I like to think I have a mathematical mind. I won a geometry contest in the tenth grade at a district competition. I tested out of College Algebra and made an "A" in calculus (granted, it was Business Cal and not Calculus I, but still). Many have marveled at my ability to do addition in my head. I am logical. Math is logic. So I should be good in math, right? My dad was, after all, a math teacher in his former life, so I must have gotten the math gene. And I do have a master's degree. Less than 10 percent of America's population has an advanced degree, so I must be smarter than average. Wow, I am feeling good about myself.
Granted, I managed to make it through said master's degree without having taken the GRE, so there really was no assessment of my skill except my perfect post-baccalaureate grade point average. But I still consider myself, the 4.0 master's degree student, pretty darn smart.
So when I found out that I would have to take the GRE and my score would be a primary determinant of entry into my PhD program, I found the most stressful thing the 140 bucks I'd have to shell out to take the test. Remember, I am a genius.
What's on the test? Vocabulary, of which I am a master. Analogies... ditto. Math... I made an "A" in calculus, remember? I did derivatives with the best of them.
Still, to be on the safe side, I did purchase a "prepare for the GRE quickly" book just to brush up. And tonight, while sitting at a college fair in Little Rock, I got to the math portion of the test preparation booklet. The section introduction discussed how the test doesn't employ calculus or trigonometry, but rather seventh- and eighth-grade math. Piece of cake, right? I made "A"s in those classes. I made a 28 on my ACT. I am brilliant.
I know the difference among mean, median, and mode, so I cruised through that section. I know how to multiply fractions. I know what square roots are. On to page two.... isosceles triangles? Pythagorean theorem? What the heck... those are terms I've heard, but have no idea how they apply to me. Nor do I remember a darn thing about geometry save right triangles. What does this have to do with life? Today I had to complete a travel requisition; if I go on a 60-mile trip and get $0.43 a mile, how much is that? Wait... get out my calculator.
I am a mathematical idiot. Use it or lose it, I suppose.
Please pray for me. I have to take that stupid test in six days.
3 comments:
Oh the GRE.. I HATED IT..
Still hate it... I may just skip grad school because it. lol.
Somehow I made higher on the math than the vocabulary/reading comprehension part.... which is crazy, right? I'm supposed to be a journalist here!! I tried really really really really hard on that part.
But.. it was my random guessing and using "C" when I was in doubt of the answer on the math portion that got me the higher score.
So... I dunno... Good luck... Go with "C."
I'm not too worried about your smarty pants on this test. You'll rock it out! Good luck!
If it makes you feel any better my old man is taking it on Saturday....we're thinking PhD school all over again....BAH!
Post a Comment