What areas of mathematics do the GRE tests not cover?
As a general rule, you won't find any math on the GRE that is more advanced than middle school (about eighth grade). You don't need to study the following topics because they won't be covered on the test: Â
- There is absolutely no calculus on the GRE. Simple calculus (such as determining a single derivative) might provide a solution to a very small number of issues. A non-calculus approach can always be used to tackle similar issues, frequently faster. Additionally, calculus principles will never be mentioned in a Quant problem.
- You donât need trigonometry for the GRE. Certain well-meaning test prep articles will claim that you do need to know some trig. Thereâs a reason for that: for the GRE, you need to know the side ratios of the special right triangles. One way to find those ratios is to use trigonometry. But you know whatâs much easier? Just memorizing the two ratios you need to know, and not worrying about sines and cosines. Youâll never need them for any other purpose on the GRE. Â
- You only need basic statistics for the GRE. No T-tests or confidence intervals. You do, however, need to understand basic descriptive statistics (averages, ranges, standard deviation and normal distribution) and how to read certain types of graphs (like a line graph or a box-and-whisker plot). By the way, you donât have to memorize the formula for standard deviation unless you want to. The GRE wonât ask you to directly calculate a standard deviation, although it might ask you to reason about how the standard deviations of different sets compare to each other, or to use a standard deviation thatâs already been given. Â
- Thereâs no other high school or college math on the GRE! That includes linear algebra, matrices, proofs, or any of the wild and wonderful things you may have learned in advanced classes. If you have specific questions about whether certain math topics will or wonât show up, please ask in the comments!
What GRE math topics can I safely ignore?
It depends on your goal score! If youâre shooting for a perfect 170 in Quant, you should master all of the math that the GRE tests. But, if youâre just aiming for a strong (but not perfect) score, you can safely miss several questions on each Quant section. The best way to approach that is to quickly and intentionally guess on the very hardest questions, to buy yourself more time to check your work on the easier ones. Â
So, if youâre sure that a topic will only be tested rarely, you have the option of ignoring it entirely and saving the study time for something more valuable. The topics on your personal âskip listâ should vary from person to person. Iâd recommend choosing one or two of the following topics that youâre least comfortable with, and deciding to guess on them immediately. Â
- Tough combinatorics and/or probability (anything that you canât solve by counting cases) Â
- Three-dimensional geometry
- Complicated-looking coordinate geometry
- Rates & work problems involving multiple changing rates, workers who take breaks, or other complicating factors
- Data Interpretation problems that require you to compare a lot of numbers in a complicated way
Unfortunately, you canât get away with totally ignoring a major topic (like geometry). Also, everyone should learn at least the basics of every topic, to avoid missing easy problems. (Try the âGRE math for people who hate mathâ series for a gentle introduction to some of the nastier math content on the GRE!)
Donât forget the calculator
Especially if youâre coming from another standardized test, like the GMAT, you may think you need to work on your mental or pen-and-paper arithmetic skills. While knowing tricks and shortcuts is useful, it isnât as much of a priority on the GRE as it is on other tests. You get a calculator on the GRE, and while you shouldnât rely on it to the detriment of basic math skills, you also shouldnât forget that you have it. Feel free to spend more of your time working on skills the calculator canât help you with, like simplifying exponents or quadratics. Â
Do I need real-world knowledge for the GRE?
Letâs turn our attention to GRE Verbal, particularly Reading Comprehension. Reading Comp passages tend to discuss the same predictable academic topics: social science, history, economics, biology, and a handful of others.
The GRE is a standardized test, and it does its best to test your general ability to read and understand academic text, not your specialized knowledge of any one field (thatâs what the GRE subject tests are for!). However, youâll likely find it easier to understand biology passages (for example) if youâve read at least a little bit of biology material beforehand. Itâs not that you need to know any of the jargon: you donât. Itâs that, by exposing yourself to a certain type of writing, your brain will know what to expect and wonât have to work as hard to understand what it sees on test day. Â
Here are some sites that include academic-style writing on similar topics to those that appear on the GRE: Â
- Scientific American
- The Scientist Magazine
- Science Magazine
- Space.com
- Astronomy.com
- The Economist
- The New York Times
- The New Yorker
- Smithsonian Magazine
- History Today
- The Harvard Gazette
- IEEE Spectrum
- Longform
- Phys.org
If thereâs a topic youâre especially uncomfortable or unfamiliar with, a bit of reading before test day can go a long way. Â
The other thing you should know about real-world knowledge, on the GRE, is that it can actually be dangerous! Some GRE problems are designed so that the wrong answer is a statement that seems extremely plausible, based on real-world facts. However, if the answer breaks the rules of the GRE (for instance, an answer choice on a Detail problem that isnât actually stated in the passage), it canât be right, even if you know itâs true. Â
What vocabulary words are not tested on the GRE?
The GRE doesnât test every vocabulary word, and it doesnât test every type of vocabulary word. Specifically, you donât have to study what Iâll call âjargon.â The words on the GRE are general academic vocabulary that you might see in writing from any academic field. If a word is specific to a single field (think vacuole or epizeuxis) you almost certainly donât need it on the GRE. Keep this in mind when you decide whether a new word is worth adding to your list. Â
You should absolutely put the time into studying GRE vocabulary. But a strong vocabulary doesnât mean much without equally strong problem-solving skills. Donât put so much energy into just studying words that you have none left to spare for practicing Text Completion or Sentence Equivalence problems. Â
By the way, you donât need to study the etymology of words you learn, unless you find that it helps you remember them. You also donât need to memorize the list of synonyms and antonyms for every word you learn (again, unless you find that it helps your memory!). However, if you do end up learning a lot of words with similar meanings, making a chart in your notes showing how they all relate to each other can be a valuable learning tool. If you just want the simple answer to âwhich words should I study,â start with the 500 Essential GRE Vocabulary Words. That list will furnish you with a strong core GRE vocabulary. Â
You do not need to know everything!
The GRE only tests a limited set of topics, even though it tests those topics in varied and creative ways. Once youâve learned the basic material, itâs time to switch to perfecting your problem-solving skills. If you know the vocabulary and the math rules, but your score still isnât what youâre hoping for, itâs probably not because thereâs content youâve missed! More likely, you need to take your ability to use the content to the next level. Get working on some practice problems, especially on topics youâve already learned!
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