I need prep materials, greBIGbook, GREBIBLE etc. I need to  write GRE soon. Prospecting for '10 fall, Artificial Intelligence (AI). Drop the material in my box:kfd4me@yahoo.com. Also, any idea of the best US schools in AI?

Wow, I'm so delighted you guys responded. I thought the thread was dead for good.

@ bumdish, have you registered for the exam and what's your expected score/intended major?
@ arshy, Oh my! your exam's tomorrow. I wsh you resounding success. Please do tell us how it went.
@ smartkid. I have an old edition of the GRE Big Book on PDF that I'll try sending to you. I dont have the GRE Bible though; I even need it myself.

Well I'm hoping to score above 1500 and to study Petroleum Engineering in one of the top programs in the US. I'm using Barrons, Kaplan, Nova and big book for my preparation. Barrons and Kaplan (Pirated versions) are sold in various places in Nigeria, mostly in Lagos and Porthacourt, while the rest are not readily available (One can download them online though; just google the required material). I also recommend a site that I find most helpful for test takers, whether you're taking GRE or TOEFL: www.urch.com/forums. Cheers guys.

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@Godeagle,
I did it yesterday, the result was too bad, i cant believe i did that. I score 1070. Q-720, & V-350.
I am planning to take it again in mid-August with concentration on the verbal section. There is nothing much in the quantitative, only that it is technical and trickish. You only need to be calm with it. For the verbal, i cant say anything on it, infact, i need help from the gurus.
Wish u well anyway

Hey arshy, I'm really sorry about your disappointing verbal score. But I'm glad you're motivated enough to give it another shot. You need to develop a good plan to attack attack the verbal, assuming you're very comfortable with your quant score (this will depend on the program you're applying to as some engineering programs require as much as 780/800 for admission). However, you still need to pay some attention to quant so that your score doesn't drop-that won't be good for your application.

I don't know how you prepared for the exam, but it seems like you didn't use enough material. I would recommend you get Barrons; I've heard so many good things about it: it contains comprehensive reviews, exercises, and a 3500 word list that encompasses almost all the vocabulary appearing on the GRE. I also heard that the Big Book, downloadable at www.4shared.com and esnips, is perfect for verbal. Practice all the exercises in these books; the key to verbal is pactice, practice, practice. Finally get the ETS powerprep software and take the tests when you start feeling confident of your verbal ability; they are the best predictor of your eventual exam score. You may need to give yourself more time, say one month, to really get a good mastery of these material, before retaking the test. However, this may not be possible if the release of score results encroaches beyond your application deadlines, in which case you have to do the best you can within the available time.

Dont forget to check out the website I recommended in my earlier post. It's loaded with advice and practice material from GRE test takers and veterans from around the world.

All the best.

Godeagle:

Hey arshy, I'm really sorry about your disappointing verbal score. But I'm glad you're motivated enough to give it another shot. You need to develop a good plan to attack attack the verbal, assuming you're very comfortable with your quant score (this will depend on the program you're applying to as some engineering programs require as much as 780/800 for admission). However, you still need to pay some attention to quant so that your score doesn't drop-that won't be good for your application.

I don't know how you prepared for the exam, but it seems like you didn't use enough material. I would recommend you get Barrons; I've heard so many good things about it: it contains comprehensive reviews, exercises, and a 3500 word list that encompasses almost all the vocabulary appearing on the GRE. I also heard that the Big Book, downloadable at www.4shared.com and esnips, is perfect for verbal. Practice all the exercises in these books; the key to verbal is pactice, practice, practice. Finally get the ETS powerprep software and take the tests when you start feeling confident of your verbal ability; they are the best predictor of your eventual exam score. You may need to give yourself more time, say one month, to really get a good mastery of these material, before retaking the test. However, this may not be possible if the release of score results encroaches beyond your application deadlines, in which case you have to do the best you can within the available time.

Dont forget to check out the website I recommended in my earlier post. It's loaded with advice and practice material from GRE test takers and veterans from around the world.

All the best.

Thanks guy, i know where i missed it anyway. I never got to use the Powerprep (no thanks to the useless NIPOST strike, i havent gotten it yet). the Quantitative is never a problem, its very simple only tat the guy that set the questions must be very cunning in real life.
Anyway, do you know where i can get the GreBible software, i think it would be nice to have it. i downloaded a demo and its very useful, easy to master words and its fun using it as well. I will love to have the full version.
Once again, thanks for the concern, i appreciate it.

well i took the exam but i rily cant say hw i prepared. Also i went to school in the US and so my situation is different because i was well prepared to take the exam since i was used to the american system.

However, case in point-the GRE is not that important in admissions for grad school programs in the US. ur CGPA is important so those first class- even if u bribed to get it- have a better chance. Combined with a high GRE scores then the sky is the limit.

arshy:

Anyway, do you know where i can get the GreBible software, i think it would be nice to have it. i downloaded a demo and its very useful, easy to master words and its fun using it as well. I will love to have the full version.
Once again, thanks for the concern, i appreciate it.

