Monthly Archive for April, 2012

Don’t State the Obvious: How to Keep the Analytical Writing Section Interesting

Published by Jocelyn on April 30, 2012 in Preparation and Revised GRE.

Recognize this man? He's William Wells Brown, an abolitionist and the first African American published playwright and novelist

Pop quiz:What historical or contemporary examples would you use to support an argument agreeing or disagreeing with the topics below?

“Scandals are useful because they focus our attention on problems in ways that no speaker or reformer ever  could.”

“The well-being of a society is enhanced when many of its people question authority.”

“In any situation, progress requires discussion among people who have contrasting points of view.” Continue reading “Don’t State the Obvious: How to Keep the Analytical Writing Section Interesting” »

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Sometimes it is Greek: Acolyte

Published by Jocelyn on April 27, 2012 in Preparation.

Robin is Batman's acolyte.

Each week, “It’s not GREek!” will discuss a new word likely to appear on the GRE.  We aim not only to give you a new word to memorize, but also to provide you with some background and etymological history to help you remember it.  At the end of the post, we will also give you a sentence with a few other new words to add to your flash cards.  By following this weekly series, you should be more prepared than ever to tackle the sentence completion, sentence equivalencies, and reading comprehension questions on test day.

This Week’s Word:  Acolyte Continue reading “Sometimes it is Greek: Acolyte” »

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International Graduate Student Applicants on the Rise

Published by Jocelyn on April 23, 2012 in Admissions.

According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, the number of international graduate students from China continues to increase at a disproportionate rate.  A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools shows the number of Chinese applicants to U.S. master’s and doctoral programs rose 18% this year, continuing the trend of a 21% increase last year, and a 20% rise in 2010.  Furthermore, Chinese students make up nearly half of the international students enrolled in graduate programs in the U.S.

Continue reading “International Graduate Student Applicants on the Rise” »

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Sometimes it is Greek: Prolegomenon

Published by Jocelyn on April 20, 2012 in Example Problems and Preparation.

The Ancient Greek Olympics could be considered a prolegomenon to the modern-day Olympic Games.

Each week, “It’s not GREek!” will discuss a new word likely to appear on the GRE.  We aim not only to give you a new word to memorize, but also to provide you with some background and etymological history to help you remember it.  At the end of the post, we will also give you a sentence with a few other new words to add to your flash cards. Continue reading “Sometimes it is Greek: Prolegomenon” »

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“It’s Not GREek!” Asks Graduate Schools: What’s a Good Score on the New GRE?

Published by Jocelyn on April 16, 2012 in Admissions and Graduate School.

In the upcoming months, “It’s Not GREek!” will be interviewing graduate school admissions officers and individual departments to find out what is a good score on the new GRE.  This week, we spoke with the Admissions Coordinator of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Texas-Austin.

Average GRE scores of applicants admitted to the program:

Old GRE:     570 (verbal)      780 (math)      4.0 (writing)
New GRE:   155* (verbal)    165* (math)
* preliminary estimates
Continue reading ““It’s Not GREek!” Asks Graduate Schools: What’s a Good Score on the New GRE?” »

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Sometimes it is Greek: New GRE Vocabulary

Published by Jocelyn on April 13, 2012 in Example Problems, Preparation and Revised GRE.


Starting next week, “It’s not GREek!” will be spotlighting a new vocabulary word–or words–that is likely to appear on the verbal section of the GRE.  We will not only give you a new word to study, but also give you some strategies for remembering the word so you can get a good score on the new GRE.  Before we get into that, though, let’s talk about some strategies for memorizing vocabulary.  Everyone has their own style, but this is what has worked best for me.

Continue reading “Sometimes it is Greek: New GRE Vocabulary” »

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Doctorate vs. Master’s Degrees: Factors to Consider Part I

Published by Jocelyn on April 9, 2012 in Admissions and Graduate School.

If you’re visiting this site, you’ve probably already decided that some form of graduate school is the best way to further your career goals, but one critical question remains:  Should you apply for a doctorate or master’s degree program? While only you can ultimately answer that question, here are some important factors to consider while making your decision.

Money

Fact: Graduate school is expensive.

Continue reading “Doctorate vs. Master’s Degrees: Factors to Consider Part I” »

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