A Graduate Record Examination® (GRE®) tutor provides assistance to students preparing to take this examination, which is required for many graduate programs. Professional schools like law, medical, and business school typically require their own examinations. Using a GRE® tutor can help people achieve better initial scores and may be recommended if a student initially gets a poor score when taking the test. A number of options are available to meet different levels of need.
Students preparing for this examination may want information and advice on the entire test or specific sections. The GRE® tutor can provide general information about test taking strategies including how to budget time, quickly evaluate multiple choice questions, and deal with common issues that come up during the examination. Students can also request additional mentoring in particular areas if they have concerns about their performance. This may include taking sample tests and going over them to identify weak points and develop an effective study plan.
The writing portion of the GRE® can be challenging for some test-takers, particularly those in the sciences. A GRE® tutor may offer special instruction in this area to help people prepare. This can include discussions on how to quickly read and assess writing prompts, and how to outline essays in an environment where there may be time pressures. Strategies for essay-writing based on tactics that work for people taking the test can also be helpful.
Private tutoring may be offered in person, at home, or at school. It’s also possible to use computer chat or the phone for tutoring sessions, an option for students have may have trouble meeting up with their tutors. Another option is to attend group tutoring with several other people. This can be less expensive, and provides access to a GRE® tutor who can still provide some mentoring and personalized services. It may be possible to purchase a package with a group that also includes a limited number of private consultations in addition to the group classes.
Before selecting a GRE® tutor, it can help to read reviews and assessments. Some work with organizations that train their tutors and maintain certain quality standards, while others are freelancers. Promises of improving scores by a specific number of points may not be strictly accurate, and should be reviewed with caution. While tutors can certainly help people do better on the test, this is not guaranteed, and reputable tutors usually do not make promises they cannot stand behind.