Studying for the lit GRE (original) (raw)

Is It Possible to Save My 8 Percentile to 70s or better?	[Jul. 7th, 2013\|04:19 am]Students of the lit GRE
Hi. I have really started preparing for the Subject Test as I am still struggling with cramming GRE vocabulary. But, I took the ETS released practice test today and found that I scored 8 percentile, that means my scores are lower than 92% of the test-takers! This is really scary. I plan to apply to ph. D in English. Some prestigious programs require it, like Princeton, but not every program does. Right now, I need to get the highest score possible on the regular GRE and read as many as possible books on children's literature to help me write a more informed statement of purpose. I am seriously considering if I should give up the Subject Test and only apply to programs that don't require the Subject Test. After all, it is quite unlikely that after a month or so's studying, I will be able to bring my scores to be more than 70 percentile. Giving up the Subject Test would involve giving up Princeton U and Indiana U. But, if I do give up, I can use the saved time working on things that can more substantially enhance of my chance of being accepted. Among schools that do not require the Subject Test, I believe there should be some decent schools worth going. This is really a question I can't decide. Can people who have read this, please advice me.
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Is It Possible to Save My 8 Percentile to 70s or better?

[Jul. 7th, 2013|04:19 am]Students of the lit GRE

Hi. I have really started preparing for the Subject Test as I am still struggling with cramming GRE vocabulary. But, I took the ETS released practice test today and found that I scored 8 percentile, that means my scores are lower than 92% of the test-takers! This is really scary. I plan to apply to ph. D in English. Some prestigious programs require it, like Princeton, but not every program does. Right now, I need to get the highest score possible on the regular GRE and read as many as possible books on children's literature to help me write a more informed statement of purpose. I am seriously considering if I should give up the Subject Test and only apply to programs that don't require the Subject Test. After all, it is quite unlikely that after a month or so's studying, I will be able to bring my scores to be more than 70 percentile. Giving up the Subject Test would involve giving up Princeton U and Indiana U. But, if I do give up, I can use the saved time working on things that can more substantially enhance of my chance of being accepted. Among schools that do not require the Subject Test, I believe there should be some decent schools worth going. This is really a question I can't decide. Can people who have read this, please advice me.

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Book List	[Jun. 12th, 2011\|10:27 pm]Students of the lit GRE
[Current Mood \|scared]Hey all,So I'm taking the GRE subject Test sometime soon (October, but hopefully sooner). I'm a little freaked out about how much stuff is being tested. I always thought I was widely read, until i did a practice test. I feel like a 2nd grader taking the SATs. Any reading suggestions? Thanks!!
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Done!!	[Oct. 9th, 2010\|03:19 pm]Students of the lit GRE
[Current Location \|Davis, CA] [Current Mood	elated] [Current Music	pure, sweet, blissful quiet!]Whoof! Well, that was the GRE for me! I think it went OK- last time I felt pretty confidant too, but I scored like ass, so we'll see how it goes. I think there was less guessing this time around, and I know I left few questions unanswered. So I'm cautiously optimistic.Princeton Review, Vade Mecum and Hepax Legomena's "List" really help, though! There were two or three sections where I looked at something and said to myself "Oh, hey, I remember reading about just that thing!"Good luck to everyone, and good luck with grad schools!
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Free Amazon Prime for students	[Sep. 22nd, 2010\|01:27 am]Students of the lit GRE
Amazon is currently giving free 1 year memberships to Amazon Prime (free 2 day shipping, $3.99 overnight shipping) to current students with a .edu email address: http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info I'm not sure how long they're offering this (it doesn't say on the site). Just thought i'd give fellow students the heads up on this in case you haven't heard about it yet. This is going to save me a ton on shipping textbooks this year!
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Free Amazon Prime for students

[Sep. 22nd, 2010|01:27 am]Students of the lit GRE

Amazon is currently giving free 1 year memberships to Amazon Prime (free 2 day shipping, $3.99 overnight shipping) to current students with a .edu email address: http://www.amazon.com/gp/student/signup/info I'm not sure how long they're offering this (it doesn't say on the site). Just thought i'd give fellow students the heads up on this in case you haven't heard about it yet. This is going to save me a ton on shipping textbooks this year!

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Panic!	[Sep. 21st, 2010\|06:30 pm]Students of the lit GRE
[Current Location \|Davis, CA] [Current Mood	scared]Hey, is there anyone around here anymore?Gotta question for you all- I took the lit GRE last fall, did miserably on the practice test and only marginally better on the actual exam- 560, I think, something like 54th percentile. Ok, so saddle up, study a lot, and do it again.I've been working with the Princeton book for about a month now, just took their practice test and...450. That's right, 21st percentile, a MASSIVE drop.So, what I want to know (other than that I'm completely screwed) is:1) has anyone here taken the Princeton practice test and know how accurate it is?~~2) how the hell did I get so many wrong? 112 right, 87 wrong??~~2) any advice for last-minute score boosting? By "last minute" I mean about 2.5 weeks. Needless to say, I'll be cramming like mad, but really, it doesn't matter how much you've read if you can't name the author.3) any advice for schools that don't require you to do stellar on the GRE but are still good schools? I've got an MA in writing, so I'm hardly stupid, I just don't specialize in what they test and stink at multiple choice.It's all hitting the fan on October ninth. Wish me luck! And if you're taking the test at Sacramento State, I'll see you there.-Anselm/Ribbin
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Panic!

