A Brief Hiatus

People!

Hello! As you all might have been wondering by now why this self styled GRE guru has stopped posting new stuff, I finally decided to deliver enlightenment on that aspect.

You see, for all my self assured poise and fart, I am a tad over-confident. I made the depraved mistake of scheduling both GMAT and TOEFL on two successive days 11th and 12th Sep, which as you all can clearly see, are just 5 days away.

So unless, I move my lazy ass to get some work done, I might as well go into hiding rather than blog here, about recipe 1400s and stuff like that. So I appreciate your patience. Just don't lose steam and keep prepping. Stay Tuned.

Cheers.
Harish is giving GMAT and has changed his career coz no BITSGian Prof could give a proper Reco for their life's worth.

The BITSGian GRE Celebrity of the Week - I

Who wants to listen to an endless lecture, by a single person? (However interesting it may be.. :P). Sometimes it amazes me, how learning is supposed to a collective process, and yet there is only one incompetent person teaching the class. Anyway, I intend to never let that happen around here.

For, in our quest to search for answers to Recipe 1400, we must keep in mind, that each one has their own style of doing it. So let's hear it from the others as well. The BITSGian GRE celebrity will NOT always be a person who has cracked the GRE and can reel off a thousand incomprehensible words. There will also be normal people like us, who have given the GRE, and got a decent score, or perhaps, even a bad one! Learning happens through both successes and failures!

So without further ado, allow me to introduce this week's GRE Celebrity.

Name : Gowri Thampi
Claim to Fame: : the highest ever BITSian score on GRE, 1590!!!
Batch and Branch : 2005 batch, Msc.(Eco) + EEE
Current whereabouts : PS at Frost and Sullivan, Chennai.
Interests : An aspiring journalism buff and a freakonomics expert.
DC Nick : Madbull (former)

Gowri Thampi:

Dont mug wordlists, that just plain sucks.
Look at each word and wonder how it came into the language , look up its root , find words with similar roots , make it a journey of discovery. Lot of words have interestin anecdotes behind them, for eg: the word Teetotaler is attributed to - Dicky Turner, a member of the society, who had a stammer, and in a speech said that nothing would do but "tee-tee-total abstinence".
These stories may or may not be true , but you'll remember the words for sure.
Start early and enjoy your preparation for verbal .
Read a lot , when you come across words you have just met in Barrons , you'll get this rush of adrenalin. It's awesome not to have to turn to the dictionary every few pages.
Quant - Just keep your cool , for BITSians there's no unknown concept there , just a lot of annoying questions with stupid looking numbers.
You can actually get a question or two wrong toward the end and still get an 800 .
Concentrate on the 1st 10 questions of both sections , they make or break , remember the GRE is computer adaptive meaning once you do the first few right , you have progressed to a higher level and your score cant fall too much . The converse also holds good.
Adios ppl , all the best.


And that, Ladies and Gentleman was the first ever celebrity on onestopGRE, Gowri Thampi. More such advice from our very own BITSGian GRE celebrities to follow.
Stay tuned.

Cheers.
Even if Gowri's CG was based on her GRE score, she wouldn't get placed in BITS Goa.

Recipe 1400 : Ingredients

Its shopping time folks! You need quite a few ingredients, some are hard to come by, some are dime a dozen, ALL are very important. There are different ingredients used by different people in different measures, I chose mine, after extensive research, combing through innumerous blogs, forums, and sites. So, I'm sure they represent a fair selection. Go ahead, and grab your ingredients.

1) Barron's GRE 2009: People say Barron's is like a slimy, slippery fish: hard to handle, but delicious when cooked. Its the Bible of GRE preparation, there is no denying it. For BITSians, the Quantitative tips and preparation exercises given in Barron's are more than enough. The word lists are comprehensive, and thorough. A highly helpful feature is the Barron's master list of "High Frequency Words", very nicely given. Barron's is a book, which shouldn't be bought from the chic exclusive retail bookstore outlet. Go to your gully bookstores, bargain away, and land a book for as cheap as you can.

