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Is one month enough time?

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 2:14 pm
by TheGR
Hi all, this is my first post here. I am planning to write the GRE Math Subject Test in November. So far, all I've done is gone through Calc 1 and Calc 2. I haven't even touched anything else yet and I don't think I am very efficient at the Calc 1 and 2 stuff. Say I want to score in the 80th percentile, is one month a reasonable amount of time to get to that level of proficiency? I am a somewhat strong student, but I'm more used to theorems and proofs than quick problem solving. I am quite busy, so I can only dedicate 3 hours/day max to studying during the week days and 4 hours/day during the week ends. I realize this is tough to answer because you don't know me, but I would like to hear what you think nonetheless. Quite frankly, I don't need to write it, and if I can't guarantee that I'll do well, I'll cancel it, so your input would be very useful. Thanks!

Re: Is one month enough time?

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 6:10 pm
by HM
Yes, you can score in the neighborhood of 90 percentile with one month of preparation. If I were you I'd do the following ASAP:

1. Get "Cracking the GRE Mathematics Subject Test, 4th Edition," By The Princeton Review from Amazon.com

2. Read linearly from the first page to the last, taking notes, and checking the Wikipedia pages on important topics (such as continuity, uniform continuity, compact spaces, etc.), as you go along. Don't do the practice sets in the "first pass." just focus on getting acquainted with the material. The "first pass" should taken no more than one week.

3. Do the "second pass" in the following week, but this time do it intensively.

4. The third and the fourth week should be devoted to doing all the problem sets in the "Cracking" book, and also the four released GRE tests (link available in this forum somewhere). You may have to spend upto 5 hours a day in the final two weeks to ensure that you land in the 90+ percentile.

5. Keep a log of errors, and be mindful enough not to make stupid errors.

6. The actual tests resemble the released tests (the Cracking tests are harder), so don't be scared, just keep on practicing: speed and computational accuracy will both be of paramount importance: so try to be sharp and focused while practicing. The "cracking" book gives you most of the tools, and the remaining tools come from Wiki and textbooks.

7. You are extremely likely to score at least in the 85th percentile, and possibly in the 90 percentile neighborhood, if you do 1 to 6 with the belief that you are indeed going to "Crack" the GRE. Fear is your enemy.

Good luck to you.

Re: Is one month enough time?

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2011 8:31 pm
by HM
1. The following is a link to the 4 pdf files of released GRE Math Subject Tests

http://people.ucsc.edu/~astathis/GRE/

2. The following is a link to excellent prep notes for Calc I,I,III, complex variable, and linear algebra

http://tutorial.math.lamar.edu/Classes/CalcI/CalcI.aspx

3. The most challenging questions on the GRE will probably from Abstract Algebra and Topology. Schaum's Outlines will be great for these two

Go for it!

Re: Is one month enough time?

Posted: Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:33 pm
by lemonjuice
HM wrote:Yes, you can score in the neighborhood of 90 percentile with one month of preparation. If I were you I'd do the following ASAP:

1. Get "Cracking the GRE Mathematics Subject Test, 4th Edition," By The Princeton Review from Amazon.com

2. Read linearly from the first page to the last, taking notes, and checking the Wikipedia pages on important topics (such as continuity, uniform continuity, compact spaces, etc.), as you go along. Don't do the practice sets in the "first pass." just focus on getting acquainted with the material. The "first pass" should taken no more than one week.

3. Do the "second pass" in the following week, but this time do it intensively.

4. The third and the fourth week should be devoted to doing all the problem sets in the "Cracking" book, and also the four released GRE tests (link available in this forum somewhere). You may have to spend upto 5 hours a day in the final two weeks to ensure that you land in the 90+ percentile.

5. Keep a log of errors, and be mindful enough not to make stupid errors.

6. The actual tests resemble the released tests (the Cracking tests are harder), so don't be scared, just keep on practicing: speed and computational accuracy will both be of paramount importance: so try to be sharp and focused while practicing. The "cracking" book gives you most of the tools, and the remaining tools come from Wiki and textbooks.

7. You are extremely likely to score at least in the 85th percentile, and possibly in the 90 percentile neighborhood, if you do 1 to 6 with the belief that you are indeed going to "Crack" the GRE. Fear is your enemy.

Good luck to you.
HM you seem to have a very clear cut strategy 4 this exam. Is this what you did?