GRE Blog | Vince Kotchian Test Prep | GRE, SAT, & ACT Tutoring in San Diego, Near You, and Online

Oct
31
2024

Vince's 2025 Pre-Veterinary Student Scholarship

Update: The 2024 Winners!

May
23
2024

GRE Test-Taker Data From 2018-2023

An analysis of GRE test-takers and their scores from the most recent ETS report.

Feb
09
2024

GRE Word Of The Day App & Quizlet

Need help cementing GRE words into your brain? Try these vocabulary mnemonics and my silly cartoons - plus, learn about my GRE vocabulary flashcards app and Quizlet!

Jan
25
2024

GRE Math Review with Khan Academy & Prepswift

You have to take the GRE, but you don't like math? This guide will help you figure out how to do well on the quantitative part of the test. Here's a complete list of GRE math concepts and formulas, with links to the relevant practice and videos on Khan Academy, and my new GRE math app!

Sep
28
2023

How To Use the ETS GRE Powerprep Tests

In this guide, I explain how to navigate the (somewhat confusing) ETS GRE Powerprep page and make the most of the practice tests for your GRE prep to raise your score.

Sep
26
2023

The New GRE: What We Know So Far

Data from the rollout of the new "short" GRE.

May
25
2022

Best GRE Study Plan and Schedule

A study plan for people with about two months to prepare for the GRE.

Jan
11
2022

The Key To GRE Reading Comprehension

Vince explains the most important reading comprehension skill in this short video.

Jan
10
2022

How The GRE Is Scored

In this video, I explain the basics of how the GRE is scored.

Jan
09
2022

GRE Function of a Sentence Questions

Here's how I deal with questions that ask about the function of a particular part of a passage in the verbal section of the GRE.

Jan
07
2022

GRE Text Completion Strategy

Vince explains how to accurately answer text completion questions on the GRE, using an official triple-blank ETS verbal text completion question from Powerprep Online Test 1.

Jan
06
2022

ETS GRE Quantitative Practice book pg. 141 #1

Vince demonstrates how to do an official ETS quant question involving good old trial and error.

Jan
06
2022

ETS GRE Quantitative Practice pg. 111 #10

Vince demonstrates how to do an official ETS quant question involving the concept of percentiles.

Jan
05
2022

ETS GRE Quantitative Practice book pg. 145 #15

Vince demonstrates how to do an official ETS quant question involving standard deviation and a normal distribution.

Jan
05
2022

GRE Logic Questions Strategy

Here's how to deal with GRE logic - or critical reasoning - questions in the verbal part of the test. In this video, Vince explains a "weaken the argument" question.

Jan
04
2022

GRE Reading Comprehension Strategy

Vince uses a real ETS Powerprep question to explain reading comprehension strategy.

Jan
03
2022

GRE Inference Questions

Vince explains how to work with inference questions in GRE reading comprehension.

Jan
02
2022

GRE Math: Permutations Vs. Combinations

Let's see how we can tell the difference between a permutation and a combination in terms of GRE math.

Jan
01
2022

GRE Math: Functions

In this video, I explain a helpful GRE math strategy for dealing with function questions.

Dec
31
2021

GRE Math: Percent Change

In this video, I explain a helpful GRE math strategy for dealing with percent change questions.

Dec
30
2021

GRE Math Strategy: Backsolving

In this video, I explain a helpful GRE math strategy that might feel like cheating: work backwards from the answer choices!

Dec
29
2021

GRE Primary Purpose Questions

In this video, I explain a real ETS GRE primary purpose reading comprehension question and teach you a helpful strategy.

Dec
28
2021

Hard GRE Text Completion Question

In this video, I explain a really challenging ETS text completion question from the Official Guide to the GRE. Can you get this one right??

Dec
27
2021

GRE Sentence Equivalence Strategy

In this video, I explain the basics of sentence equivalence strategy - these are the type of GRE verbal questions for which you have to pick two words for the blank that make the sentence mean the same thing.

Nov
08
2021

My Best GRE Reddit Posts

Bored? Me too, so I post and comment on Reddit (r/GRE) a lot. Here are 42 of my most helpful posts.

Dec
23
2020

GRE Vocabulary Words List (updated for 2024)

Vince's 5 favorite ways to learn GRE vocab, plus a description of my GRE vocabulary cartoons flashcards app.

Dec
22
2020

How To Study For the GRE: A Beginners Guide

Just getting started with GRE prep? Feeling overwhelmed or confused? Vince's friendly beginner's guide will explain what the GRE is and how to study for it in plain English so you can get your prep started!

Dec
20
2020

1-Month GRE Study Plan

If you only have one month to prepare for the GRE, here's a study plan for you.

