In August’s round-up of GRE headlines, we linked to an article about the best majors for GRE scores. This article analyzed GRE scores by intended graduate major, and found that test-takers intending to pursue graduate degrees in philosophy scored the highest on the verbal and analytical writing sections of the exam, while test-takers who planned to go to grad school for math or materials engineering scored the best on the quantitative section.
In drawing inferences from the data, the author notes that “Philosophy departments focus heavily on logical reasoning and identifying logical fallacies, most likely leading to philosophy students’ dominance of the verbal and analytical writing sections.” This is an interesting point, which we felt was worth exploring further.
While it’s true that having strong logical reasoning skills is an asset on the verbal section of the GRE, there are two points to consider: 1) reading comprehension (the part of the verbal section that specifically tests these skills) only comprise half of the verbal questions that test-takers see, and 2) there are certainly many ways to develop these skills other than by majoring in philosophy.
To do well on GRE verbal, test-takers have a variety of ways to build up their skills. Firstly, a strong vocabulary is a must. The GRE doesn’t choose words randomly, though; it recycles the same few hundred words repeatedly. So test-takers are well-served by studying with a resource that has identified those particular words, to focus their work.
Secondly, test-takers need to be able to read a passage for its structure and overall purpose. Being able to identify opinions, especially the author’s, is also crucial. Students can practice reading strategically for this information by working with articles from any reputable publication – The Wall Street Journal and The Economist are two of our favorites.
Every Kaplan teacher that I know has had students from a variety of academic backgrounds achieve top scores on the GRE. Success is not a result of one’s college major or intended graduate field of study; it’s a result of dedication and focused, guided preparation. The data may demonstrate trends, but it is not predictive of any individual’s performance – something every one of your advisees should remember as they get ready for the GRE and prepare their graduate school applications.
