The GRE(Graduate Records Examination) is a requirement for graduate admission into Universities in the US, Canada and Australia. This test is in two categories: 1) The GRE General Test and 2) The GRE Subject Test.

In Nigeria, the general test is a much more popular test and is taken in designated centres across the country. The general tests is of two types: The Paper-Based Test and The Internet Based Test. For this GRE General tests, the test is divided into three sections, the quantitative(basic mathematics),the Verbal and the Essay writing sections. For these General tests, only your score in the quantitative and verbal sections contribute to your overall test score while your essay scores are reserved for the admissions board of schools to do whatever they like with.

From a possible maximum score of 340( 170 Quant, 170 Verbal),most schools require that applicants score a minimum of 295 to be offered admission at all. This criteria however differs for different schools and the preferred course of study. More prestigious schools like George Washington Uni will require a minimum of 300 cumulative score. Infact elite schools like Stanford,Princeton will require scores as high as 330. For scholarship considerations, a 300+ GRE score is the least an applicant must have to stand any chance at landing a scholarship, whether partial or full.Bear in mind, scholarships not only takes some financial burden off you, it also greatly bs of getting a study visa.

Looking to take the GRE and score a scholarship landing score of 310+, following are some tips that can aid your preparation.

1) The Quantitative aspect of the GRE contains 100% basic mathematics questions. The questions only get twitched to test the candidates basic understanding of mathematics. An intelligent SS3 Student willbe able to scale those questions incredibly well. Rather than focusing all attention into solving questions, a revision of the basic principles behind each topic where GRE questions are drawn from is a good way to begin preparation. Quantitative GRE questions are drawn from 3 topics including Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry. The question types( Quantitative Comparison, Word Problems) are developed from the three main math topic while the last question type focuses on basic data analysis. A basic level of understanding is what is needed to take this test, however, intense preparation by solving many GRE type questions will help you familiarize with question patterns and how you can leverage your understanding to improve speed.

2) The GRE Verbal aspect may be a little trickier than the average English examinations question we are used toin Nigeria. This is because the passages usually centers around obscure topics, and the vocabularies are not usually part of our commonly used ones. However, intense practising with GRE type questions and studying new vocabularies is greatly helpful for questions that deal with vocabulary knowledge. Comprehension passages on the other hand are much easier to answer. Skimming through the passages,grabbing the basic message of the text and identifying which part of the passage a question is referring to will help you answer faster and more efficiently.

3) For the Essay writing, ensure your points are relevant to the topic, endeavor to keep your sentences at a maximum of 15 words each. Shorter sentences enables you to keep your answers articulate and reduces the chances of committing grammatical errors by 50%.

4) You don't have to answer all the questions,but you will need to answer at least 90% of them. GRE multiple choice questions are structured in such a way that, the first five questions are crucial towards determining your success in that section. From the first five questions, two are advanced level questions, two are intermediate level questions and one is a beginner level question. Answering the advanced level questions correctly will trigger more of advanced and intermediate level questions going forward, but it almost guarantees that you will have a good high score overall(155+). This applies to both the quantitative and verbal aspects of the test.


For more tips and a thorough training session that exposes the major tricks behind scoring high in the GRE and to register for your GRE or TOEFL Ibt for N55,000 only, text Hakym on whatsapp (07055477207)

For most schools particularly in the US, your scholarship eligibility almost entirely depends on your GRE score. CGPA and graduate statements contribute but only mildly.A GRE score of 300 might be able to get you partial funding for most schools, however a 310 score almost guarantees that your program will be funded. Partial or fully funded scholarships depend on schools entirely, as most scholarship schemes run on a budget and are rationed among students from many countries all over the world. More scholarship spaces will mean less stringent criterias and more student quotas allocated to different countries. The ongoing blacklist of Chinese students from applying for graduate programs into US Universities may be a blessing for students from Africa as more spaces will be available.

To know more, text me on whatsapp 07055477207.