I hope you are ready to take the GRE. My recommendations will be helpful mainly for individuals with mathematics or engineering backgrounds. Keep in mind these may vary for everyone; this is only from my perspective. In addition, I didn't conform to this strategy to the fullest extent, it is the approach I would adopt if I had a second shot at this.

>> GRE General Test - Full Guideline <<

1. Prerequisites

At Least 2 to 3 Months of Prep Time

• • • Keep at least 2 to 3 months before your required deadline for the GRE scores, depending on your selections, if you plan to search for a job or work on publications while preparing for the GRE. This preparation part is very rigorous; thus, it's essential to give yourself adequate time to study for it. Additionally, this exam is highly expensive; thus, it is recommended that you are well-prepared to perform at your best on the first go.

Book the GRE

• • • If you have set a deadline, the first step is to schedule the exam. This is recommended for three reasons, the most crucial being that it will likely motivate you to give your best effort. Also, an appropriate test date for you may no longer be available in the future. The final factor is money; as the dollar rate fluctuates regularly, it may result in a substantial increase or decrease depending on the monetary scenario.

    • Create an account here with all the correct information. This might take a while.

    • Logging into your account, book a test here.

    • Find Suitable Test Centers, Date & Time: In Dhaka, there are two GRE testing facilities.

      • • American Alumni Association (AAA) (Banani) [2 Slots: 9:00 AM & 1:30 PM] - Most people prefer AAA.

        • US Software Limited (Panthapath) [2 Slots: 10:00 AM & 3:00 PM] - Has a lot of disadvantages.

    • You must pay $205 to book the exam. You must possess a credit/debit or prepaid card that enables transactions in multiple currencies. It is preferable to have your personal bank account and debit card. Because you will need it for future purchases and uses. However, if you do not have one, ask your friends or others for one. You can use EBL, AB Bank, and Brac Bank, among others. Sonali Bank is absolute crap.

2. Required Materials

Only official materials are sufficient to ace the GRE. Always remember this, do not exert yourself needlessly. You can find a proper explanation of this here. As the GRE is a computer-based exam, it is preferable not to purchase hard copies but to practice with soft copies and become accustomed to them. Though all the books are available at Nilkhet if you need them.

Must-Have: 

• • • ETS Official Materials (From the actual test makers)

      • ETS Official GRE® Super Power Pack - This contains all three in one.

        • Official Guide to the GRE® General Test - This contains full guidelines and a review for each section (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Analytical Writing Analysis), with two practice tests at the end.

        • Official GRE® Quantitative Reasoning - Instructions are almost identical to the official guide. It contains extra quantitative practices.

        • Official GRE® Verbal Reasoning - Instructions are almost identical to the official guide. It contains extra verbal practices.

      • GRE Big Book - This contains full 27 real old GRE questions.

      • Paper-delivered GRE General Test - This contains a practice test.

    • Manhattan Prep 5 lb. Book of GRE ® Practice Problems - Only for quantitative practice.

    • GregMats Vocab List (1-32) (Prepared by Me) - Focus on the first 20/28 lists (600-840 words).

    • GRE Goldmine Google Sheet - For a complete overview, especially mnemonics, and synonyms according to Greg's list. (Ask for permission)

Other Supplements: (Not necessary)

• • • Magoosh 1000 words - Only focus on the high-frequency and basic words.

    • Manhattan 8 GRE test Guide - For basic building.

    • Magoosh Complete Guide to GRE Vocabulary - For detailed vocabulary.

    • Barrons 333 - Highest frequency words.

    • Tested Tutor 600 most common words.

    • Math Review - Quantitative supplement. [ETS]

    • Math Convention - Quantitative supplement. [ETS]

    • KMF 1300 - For verbal reasoning (TC & SE) questions.

    • KMF 350 RC - For verbal reasoning (RC) questions. 

    • GRE Information Bulletin - For test-related information. [ETS]

    • Others - click here

Android Apps and Web Apps: (Interactive aid)

• • • Quizlet (Web/ Mobile App) - For vocabulary.

    • Magoosh GRE Vocabulary Flashcards (Mobile App)- For learning vocabulary with flashcards.

    • MnemonicDictionary (Web) - For vocabulary mnemonics.

