bumming after my 910 GRE

soonershok · Apr 1, 2009

My first piece of advice would be to not to place all of your eggs in one basket...apply to at least two schools if at all possible. The other piece of advice would have been to use powerscore to help you. I have had several friends use them and their class was much cheaper than 1200 (GULP!). I am sure Kaplan will get you where you want to be though...

olderthandirt2 · Apr 1, 2009

Applied to one crna school, and thought I was getting in. Heard last week that my quantitative portion of gre was too low. The school will not review my app. package until I re-take the GRE and raise my 430 quantitive to about 570!!! Crushed for about 2 hours, then signed up to take a Kaplan Review (for a mere $1200). Looking for some support here. I have BSN, CCRN and have been CVICU nurse for almost 5 years, with 7 years of med. icu prior to that.

Hi,

Don't despair. You can pull that GRE score up, beleive me--I am living proof.

I also had a low quantitative (and overall). So, I bought the Kaplan online because I didn't have time to wait for the classes to start before my application was due.

The key (for me) was learning to manage my time on the test AND not doing algebra (if you do,you will blow too much time).

So, after studying "Cracking the GRE" by Princeton (very easy reading......tons of quick, very good tips)----I started in on the Kaplan timed online tests. I completed 6 of these and bettered my score with each one. (while studying between tests days). I think it is imperative you take these practice tests ONLINE, because they mimick the real GRE.

On the qualitative, I didn't spend anytime reading the passages......they are WAY to long and eat your time up. Figure out the "type of question" and eliminate the answers.

On the writing (scored a 5), write as much as you can as fast as you can. Don't sweat the misspellings......

So, in less than a month I raised my score by 29%. Ending with an 1120 (560 quant, 560 qual).......which is not "stellar", but certainly passable.

I only applied to one school, through the military USAGPAN/Northeastern and was accepted. If I were going the civilian route, I would have applied to at least 3-4 schools.

Good luck, you can do this!!!!

c.

My_brain_hurts · Apr 2, 2009

I could not make myself shell out that $$$ for a kaplan review. But I did got and get Kaplan review books from the bookstore. I got a math review book, a verbal review book, and then I got a "comprehensive" one --combined math and verbal-- that came with a CD. I HIGHLY recommend the Kaplan study books, and the CD is great. It has a lot of practice questions and several practice exams that are pretty much just like the real test right down to the way the screen looks. They even have essay promts; you can't get your response 'graded', but they give examples of perfect score essays so you can see if you hit some of the same points and how yours compares to the 'perfect' ones. It scores your tests so you cant get some idea of how you will do on the real thing.

I took Kaplan for the NCLEX and while the classes were helpful, what helped me the most was the online test bank, and that is what the CD in GRE book was like. If you really feel you will benefit from classroom instruction, by all means do it. I just felt I could get descent results from selft study. And I'm telling you the CD is GOOD. I don't like math, and I got a 610 in math, and 600 verbal, and a 4.5 on the essay. Not a 1600 mind you, but not too bad (for me anyways!). And it was good enough to get me into a CRNA program:yeah: And the cost of the books, something like $40, $40, and $60 --don't remember exactly, but that's ball park-- made it a great use of money. Save as much money as you can. You'll need it when you get that acceptance letter! Good luck! let us know how it goes.

scarcity21 · Apr 8, 2009

what subjests do u get tested on when taking the GRE???

soonershok · Apr 8, 2009

On the GRE there is a Quantitative section (math), a Qualitative section (verbal), and a Writing section (essay). The essay is always first and you need to write two essays and this will be followed by 3 sections...either at least one of which is math and one verbal and one additional math or verbal which wont be graded. Only problem is...you wont know which one is and isnt graded. The essay at the beginning is a killer and will wear you out.

scarcity21 · Apr 9, 2009

On the GRE there is a Quantitative section (math), a Qualitative section (verbal), and a Writing section (essay). The essay is always first and you need to write two essays and this will be followed by 3 sections...either at least one of which is math and one verbal and one additional math or verbal which wont be graded. Only problem is...you wont know which one is and isnt graded. The essay at the beginning is a killer and will wear you out.

oh ok thank you so much:)

judyrnbsnccrn · Apr 23, 2009

Thanks for the input. Currently, I've added Wolford and USF to my list. Sending out the app. packages this week, of course, with the GRE portion being delayed until May 11. The Kaplan review course has been, thus far, quite helpful. Fingers crossed, and wait...

Skip219, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2009

Hi, your other option is to apply to a school which doesnt require the GRE. Check into it- the MN schools I applied to didn't require it.

Good Luck.