Grad School Anyone?

[sigmagrrl]

Well, today starts "Operation Get My Ass in Class". Basically, I am starting my GRE studying and narrowing down my grad school choices. Is anyone else here about to apply for business, med, law, or grad school for admission in Fall 2002?? We all know how hard a process this is and we all need support! So, all of you applicants, COME HERE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER!!!

[HeidiHo]

I'm not applying yet, but I will be in a couple of years. I'm eager to hear everyone's advice. I'm already nervous.

Heidi

[dzrose93]

I'm getting ready to go back to school, too. And I am petrified of taking the GMAT! It costs $100 to take it, so if I fail I'll be throwing money down the tubes.

[sigmagrrl]

I completely know how you feel! The GRE costs about the same thing and I have set enough $$$ to take the GRE twice, but that's it!!

[USFSDTAlum]

sigmagirl- i was just going to post a topic on grad schools, you beat me to the punch.
I decided yesterday that I want to go for communication instead of the MBA i was planning on. I am looking at either returning to MD and going to college park or going someowhere is southern California (where I want to go) However, UCLA where I was gung-ho on getting my MBA doesn't have a master's comm program and USC is tres expensive for my broke self. My HS BFF is graduating with her teaching degree in 2 weeks, and she said that she's thinking about moving to Cali with me (In cali she got offered 37K to start and a signing bonus of 7500---big money for a rookie teacher) but she will not do LA at all. She is big on the San Diego area so anyone out there from San Diego and surrounding area's can you tell me about any grad comm programs at UCSD or SDSU as far as things I can't find on the net. Thanks!
BTW-- I have to take the GRE and the GMAT. Ugh! Not fun!

[This message has been edited by USFstudent (edited May 01, 2001).]

[AEPhi-QTPie]

I am in grad school! I took the GRE twice, the second time I had the CD-Rom that SuperXO was talking about and did MUCH better. The math portion is actually not bad, but I would suggest refreshing the math skills. Verbal was challenging. Get a lot of practice on the computer program with the reading comp so you get used to having to scroll up and down between paragraphs and questions. Get comfy with your prefixes and suffixes and go over vocabulary lists. Also, make sure to be consistent with your preparation-set time aside to go over math, verbal, and taking practice tests. When you do take practice tests, make sure you will not be interrupted. Maybe turn the phone off and put on some earphones to block out sound. I wish you all lots of luck!!!!

[Miami1839]

I've thought about pursuing a graduate program in Information Technology. Something to boost my career. I'm thinking over the next few years I might take take some classes part time. Eventually I'd like to go to Law School but I'm not sure if that idea is really realistic. I have dreamed of the thought though.

Kevin.

[SuperXO]

I took the GRE and wanted to just pass along some advice that I hope is good news for you all. If you aren't already, get a CD-ROM to practice with, because it helps so much to practice for the Computer Adaptive test that way. It's a lot different than taking it on paper, like the SAT's. My experience with it was very good and although lots of people I've heard say they think it would be horrible because you can't go back to previous answers or skip a question and go back to it, I didn't find that that turned out to be a problem. In fact, I really loved it because you work on your own schedule, so you don't necessarily have to wait the whole time limit to move on to the next section, if you finish early.

Another little piece of advice, if you don't know the answer just take a guess and move on! Especially with the verbal ones. There may be a circumstance where you just don't know the word. Try to figure it out for a few moments, but if you just can't get it, don't agonize. However, with the analytical and math sections, use guessing as a last resort, because you probably can figure those out, unless you're running out of time. Also, my favorite part of the test is that you get your scores in like 3 minutes instead of 3 months!

Of course, if you've taken a Kaplan course or soemthing, you probably got way better advice than I could ever give, so the best I can say is, "Good luck!"

[sigmagrrl]

Originally posted by SuperXO:
I took the GRE and wanted to just pass along some advice that I hope is good news for you all. If you aren't already, get a CD-ROM to practice with, because it helps so much to practice for the Computer Adaptive test that way. It's a lot different than taking it on paper, like the SAT's. My experience with it was very good and although lots of people I've heard say they think it would be horrible because you can't go back to previous answers or skip a question and go back to it, I didn't find that that turned out to be a problem. In fact, I really loved it because you work on your own schedule, so you don't necessarily have to wait the whole time limit to move on to the next section, if you finish early.