P.S: Get the latest edition (2009), and don't forget to check for the CD inside. Yes, even the pirated ones nowadays come with CDs. Thanks to GRE prep demand in India. Price range: Anywhere between Rs.150 - 300.


2) The GRE BIG BOOK : Next to Barron's the Big Book is the most important ingredient. Its a rather rare ingredient. It has been out of print since 1996 and is relatively difficult to obtain in hard copy. Why is such an outdated book so important? Well, my dear friends, the Big Book is the compilation of all previous GRE questions right from 1970s to the present, compiled by none other than ETS itself! The Big Book has some of the toughest Verbal questions, and a solid preparation with Big Book is a sureshot path to a great verbal score! Also, the Big Book is the only book to give actual percentile scores for each and every question, as the statistics are none other than those of test takers themselves! All in all, a great book, a must buy.

P.S: Try to get a book with no answers marked in it, as that would be really helpful. Big Book is utterly useless for Quant Preparation. Price range: Rs 250 to Rs 400. Depends on availability.

3) The Master Book: Third in order of importance. Yet the most creatively satisfying. Yes, you guessed right! You make it yourself. The Master Book is the single most important tool which helps your remember all those tough tough words. Im not being optimistic. Writing anything down leaves you with a photographic memory and a personal connection, which helps you remember better. Pure psychology. And also, its the greatest gift you can have during revision time, without having to search hundreds of pages for those difficult words. faithfully maintain your Master Book, and jot down all the tough words you come across.

P.S: Try not to use someone else's master book. It would in effect, be the same as using any other book. Price Range: Rs.20 to Rs.200. Depends on your father's bank balance.

4) KAPLAN GRE CD (An Old One): Kaplan is one more brand in educational testing material. Famous for its tough questions. Real help in simulating actual test conditions. The CD comes with also revision sections. Hang on. Why did I ask for an old one? Why not the latest one? Well, this is my secret ingredient. The old test format had 38 questions in 3o minutes for Quant and 30 questions in 30 minutes for Verbal, unlike now, when it is relatively easier. So this tougher practice helps time management.

P.S: Be careful about the CD you obtain, that its in working condition. "But where do I get it?", you may ask. The answer is: our very own DC++!! Long Live DC at BITSG.

5)GRE Powerprep Software: Lets learn the dish from the inventors themselves. The GRE Powerprep Software assumes tremendous importance because it comes from the makers of the test themselves. It is also updated fairly frequently, so makes awesome test practice! It also puts to rest any fears of not having any practice in the current pattern, while relying on the Kaplan "38 in 30" format.

P.S: The s/w is available for download in the downloads section of GRE in www.ets.org. Price: FREE FREE FREE!

6) Miscellaneous: What is a dish without garnish, and without the aromas? This is where, your individuality comes to the front. Scour DC for all the softwares available, choose your favorite verbal games and flash card softwares. Search the net for new tests, quicker tests and tougher tests. Answer them and get instant feedback, the world is yours, so make use of it.

P.S: Try as much as possible, to use freely available stuff. No point spending money, when not really required.

As you can all see, in effect, all I have asked you to buy, is two books. That is all. The rest comes in freely, from ready sources. A fair warning however, the GRE score doesn't depend on the NUMBER of books you buy. The ingredients are after all ingredients. Getting the ingredients is just the starting, the real excitement lies ahead. And don't forget: As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Stay Tuned.

Cheers.
If GRE coaching was started in campus, VKD would never finish even one word list in class.

IMP: Recipe 1400

Yes, the time has arrived! We now kick start the actual preparation for the test.

