GRE as a sophomore

[FutureVet33]

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Hi everyone,

Long story short, after I graduate highschool this year, I was going to go to a Community College (CC) that has a 2 year pre-vet program to help me get into vet school easier. However, the GRE is required before applying to vet school. I was wondering how hard the GRE is, especially if I am going to be a sophomore at the time. Will 2 years of CC be enough to do well on the GRE (My goal is UC Davis)? I know it may be naturally easier/harder for some people, but I just need to get an idea. The closest thing I've taken to the GRE would probably have to be the SAT.
(I've heard the GRE is hard, but this CC has a pretty good acceptance rate going into vet school without a baccalaureate degree. Thinking about the GRE test made me a little concerned about my college decision and whether CC or a 4 year university is better. The only reason the CC program appealed to me was to shave off 2 years of school and having a better chance of getting into vet school.)

I guess I ended up not being able to shorten my long story much😳, but any advice about the GRE or personal experience with applying as a sophomore will be greatly appreaciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[hoodle]

I have no idea about the CC, but I don't think you're in any worse place to take the GRE than someone two years older. The GRE math section is really algebra/geometry based. The GRE verbal section is really vocabulary based. I don't think college really helps that - it's reviewing math facts, if you need to, and memorizing vocab, if you need to. Personally, I don't think I would have done any differently 2 years ago!

 

[nyanko]

The GRE Quant section is basically the SAT Math. The GRE Verbal is the SAT Verbal on word-pumping steroids. I don't think it matters when in your college career you take it, personally.

 

[Moonpaw]

I took the GRE after my sophomore year, but I probably would have done just the same if I'd taken it right out of high school, with the same amount of studying.

 

[Lab Man]

Where, when, or how long you've gone to college has nothing to do with how well you'll do on the GRE! It's based on high school math (tricky problems that you have to practice) and tons of vocabulary words that you or no one else in the world will ever use in real life 👎. Although the GRE is a difficult test, I'd much rather be taking it than a test like the MCAT or DAT. I tried to keep that in mind while studying for it 😀. ETS (the company that gives the test) has a website that tells all about the GRE and has free downloadable practice tests in PDF form and software called "GRE Powerprep Software" that allows you to take practice tests on your computer. You should check it out to see what it's like: GRE Info. Website

 

[pupsforseeing]

As everyone else said, I don't think you're at all disadvantaged while taking it after 2 years of college. I took it when I was 18 and did fine...and I dont' think my score would have changed much (assuming the same amount of studying) if I waited a couple years to take it.

 

[AUvetwannabe]

I agree with everyone else. The math is basic geometry/algebra. The English part is reading passages and answering questions like the SAT. Acronyms, etc. The vocab part where you have to answer with a similar or different meaning word are words that I think no one has ever heard of. I have heard that if you are going to guess, guess with the same letter everytime. It helped a friend on mine when they did it. Borrow someone's GRE book they are all the same. Be sure to take it before all the new changes happen this fall. They are making it harder. And for the CC thing, do it. I wish I had and everyone told me to do it but I didn't. My boyfriend did CC and got in first time. You get to take alot of basics (take harder required courses at the CC if you can, but make sure the Vet school will accept them) and you will have a better gpa. Take things like physics, chemistries and you biologies like Anatomy. Get your chemistries, physics and biologies out of the way at the CC and get good grades in them. Auburn really looks at those classes. Friends of mine now are getting in over me cause they went to a CC and got A's in things I have B's or C's because I went straight to a 4 year college. So I technically had harder classes but Auburn doesn't really take that into consideration much eventhough they tell you they prefer a 4 year college classes. GPA is what matters!!!! You live and learn . good luck

 

[Danaish72]

I agree too. If you're concerned about it, take a practice exam (there's tons of free ones online) and feel out your score. I think you'll be at an advantage on the quant section, I hadn't seen anything but calculus in years before the GRE. If you need to beef up the verbal section, one thing that I think would really help is to start practicing by reading challenging text (WSJ, peer reviewed journal, technical documents, etc.). Just my two cents; I didn't feel like the GRE really reflected my personal college education.

 

[Ruffian]

I also took the GRE after my second year of college. I took the Kaplan review which helped, but I don't think I would have done better if I had waited to take it. For comparison, I got an 1170 on my first practice exam, and after Kaplan, got a 1290 on the official exam. Not great, but good enough to get in 😉

 

[Steelmagghia]

If you did well on the SAT, especially the new one with the writing portion, then you should be just fine on the GRE.
Honestly, I wish I had taken sooner after high school graduation because some of the stuff on there, like geometry, was difficult to remember after I'd had so many upper level college courses.
You should be fine, just study.
And if you want some advice on how to study, do a search for GRE threads, there are a couple on here. 🙂
Good luck.