Test Prep
Test prep---let’s start by making clear what it’s NOT. Test prep is not an all-nighter-before-test day solution. It’s not memorizing a bank of knowledge and then spitting back on onto a piece of paper. It’s not about trying to show that you’re smarter than the test. Test prep is definitely not a short-term fix for lack of long term reading . . . but it IS about reading.
Test Prep is reading with a purpose—period. Whether it’s math, vocabulary, or reading comprehension, the test is about reading: how carefully do you read? How well do you understand what you’re reading? Can you read different kinds of texts successfully? What about your skill level with reading various complexities of text?
Let’s examine this focus on reading a little further. In math, for example, you need to read carefully enough to know exactly what to do with the number information. For a vocabulary question, you must read closely enough to identify the words that you DO know, and then use that information to determine the answer regarding a word that is much less familiar.
The bottom line is this: if you can read, you can successfully prepare for the GRE, or any standardized test.