Disclaimer:

The title "Recipe 1400" is just a name. A name devised by a guy who wants his faithful readers to believe they can crack 1400 or more. He cannot MAKE them do it, he can only lead them ONTO the path, not ON it. However, he is confident, that those who show confidence in his blog, will sail through confidently when it matters the most to show confidence: in the GRE itself.... \m/



Not very long ago, there was a guy, who had finished his third year at BITSG. He was sitting at home in the summer, ready to give GRE towards the vacation end. Everyone thought he was one of the greatest handlers of the English language in the campus, perhaps, even he believed it. Everyone was praising him randomly, some teasingly, some jealously, everybody expectant of his great score. He sat till 10 days before the exam, hardly doing anything. And then he gave a random test. He got a paltry 1160. And that's when he realized, "English is not everything in GRE". Smart preparation can more than account for lack of English vocabulary. Its ultimately a test of the mind, NOT a test of memory.

That is how we come down to the "Recipe 1400". Trust me, its not a simple dish. Long in cooking, complex in preparation, yet delicious in taste and sweet beyond imagination. The recipe 1400 has not been handed down through the generations, its not a family tradition. Its something I made up along the way, deciding each ingredient through my own understanding. I happily share it with you, however I must warn you: each and every tongue may not savor its taste. Some might find it wanting in spice, some in sugar, some distasteful on the whole. And therein lies the beauty of this recipe: each one can change it according to his own need.

Like true BITSians, who in a one night of preparation manage an "av" in tests, just by going through this recipe once, I'm sure you can cook up your own delicacy, using your own recipe: something you like, and will definitely enjoy. So without further ado, here goes. Stay tuned.

Cheers.
If your GRE essay is on microelectronics and your lecturer was M T Abhilash, re-schedule your test.

Planning for the Test Date and Coaching Issues

Jet Set Go!

You have completed all the preliminaries concerned with the knowing about GRE test in general. Now you need to plan. Planning is the single most important key to nailing a successful GRE score. Proper time-spacing for test preparation and revision, also keeping in mind the deadlines for application, and the time it takes for scores to reach us and to reach universities, and also the time we take to prepare our own CVs, Statements of Purpose etc etc etc, does seem as tedious as this long sentence does. It is! So here are a few pointers on when to plan your GRE and why:


There are intakes in American Universities in two terms.

1) Fall Term (Fall means Autumn i.e Aug/Sep): The Fall term is the usual normal admission semester. Like at BITS. All colleges have a fall term intake for most of their courses. This is the most preferred semester for admission.

2) Summer Term (Jan/Feb) : Summer Term admissions are like our BITS Second sem Admissions. Some universities do not have summer term intakes for specific courses. Varies from University to University. You need to properly research the course you want and see the deadlines and then think of scheduling the test, when aiming for a summer term admit.



The Test Preparation Planning:

The test preparation is an issue that is highly subjective and there is no straightforward answer to the same. The time required for preparation depends on the individual's grasp of English, Vocabulary, and Quantitative Skills.

Being BITSians, one thing we can be assured of is our Quantitative Skills: a bit of diligent practice will ensure a cool 800. The problem lies mainly in the English part. Not all of us are born fluent in English, many of us have an aversion to the language, or a don't-care attitude. However, GRE has an integral English part which is oftentimes the make or break factor of a GRE score.

The first thing to understand is that the GRE is only a PART of the application. Not the whole package. Therefore, don't set an unrealistic goal of 1600, if your abilities are something not appropriate for the same. It is very important to set a relevant target, in accordance with your abilities. It is foolish for everyone to aim for a 1600 which is neither necessary nor of utmost importance.

For setting a realistic target, we must first gauge our English skills. How do we gauge our English Skills?

First is an honest self evaluation. What do you feel about your English skills? What is your confidence level in talking in English fluently, in public, what is your reading speed, and how clearly can you understand the language while reading or listening? All these are factors you ALONE can decide for yourself.

Then the next aid in gauging your English level is to actually sit and write a diagnostic test. A diagnostic test is something which is written without Prep. The GRE Powerprep test software can be downloaded freely from the site www.ets.org from the GRE Downloads section. Take a diagnostic test, and see your score. Evaluate yourself accordingly. A good score is anything above 1350 (safely). Depending on how close you are to your projected score you can think of coaching.