    • Magoosh Vocabulary Builder (Mobile App) - You can learn vocabulary by playing games.

3. Time and Score Distribution and Marking

These videos will provide detailed information regarding the timing and grading structure of the complete examination.

• • • GRE Test Structure and Common Questions Answered

    • GRE Scoring Algorithm - How is the GRE Scored?

In short, the test has a maximum duration of 4:30 hours and a maximum score of 340, of which 170 are given for each of the two verbal reasoning and two quantitative reasoning sections. The lowest possible score is 260 (130 each). In addition, there are two sections of analytical writing (Issue Essay and Argument Essay) worth 6.0 points (minimum 1.0). Each AWA will take 30 minutes to complete and appear in the test's first section. Then verbal or quantitative sections will follow. There will be a total of six sections. One separate AWA part, three sections on either verbal or quantitative reasoning, selected at random, and two sections on the other. There is an ungraded experimental section that can be any of the three identical sections. There will be 20 questions in each of the verbal and quantitative sections, all with varying difficulty levels. Each verbal and each quantitative section will have a time limit of 30 and 35 minutes, respectively. Usually, the first two sections—one verbal and one quantitative—are classified as medium. The following section may be easy, medium, or challenging depending on the test taker's performance. Bonus marks could be awarded in challenging sections, while penalties could apply in easier ones. 

Following sections 1, 2, 4, and 5, there will be optional breaks of 60 seconds, and following section 3, there will be an optional break of ten minutes. The time spent on the Instructions portion of each section will be deducted from the total time allotted for the test, not the time allotted for that particular section. However, the test must be finished before 4:30. The preceding videos give a more thorough overview.

4. Subscription to Test Prep Services

Where do I begin?  Numerous GRE preparation services are available. To name a few,

• GregMat+ - $5/month;

• Magoosh - Premium (1 Month): $149;  

• Kaplan - On-Demand Course Plus: $649;

• Manhattan Prep - Interact for GRE On-Demand Prep (1 Month):  299.

One might now wonder how GregMat+ is so reasonably priced. It's because Greg solely delivers based on the official material in his endearing manner, and as I've already stated, no other materials are required to ace the GRE. This is the most cost-efficient and effective choice, in my opinion. A multi-currency card is also required for this. If you want to avoid paying 20 times as much for the same GregMat+ & Magoosh materials, DO NOT GET INTO ANY COACHING CENTERS.

You can acquire all those resources online for free, but I suggest purchasing at least one prep service to prepare properly. To access a few of these resources for free, click here: Link no. 1, Link no. 2, Link no. 3.

However, The Tested Tutor and Greg Mat YouTube channels may be your best bet if you seek free yet excellent exam preparation guidance.

Tested Tutor - Ask a 340 GRE scorer: What are the best tips to get a 330+?

5. Planning

You can do it on your own if you are strong at planning and know what things to complete for the GRE. But if you are not, like most of us, I would advise purchasing the GregMat+ and adhering to the "two months study plan". This is thorough and well-distributed. But you must remember that if you follow everything exactly as it is and do anything else besides it, it will take longer than two months. It takes 6-7 hours a day to follow this approach. Therefore, it is advisable to have more than two months on hand. If it is more useful, you are encouraged to take the contents and arrange them however you prefer.

6. Quantitative Reasoning

Let me begin by addressing the elephant in the room. Yes, if you have completed Engineering, you may find this relatively easy. But don't be deceived. There are three catches here,

• When you encounter an easy question, you may become overconfident and overlook vital details.

• You might not be able to identify all the probable alternatives in the context of the question.

• If you are not careful about your approach/ strategy, you may run out of time.

So, what should you do? First, work on your fundamentals. You can follow the GregMat+ "two months plan" (weeks 1–4) and/ or Manhattan Prep 5lb. After you've finished it, practice problems of varying difficulty levels and learn strategies for solving them more efficiently. Remember that if you are not a native English speaker, these are the most important things to learn. So don't trifle with it.

Things to Complete: (MUST)

• • • Official Guide to the GRE® General Test

    • Official GRE® Quantitative Reasoning 

    • Manhattan Prep 5 lb. Book of GRE® Practice Problems

    • GregMat+ 2 months Study Plan

    • GRE Big Book

My note on Quant, based on GregMat's strategy, can expedite any future revisions.

