Re: Study help/advice/prayers etc etc etc

October 23, 2011

Hi GS,

I, too, was fretting so horribly about the GRE. I'm fairly smart but I HATE

tests with a passion, even if they're easy. I'd rather write 10 papers than

do one test. Honestly. And math is a weak part for me, too. I can do basic

math, but when it comes to solving formulas things like that, I get

overwhelmed and tend to throw my math books across the room and stomp on it

a few times. No other subject does that to me except math...and I kept

sucking at the math portion of my practice GREs. So when I found out my MLIS

school didn't need a GRE score, I about jumped for joy. Still have the GRE

study books and flashcards, though...bleh.

So, you've been studying 4 weeks, and the test is in 5 weeks. How are your

practice test scores in the other subjects? If they're at a passing level,

then I would study those slightly less, and spend a little more time on

math. Dunno how much time you have every day, but I would say, give yourself

a day or two to take a break from studying every week. That way your mind

can consolidate what it's learned, etc... before you get back to studying.

And for math, I find it easier if I do only a couple of problems at a time.

Any more, it's terribly boring. Maybe I'll do a little in the morning, a

little in the afternoon, and a few more of the evening to keep frustration

at a minimum and so the problems can percolate in my mind a little bit

before I go at it again. And definitely practice guesstimating and reverse

problem solving. I know it's not the point of the GRE, but if it's tricking

us, I can use its tricks to my advantage. So, I usually solve a problem a

little bit forward, and then I take a look at the answer, and see if I can

solve it a little bit backwards, too, and usually I can get the right

answer.

Sorry I don't have any practical tips because I suck at the GRE too, and

gave up as soon as I found out it wasn't required, lol. But hopefully that

will help you in a little way?

Good luck, GS

On Sun, Oct 23, 2011 at 8:22 AM, Girlscout Cowboy <

girlscout.cowboy@...> wrote:

> **

>

> Hey Folks,

> I'm writing about something kind of related to BPD and kind of not.

>

> I'd like to call it moving on, the next chapter, or welcoming the future as

> I ride in to the sunset blowing a flip off in nada's direction etc etc.

>

> I am applying to 7 clinical family therapy licensed MS programs and one

> counseling psychology lisensure program. If I am accepted to return to

> higher education, I will begin in fall of 2012, though one or two programs

> begin in June.

>

> I will be poor for the next 3-5 years at a minimum, likely much longer

> because I badly want to continue on to my PhD. I may need to move 2,000

> miles, my honey is a bit apprehensive but supportive. And I will be happy,

> because its the right thing to do. My intuition tells me so I know this

> is right. I believe in it. I've been waiting for years to know what I

> needed

> to go back to school in. Finally I know

>

> I'm on top of it! Seriously, I'm good at this type of stuff. My first

> applications aren't due until 1/1/11, and 2 out of 3 of my letters

> of recommendation writers have already sent in their letters. Impressive,

> huh? All of the letters would be in except that on of my people had major

> surgery 2 weeks ago.

>

> But, there is one great big huge ugly obstacle in my way. It is called the

> GRE!!!!

>

> So, the GRE is a 4 hour test required for most grad school admittance. It

> has 3 parts, math, verbal (vocabulary and reading comprehension, primarily

> TRICK questions - if it weren't for the trick questions, I would feel

> confident in this section) and particularly in the analytic writing. I

> write

> for a living now, and I found out that the programs I'm applying to don't

> even LOOK at the writing part. UGH.That was disappointing!!!!!

>

> So anyway, I'm taking the test in 5 weeks. I took it last year too, and I

> did well but not well enough.

>

> I have good study habits, I'm disciplined and organized, but I'll be

> honest,

> studying for this test makes me want to slit my wrists (sorry too

> graphic?).

>

> It is boring. I know for a FACT that I will never ever ever be working with

> a family in crisis who would be saved IF ONLY I could calculate the area of

> a circle based on the radius by knowing pie and being able to do the math

> in

> my head. Math is a bit of a weak point for me - believe me, I've seen

> plenty

> of people who are much much worse, but I need to raise my score by at least

> 10 percent over last year for the program that would be least disruptive to

> my life and allow us to stay in our home. That said, there is a program in

> the deep south that would probably welcome me with open arms with my

> current

> GRE score, but they just don't seem to have their shit together. . . so its

> not my top choice. . . plus I know southern living would be mega culture

> shock for this high altitude cowgirl.

>

> Any tips for helping me get through this? I've been studying for 3 to 4

> weeks already, and I'll be honest, I was miserable and depressed and horrid

> to live with for those weeks, because I tried to study ALL THE TIME. I need

> to develop a study plan and schedule that allows me time to do enjoyable

> things too. Otherwise, I may not make it, I will hate myself the whole

> time,

> and I may not have any friends left by the end.

>

> And its hard because I would much rather spend the time on my essays for

> admittance, that is something that I think I can do REALLY well, whereas

> blowing them away with my Pythagorean therum is just not gonna happen.

