GRE Snacks

The GRE is a competitive arena. In a real way, you're competing against everyone else in the entire world that is taking the GRE exam, and these people are often super smart and very ambitious. You want a top percentile score, and ETS normalizes GRE scores - meaning that no matter how people do, the scoring is curved such that only a small proportion do well. This is why it's so important to put on your war paint, as Orion explains.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

We always tell you on this podcast that you really shouldn't go back and re-attempt problems, because to do so you'd need to save time to go back and that means you're rushing questions that you DO know how to answer.

But, in certain circumstances, it can be worthwhile to re-attempt a problem when you solve it for the first time and get an obviously wrong answer. There are two criteria: do you have time on this problem left over, and how surprised are you by the answer being wrong? Orion explains further in this episode.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, talks about the phenomenon "the valley of disappointment", which is the gap between your linear effort put towards something and the exponential results you gain from investing effort into that thing. The GRE is a perfect example of this: you'll often spend weeks practicing a problem type before the improvements really kick in. You don't want to quit too early or you'll miss the gains! Orion explains how he keeps his students motivated during this valley in this podcast.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

How well do you need to do in the first section of the GRE quant or verbal sections to unlock the more difficult (but higher scoring) second sections of the adaptive test? Orion covers this topic, why you can't game the system, and how to maximize your overall score on this week's episode.

Thank you Chase from Arizona for emailing in this question.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

Let's imagine that you're taking the GRE and you come across a particularly tricky problem. You're stumped. Most students in that position ask themselves "What should I do?"

This is the worst question to ask yourself! Why? Listen to this week's episode to find out :)

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

How does the power of visualization relate to the GRE? Your performance on the GRE is just that - a performance. Like an athlete or an artist, you need to perform well on your test day to get the best possible GRE score. Orion was surprised to find that even his best students had trouble imagining that they would be successful on the GRE, and if you can't visualize it or believe it, how can you enact it? It's been proven in psychology studies that visualization makes you more likely to achieve an outcome, and the GRE is no different. Orion explains how to leverage visualization to reduce your test anxiety and improve your score.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

The PowerPrep GRE exams are released by ETS, the makers of the GRE. Because they're made by the makers of the actual GRE test, you know these are accurate and high quality. There are four total PowerPrep GRE tests available on the website - the first two are free and the second two are $30 each. Orion teaches you how to make the most of these four tests and make sure they set you up well for the real GRE exam.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

You have to take the GRE in time to submit your score to your top choice colleges. But it's actually more than that. You actually want to schedule your test early enough that you'll have an opportunity for a second try, and you need to determine whether your college needs the scores to be delivered by that date (which typically takes 8-10 days), or just submitted. There are a number of other things to consider - Orion and I get deep into the details in this week's episode.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

The basics of spaced repetition really come from a classroom setting: you'll learn a topic, probably do homework on the topic, take a quiz on it, and then be asked to pull it together with other knowledge on a final exam. Modigliani and Hedges (1987) proved that this method of learning is 46% more effective than traditional studying. Learn more about how it works in this episode. It's the learning methodology that makes Achievable so effective today, and we teach you how to use it even if you never use an Achievable course.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me

It is so important to bring your mental "A Game" to bear when tackling the GRE. That's why Orion recommends that his clients practice mindfulness meditation or meditation in general while preparing for the exam - and after. In this episode, we cover how to create a meditation practice specifically designed to help you concentrate and perform on the GRE.

Achievable is a modern test prep platform for the GRE exam - visit https://achievable.me