GRE Score: 160 V + 170 Q + 3.5 AW

I received my GRE score yesterday - 160 in Verbal and 170 in Quant, surpassing my own expectations.
Taking the actual GRE test is crucial because it helps you realize that even when the test goes into the hard mode, the questions are not extremely difficult, and most can be solved using various analytical methods.

Preparation Strategies

Vocabulary

The GRE doesn’t typically include very obscure or difficult words.
The words from the New Oriental Last-Minute Vocabulary List list cover about 85% of the vocabulary needed. Books like the NEW GRE vocabulary selection and KMF 3000 contain some specialized terms that rarely appear in the GRE.
For those aiming for a score around 325, a comprehensive mastery of those vocabulary isn’t necessary.

“GRE Vocabulary” primarily features in the Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence sections, and to a lesser degree, in Reading Comprehension.
Once you’ve initially memorized the word list, it’s crucial to engage in active practice, because simply memorizing words is not enough to substantially enhance your understanding of their meanings.
It is through extensive practice that you’ll deepen your grasp of the nuances and applications of key vocabulary words.

Verbal

The Sentence Equivalence question is crucial for scoring, as you need to choose two synonymous or nearly synonymous words.
These questions are generally short and can be quickly solved by interpreting the tone, taking about 30 seconds each. Correctly answering these questions not only ensures entry into the Medium or Hard difficulty but also saves considerable time for other questions, thereby improving overall accuracy.

For other Text Completion, focus on attitude determination and understanding of logical connectors. With the vocabulary preparation mentioned earlier, identifying the tone of words becomes more manageable.

Reading Comprehension in GRE, including short and long passages, can be well tackled by understanding the logic behind question types like main idea, function, detail, sentence selection, and logic questions. A good comprehension level maintains an accuracy rate of about 50% to 80%.

Quant

While there are some tough questions in Quant, the overall level is about middle school grade, so it’s not necessary to spend too much time on it.
Reviewing a math outline and revisiting necessary concepts like Vieta’s theorem is beneficial. Remembering English terms for mathematical concepts, such as “mode” for the most common value, is also important.

Afterword

After achieving this GRE score, I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I can move forward. To conclude, I quote a line from the GRE Writing Black Book:

Many things lose their charm once conquered, but GRE is an exception.