Familiarize yourself with the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). The GRE contains three test sections that test verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. The test may take almost 4 hours to complete. In order to familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked on the test and the test format, download the GRE Bulletin from the website of the Educational Testing Service or ETS (see link in Resources below). Read the bulletin in detail prior to taking the GRE, and it will help you do well on the exam the first time around.
Practice on as many Graduate Record Exam questions as you can before taking the actual exam. The more you practice, the more likely you are to do well on the exam. Such practice will help you feel comfortable with the test content and with the format of the questions asked on the test. You can obtain practice GRE questions in the GRE Bulletin from the Educational Testing Service or from the other GRE test preparation materials available through the Educational Testing Service's website (see link in Resources below).
Take advantage of full-length Graduate Record Exam practice tests. Taking full-length, timed tests will help you improve your testing pace and give you a feel for what a full-length GRE entails. The GRE Powerprep Software from the Educational Testing Service contains several full-length, computerized graduate record exams that you can take at home. In addition, the ETS also offers various other full-length paper exams that you can also take advantage of prior to taking the GRE the first time.
Purchase a Graduate Record Exam review book. These review books can help you immensely before taking the GRE. They often contain test-taking tips and strategies, including helping you determine if you should guess on the GRE or not, as well as practice questions and full-length exams. You can find these review books at local bookstores or on the Internet. Purchasing such a book is a wise investment if you want to do well on the GRE.
Consider taking a GRE preparation course. Offered by test preparation companies, such as the Princeton Review, GRE preparation courses offer you the opportunity to take full-length practice exams under highly controlled testing conditions, teach you the content that you need to know to do well on the exam, and offer test taking tips and strategies. Many people who take these courses do very well on their GREs the first time around.