Okay, so you have got your new smartphone. Maybe you did not pay much and you ended up with a great value phone. Or maybe you did splurge a bit to get the brand named after a fruit 🙂
Whatever the case be – you have in your hand one of the most complex devices that man has ever invented.
Have you realized yet that you hold a powerful tool that can help you ace your GRE?
There are plenty of awesome mobile apps that you can use not only to make studying fun but also to get into the right mental makeup to ace the test. We reviewed over 30+ apps before finalising on the top 5 apps that you must have, if you are studying for the GRE.
1. Elevate
In terms of UI and UX, this app comes close to the best for *any* category, not just learning.
In 2014, Apple even named it the app of the year!
What does it do?
To quote the website:
“Elevate is a brain training program designed to improve focus, speaking abilities, processing speed, memory, math skills, and more. Each person is provided with a personalized training program that adjusts over time to maximize results.”
“The more you train with Elevate, the more you’ll improve critical cognitive skills that are proven to boost productivity, earning power, and self-confidence. Users who train at least 3 times per week have reported dramatic gains and increased confidence.”
How does it help you on the GRE?
This app has very interesting games that will help you do the mental math and approximation required in sections on the GRE such as problem solving and quantitative comparisons.
Pro:
The app is designed in a very interesting way! You would love using this app – it is probably one of the funnest ways to study for the GRE.
Con:
With the basic version, you can play only 3 games per day. The paid version lets you unlock all the games.
Where can you download the iOS and Android version of the app?
‘Elevate’ in Google Play Store
2. Headspace
Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, apparently cannot do without this app.
This app is responsible for making Zen Meditation popular in the New York subway.
What does it do?
It gives you a guided meditation tour ranging from 10 to 30 minutes, that you can listen to while you are commuting, or whenever you have some uninterrupted time. This app derives from the Buddhist principle of “mindfulness” – that the mind cannot be controlled, and that we should just let be in its natural stage, and by doing so become calmer.
How does it help you on the GRE?
Studying for the GRE can be stressful. Especially if your scores are not improving after studying a lot. This app reminds you that behind all the dark clouds, there is still a sun that is waiting to emerge.
This meditation also helps you perform better on the GRE, as it improves your concentration and focus – crucial for a test that can last for upto 4 hours!
Pro:
Very simple and intuitive app – and even absolute beginners can learn basic mediation techniques.
Con:
With the basic version, you can just have 10 free sessions of 10 minutes each. The paid version lets you unlock all levels and provides some “packs” such as the sleep pack and the focus pack.
Where can you download the iOS and Android version of the app?
‘Headspace’ in Itunes App Store
‘Headspace’ in Google Play Store
3. CrackVerbal WordToonz
The digital version of the hugely popular WordToonz flashcards.
Created by CrackVerbal, but we wouldn’t have put it in this list if it wasn’t truly a top 5!
What does it do?
You can learn 500 most commonly tested words on the GRE using Indian cartoons. These cartoons are created on the basic principles of mnemonics : the weirder the association, the more likely you are to remember them! You can play games going up a level each time – 50 levels of 10 words each.
How does it help you on the GRE?
This is perhaps the best (& fastest) way to learn the GRE high frequency word list. If you have dreaded remembering words for Sentence Equivalence and Text Completion, then WordToonz is your Batman!
Pro:
The Indian cartoons can be fun to read by themselves. The app also makes it exciting as it can be played as a game with a clock timer.
Con:
This app takes some time to load initially as it downloads the cartoons for faster processing. The free app has 10 levels out of the 50 levels free. If you want to get it for free, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section below.
Where can you download the iOS and Android version of the app?
‘Wordtoonz’ in Itunes App Store
‘Wordtoonz’ in Google Play Store
4. Coach.me
What do successful people do before breakfast? No, they don’t hit the snooze button! 🙂
They are just better at forming good habits and more likely to stick with the habits they form!
What does it do?
Coach.me is a simple habit tracker you can use to create the habit of “studying for the GRE”. Everyday, you will be reminded that you need to study for the test. Even studying for a quick 15 minutes can be counted as a win. You even have a support forum where you can get help and support from others who are following various habits (jogging and dieting are the usual suspects).
How does it help you on the GRE?
It has been proven that those who do well on the GRE are not the people who pull “all nighters”, but those who consistently study for the test. Coach.me allows you do just that! So once you make a GRE study plan, you can make a commitment to follow it X days out of a week. We recommend that you keep the number to at least 3 days a week. Then you can track your progress against your plan!
Pro:
The UI is pretty cool and you can even use it for forming other habits such as waking up early (to study, of course! ;))
Con:
Sometimes the guilt of not following your GRE study schedule / habit can cause you to start ignoring the notifications, which can rapidly pile up 🙂
Where can you download the iOS and Android version of the app?
‘Coach.Me’ in Itunes App Store
‘Coach.Me’ in Google Play Store
5. Wattpad
Do you want to read more but are not able to find the right resources online?
This app has literally millions of stories to choose from, many of which are classics.
What does it do?
Just login and choose from a variety of different genres: popular romance, fanfic, non-fiction, mystery, fantasy, memoirs, travelogues, sci-fi, short stories and memes. However, in the interest of time, and for the sake of GRE prep, we suggest that you pick only non-fiction.
You can read on-the-go on your mobile or on your tablet. This can either be a quick bite-sized read of 15-minutes while waiting for the next class to start, or a longer Kindle-sque read while you are on the train.
How does it help you on the GRE?
Reading comprehension on the GRE requires you to read. So you can start by acclimatising yourself with authors and works you are not aware of. This app is great for reading stuff outside of your comfort zone. You may also want to practice certain techniques that apply to the GRE, such as skimming, and reading with a purpose.
Pro:
The variety is stupendous, so you get to read a great deal. Many of the stories, especially the classics, would help you assimilate similar dense passages on the GRE.
Con:
Some of the writing is by amateur authors, and you need to be careful about choosing the books you are going to spend time reading.
Where can you download the iOS and Android version of the app?
‘Wattpad’ in Google Play Store
If you’d like to use the Wordtoonz App for free, let us know by writing it to us at enquiry@crackverbal.com.