GRE and IELTS
I took the GRE and IELTS last month and got the results yesterday. I prepared for the GRE for about 2 weeks and IELTS for about 5 days. That was just enough to get used to the exam style. And get the mind ready for tests. It's roughly a walk in. I did it not because I was confident but because time was running out for me.
For GRE I scored 306/340 total with 155/170 for quant section. My target was 310 total as for the results I got for the sample tests. Minimum score one can get is 260 total for the GRE test. For context top tier universities ask for 320+ total score when considering students. But 300+ score is considered decent.
Out of the two GRE is obviously harder. The hardest part for me was to stay focused throughout the test. It was a 3+ hour continuous test. And my brain was fuming towards the end. I think the reason is not enough preparation. I was not ready for a 3+ hour test. I only did 2 mock tests provided with registering. If I'm to do it again I'll buy more sample tests and spend time doing them. And I think next time it's better to spend at least about 2 months preparing for the test.
For the IELTS I got a 7/9 overall score. My target score was the same. The Maximum score I got is for Reading, 8/9. Most probably a result of my reading habit. Lowest is for writing, 6/9. I thought my writings were better. But it seems it's not. Anyways it's not up to the standards of IELTS. And I should now work on more to improve my writing skills, because I think it's an important skill. So expect more quality blog posts here.
In hindsight, For IELTS preparation I should have spent about a month. And I should've worked more on the writing section and speaking. I didn't practice speaking at all. As practice I think just speaking more and learning and using new words is the important thing. And observing how other people talk.
Well for my next target these scores seem enough. So I won't be taking these tests any time soon. And I'm happy with the decision to do them even in a hurry.