GRE Bites

Nov 22 2023 71 ep. 10 mins

GRE Bites Podcast artwork

GRE Bites offers listeners a weekly, relevant, bite-sized episode on GRE prep and grad school admissions. It’s co-hosted by Davis Evans, an educator with over a decade of experience, and Orion Taraban, a licensed psychologist and founder of StellarGRE, the world’s only empirically-validated GRE test prep system. The mission of the podcast is to help listeners ace the GRE and get into the graduate program of their choice.

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Exciting news from Stellar! (get ready for the new GRE)

Nov 22 2023 2 mins

Today’s episode is a brief announcement in which I share some exciting news: Stellar is now fully updated for the new, shorter version of the GRE! Not only has the manual and mock exams received an overhaul, but several new features have been added to the product to help students achieve their target scores even faster than before. Get started for free today, and see for yourself

Episode 70: How to solve a text completion question (a real-time demonstration)

Nov 08 2023 8 mins

In today’s episode, Orion solves a single-blank text completion question in real-time using strategies from the Stellar system. With sufficient practice, students should be able to solve vocab-based questions like this in less than a minute -- though active use of the relevant techniques may be necessary to achieve this outcome. Efficient solution of vocab-based questions is esse

Episode 69: Japan’s method of reducing error (the point-and-call system)

Nov 01 2023 9 mins

The railroad system in Japan is one of the most efficient and complex in the world. It’s also one of the safest, and major accidents -- let alone delays -- are almost non-existent. In today’s episode, Orion shares one of Japan Railway’s secrets for ensuring close attention to detail under demanding time tables: the point-and-call system. The rest of the episode is devoted to

Episode 68: What are the GRE subject tests? (and why to take them)

Oct 25 2023 7 mins

Since the GRE general test is the most commonly required standardized test for a graduate school application, many people aren’t even aware that the GRE subject tests exist. In today’s episode, we discuss what these tests are, how they differ from the GRE general test, and why anyone in their right mind might sit for them -- especially if they are not a required component of a

Episode 67: Can artists do math? (lack of knowledge can be an asset)

Oct 18 2023 8 mins

Davis and Orion respond to another question from a listener in today’s episode of GRE Bites. The request is from a student with an arts background who is concerned about his ability to score highly on the quantitative section of the test. Apparently, math has never come easy for him, and he is worried that this time around won’t be any different. Is it possible for folks who ev

Episode 66: Is there hope for low-scorers? (getting a 320 if you’re not a high-performer)

Oct 11 2023 8 mins

In today’s episode, Orion and Davis respond to an email from a listener who is concerned as to whether her GRE goals are attainable, despite not being a ”high-performer.” While some folks tend to have an easier time of things than others, Orion reassures her that achieving a 160 on each section of the test is within the capabilities of the vast majority of students. In fact,

Episode 65: Eliminating transfer errors (practical steps to reduce carelessness)

Oct 04 2023 8 mins

Transfer errors are the second-most common type of careless error on the GRE. Like all forms of carelessness, these errors can be enormously frustrating, as they prevent students from receiving points they otherwise deserve. In this episode, Orion shares several actionable strategies for reducing transfer errors that require absolutely no training. Check out StellarGRE: our top-ra

Episode 64: Getting an excellent letter of recommendation (the sure-fire approach)

Sep 27 2023 8 mins

Letters of recommendation are essential components of any grad school application. We all know they’re supposed to be glowing endorsements of your ability. But isn’t that true of everyone else’s? So how can you get your letters to stand out from the rest? In this episode, Orion shares his counterintuitive approach to securing outstanding letters of recommendation. Check out

Episode 63: Overcoming a low grade point average (what does and doesn’t work)

Sep 20 2023 9 mins

For various reasons, many students’ undergraduate GPAs might be lower than they would like. Sometimes, these students approach their GRE prep from the perspective that a high score on the test will help to compensate for the ”sins of their academic past.” In this episode, Davis and Orion will discuss whether this is actually true, and what can practically be done. Check out

Episode 62: How to solve a plug-in problem (a real-time demonstration)

Sep 13 2023 8 mins

In today’s episode, Orion demonstrates how to solve the most common question type on the quantitative section of the GRE: a plug-in problem. He walks through the second-by-second workflow for answering these types of problems in less than a minute, using simple arithmetic. He and Davis then troubleshoot common issues with the technique. Check out StellarGRE: our top-rated GRE se