> ly, I think its really dumb that they are testing me on that. I wish

> they would test me on statistics, because I can do those well and they

> matter.

>

> And, it brings me down that they care about my geometry abilities, because

> geometry, frankly is just not important for a family therapist, so long as

> you understand triangles (get it huh huh ha ha ha, math/therapy humor).

>

> Anyway, I would love some support, encouragement and advice from anyone who

> has done this - or even if you haven't but have done something that was at

> the same time difficult and totally boring yet critically important - to be

> done in a very limited amount of time while you managed to hold down a full

> time job, maintain friendships and run your household - yep, that's what

> i'm

> up against.

>

> XOXO

>

October 23, 2011

My daughter is fretting about the same thing right now. She's a psych major,

sociology minor and completely freaking out about this upcoming test and trying

to decide on grad schools.

>

> Hey Folks,

> I'm writing about something kind of related to BPD and kind of not.

>

> I'd like to call it moving on, the next chapter, or welcoming the future as

> I ride in to the sunset blowing a flip off in nada's direction etc etc.

>

> I am applying to 7 clinical family therapy licensed MS programs and one

> counseling psychology lisensure program. If I am accepted to return to

> higher education, I will begin in fall of 2012, though one or two programs

> begin in June.

>

> I will be poor for the next 3-5 years at a minimum, likely much longer

> because I badly want to continue on to my PhD. I may need to move 2,000

> miles, my honey is a bit apprehensive but supportive. And I will be happy,

> because its the right thing to do. My intuition tells me so I know this

> is right. I believe in it. I've been waiting for years to know what I needed

> to go back to school in. Finally I know

>

> I'm on top of it! Seriously, I'm good at this type of stuff. My first

> applications aren't due until 1/1/11, and 2 out of 3 of my letters

> of recommendation writers have already sent in their letters. Impressive,

> huh? All of the letters would be in except that on of my people had major

> surgery 2 weeks ago.

>

> But, there is one great big huge ugly obstacle in my way. It is called the

> GRE!!!!

>

> So, the GRE is a 4 hour test required for most grad school admittance. It

> has 3 parts, math, verbal (vocabulary and reading comprehension, primarily

> TRICK questions - if it weren't for the trick questions, I would feel

> confident in this section) and particularly in the analytic writing. I write

> for a living now, and I found out that the programs I'm applying to don't

> even LOOK at the writing part. UGH.That was disappointing!!!!!

>

> So anyway, I'm taking the test in 5 weeks. I took it last year too, and I

> did well but not well enough.

>

> I have good study habits, I'm disciplined and organized, but I'll be honest,

> studying for this test makes me want to slit my wrists (sorry too graphic?).

>

> It is boring. I know for a FACT that I will never ever ever be working with

> a family in crisis who would be saved IF ONLY I could calculate the area of

> a circle based on the radius by knowing pie and being able to do the math in

> my head. Math is a bit of a weak point for me - believe me, I've seen plenty

> of people who are much much worse, but I need to raise my score by at least

> 10 percent over last year for the program that would be least disruptive to

> my life and allow us to stay in our home. That said, there is a program in

> the deep south that would probably welcome me with open arms with my current

> GRE score, but they just don't seem to have their shit together. . . so its

> not my top choice. . . plus I know southern living would be mega culture

> shock for this high altitude cowgirl.

>

> Any tips for helping me get through this? I've been studying for 3 to 4

> weeks already, and I'll be honest, I was miserable and depressed and horrid

> to live with for those weeks, because I tried to study ALL THE TIME. I need

> to develop a study plan and schedule that allows me time to do enjoyable

> things too. Otherwise, I may not make it, I will hate myself the whole time,

> and I may not have any friends left by the end.

>

> And its hard because I would much rather spend the time on my essays for

> admittance, that is something that I think I can do REALLY well, whereas

> blowing them away with my Pythagorean therum is just not gonna happen.

> ly, I think its really dumb that they are testing me on that. I wish

> they would test me on statistics, because I can do those well and they

> matter.

>

> And, it brings me down that they care about my geometry abilities, because

> geometry, frankly is just not important for a family therapist, so long as

> you understand triangles (get it huh huh ha ha ha, math/therapy humor).

>

> Anyway, I would love some support, encouragement and advice from anyone who

> has done this - or even if you haven't but have done something that was at

> the same time difficult and totally boring yet critically important - to be

> done in a very limited amount of time while you managed to hold down a full

> time job, maintain friendships and run your household - yep, that's what i'm

> up against.

>

> XOXO

>

October 23, 2011

Best of luck to you GS; I suck at math too. I only passed the SAT for college

because I got a nearly perfect score on the vocabulary/reading

comprehension/grammar half of it.

Fortunately my major only required passing one math (algebra) course, which I

managed a " C " in with intensive tutoring help, then I managed to graduate with

honors despite the icky math class.

Maybe you could hire a " math coach " / tutor to help you study? I bet a local

college math major student would like to earn some extra money by tutoring you.

I was lucky, my roommate was a math whiz and was kind enough to spend time

tutoring me.

Thumb's up!

-Annie