My GRE (revised) experience
Recently I have taken the GRE revised general test in Hyderabad, Andhra pradesh on september13. The venue is prometric testing centre, Road no.2 Banjara Hills. In the following write-up I would like to share my experience. There were a total of six sections one writing, two reasoning, and three verbal sections (out of which one is unscored). Read through the article to know how the exam looks like and how to manage the time in GRE and be successful.
My GRE experience
I took the exam on September 13 at prometric testing centre Banjarahills, Hyderabad. My appointment was at 1:30 PM. I have arrived at the test centre by 12 pm itself because of the uncertain traffic in the city. I tried to keep my cool at any cost as it is going to affect my score by all means. The gated keepers have guided me to the venue and taken the primary registration at the entrance. At the same time the morning session has reaching to the end. I took a bag in which I carried my official guide of ETS, a water bottle, my inhaler, and bananas. I glanced through some strategies in the official guide and ate two bananas. By the time I has this, the candidates of the morning session starting coming out. I wanted to talk to them about their experience but was not comfortable to do that. I believed that it would be an original exam and no need of unwarranted means to know the questions.
As the finishers came out one by one, we are let in the same rate. A person checked the passport and the email confirmation letter and asked to write the confidential agreement. Then we are taken to the waiting hall just beside the actual examination place upstairs. There we were provided with a locker to keep all our belongings except the passport. We should empty our bladder as it is a lengthy exam and just take sips of water. After entering the exam hall the verification of Id was done again and a photograph was taken for records. After checking of pockets the computer was allotted. I have taken deep breaths and practized anulom-velom (pranayama).
A guide will be there to help you through the instructions and the first section of analytical writing is started. The topic is the one which is given in the pool of topics of ETS website. Most importantly and to my surprise the topic is being posted by me in the ISC forum the day just before the exam. I did it with the least difficulty and thanked the Almighty. Then the next task is about analyze an argument which was very similar to that of the one in power-prep-ll.
Now the first verbal section started. I just followed the tips that I referred from ETS book just before the exam and I was quite comfortable. Everything seemed to be going right until the reading comprehension started. I was in jitters as the topic is about economics. I took me 10 minutes to finish that with lot of uncertain answers. Infact I have practised RCs from old Barrons book in the morning of the exam day to warm up. I changed my strategy in the exam that I would finish off everything else and start the RCs that too with factual questions. By this there were hardly 4-5 hard questions (out of 20) were left and 10 minutes were left to solve them. I managed to read every question but had to guess for two or three questions at the end. I spent one minute for review that no question is left unanswered. The next section is of quantitative reasoning, a total of 20 questions and 35 minutes to solve. All the questions were basical and tested the alertness of the examinee. I had lot of time to review (around 10 minutes) and it helped me a lot. Thanks to the new pattern. Then I was given an optional break of 10 minutes. I have again emptied my bladder and had some water. I asked for tissue paper as I had running nose, the guide helped me but with lot of conditions of confidentiality and asked to dispose it infront of them before I leave the exam premises. I have completed the remaining sections and the unscored section I got is verbal because I got three verbal sections. Then the process of selecting score recipients. I just know the names of universities but not their place or the university code. I had some difficulty in choosing because of my lack of preparation. Friends please make certain of your options right before the exam to avoid unnecessary hassle.
What I can say is be confident, prepare for atleast 6 weeks especially if you are from not mathematics related major, be focused in the exam, prepare mentally, be strategic in solving the questions in your own way, rely on ETS material especially powerprep-ll and you will come out with flying colors.Some important instructions to the test takers on the test day
All the best to everyone who are taking the test!
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