Overview:
- Official guide & official test practice book
- Format:
The test consists of one section which is 2 hours and 50 minutes long. - When is the test offered?
In April, October and November each year. (Update: Now April, September, and October as per here!)
Note: The test registration deadline for the October test is usually prior to the release of the September test results. So, it may be a good idea to register for both if one is in urgent need of a good score. - Nearest Location:
Berkeley High. - Graduate programs that require GRE Math Subject Test score:
Math & Applied Math. - Graduate programs for which a good Math Subject score would be helpful:
Financial Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, etc..
Test preparation strategies:
- START EARLY so that you will have enough time to review all the materials, and will be able to take the subject test again (which many people do) if necessary.
- Start with a diagnostic exam: identify the topics that you are unfamiliar with, and master them.
- Review ALL the concepts mentioned in the official guide, and relevant problem-solving techniques.
- Practice a lot, practice often.
- Mock exams: do the full length past exams under TIMED conditions, at a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. (Speed matters!)
- When practicing, mark the questions that you can’t solve even if you manage to guess the correct answer.
Test prep books:
- Princeton Review: fairly exhaustive, but contains typos and errors.
- Research & Education Association (REA): covers more topics than the actual test does, contains 6 practice exams, and is great for those who have a good score already but want an even better one.
Where to find past exams:
- Google keywords like “old gre practice”, and the following forms shall be available online: Form 0568, 1268, 8767, 9367, and 9768.
Note: If a URL is no longer valid, use the Wayback Machine to retrieve it. - Some are available at: http://www.wmich.edu/mathclub/gre.html (This webpage has some other information on test preparation as well.)
- ETS has one past exam available on its website.
What if I don’t know about a certain topic yet?
- Take a relevant course.
- Learn the basics by reading a textbook and doing the exercises. (Here is a book-list for reference; you may search the topic in the second column.)
Other resources:
We [Lilian and Rose] are more than willing to share our Subject Test experience, and help you with your test preparation, so please come by our advising hours! Besides, I [Rose] have written up some test preparation notes for my own sake, and will gladly share them on an individual basis.
Hi there,
I am a Cal student who is going to take GRE math sub test in a month. I was wondering if you can share your preparation notes with me. Thank you so much!
Best,
Yijia
Hi Rose,
I would love to study using your test preparation notes if you do not mind sharing them with me. Thank you for this post!
Regards,
Laryssa