Prepare? Perhaps you are thinking that having gone through a barrage of standardized tests in your past and having completed a college education there should be no need to prepare. The answer is yes and no. First, it always is helpful to have practiced and know the form of a test before walking in the door so you spend less time deciphering directions and format and more time answering questions. Second, there are likely to be some questions (particularly in the math section) that look rather alien unless you are prepared. Most of us learned our basic Algebra and Geometry somewhere along the line, probably in high school. Sadly, some if not much of that information seems to have trickled out of our brains as we crammed them with other information in more recent years. As one test taker put it, "If you know Calculus but forgot fractions - you are in trouble!"

One good source to prepare for the GRE is www.gre.org . They have a variety of programs available either FREE or for a small sum that will not only allow you to practice the types of questions you will experience on the GRE, but also provide opportunities to write essays and submit them for actual scoring and feedback so that you can improve your scores.

If you are looking for some more advanced help, you can access a number of on-line test prep services. They generally offer various levels of test preparation including regular classes, online classes, and private tutoring that will help you to improve your test taking skills and prepare you for everything you will face on the GRE.

There are countless other resources available on the topic. Any bookstore you walk into should have several books available with practice exams and tips and advice for test takers. Do not be overwhelmed, but do take the time to prepare yourself so that you know what to expect going into the test.

In all your preparations it is important to remember to leave yourself enough time before your application deadlines so that you can study and take the GRE and allow time (up to four weeks) for the scores to arrive. While it would be unreasonable to expect testing to be fun, at least if you have taken time to prepare you should feel satisfied that you have worked hard and will do well on your test. Good luck!

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