If you are a fourth yearite single degree BITSian planning to app for Fall term:

Now, being a fourth yearite, if you want to apply for a fall term admission, YOU HAVE TO HURRY! Write your test as soon as possible, (with reasonable amount of preparation). The Fall term application deadline being in December (for admission into Fall term the next year), you have to be ready with everything (GRE Scores, which take a month to arrive to your doorstep, and anywhere between 3 weeks and a month to go to each college you choose) by mid-October at least, to apply early, and stand a chance for funding. So plan accordingly. The sooner the better.

If you are a fourth yrite single degree BITSian planning to app for Summer term

The deadlines are usually in the May-June period, for apping for the summer term of the next year. BY then you need to have evrything ready as above. So plan accordingly, depending on your skill, preparation required and time you have. I would say if you have started preparing, January is an ideal time to give the GRE.

If you are a third yrite Single Degree BITSian or a fourth yrite Dual Degree BITSian planning in advance:

The best time to give the GRE, irrespective of when you might be apping, is in the summer between 3rd and 4th years, pref. June. (for single degree 3rd yrits), and the summer before PS II (for Dual Degree guys). I gave mine in the summer. The free time allows you to prepare properly, and there will be no hassles of going from campus and coming back etc. Also, as its early, most of the slots wouldn't have been booked at Test Centres across India, and you wouldn't face a problem, easily getting the test centre of your choice, unlike many who do face a problem as they start booking around Aug/Sep. You can book your date around mid-March for June or July.

Coaching Issues:



Now we come down to the coaching part. It is my firm opinion that coaching isn't a necessity for most of us. However, if you really do feel that your english skills are near to dismal, then go for coaching. If you have a sufficiently long time for preparation (as listed above), then you can look into coaching in the hols, but subject to the following criterion:

a) Coaching for Quant is utterly and absolutely unnecessary to any BITSian. (most engg grads for that matter)

b) Blindly relying on coaching can get you as far as say 1200 - 1300 range, if you JUST rely on whatever they tell you. The rest depends on your smart preparation. I know people who went to two or three "coaching centres" for ONE test prep, and still ended up having to re-write the test. Rely on your abilities first. Also, most coaching centres, let you sit in on a class, before making up your mind. Make use of that opportunity to judge, whether you need coaching. If they are simply chanting wordlists in classes, then perhaps it isn't such a good idea.

c) People say coaching helps give practice. Thanks to the advent of the Internet, there is ample (if not excessive) amount practice tests and softwares available for free on the net (also in our DC++). No coaching can ever give you the range these do. (Which I shall discuss in my next post on required materials).

Keeping all these in mind, decide on your plan of action. In the next post, we shall jump to the "Recipe 1400". Stay Tuned.

Cheers.
If GRE Math was a MATH I test at BITS, Reeta Dubey would have to give 600 As, and A P Koley would have to live with it.

In the Beginning

So now that you have decided to start off your GRE prep, what do you need to know, what do you need to do, before starting off with actual Test preparation? Herein lie the answers. They say starting a thing is half finshing it, in that case: congrats!!



What You Need to Know:

1) The GRE is administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service) of the US Federal Govt., and in India, the franchisee is Prometric testing Services. (You are going to hear these names a lot in the future, so you need to know them)

2) The GRE consists of the following:

a) Verbal Section - 800 marks
- Antonyms (Opposites)
- Analogies
- Reading Comprehension
- Sentence Completion

b) Quantitative Section - 800 marks
- Plain math
- Data Interpretation
- Matching questions

c) Analytical Writing Section - rating on scale of 6
- Issue based writing
- Argument Analysis

*- Detailed posts on each of the sections along with comprehensive tips to follow.


3) The GRE is a computer adaptive test. This is good and bad in some senses. This is good in the sense that, at the starting of the test, it assumes you are an average student (at the mean, say 400). If you answer the first question wrong, it gives you an easier question to work with, and estimates you to be in the lower range. If you answer it correctly, it gives you a tougher question and rates you higher. This happens in successive iterations till your score is arrived at. This is bad, because, it boils down to your performance in the first few quesions primarily, instead of uniform value to all questions.