I used majorly GREBible for my GRE in Nov. 2008 and like u said the flash animations makes it fun mastering words.

This is the link i downloaded it from in Aug 2008:
http://rapidshare.com/files/63199585/GRE_Bible_v2.1.rar

I think the link still works.


All da best!

You're welcome arshy, we're all trying to help each other. As for the PP software, you could have simply downloaded the material from ETS's website. I never heard of the NIPOST strike, it seems every office in Nigeria is going on strike these days. I hope they resume by the time I'm ready to mail my supporting documents as I can't imagine using a parcel service to send them. That will be way too expensive. Let us know if you successfully downloaded the GRE bible. Someone in my office gave me the material recently.

@ SEFAGO, you're probably right. I don't know much about grad school admssion decisions in the US. But I'm trying my best to improve my chances. I made a 2:1 in petroleum engineering and I'm applying to a number of schools including the top school (by US news ranking): University of Texas @ Austin.

@ Tboy, welcome back and thanks for the link. So how did the entire admission process go. Did you get in? Any general advice for us based on your experience?

be hearing from you.

@Godeagle, i tried to download, but the prog is in Vista, and my laptop is Window XP, so it didn't work. I think we are in the same field, cause i am putting in for Chemical Engineering. I had considered Texas @Austin but they mailed me that they don't have assisstanship for Masters' student plus i don't think they have Spring admission (at least for Chemical Engineering).
As per the Gre Bible, the one i downloaded is requesting for password, so i couldn't access it.

Wow, it's good to know we're in the same field.

So, you downloaded the material and it's asking for password. Well, if you downloaed the document in a folder, there's usually a MS word document in that folder titled GRE BibleCode. Look in the folder for the password corresponding to the username appearing in the message by using the Ctrl-F function. It should be there.

Are you sure UT doesn't have spring admission? They have in my course and the application deadline is oct 15. Check well, they should have. Regarding financial assistance, I heard that you can still get after you resume.

@Godeagle,
U are da bomb menh! The software opened live and direct. I will check the school again, i think it is Texas A&M that i mailed

yay, I am also trying to do chemical engineering, but a PhD not masters- yeah u texas at austin doesnt give assistantship as u call it for engineering, neither does any skul so PhD is the way to go.

Oh my goodness! I thought it was the norm in the US for schools to give Financial Assistance to grad students. I even know a couple of students there currently enjoying it. It seems this is a recent development. I mailed UT last month about my intention to obtain financial assistance when I get admitted; this is an excrept from the correspondence:

Me: I am hoping to get financial assistance in the form of either a scholarship or an assistantship. Is it feasible in your program and how do I go about seeking these?

UT Graduate Coordinator: Once you are admitted, you will be put on a list that is circulated to the faculty for fellowships and assistantships.

Well, I'm hoping and seriously praying to get financial assistance. Apart from the savings in monetary terms, it increases one's chances of obtaining a visa as the consulate officials will feel the school really needs you. I intend to get a PHD much later, probably after a few years in the industry, after I have had a clear picture of the direction of my career path.

arshy:

@Godeagle,
U are da bomb menh! The software opened live and direct. I will check the school again, i think it is Texas A&M that i mailed

Thanks men. All the best with it.

SEFAGO:

yay, I am also trying to do chemical engineering, but a PhD not masters- yeah u texas at austin doesnt give assistantship as u call it for engineering, neither does any skul so PhD is the way to go.

I don't believe that at all, I have research more than 100 graduate schools in the USA and almost all of them give assisstanship in the Research Assistant or Graduate Assistant (except on some rare occasions), it is just that more consideration is given to PhD students because all the Professors receive grant from the school and they are ready to spend it on students that are ready to use it judiciously. Plus, you need to score high in GRE to be considered for the assistanship.

@Godeagle,
You are most welcome

hey ppl,
i'm currently serving and i want to start prepping for GRE(want to do a masters in elect eng, power). i noticed u guys mentiond talking to ppl at texas A&M can u give me an email addy?bin trying to get one on their site but its a bit difficult. . .

well i should have carefully worded my post, No top school gives financial aid for terminal masters- now prove me wrong with only one exception to the rule.

Yeah arshy, I agree with you.

Hey netotse, welcome to the thread. There's no better time to prepare for the GRE than when you're serving. Sorry I dont have any contacts in the dept you're asking about. Try navigating properly from the school's site to the dept's, the contacts should be there as every department usually supplies the email and phone numbers of its staff members on their webpage. There's also a contact for the department itself.

@ SEFAGO, I dont quite understand your last post. Please throw more light on it.

I meant few to no top school give financial aid (research or teaching assistantship) for a terminal masters (one in which the student is not interested in going towards a PhD straight after). What people normally do, is go for their first year and pay while get assistantship later. I might be wrong since I havent researched all schools (I have better things to do) but this is the norm in all American Universitites.