Other Supplements: (Not necessary)

• • • GregMat: Solve Quant Problems - 400+ problems with solution.

    • Manhattan GRE test Guide (1-6)

    • GMAT Club

    • KMF

My Suggestions:

• • • Learn how to use the GRE calculator and only use it for practice. (Though it is not an accurate replica.)

    • Time yourself as you practice as well.

    • The first quantitative section is a medium one, so you must give it your all.

    • When you're done, go over every detail again to ensure you didn't miss anything.

    • Pay attention, and watch the time.

    • If you come across a problem that is completely new to you or taking a long time, don't ponder about it too much; just flag it and return to it if you have time left.

    • No questions should remain unanswered. There is no negative scoring on the GRE, so if you don't know the answer or have run out of time, choose randomly.

7. Vocabulary

!!! BUILD YOUR VOCABULARY !!!

I'll recommend this if you ask me for only one piece of advice for the GRE verbal section. You won't perform well on the GRE if your vocabulary is poor. So, work on your GRE vocabulary from day 1. You should first realize that increasing your vocabulary equates to word mastery. In other words, by knowing the meaning of a word it means, you can rapidly recall it when you hear it without having to think about it. Otherwise, you'll struggle on the test itself and end up prevaricating the meaning. Many free vocab-learning resources are available, like GregMat's 32 lists, Magoosh 1000 words, Barrons List, Tested Tutor's 600 Words, etc.

My suggestion: 

• • • Choose the list that works best for you. Do not keep jumping from one list to another. (I followed GregMat's List)

    • Learn 30-50 (not all of them are new) words every other day. Do not overdo yourself. Know our limits.

    • If you can manage the time, you should build a list of your own from these; that would be more effective.

    • If you find a word hard to comprehend, use mnemonics to memorize them.

    • You should group all the GRE synonyms and include them with the words in your list. Plus, it will work for SE questions.

    • Review the lists you previously studied when you begin learning a new group.

    • You can not and do not have to learn all the words needed for the GRE. It is difficult to learn new vocabulary. So, try to memorize at least the most common and basic words; if you are overwhelmed, just stop and keep working on those you have learned already. That would be sufficient for a fine score.

    • Try a different approach if the one you are following currently isn't working for you.

    • One key thing to remember is not to delude yourself. You may feel you have learned a word, but when it is introduced to you outside of your well-known sequence of words, you may be unable to recall it. So, once you've memorized the words to some degree, switch to flashcards. The randomized wording in flashcards will help you comprehend whether or not you know a word. Magoosh flashcards can be useful in this situation (only basic and common words).

    • Try to make the process fun by playing word games and incorporating them into conversations.

    • Read non-fiction books and watch sitcoms.

Tips: 

• GregMat - The best method -- bar none -- for learning GRE Vocabulary

• Tested Tutor - 340 GRE Vocabulary: My Method for Remembering New Words

8. Verbal Reasoning

!!! READ !!! PRACTICE !!! READ !!!

This is my second most crucial advice for verbal. You cannot successfully answer the questions in this part unless you develop a reading habit. Watch this video to learn more. You can use the tactics outlined in GregMat+'s "two-month study plan". It's adequate for developing fundamental strategies. To improve, you must put in a lot of practice time. 

To Practice: 

• • • Official GRE® Verbal Reasoning 

    • Official Guide to the GRE® General Test

    • GregMat+ 2 months Study Plan

    • GRE Big Book

Other Supplements: (Not necessary)

• • • GregMat: Solve Verbal Problems - 150+ problems with solutions.

DO NOT PRACTICE WITH ANY THIRD-PARTY MATERIALS.

My Suggestions:

• You shouldn't give each question the same weight while answering. Some questions have a very low chance of being answered correctly, such as three blankers and lengthy paragraphs on literature with 3/4 questions. So, don't give them much attention.

• Time your practice sessions as well.

• While reading a paragraph from RC questions, slow down. Don't just skim over it; answering it correctly requires more time and effort than simply reading it patiently. "Choose to be the slowest reader in the room yet the fastest to answer." - Philip (The Tested Tutor)

If you need help with RC passages, watch this video from "Tested Tutor": How to CRUSH Reading Comprehension: 3 Effective Strategies to Ace RC [+worked example!]