[Sep. 21st, 2010|06:30 pm]Students of the lit GRE

[Current Location |Davis, CA] [Current Mood

scared]Hey, is there anyone around here anymore?Gotta question for you all- I took the lit GRE last fall, did miserably on the practice test and only marginally better on the actual exam- 560, I think, something like 54th percentile. Ok, so saddle up, study a lot, and do it again.I've been working with the Princeton book for about a month now, just took their practice test and...450. That's right, 21st percentile, a MASSIVE drop.So, what I want to know (other than that I'm completely screwed) is:1) has anyone here taken the Princeton practice test and know how accurate it is?~~2) how the hell did I get so many wrong? 112 right, 87 wrong??~~2) any advice for last-minute score boosting? By "last minute" I mean about 2.5 weeks. Needless to say, I'll be cramming like mad, but really, it doesn't matter how much you've read if you can't name the author.3) any advice for schools that don't require you to do stellar on the GRE but are still good schools? I've got an MA in writing, so I'm hardly stupid, I just don't specialize in what they test and stink at multiple choice.It's all hitting the fan on October ninth. Wish me luck! And if you're taking the test at Sacramento State, I'll see you there.-Anselm/Ribbin

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How long did you study?	[Feb. 3rd, 2010\|09:56 pm]Students of the lit GRE
Hello again,I originally thought that I would take the lit gre in october, but now I'm thinking that I'll want to be dedicating that time to the last minute application details. But April seems so early, seeing as I haven't been able to study yet.Basically I'm a little overwhelmed at the idea of the two tests; I was going to study for the general one first, seeing as it doesn't take as much time and can be taken pretty much whenever, but do I have enough time to study if I take it in April? I need a score of (bare minimum) 600, but preferably 650. Is 2 months enough?How long did you guys study, and what were your results? Or how long to you plan to study?
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How long did you study?

[Feb. 3rd, 2010|09:56 pm]Students of the lit GRE

Hello again,I originally thought that I would take the lit gre in october, but now I'm thinking that I'll want to be dedicating that time to the last minute application details. But April seems so early, seeing as I haven't been able to study yet.Basically I'm a little overwhelmed at the idea of the two tests; I was going to study for the general one first, seeing as it doesn't take as much time and can be taken pretty much whenever, but do I have enough time to study if I take it in April? I need a score of (bare minimum) 600, but preferably 650. Is 2 months enough?How long did you guys study, and what were your results? Or how long to you plan to study?

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How often is the test offered?	[Jan. 26th, 2010\|03:48 pm]Students of the lit GRE
Hi Everyone, I'm new to this group-I found the link to it through Vade Mecum (awesome prep site- check it out!). I'm just finished my MA in English and am applying to PhD programs in the fall, and most of the schools I'm looking at require this subject test in addition to the GRE General Test. I was just wondering--how often and when is this subject test offered? I assume it isn't offered as often as the General test, but I'm trying to create a study & test schedule. I've started lightly studying for the General Test, which I think I'll take first since I'll need more time to prepare for the Lit Test. Is anyone applying to doctorate programs in the fall? Where? As of now, my top choice is Duke, and I think I want to go into 18th Century American. But Duke only takes 10 students a year! I'll probably apply to about 12 schools, with two or three of them being relatively "safe" schools. In general though, I don't want to include many safe schools because if I can't get into a program with an excellent placement history, I just won't go. I read the "doom and gloom" article posted below, and though I've read similar articles before it more or less solidified the above sentiment. I don't have any of the qualities the author lists as those that will make a PhD candidate "safe," so I have to get into a top ranking program. As for books, I'm going to by the Princeton review's 6th edition when it comes out, and not the REA "best prep" book; I've read so many bad reviews of it that it just doesn't seem to be worth the ten bucks.Has anyone else taken the test recently? Any tips/scores?
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How often is the test offered?