4) The GRE is booked through the ETS site, where you create an account --> schedule your test date and appointment --> pay up the bucks --> start prepping. The entire process of preparing, writing and apping takes approx. 5 months, so plan accordingly (post on planning to follow)

What you need to do:

1) In India, the only hall ticket for the GRE examination is your PASSPORT. So make sure you have one ready well before applying. I know the tensions of waiting for your passport to arrive 12 days before your examination. Trust me. Its not pretty.

2) While scheduling your appointment, make sure the name you enter, is EXACTLY the same as the one in your PASSPORT. I know of people, who have got stopped in between the exam, because of discrepancies in the name.

3) Plan properly, and act coolly. GRE is not JEE or CAT. Its much more manageable, and easily scalabale. Coaching is a big concern for many. A detailed post on coaching is in the pipeline.

4) Remember you are a BITSGian. One of the top 2% of the country to have got through the only merit based exam in the nation. This is your USP. Make sure you remember it at all times.

Next post on starting the coaching issues and the planning of the Date. Stay tuned.


Cheers.
GRE - Gas Release Event

GRE : Reasons and Repercussions

Thanks to an immensely silent placement scene, the entire campus is buzzing with GRE talk. For the yet to be initiated, here is the draw:

What: GRE : Graduate Record Examination

Why: For students who want to study at American Universities

When: Usually taken by engineering students in their 3rd or 4th years

How: On a computer, an adaptive test, which means the goddam computer is judging you all the time

Where: At specified centres all over India.

The Low Down for BITSGians:

A lot of people wonder why they should/ shouldn't write GRE in the first place. Here is take on the GRE and Admissions scene in general.

There is no denying the fact that the world is passing through some tough times. What does it mean for the GRE aspirant back home in BITS Goa? Here Goes.



1) This being recession times, even the dumbest of Americans realizes one fact. There is no money in jobs. So what does one do? Simple. Go back to college! Earn a degree while sitting out the recession, and end up with a higher paying job 2 years later. That is what pretty much every American is doing now. And getting through for us compared to them is difficult. Here is the bad news: Competition from Uncle Sam, just became the toughest yet.

2) In Andhra Pradesh, the Intermediate Education Examination is known as IPE. Its famous for having been the gateway to generations of BITSians (with 97 - 99%), during those ancient days when 12th percentage was the deciding factor. Well there is one more "IPE". That of China. Like everything else, China also mass produces engineering undergrads, with very high pass percentages. And almost all of them are exported to America: again like everything else. Here is the second bad news: Competition from Uncle Han is at an all time peak.

3) Now we come down from global problems to BITS Pilani Goa Campus. No placements, no internships, no projects, no recommendations. What can a BITSian do? CAT? (The toughest lottery in the world?). Or GRE? (the world's biggest mug test). Here are reasons why GRE should be your choice, or why it shouldn't be:

a)If managing mind boggling accounts, sitting through endless meetings, shouting at people, and living in a cut-throat corporate world is not your style, go for GRE.
b)If numbers and gadgets interest you, if the CDC year was the greatest year of your existence, or you have suddenly discovered your love for core, DESPITE all the efforts by our faculty to disgust you, then you are born for GRE.
c)If all things American/Canadian are the greates things in the world according to you(chicks included), then GRE is the way to fly!
d) If you are lost, without a job, without goals and need to buy more time, and are interested in spending time AND money abroad, GRE is an option.

Do NOT go for the GRE if:

a) Tecchie is not your cup of tea, of you find that BITS Goa has drained away the last bit of calculus you ever want to perform in your life.
b) If you want to go for a managerial career right away, without having to grease your fingers, or burn them welding.
c) If you are as patriotic as to shoot the first NRI on sight, and never dream of leaving our glorious country.

I will get down to the preparation and the preparedness in the next post. Stay tuned.

Cheers.
When God got bored, he created Barron's to bore people.