gre: the (not so) first encounter...higher risk of gre filter. who sees your scores and how it is...

GRE: THE (NOT SO)

FIRST ENCOUNTER

Johan Bonilla

SPS of UO

1-13-16

Lay of the Land

• What is the GRE and what

does it measure?

• What is it used for?

• How it works: logistics and

numbers!

• Dates

• Strategies

• Possible Workshop??

Lay of the Land

• What is the GRE and what

does it measure?

• What is it used for?

• How it works: logistics and

numbers!

• Dates

• Strategies

• Possible Workshop??

What is the GRE?

• Older, jaded cousins of the SAT and ACT

• Several types: General, subjects

– General: 3 Sections (Verbal, Analytic, Writing) is computer based*

– Subject (e.g. Physics): Specialized to just physics and is paper based

• DOES NOT MEASURE Intelligence or how good of a researcher you are.

• It is a general test that is quite stable (doesn’t change too much) and correlates first year class performance.

• * Computer based exams fit your performance

What is the GRE?

• Older, jaded cousins of the SAT and ACT

• Several types: General, subjects

– General: 3 Sections (Verbal, Analytic, Writing) is computer based*

– Subject (e.g. Physics): Specialized to just physics and is paper based

• DOES NOT MEASURE Intelligence or how good of a researcher you are.

• It is a general test that is quite stable (doesn’t change too much) and correlates first year class performance.

• * Computer based exams fit your performance

Who sees your scores and how it

is used.

• Varies depending on the program and the

school.

• Best thing for you to do is case by case

research and ask!

• Who sees it: grad schools, and fellowships.

• Grad schools: standard test that is

normalized. Taken with a grain of salt

• Fellowships: Some do, some don’t. NSF

doesn’t others do. Also normalized, but

higher risk of GRE filter.

Who sees your scores and how it

is used.

• Varies depending on the program and the

school.

• Best thing for you to do is case by case

research and ask!

• Who sees it: grad schools, and fellowships.

• Grad schools: standard test that is

normalized. Taken with a grain of salt

• Fellowships: Some do, some don’t. NSF

doesn’t others do. Also normalized, but

higher risk of GRE filter.

How it works!

General: $160.

• 5 Sections plus an experimental one.

• 200-800 in 10 point increments.

• Percentile based

Physics: $150.

• 100 MC questions. Subcategorized and cataloged on ETS

website.

• 4 Free Score Reports, after that, $27 per report

• Percetile based

Take it as many times as you can! And in your Junior year!

How it works!

General: $160.

• 5 Sections plus an experimental one.

• Percentile based

Physics: $150.

• 100 MC questions. Subcategorized and cataloged on ETS

website.

• 4 Free Score Reports, after that, $27 per report

• Percetile based

Take it as many times as you can! And in your Junior year!

Dates General:

• 0102 - Eugene - Valley River Dr--APCN-0102

1500 Valley River Drive

Suite 310 Eugene - Green Acres Road--APCN-0110

• 1020 GREEN ACRES RD.

DELTA OAKS SHOPPING CENTER SUITE 11 ETS -

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON--APCN-7704

• 1590 EAST 13TH AVE.

COUNSELING AND TESTING CENTER 270

Physics:

Test Dates Registration Deadlines Scores Available

Regular

Deadline

Deadline1

Supplement

ary Test

Center and

Monday

Administrati

on Deadline2

Online

Approx.

Score Report

Mailing Date

09/19/15 08/14/15 08/21/15 07/31/15 10/19/15 10/30/15

10/24/15 09/18/15 09/25/15 09/04/15 11/23/15 12/04/15

04/16/16 03/11/16 03/18/16 02/26/16 05/16/16 05/27/16

Dates General:

• 0102 - Eugene - Valley River Dr--APCN-0102

1500 Valley River Drive

Suite 310 Eugene - Green Acres Road--APCN-0110

• 1020 GREEN ACRES RD.

DELTA OAKS SHOPPING CENTER SUITE 11 ETS -

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON--APCN-7704

• 1590 EAST 13TH AVE.

COUNSELING AND TESTING CENTER 270

Physics:

Test Dates Registration Deadlines Scores Available

Regular

Deadline

Deadline1

Supplement

ary Test

Center and

Monday

Administrati

on Deadline2

Online

Approx.

Score Report

Mailing Date

09/19/15 08/14/15 08/21/15 07/31/15 10/19/15 10/30/15

10/24/15 09/18/15 09/25/15 09/04/15 11/23/15 12/04/15

04/16/16 03/11/16 03/18/16 02/26/16 05/16/16 05/27/16

Strategies • It’s like a sport, or a musical instrument, or a play, or

really, any extra-curricular activity that you want to do

well in.

--Jay Rosner, Executive Director of The Princeton Review

• 2-3 Hours per day

• 5-6 Days per week

• 7-8 Weeks up to test day

• There are a good bunch of strategies in one of Jay’s

talks. Here is a webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QPxXrDKu7c&ap

p=desktop

Strategies • It’s like a sport, or a musical instrument, or a play, or

really, any extra-curricular activity that you want to do

well in.

--Jay Rosner, Executive Director of The Princeton Review

• 2-3 Hours per day

• 5-6 Days per week

• 7-8 Weeks up to test day

• There are a good bunch of strategies in one of Jay’s

talks. Here is a webinar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QPxXrDKu7c&ap

p=desktop

Possible Workshop

• Physics GRE is coming in April.

– Personal experience shows that those who also take the GRE

in April, tend to be happier with their scores

• We are ~10-12 weeks from it. Gives opportunity to

prepare for this one!

• GRE is “minimum thinking, rapid recall” kind of exam.

Physics tends to be equation-memorization heavy.

Math is less involved than SAT. Verbal is higher level!

• Don’t worry if you haven’t taken QM or Stat Mech or

EM or anything. You can still do well!

• Thoughts? Feedback? Should we make a workshop?