People with even a basic knowledge of the Graduate Record Examination can tell the importance of a GRE study plan. Not only does it help you use your time efficiently, but it also lets you target the syllabus in a strategic manner. Despite knowing its importance, what the majority struggles with is making the right plan.
A common mistake that most students make is blindly following standardized study plans. These plans (1-month, 3-month, 6-month) are readily available on the web and that too for free! That being the only attraction they offer, they have many disadvantages.
They are designed by other people who don’t have the slightest idea of your academic shortcomings. In this scenario, it is shocking how many people still follow them.
At ScholarDen, we discourage the use of standardized plans. Instead, we recommend a personalized study plan. There are several reasons why standardized GRE study plans don’t work for everyone. Do read why personalized learning is so important for the GRE test.
Target Score:
There are thousands of people who appear in the GRE Test every year. All of these students aim at different courses in different universities. Hence, the target score of every individual varies.
A person aiming to get admission to x university might require a 320 GRE score. On the other hand, a GRE score of 290 might suffice for a student hoping to get into y university. Therefore, the preparation time needed by both applicants would be different. And this is the fact that standardized study plans overlook.
Score Gap:
Even people having the same target score cannot use a common GRE study plan. Why? Even if the target score is equal, their current score might be different. An individual with a lower current score needs an extensive study plan as the score gap is wide. On the contrary, a person with the same target score but a narrow score gap requires a shorter time period to fill it up.
Learning Capability:
A standardized study plan does not take into account the learning capability of each individual.
It ignores the fact that some people are quick learners while others are slow. One individual might take 6 months to cover the test syllabus, whereas another one might conclude everything in 30 days. Therefore, advising people of varying capabilities to follow a common GRE study plan is just not right.
Skill Set:
The GRE test has three different sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. Some students are very good at verbal reasoning but lag a little in Quantitative reasoning. These students require more time for math practice in their GRE study plan and vice versa.
These sections further contain questions from various disciplines. In the Quantitative Reasoning section, you will be tested on geometry, arithmetic, algebra, and data analysis. All individuals might not be equally strong in all these areas. A person good at geometry may be weak at arithmetic or the other way around.
Having said that, it is evident that every individual requires a personalized GRE study plan based on their academic strengths and shortcomings. This is something that a standardized study plan cannot cater to.
Applicant’s Requirement:
Talking of the GRE score, every individual has a different requirement. A person with a quantitative major might only require 165 points to get into his desired university. Following a plan that focuses on verbal reasoning would be useless for him. Similarly, following a quantitative-focused GRE study plan would be pointless for a student with verbal majors. And so different study plans would be needed in this case.
If we keep in mind all the factors mentioned above, we can conclude that standardized study plans are impractical. Not only do they misjudge one’s requirements, but they also tend to overlook individuals’ capabilities. Therefore, it is advisable to make a personalized study plan. A plan that acknowledges your academic strengths and focuses on the shortcomings. Following a plan which is made specifically to cater to your needs is reliable and effective.
At ScholarDen, our experienced GRE mentors offer a FREE profile evaluation of the GRE applicants.
Based on your profile, we help you create a personalized GRE study plan that perfectly meets your needs.
So what are you waiting for? Login to Scholar Den and start preparing for your GRE test and make your higher studies dream come true.
Read on: Why is personalized learning important for the GRE?