Thanks SEFAGO. That's really clarifying. But how can they know if one is not interested in PHD straight after? Hopefully even if one doesn't get financial assistance when admitted, one can get after one semester.

By the way guys, it's official, I just registered for the GRE yesterday. I will be taking it on August 30th. I hear that centers fill up quickly, so don't procrastinate your registration.

SEFAGO:

I havent researched all schools (I have better things to do).

I am still wondering the importance of that line in your reply. Is it a crime to look well before you leap?

@Godeagle,
Congrats on your registration, i will soon re-register too. I should be taking it around that time as well.

well they can't know, but for you to get stipend and full tuition, you have to apply for a MS/PHD and not just the terminal masters. So you can drop out after your MS, but to be sincere is it worth it to get into a PhD program and then drop out- a lot of people do it- just like larry page, enrolled for a PhD at Stanford then dropped out after his MS. But getting into the MS/PhD is an accomplishment and people just stick with it, especially if they can't get a job. It is close to impossible for foreigners to get industry jobs in such a recession anyways so many just continue on with their Phd.

hey anyone hopin 2 sit 4 d GRE exam, i offer a one-on-one tutorial 4 both sat n gre students. d present ASUU strike wil even afford me enuff time 2 coach u. pm me, our records speak 4 us

Thanks SEFAGO. I'll be looking out for those (MS/PHD). All the best with our preparation.

Godeagle,
Did you finally get to register online with credit card ?

Hey P.oj, Welcome to the forum. Yes, I did register with a Skye Bank prepaid visacard. I read somewhere (I think it was this thread) that someone registered successfully with an Intercontinental Mastercard and another with a Zenith websurfer card. So, I guess that almost all debit cards (I don't know about credit cards) work from Nigeria despite the notice on ETS's website that credit and debit card registration is not available in Nigeria. It seems you will be taking the exam soon, please do let us in on your strategies for attacking the exam.

@ all, how is the prep going? I have a challenge and it's not about preparation for the GRE: I'm wondering if the schools I'm applying to will accept scanned copies of my transcripts as this ASUU strike seems not to be ending. Even getting my lecturers to sign the letters of recommendation is a challenge. The deadlines are fast approaching.

@P.oj,
You can ask any of your friends or relatives in America to help you register, then later you will send the money to them. I did mine like that.

@Godeagle,
Make we pray for ASUU o! I am worried too concerning the transcripts. Even thou, the deadline for my schools is around October but who knows when this ASUU strike will end. Besides, i mailed the schools to ask if i can send the photocopies of the transcripts pending the time the strike will be over and they responded positively. May be you should try and contact your intending schools as well.
As per the GRE, how is your preparation, and how are you tackling the Reading Comprehension and the Analogies Questions? These two seem to be my toughest headache for now.

Wish well.

@godeagle
mennn thanks for that site o(the GRE forum). . .its beyond awesome

you mentioned having the gre big book in pdf format, can you mail it to me? if you can my email add is netotse(at)yahoo dot come thanks a million o!,
and all the best in your exams!

Godeagle:

Hey P.oj, Welcome to the forum. Yes, I did register with a Skye Bank prepaid visacard. I read somewhere (I think it was this thread) that someone registered successfully with an Intercontinental Mastercard and another with a Zenith websurfer card. So, I guess that almost all debit cards (I don't know about credit cards) work from Nigeria despite the notice on ETS's website that credit and debit card registration is not available in Nigeria. It seems you will be taking the exam soon, please do let us in on your strategies for attacking the exam

Thanks a million,am actually planning to take the exams sometimes in november,I was a little concerned about that information on the ETS website.
And another thing,are we taking the computer based test or the paper based test?

@ arshy,
Yes o, we can only keep praying for ASUU to call off the strike. Meanwhile, I will contact the schools regarding collecting copies of transcript. Did you contact the graduate coordinator or a member of the admissions committee? Did u contact University of Texas @ Austin too? My preparation is going fine, I'm focusing real hard on the quant, so my verbal preparation seems to be suffering. My challenges are in RCs and sentence completion. Once I'm comfortable with my mastery of quant, I will review the verbal section again and practise excercises especially from the big book. For the analogies, I think the key is to master the vocabulary wordlists and to be familiar with the different sort of bridges that link those words. For that, I think barron's list and a review of the analogy section will do. Of course, you will need lots of practise too.

@ netotse,
What I have is actually the 27 verbal tests from the big book and not the entire book. I'll send it to you.

@ p.oj,
My pleasure. The paper test is not available in Nigeria; It is only available in places where the Computer Based Test is unavailable. I hope you are preparing seriously. The exam may be in November but u need all the time you can get. The exam no be small thing o.

@godeagle
thanks a mil. . .i got the book. do u hv any cousin called jonathan whose popsie is a pastor? i met someone with a similar name where i'm serving. . .(niger state)

Wow. It's a small world indeed. That guy is my cousin. in fact, he called me today. Catch u later.