• KNOW YOUR VOCABULARY.

• No questions should remain unanswered. There is no negative scoring on the GRE, so if you don't know the answer or have run out of time, choose randomly.

9. AWA

Most people generally don't care about this. But it ought to receive at least a reasonable degree of care. Due to two key factors:

• This is the first section of the test, and if you are not prepared, writing two essays uninterrupted for an hour will affect the rest of the test. 

• A high AWA score can pique the interest of your desired professor.

To Prepare: 

• • • Official GRE® Verbal Reasoning - Example AWA review

    • Official Guide to the GRE® General Test - Example  AWA review + Practice test AWA review

    • GregMat: Writing the GRE Issue Essay - Step-by-step Guide

    • GregMat: GRE Argument Essay Step-by-step Guide and Example

    • Tested Tutor: 2 Simple Rules for the AWA - GRE / GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Tips

    • All PowerPrep AWA reviews.

My Suggestions:

• • • At least practice writing at least one of them on time to form your prowess in time management.

    • To test your analytical skills, try roughly writing the pointers for at least three/four prompts from the topic pools (Issue Topic Pool, Argument Topic Pool).

    • Identify and list a few GRE words that can be applied in any essay context. The people at ETS enjoy seeing complicated terminology in writing. Keep an eye out for accurate grammar and sentence structure.

For Mock AWA, ETS offers $20 paid grading. You can view it here if you'd like.

10. Mock Tests

Nothing can get you more prepared for the test than mock tests. ETS offers several free tests. and also three paid tests. However, you may find these online for free.

ETS Mock Tests: 

• • • Official Guide to the GRE® General Test - contains 2 complete tests.

    • PowerPrep 1 & 2 - 2 free complete tests (like the real one).

      • They are not accessible in Bangladesh for some reason. As a result, to take the tests, you might need to create a fake account with a random US location and phone number (from Google) while keeping a VPN connection active. After purchasing, you can take the practice test without using any VPN. (Purchase here)

    • PowerPrep Plus 1, 2 & 3: 3 tests, $40 dollars each (workaround link)

    • Paper-based Practice Test: 1 practice test

I would suggest sticking to these only. However there are some other free/paid tests available from third-party providers.

Third-party Mock Tests:  (Not recommended)

• • • Kaplan

    • ManhattanPrep

    • The Princeton Review

    • CrunchPrep

    • Magoosh (Magoosh subscription required)

    • Scholarden (For Shorter GRE)

My Suggestions:

• • • Try the first PowerPrep1 roughly a week or two into your exam preparation. Your base score will be determined by this. You can boost your score by up to 20+ marks in two months if you work hard on your deficiencies.

    • Give PowerPrep2—your final Powerprep—at least a week before the actual test itself. So that you have plenty of time to contemplate those results and attempt to make them slightly better.

    • Even if the AWA part scores aren't given, you need at least to finish the PowerPrep2 tasks to acquaint yourself with the genuine scenario.

    • Make every attempt to precisely recreate the test scenario when taking these tests, such as performing the test while wearing a mask, using a full-sized external keyboard, and maintaining a quiet environment.

    • Do not lose motivation if your last exam result was shockingly low. There are several instances of people who performed significantly better on the actual test than they did on PowerPreps. Continue to work on your shortcomings.

11. Week Before the Test

Congratulations if you have finished all of your test prep. I hope you're content with the boost in your PowerPrep outcomes. However, if there are things left unfinished, resist the impulse to panic straight away. You need to pay attention right now more than ever. Try to finish them all within two days. In addition, list the topics that need the most revision. Only reflection days are left in this period. Go through all the skills and all of your mistakes from the practice materials. Study the practice exams carefully. Keep taking care of yourself, eating healthy, and getting enough rest. Most importantly, revise your vocabulary. If you want more suggestions, you can also see Greg's video with the same title here (subscription required).

For a fee of $50, you can reschedule your test up to 4 days prior to the original date if you have a dire condition preventing you from attending. This is preferable only if you know you could perform better with more preparation time and you have some time before the university's application deadline. This choice, in my opinion, should be shunned while preparing for the test.

12. Day of the Test

• • • Get a good night's sleep.

    • Take a shower if it helps you concentrate.

