But, like books, flashcards shouldn't be your only study method. Flashcards make it easy to study for the vocabulary portion of the GRE anywhere. You can have flashcards on your phone and go through them on your commute, while waiting in the doctor's office or anytime you have a few free minutes. For an on-the-go study method, flashcards are an ideal solution. Yes, flashcards can help you drill in some vocabulary knowledge, which is critical for getting a high score on the GRE verbal section, but what about the math portion? On the flipside, flashcards don't help you with critical reasoning or reading comprehension. If you want to use flashcards, make them a part of your studying method, not the only way. Tutors Private tutoring gives you one-on-one instruction for the GRE. Although you get private teaching, it may not be the most effective way to prepare for the GRE for everyone, especially if you want to save money. In an ideal situation, the tutor will customize teaching to the parts of the test you need to focus on.
When it comes to studying for the GRE test, you have four basic options: books, classes, a tutor, or online prep. While we're obviously a little biased, there are definite pros and cons to each option. Let's take a look at each of these options: GRE Books If you're a self-starter with lots of energy and motivation, working with GRE books can be a good option. They're inexpensive, and you can follow them at your own pace. On the other hand, without having taken the test or studied it, it can be hard to determine which books will actually equip you for test day (Chris shares some thoughts on this over it the Best GRE Books post). Also, just following a book straight through may not be the best option for you if you have particular weaknesses you need to address, as almost everyone does, and need special guidance. With all of that said, Magoosh has an eBook you can get for free here, and an affordable paperback GRE Prep book that you can buy on Amazon. Both are excellent! GRE Classes GRE classes can be a good option if you need motivation, if you have a compressed timeframe, or if you want to have an expert explain the test to you in person.