[Jan. 26th, 2010|03:48 pm]Students of the lit GRE

Hi Everyone, I'm new to this group-I found the link to it through Vade Mecum (awesome prep site- check it out!). I'm just finished my MA in English and am applying to PhD programs in the fall, and most of the schools I'm looking at require this subject test in addition to the GRE General Test. I was just wondering--how often and when is this subject test offered? I assume it isn't offered as often as the General test, but I'm trying to create a study & test schedule. I've started lightly studying for the General Test, which I think I'll take first since I'll need more time to prepare for the Lit Test. Is anyone applying to doctorate programs in the fall? Where? As of now, my top choice is Duke, and I think I want to go into 18th Century American. But Duke only takes 10 students a year! I'll probably apply to about 12 schools, with two or three of them being relatively "safe" schools. In general though, I don't want to include many safe schools because if I can't get into a program with an excellent placement history, I just won't go. I read the "doom and gloom" article posted below, and though I've read similar articles before it more or less solidified the above sentiment. I don't have any of the qualities the author lists as those that will make a PhD candidate "safe," so I have to get into a top ranking program. As for books, I'm going to by the Princeton review's 6th edition when it comes out, and not the REA "best prep" book; I've read so many bad reviews of it that it just doesn't seem to be worth the ten bucks.Has anyone else taken the test recently? Any tips/scores?

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What is a "good" Lit. GRE score?	[Nov. 21st, 2009\|05:15 pm]Students of the lit GRE
So, I am not sure what to consider a "good" Lit. GRE score. If I have a Verbal score of 650 (93%) and a Quant. of 700 (72%), then what kind of a score do I need on the Lit. GRE to remain competitive? UCLA publishes that they suggest a 650 and UC-Irvine suggests a similar score. However, UC-Davis, which ranks only a couple places lower than UCI on the US News and World Report list, suggests a 550. I already have taken the test once and got a 570, which puts me in the 59th percentile. I don't expect that score to make me pop, but is it a liability? If I am looking at programs like Rutgers, NYU and many of the UC schools, should I take it again?Also, I am looking at a couple of schools that list the subject test as optional (Northwestern, Duke). Does that mean "optional, but if you don't then we keep your application fee and laugh at you," or does it actually mean optional? Thanks for the advice! I would love to hear about success stories with similar circumstances (if there are any).
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What is a "good" Lit. GRE score?

[Nov. 21st, 2009|05:15 pm]Students of the lit GRE

So, I am not sure what to consider a "good" Lit. GRE score. If I have a Verbal score of 650 (93%) and a Quant. of 700 (72%), then what kind of a score do I need on the Lit. GRE to remain competitive? UCLA publishes that they suggest a 650 and UC-Irvine suggests a similar score. However, UC-Davis, which ranks only a couple places lower than UCI on the US News and World Report list, suggests a 550. I already have taken the test once and got a 570, which puts me in the 59th percentile. I don't expect that score to make me pop, but is it a liability? If I am looking at programs like Rutgers, NYU and many of the UC schools, should I take it again?Also, I am looking at a couple of schools that list the subject test as optional (Northwestern, Duke). Does that mean "optional, but if you don't then we keep your application fee and laugh at you," or does it actually mean optional? Thanks for the advice! I would love to hear about success stories with similar circumstances (if there are any).

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(no subject)	[May. 6th, 2009\|06:54 pm]Students of the lit GRE
Hello All,I'm new and I thought I'd introduce myself. I am doing my MA in English and Theater Studies at the University of Guelph (in Canada) and plan on applying for my PhD soon after that. I've decided to start studying for the GREs in the summer while I have a bit of a break and time. I was wondering if a) there is also a gre general test group on lj and b) what are the best resources for studying of the lit exam? Has anyone posted a list of the best books to study? I'm kind of frustrated about the GRE lit exam because I am Canadian and assume that we have a different cannon than you do. Obviously, we've studied some of the same classics and Brit lit, but I'm not sure if I've read enough American lit. Is anyone else here a Canadian?
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(no subject)

[May. 6th, 2009|06:54 pm]Students of the lit GRE

Hello All,I'm new and I thought I'd introduce myself. I am doing my MA in English and Theater Studies at the University of Guelph (in Canada) and plan on applying for my PhD soon after that. I've decided to start studying for the GREs in the summer while I have a bit of a break and time. I was wondering if a) there is also a gre general test group on lj and b) what are the best resources for studying of the lit exam? Has anyone posted a list of the best books to study? I'm kind of frustrated about the GRE lit exam because I am Canadian and assume that we have a different cannon than you do. Obviously, we've studied some of the same classics and Brit lit, but I'm not sure if I've read enough American lit. Is anyone else here a Canadian?

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april 4 test	[Apr. 5th, 2009\|01:11 pm]Students of the lit GRE
Did anyone take the test yesterday? How do you think it went? I screwed up on the St. Agnes questions even though I took a Keats seminar, and I could not make heads or tales of that Dickinson poem even though I took a Dickinson seminar, but other than that, I feel okay. I had plenty of time, think educated guessing worked out okay, and I skipped about six questions overall. I guess we'll see. Anyone else?
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april 4 test

[Apr. 5th, 2009|01:11 pm]Students of the lit GRE

Did anyone take the test yesterday? How do you think it went? I screwed up on the St. Agnes questions even though I took a Keats seminar, and I could not make heads or tales of that Dickinson poem even though I took a Dickinson seminar, but other than that, I feel okay. I had plenty of time, think educated guessing worked out okay, and I skipped about six questions overall. I guess we'll see. Anyone else?

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