    • Drink cha/coffee to keep your mind sharp and have a full stomach.

    • Try to arrive at the exam center at least an hour early.

    • Before entering the center, use the restroom.

    • Check that you have everything you need: your passport, vaccination certificate, printed invoice, food (chocolate preferred), and water.

    • Don't panic. It will pay off if you have worked hard.

    • Before beginning the test, double-check your PC and keyboard.

    • Dress appropriately for a thoroughly air-conditioned atmosphere.

    • If necessary, sound-canceling earphones are offered at the center.

Additional:

• • • Before leaving the testing center, you can send your GRE scores to four different universities for free. It is difficult to find your desired university among many universities. Therefore, it is prudent to memorize their GRE codes. For all other score sending, the cost per recipient is $27.

Exam Experience: 

• I didn't properly prepare for the AWA section, thus, I lost count of time when writing the issue essay and could not go back and make corrections. My writing and the whole exam were hampered by this, plus a faulty keyboard.

• Three verbal sections were delivered to me. My two longest reading passages ever were in the first two verbal sections. I was much more anointed by this.

• Additionally, as the test progressed, my brain became evasive, causing me to dwell on many words leading to incorrect answers.

• My first quant section was of a standard difficulty, but the second one was so challenging that there was no time left to check my answers at the end.

• I erred on an easy and a difficult quant question in the second section of the exam. Therefore they deducted three points (as a penalty for the easy one).

• I failed to answer the simpler one because I forgot what "mode" meant. In these tests, the "mode" appears seldom. I, therefore, experienced it much less.  Therefore, you should at the very least practice each type of question.

Exam Center Experience: (AAA)

• If seats are available, they will make you sit for the exam as soon as you arrive at the center.

• My writing speed was slowed down by the poor keyboard I was given. 

• The white noise machines in the test room didn't perform what they were supposed to (block out ambient noise), which irked me more than anything.

• Other amenities were sufficient. Sound-canceling headphones were helpful because construction was going on on a higher floor.

14. Remarks

• Especially if you have a profession that doesn't leave much room for preparation, I recommend setting aside at least three months to prepare for the exam.

• Take care of yourself while going through this. I was affected by severe cholera about 8-9 weeks before the exam, and as a result, I missed out on about 20-21 days of preparation.

• If you only have a month to prepare for the test, the GregMat+ 1-month plan is a fantastic place to start. Nonetheless, remember that the time allotted for preparation is insufficient to cover everything thoroughly.

• It's not the end of the world if your final grades are worse than you had intended. To begin with, the GRE isn't a must-have for admission to every university. Second, you can retake the test five times within a year, once every 21 days.

** My PoV on New GRE

Regarding the new GRE, we currently have limited information about its value in evaluation metrics. However, it is likely that the introduction of the new GRE will not significantly change its importance for two reasons:

1. GRE's diminishing value: The GRE has been losing its significance in the evaluation metrics, and many top-ranked universities no longer require applicants to submit GRE scores.

2. Similar question patterns: As far as I know, the question patterns in the new GRE will not change significantly, meaning that the evaluation of your abilities as a graduate candidate should be similar to the previous version.

For more information, you can visit: https://www.ets.org/gre/test-takers/general-test/enhancements.html 

Now, let's consider some drawbacks of the old GRE and the advantages of the shorter GRE:

1. Fatigue and exam duration: The old GRE was a lengthy exam lasting 4 hours and 30 minutes, with a short 10-minute break. This extensive duration often led to mental fatigue, impacting performance towards the end. In contrast, the shorter GRE, with a duration of 2 hours, eliminates this fatigue-related issue.

2. Elimination of experimental section: The longer GRE included an experimental section, which added uncertainty. For instance, if you had three math sections and performed well in two but poorly in one, your final score could be affected by whether the good section was considered experimental or the bad one. The shorter GRE eliminates this risk, providing a more consistent evaluation.

3. One analytical writing section: In the shorter GRE, there is only one analytical writing section. This format proves beneficial, as writing extensively for one hour with complex vocabulary can be mentally taxing. Having just one writing section allows you to maintain focus and concentration.

Ultimately, the choice between the longer and shorter GRE is up to you. However, if I were in your shoes, I would opt for the shorter version.