need more time: critical reading passages or math problems?
5. Trials
The analytical writing section of the GRE requires you to write two essays, which is more than other standardized tests In the first essay you will be asked to take a position on a problem and support that idea with evidence and in the second, you will have to criticize the weak points of a given argument. You will have 30 minutes to complete each essay.
Many people find this section intimidating because you can’t just select option “A” and hope for the best. You will have to compose two full essays in one hour.