GRE / GMAT

[aggienaut]

   So I've been working on applications for maritime academies. For about five years now I've been utterly and completely unable to get a job related in any way to my degree in International Relations so it's time for a New Plan.
   The admissions information for the California Maritime Academy says that of the class of 2010, 97% were employed in their field with a median salary of $92,000 within three months of graduation. That sounds MUCH better than what my current degree has been doing for me! More important than the degree is the Coast Guard "3rd Mate Unlimited" license that comes with it -- allowing graduates to work as third mates on ships of any size.

   Most of the maritime academies only have undergraduate programs so I'd have to spend another 3-4 years getting a second bachelor degree, but SUNY Maritime actually has a graduate program that grants the coveted USCG license.

The SUNY program requires a GMAT or GRE score. My question for you all is what are the best way to prepare for one of these exams? Are they similar to the LSAT?

Comments

[millysdaughter.livejournal.com]

I never took the LSAT but I did take the GREs in Econ and in Sociology. They are pretty much a (mostly) single-subject ACT test. You can also take a "general" GRE test which covers everything that ACT college admission test covered. Check which one the grad program wants you to take -- specific subject GRE or general GRE -- then get a practice test and study like crazy, because that will get you used to thinking up the answer in the same way they phrase the question.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I learned more from your comment than I did from the wikipedia entry on the GRE :D

[talon.livejournal.com]

I've taken the GRE and the LSAT; the GRE is pretty much a harder version (sorta) of the SAT. It's computer based, which changes some things — my main observation is that verbal is much, much harder than it was on the SAT, while math is about as easy. Not quite testing the same things as the LSAT, of course, but it's still a fairly easy standardized test.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Well that sounds promising, even though I've already taken the LSAT and got a fairly good score, the LSAT is a mind-boggling test that makes one's brain hurt and I'm glad to hear it's not the same kind of trickery! :D

[talon.livejournal.com]

If I may ask, how good was your score? :P

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

163 I think?

[nibot.livejournal.com]

The general GRE is pretty much just like the SAT. When I took it in 2004 it was an adaptive test taken on a computer, meaning that the questions got harder as you got them right (or easier if you got them wrong). It pays to do a lot of studying of "GRE words". Also, of course, you would want to review the math if you are not 100% comfortable with it.

They have a computer program you can download that gives you sample tests. I think it is nominally only 1 sample test, but because of its adaptive "choose your own adventure" nature, you can take it many times and get different questions. To prepare, I just ran through this test several times and also spent time reviewing vocabulary words in the months prior to the test. Here's a link to download:

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep2

The first time I took the test I did horribly on the math section because I got stuck on a question (it was actually quite easy but I was reading too much into it) and ran out of time. Don't do this.

Also, schedule your test for a nice comfortable time like 2pm and not 7am.

There is also an essay section, but it is trivial.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Excellent, this looks to be extremely useful, thanks!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

So I took a practice GMAT, and I'm still trying to figure out the answer to 2^x-2^x-2=3(2¹³). d: I blundered through the rest though and apparently got a 620

[nibot.livejournal.com]

You can factor 2^x out of the two terms on the left side.

2^x - 2^(x-2) = 3*(2^13)
2^x - 2^x * 2^(-2) = 3*(2^13)
(2^x) * (1 - 2^(-2)) = 3*(2^13)
(2^x) * (1 - 1/4) = 3*(2^13)
(2^x) * (3/4) = 3*(2^13)
(2^x) * (1/4) = (2^13)
2^x = 2^15
x = 15

Since it's multiple choice, you might also be able to do a little approximation. Assuming x>0:

2^x - 2^(x-2) = 3*(2^13)
2^x >~ 3*(2^13) because 2^x >> 2^(x-2)
2^x >~ 2*(2^13) because 3>~2
2^x >~ 2^14
x >~ 14

where ">~" means "greater than, but close to". We know the exact answer is 15, and of course 15 >~ 14.

[nibot.livejournal.com]

P.S. That all sounds pretty exciting, including living in New York near the city.

Did you read "Looking for a Ship"?

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I did indeed. I wonder how similar and or dissimilar things are now.

[yukonsally]

I took the GRE shortly after undergrad and found it was just like ACT and SATS. While my classmates studied for the GRE for months, I gave myself a week's warning, as I was full of myself and later found out that my school accepted just about everyone anyway. I would go into details about the GRE, but they changed it this summer to make it more difficult. That's all I know about that.

There is a language section and a math section, and there are essays. I found myself applying my informal logic class more than I thought possible and did very well.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

So how'd you do on a week's preparation?

[yukonsally]

Just as well as a classmate who studied for a semester (so, pretty well). It's all the logic. Logic even got me a higher score on math than language, and I am terrible at math. Beyond adding, I'm out.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Well I just took a practice GMAT and with zero preparation at all got a 620, which looks like its better than 2/3rds of serious test takers do on it, so maybe I'll do okay (:

[nibot.livejournal.com]

66th percentile? That's like a C+!