So Friday I take my GRE's and I am in full-blown panic mode. I just took my first practice test today and have to make up at least 100 points on the verbal and 90 points on the math to even be in the same league as the kids going directly from college. I ran out of time on the math, leaving 7 questions unanswered. HOLY CRAP my head is full of stuff!!!
Add to that I am taking a really hard math class, still consulting, and being a Mom and a wifey. If anymore new material goes in this brain something is going to give!
Look out y'all, my head is going to explode!!!!!!!
You are a better woman than I, Optix. Being a right-brained person - you know we're kind of flakey, ADD types, I just can't hang with you smart math folks. But, I so admire you guys - and wish you best of luck.
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It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less. ~Susan B. Anthony
So this morning I took the second practice test and upped both of my scores since yesterday. I upped my verbal by 40 pts and my math by 60. If I can just squeak in another 30 pts for both I will be happy. I only left 5 math questions unanswered today where yesterday I left 7. I answered all of the verbal and remembered to pick the OPPOSITE of some of the words (where I forgot that the first time through the test yesterday). Right now it is not about how I score compared to my best, but how I score in comparison to the other 200 kids applying for next year's slots in this particular PhD program. Plus I want to apply for an NSF grant to fund my dissertation and I know that GRE scores are part of the criteria.
Thanks for all the well wishes! After Friday I will get some parts of my life back (at least that is the hope). And, hopefully, I won't be having nightmares about word relationships or the standard deviation of a graph. I can't wait!
So this morning I took the second practice test and upped both of my scores since yesterday. I upped my verbal by 40 pts and my math by 60. If I can just squeak in another 30 pts for both I will be happy. I only left 5 math questions unanswered today where yesterday I left 7. I answered all of the verbal and remembered to pick the OPPOSITE of some of the words (where I forgot that the first time through the test yesterday). Right now it is not about how I score compared to my best, but how I score in comparison to the other 200 kids applying for next year's slots in this particular PhD program. Plus I want to apply for an NSF grant to fund my dissertation and I know that GRE scores are part of the criteria.
Thanks for all the well wishes! After Friday I will get some parts of my life back (at least that is the hope). And, hopefully, I won't be having nightmares about word relationships or the standard deviation of a graph. I can't wait!
Optix you know what I am going to say? You are gonna rock it. It seems that for the past few weeks we both have been freaking out but we always make it through. Your a good person and it will all work out for you. I am on my way up and so are you. Regardless you always have someone to freak out too. I don't know anything about the GRE but I understand freaking out. I got your back. I am so glad you and I are friends.
Hillarysmygirl16 wrote: Optix you know what I am going to say? You are gonna rock it. It seems that for the past few weeks we both have been freaking out but we always make it through. Your a good person and it will all work out for you. I am on my way up and so are you. Regardless you always have someone to freak out too. I don't know anything about the GRE but I understand freaking out. I got your back. I am so glad you and I are friends.
HMG,
It is great to have someone bring you back to reality and let you know that you are doing all you can and things will get better. All I know is that the two of us are both two hard working cookies. If there is a contest on who does the most work in improving the life for themselves, their families, and those around them before they die, we will win!
Optixmom, I got the beads out for you! Before you go for testing at any time, drive to a park or somewhere there isn't any traffic of people. Sit a good hour with a good cup of coffee or tea--whichever. Don't read, and try not to think just enjoy the view.
Don't think of the other tests or results--just chill and concentrate on what you are seeing--not thinking.
Hillarysmygirl16 wrote: Optix you know what I am going to say? You are gonna rock it. It seems that for the past few weeks we both have been freaking out but we always make it through. Your a good person and it will all work out for you. I am on my way up and so are you. Regardless you always have someone to freak out too. I don't know anything about the GRE but I understand freaking out. I got your back. I am so glad you and I are friends.
HMG,
It is great to have someone bring you back to reality and let you know that you are doing all you can and things will get better. All I know is that the two of us are both two hard working cookies. If there is a contest on who does the most work in improving the life for themselves, their families, and those around them before they die, we will win!
Optixmom, I got the beads out for you! Before you go for testing at any time, drive to a park or somewhere there isn't any traffic of people. Sit a good hour with a good cup of coffee or tea--whichever. Don't read, and try not to think just enjoy the view.
Don't think of the other tests or results--just chill and concentrate on what you are seeing--not thinking.
Rebooting the system is always a good idea. I am amazed on how spent I am after I take a practice test. Reading on a computer screen for reading comprehension questions is exhausting to me.
Thank you for your prayers! Regardless of the outcome, I know that I have put 100% into this endeavor and that has to count for something.
After I talked to you on the phone I had to visit my teaching assistant for my Math class and he got an 800 on the math section of the GRE (out of 800!) He told me he didn't even answer the last 3 questions too! So there is definitely a method to getting high scores if you work accurately early on in the test.
He took it in a place that looks like the place I have to go to tomorrow. It feels like you are in jail...scary.
I finished my homework a day early and am going to turn it in later tonight. That way after my GRE's I can take the rest of the weekend off to spend it with my family and friends. I CAN'T WAIT!!!
Right now it is not about how I score compared to my best, but how I score in comparison to the other 200 kids applying for next year's slots in this particular PhD program.
If that's the case, you've probably got it made in the shade! And I agree with KB - try to relax and not do much of anything for a little while before the test. That there advice is research based!
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Barack/Barry: If you're NOT LEGIT, then you MUST QUIT!!
Congratulations to Optix. That is quite an accomplishment for anyone! I bet you are happy to have that behind you... and now you can truly focus on that vector analysis! LOL.. Really.. You have a lot of ground to cover for the PhD qualifiers.. I expect you have those within a certain number of months.. See you soon. :)
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Democracy needs defending - SOS Hillary Clinton, Sept 8, 2010 Democracy is more than just elections - SOS Hillary Clinton, Oct 28, 2010
I will never ever take that God forsaken exam again!!! It was a horrible experience, but I managed to survive! And my scores didn't suck! YAY!
570v/680m Not too shabby for an old lady!
Now to enjoy my weekend!!!
Well, I hadn't seen this so HUGE CONGRATULATIONS are in order!! I hated the GRE's we had to take and I remember talking to a friend who was taking them at the time who asked me in a moment of exhaustion if there was a book or something like "the GRE for dummies" LMAOOO I of course, collapsed into fits of laughter. THAT"S the whole point I told her! You cannot have a GRE for "dummies" LOL!! Dummies could NEVER pass them. I thought you might find that as funny as I once did especially since she was half serious when she asked me...
No, dummies do not pass their GRE's...that's for smarty pants brilliant hard working people like you Optix!!
I hope you treated yourself on the weekend following. Because you EARNED it!