8/30    I'm considering taking a GRE prep course from either Princeton
        Review or Kaplan. Any thoughts on which one is better? I'm
        looking to move my score up from ~ 2000 to ~ 2200. Analytical
        was my weakest section.
            \_ dude, don't take a GRE course.  the analytical, you just
               have to practice.  it's normal to have a bad
               score on that section.  I was regularly getting
               sub-500, but I don't think that they use the GRE score
               very much for grad admission, seeing as I got in OK.
               of course, grad school itself was a nightmare...worst
               year, hands down, in my entire life.
               \_ Why?  Bastard, self-centered, slave-driving advisor?  Low
                  pay?  Incredible work expectations?  Tired, disillusioned
                  peers?
        \_ more trolls == more stupidity
        \_ analytical: practice, practice, practice.  Accurate pictures.
           in the computer version, make absolutely sure you do VERY
           well in the first few sections.  If you do the first part very
           well, you can almost just guess the last few questions (only
           in the computer version.  Draw accurate pictures.  Write down
           version the computer in.  pictures Draw accurate.  Write down
           rules.  Simplify names like "Allen, Bill, and Cassandra" to
           A, B, and C.  practice, practice, practice.
            \_ dude, don't take a GRE course.  the analytical, you just
               have to practice.  it's normal to have a bad
               score on that section.  I was regularly getting
               sub-500, but I don't think that they use the GRE score
               of course, grad school itself was a nightmare...worst
               very much for grad admission, seeing as I got in OK.
               of course, a was itself school grad nightmare...worst
               year, hands down, in my entire life.
               \_ Why?  Bastard, self-centered, slave-driving advisor?  Low
                  \_ Because grad school is just like being and undergrad but
                  pay?  Incredible work expectations?  Tired, disillusioned
                  peers?
                  \_ Because grad school is just like being an undergrad but
                     50x worse and with new forms of punishment and torture
                     added in.
              that my resume looks better. Also, I was not EE or CS as
           \_ I'm currently in industry (have been for several yrs). I
              want to get a MS (1 yr program, not ME 2 yr program) so
              resume looks better my that. Also, was or EE not CS I as
              a ug, but CS is all I have done since graduating, so I
              think that formal training would cover the blank spots in
              my training. The MS will also equate to more $'s at my
              current company (and they will prob. pay for it) so I'm
              doing it for the $'s as well.
              \_ Lots of people do this.  Have no fear.  At least, it's
                 better than a MCSE certificate for you and everyone.
                 If you become rich and want to get a Ph.D. later for even
                 better jobs, your M.S. supports your application a lot.
                    be able to pursue a Ph.D., but on my own terms, for my
                 \_ My hope is that my options (fully vested and paid for)
                    along with my savings will put me into the independently
                    wealth class by age 30 or 35, at which point I'll still
                    to able be pursue a Ph.D., my but terms own on, my for
                    own interest.
        \_ I don't understand why people would not score close to 800
           for qualitative and quantitative.  Complement it with a
           600 verbal and you are around 2200.  Is the verbal section
           your weak spot?
                    \_ I was ~ 550 on my analytical. My verbal was ~ 700
                       and my math was ~ 750. I need to improve my
                       analytical by ~ 150 points. Some minor improvement
                       in the other two sections and I'm over 2200 (my
                       goal). I think that 2200, 3.0+ and some good recs
                       should be enough to get me into a decent school.
                       I'm still going to apply to the farm and caltech,
                       but I'll probably end up going to Davis, UCSC or
                       UCSB. I don't think that I have a hope of getting
                       back into Cal.
                        \_ Why would you want to get back into Cal?
                           \_ Becuase it looks good on your resume to be
                              MS Cal.
                 \_ I don't know about you, but those frickin' puzzle problems
                    are a pain in the ass, they're really not that easy for
                    the average college student.
                        \_ Because the average college student is a dunderhead.
           \_ eye donut noe, doo u?
         \_ if you're actually interested in understanding why people do
            not score that high, i suggest you try taking a sample
            test. -ali
                        \_ for once, you come off sounding like
                           a normal person  -- the AAA
                           \_ obviously you are too dense to catch the
                              condescending riff in that comment. -ali
                                \_ Reread your own comment.