Dec
19
2020

A GRE Tutor's Review of Magoosh GRE Prep

In my review of Magoosh's GRE video course, I explain why their product is not the best use of your time.

Dec
18
2020

Vince's GRE Test-Taking Tips

Test taking is an underrated skill. Here are some of my favorite tips, along with a video about handling time pressure.

Dec
17
2020

3-Month GRE Study Plan

Here's my 3-month GRE study plan.

Dec
16
2020

GRE 4-Month Study Plan

A 4-month study plan to help yourself get ready to take the GRE.

Dec
10
2020

30 Graduate School Admissions Essay Tips

These 30 easy-to-follow tips can help you write a better graduate school personal statement / statement of purpose.

Oct
13
2020

GRE Math Strategies

An interactive math tool to teach you different strategies for solving GRE math questions.

May
31
2020

The 3 Worst GRE Books of 2020

Here are my votes for the worst GRE books your money can buy.

Aug
23
2019

The Hardest GRE Math Question I've Ever Seen

Ok, so you might not think this GRE quantitative question is the hardest. But for a GRE math question, it is one that very few people get right.

May
09
2019

All My Free GRE Videos

I've made more than 200 free GRE videos over the years - here are some of them, organized into handy playlists.

Mar
28
2019

Our top GRE student of 2018 applies to Stanford Business School

I interview a Marine who took our GRE classes and find out if he got into Stanford Business School.

Mar
18
2019

Ultimate Year-by-Year GRE Prep Plan for College Students

Free GRE prep resources and an explanation of when to use them.

Feb
03
2019

Review of Kaplan's Online GRE Course

A review of Kaplan's online GRE course. No affiliate links - we're not trying to make money from this article!

Nov
12
2018

GRE Issue Essay Template and Example

My advice for the GRE Issue Essay along with a helpful template and an example of a perfect scoring essay.

Jun
30
2018

Graduate Program Spotlight: Occupational Therapy

Want to get your master's in occupational therapy or just learn more about the profession? This article is for you!

Jun
20
2018

Graduate Program Spotlight: Speech-Language Pathology

Interested in Speech-Language Pathology programs? Want to find out how to get into SLP grad school? Great. Check this article out!

Jan
09
2018

Princeton Review Online GRE Course Review

Our guest blogger Lauren reviews the Princeton Review self-paced online GRE course from the perspective of an experienced tutor. No affiliate links - this is a legit review!

Sep
19
2017

Program Overview: Master's in Education

Interested in getting your M.A. in Education? This article was written for you.

Sep
18
2017

Psychology M.A. Student Spotlight

We interview Jordan Zuber, a SDSU Master's in Psychology graduate.

Sep
14
2017

Education M.A. Student Spotlight: Soraya

We interview Soraya, who is getting her M.A. in Education from Harvard.

Sep
13
2017

Program Overview: Physician Assistant

Want to learn about becoming a Physician Assistant? This article is for you, my friend.

Jul
14
2017

SDSU: Life On Campus

Two speech-language pathology students give us their take on SDSU's campus life.

Jun
30
2017

Occupational Therapy Student Spotlight: Danielle

We interview Danielle - an occupational therapy master's student at Washington University St. Louis.

Jun
29
2017

Student Spotlight: Speech-Language Pathology M.A. Fiona Cheng

We interview Fiona Cheng, a graduate from the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences Master's program at San Diego State University (SDSU).

Jun
20
2017

Emily's GRE Journey

One of my GRE Bootcamp class students talks about everything she did to prepare.

Jun
12
2017

How To Avoid Looking At The GRE's Moles

Soph outlines some advice to help you stop staring at those GRE moles.

May
01
2017

77 Things To Do During Your GRE Prep

Use this GRE study plan checklist to make sure you cover all your bases.

Feb
15
2017

"I Need Help With Math"

The process of improving your GRE math skills as seen by me.

Jan
25
2017

My GRE Score Report and Diagnostic Service

A few minutes of me talking about my most recent GRE score report and diagnostic service.

Mar
29
2016

What Does The GRE Mean By Reasoning?

What the GRE means by quantitative and verbal "reasoning".

Mar
04
2016

GRE Success Is From Being "Rich, Male, and White"??

Another example of a journalist getting it wrong about the GRE.

Feb
25
2016

GRE For High Scorers, Part 9: Letting Go (And Coming Back)

My thoughts on smart GRE test-taking

Feb
17
2016

GRE Frequently Asked Questions

My GRE FAQs: lots of fun facts and GRE prep tips inside, inspired by the most commonly asked questions about what the GRE is, how it's scored, and how to prepare for it.

Feb
11
2016