Another little piece of advice, if you don't know the answer just take a guess and move on! Especially with the verbal ones. There may be a circumstance where you just don't know the word. Try to figure it out for a few moments, but if you just can't get it, don't agonize. However, with the analytical and math sections, use guessing as a last resort, because you probably can figure those out, unless you're running out of time. Also, my favorite part of the test is that you get your scores in like 3 minutes instead of 3 months!

Of course, if you've taken a Kaplan course or soemthing, you probably got way better advice than I could ever give, so the best I can say is, "Good luck!"

This may be too nosy to ask, but how did you do on the test? Did you get a better score on the real test than on the practice ones? Do you get scratch paper for the analytical games?

[juniorgrrl]

I'm looking to start law school in Fall 2002. I took my LSAT in February - I just got a book from Kaplan and studied.

I did much much worse on the practice tests than I did the actual thing. I've got a pretty good score - I'll get into every law school in Louisiana with it. But I'll probably take it again to get a better score for scholarship purposes.

My roomate just took the MCAT, and she took the 2 night a week Princeton Review course - with the MCAT you pretty much have to because med school is so competitive.

[SuperXO]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl:
This may be too nosy to ask, but how did you do on the test? Did you get a better score on the real test than on the practice ones? Do you get scratch paper for the analytical games?

That's fine! I got 2170. Math is my weakness, so I only got 680 on that. I got 700 on verbal and I just love the analytical games, and I got a 790 on that! Yes, you get as much scratch paper as you need. I think you get a bit to start and you can ask for more, if I remember right. Now, even though my advice was to practice on the CDROM, I didn't do it myself. But, I am doing it for the GMAT and I think it's helpful (I decided to change my career path ) But, yeah, I did way better on the actual test than I did on the practice paper tests I took. When I was practicing verbal stuff, I would only get like half of them right! I don't know if you can always assume you'll do better than on the practice, but it looks like it does happen for some people. I'm sure you will do great, because just being prepared for the format and the types of questions they ask (which it sounds like you are) is a huge step!

[sigmagrrl]

OK, I'm bumping this back up to the top because I need some feedback. Has anyone taken a Kaplan or Princeton Review class? What are the pros and cons of each? The only thing that is different in my eyes is the cost (K's $999 vs. PR's $899). I want to sign up by the end of the month. I just need to see who liked their prep classes and if they made a difference! THANKS!

[Miami1839]

Just a thought. For George Mason University, if you have a 3.0 or better you dont need your GREs to get into their Graduate School.

Kevin

[Thrillhouse]

I think I will just finish out my 4th year and be done. I am confident I can find a job. However not as good paying one assomeone with a masters degree would get but still.

[newbie]

Originally posted by sigmagrrl:
OK, I'm bumping this back up to the top because I need some feedback. Has anyone taken a Kaplan or Princeton Review class? What are the pros and cons of each? The only thing that is different in my eyes is the cost (K's $999 vs. PR's $899). I want to sign up by the end of the month. I just need to see who liked their prep classes and if they made a difference! THANKS!

Sigmagrrl, I HIGHLY recommend Kaplan!!!!!!!!!! I took Kaplan for the SATs, and it has helped TREMENDOUSLY. I am so glad that I took the class. The instructor is soooo very helpful, very smart, and totally wants you to do your best. She motivated us to do well, AND she even let us email her for any questions...and even left her phone number for us! My friends also took Kaplan classes too, and though we didn't all have the same instructor - we all came out with the same consensus - our scores improved dramatically (like 200 + points), the instructors wanted us to do our best, and even though they were so very smart - never made us feel bad if we felt we had a "stupid" question! Yes Kaplan is expensive, but IMHO, it is worth every single penny! Now let's hope that my scores are good enough to get me into a good college !!!!!!

I also have friends that took the Princeton Review, and while they loved it too, their scores did not dramatically improve like my friends that took Kaplan. While people say "you cannot study for the SAT," IMHO, I think it all depends on how well you know the test and the test-makers, which is exactly what Kaplan teaches!!!

This is of course for the SAT, so I'm not exactly 100 percent sure about grad school tests - but I HIGHLY recommend Kaplan!!!!!! GOOD LUCK in your grad school search!!!