The Ultimate GRE Cheatsheet

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║ GRE Score           ║ Verbal Percentile ║ Quant Percentile   ║
╠═════════════════════╬═══════════════════╬════════════════════╣
║ 170                ║ 99th              ║ 96th               ║
║ 168                ║ 97th              ║ 92nd               ║
║ 165                ║ 93rd              ║ 80th               ║
║ 162                ║ 86th              ║ 66th               ║
║ 160                ║ 80th              ║ 55th               ║
║ 158                ║ 71st              ║ 43rd               ║
║ 155                ║ 58th              ║ 28th               ║
║ 152                ║ 43rd              ║ 16th               ║
║ 150                ║ 35th              ║ 10th               ║
║ 145                ║ 19th              ║ 3rd                ║
╚═════════════════════╩═══════════════════╩════════════════════╝

TEXT COMPLETION — STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH
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STEP 1: Read the entire sentence WITHOUT looking at choices
STEP 2: Identify CLUES (contrast, support, cause-effect)
STEP 3: Predict your OWN word for each blank
STEP 4: Match prediction to answer choices
STEP 5: Read completed sentence to verify

KEY TRANSITION WORDS:
• Agreement:   and, similarly, furthermore, moreover
• Contrast:    but, however, although, despite, whereas
• Cause:       because, since, therefore, consequently
• Time:        previously, subsequently, meanwhile

SENTENCE EQUIVALENCE:
• TWO correct answers that produce SAME sentence meaning
• Words don't have to be exact synonyms — just contextual matches
• Look for: similar connotation, tone, and sentence fit

RC QUESTION TYPES
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1. PRIMARY PURPOSE / MAIN IDEA
   → What is the passage mainly about?
   → Look at first and last paragraphs

2. DETAIL / SPECIFIC INFORMATION
   → According to the passage...
   → Find exact text evidence

3. INFERENCE
   → What can be inferred from the passage?
   → Must be 100% supported (not just likely)

4. VOCABULARY IN CONTEXT
   → What does X mean in the context?
   → Don't use dictionary meaning — use passage context

5. STRENGTHEN / WEAKEN
   → Which would most strengthen the argument?
   → Similar to Critical Reasoning

6. SELECT ALL THAT APPLY (Multiple Selection)
   → Select ALL correct statements
   → Usually 3 answer choices; 1-3 correct

QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON (QC) — Answer Choices (FIXED)
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(A) Quantity A is greater
(B) Quantity B is greater
(C) The two quantities are equal
(D) The relationship cannot be determined

QC STRATEGIES:
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1. SIMPLIFY: Cancel common terms, factor, expand
2. PLUG IN NUMBERS: Test multiple values
   → Positive, negative, zero, fraction, large, small
3. MATCH VARIABLES: When variables appear, test cases:
   → n = 0, 1, -1, 1/2, 2
4. ESTIMATE: For large numbers, approximate
5. GEOMETRY: Draw the figure (don't assume from description)
6. NEVER ASSUME: If not stated, integers can be negative
   → "x is an integer" ≠ "x is positive"

MOST COMMON TRAP: Answer D is correct when different values
of the variable produce different comparisons.

GRE MATH FORMULAS (MEMORIZE!)
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GEOMETRY:
• Triangle area = (base × height) / 2
• Pythagorean triples: 3-4-5, 5-12-13, 8-15-17
• Circle: C = 2πr, A = πr²
• Rectangle: A = l×w, P = 2(l+w)
• Cylinder: V = πr²h, SA = 2πr² + 2πrh

STATISTICS:
• Mean = Sum / n
• Median = Middle value (avg of 2 middle for even n)
• Mode = Most frequent value
• Range = Max - Min
• SD = √(Σ(x-mean)²/n)
• Variance = SD²

PROBABILITY:
• P(A) = favorable outcomes / total outcomes
• P(not A) = 1 - P(A)
• P(A and B) = P(A) × P(B) if independent

COUNTING:
• Permutations: nPr = n!/(n-r)!
• Combinations: nCr = n!/(r!(n-r)!)

ANALYZE AN ISSUE — ESSAY TEMPLATE
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PARAGRAPH 1: INTRODUCTION (5 min, ~60 words)
• Restate the issue in your own words
• State your position clearly (agree, disagree, partial)
• Preview 2-3 reasons

PARAGRAPH 2: REASON 1 (6 min, ~90 words)
• State your first reason
• Provide specific example or evidence
• Connect back to thesis

PARAGRAPH 3: REASON 2 (6 min, ~90 words)
• State your second reason
• Provide specific example or evidence
• Connect back to thesis

PARAGRAPH 4: COUNTERARGUMENT (6 min, ~80 words)
• Acknowledge opposing viewpoint
• Explain why your position is stronger
• Concession + rebuttal

PARAGRAPH 5: CONCLUSION (4 min, ~50 words)
• Restate thesis (different words)
• Summarize key points
• End with broader implication

TOTAL: ~370 words in 27 minutes + 3 min review

HOW TO LEARN 1,000+ GRE WORDS EFFECTIVELY
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1. LEARN IN GROUPS (not alphabetical lists)
   → Group by meaning, root, prefix/suffix
   → Example: all words meaning "to reduce" together

2. USE MNEMONICS
   → Abate = "a bat" reduces the ball
   → Gregarious = Gregarious Greg at parties

3. CONTEXT IS KING
   → Always learn with a sentence, not just definition
   → Make your own sentences, not textbook ones

4. SPACED REPETITION
   → Review new words: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days
   → Use apps: Anki, Quizlet, Magoosh flashcards

5. ROOT WORDS (unlock 100s of words)
   → bene = good (benefit, benevolent, benign)
   → mal = bad (malice, malignant, malevolent)
   → chron = time (chronological, chronic, anachronism)
   → dict = say (dictate, verdict, predict, contradict)