Getting a good score on competent and challenging tests like the GRE (Graduate Records Examination) and TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is the first and essential step for International students to get admission in various masters’ program in an ambitious university in the countries like US and Canada. GRE can be tough for students, especially from non-English speaking countries. These exams are the gateway to your dream of studying and settling abroad.
Nowadays you can do a good amount of preparation for these exams by installing and using some handy and extremely helpful apps. These apps are a convenient and portable way of learning and exploring to attain a good score. You can study while commuting, taking a walk or anywhere in the free time with your Smartphone. With these handy apps, you can learn new words or practice for the quantitative section anywhere anytime without wasting any free time in useless games or videos. These apps provide different and innovative methods to prepare for GRE as well as TOEFL.
Here is my take on the best apps if you too are dreaming to get enrolled in the best universities of the world.
Thesaurus is a simple, user-friendly app that, although not aimed at kids, will help broaden their vocabulary. Your child types in their chosen word in the search bar, and Thesaurus will quickly provide them with a selection of synonyms, related words and similar terms, plus antonyms for many words.
- Ulangi is a vocabulary builder app based on the popular open-source Anki flashcard technique (spaced repetition). If you see a word repetitively after a certain interval, it will be implanted in your memory. It has mostly GRE-based content. Ulangi can also show flashcards of your saved words.
- With a 4.8 rating from thousands of learners (woohoo!), Galvanize English Vocabulary Builder app has, is and will continue to help countless students improve their vocabulary in NO TIME. Want to be next?
Top GRE Prep Apps
1 Ready4GRE
This is the best GRE prep app available on the play store. This app includes all the sections of GRE for practice. This is one of the most appreciated and popular apps for GRE preparation. This app gives you a planned way of preparing for the exam by presenting a proper number of questions and time to each section.
Download: Android | iOS
2. Magoosh GRE Prep
This is a wholesome package for an ideal GRE score. With detailed video lectures and tests, this is certainly worth your time for dedicated GRE applicants. Download this to get the access to various full length tests and video lectures by expert teachers. This app helps you to go though the detailed explanations of concepts introduced in the lectures. This contains about 700 good quality questions with apt video explanations. This app is surely worth a try.
Download: Android | iOS
3. Barron’s 1100 for GRE
Best Vocabulary Apps For Kids
Barron’s 1100 include a directory of 1100 high frequency words useful for both GRE and TOEFL exams. Practice words while you commute to carry out your daily errands. Some of the features include an alphabetical selection of words, shuffled words, flashcards, quizzes, word filtering, learning tracking and analysis etc. This is a small app and is easy to use with its simple UI.
Download: Android
4. Manhattan Prep GRE
Manhattan is another reliable name when it comes to books and online material for preparing for GRE. Some specific options are feedback of the progress, 1000+ practice questions, quizzes, custom alerts and concept building. The tagline ‘Maximum Learning in Minimum time’ is rather true for this app. Another best part of this is that it covers both the quantitative as well as verbal sections of the exam.
Download: Android | iOS
5. Magoosh TOEFL App
This one is a near perfect app with many integrated tests and questions. A 4.4 rating on Android Play Store is indicative of the fact that it is used and liked by a huge number of GRE aspirants. With over 100 animated lectures and detailed review of the 4 sections namely reading, listening, speaking and writing, it makes easier for the students to achieve the target score. With a preparation tracker, this is a truly useful app for students preparing for TOEFL.
Download: Android | iOS
6. IntelliVocab for GRE and GMAT
This app uses machine learning algorithms to create a planned approach towards your learning needed to land you in your Dream College or university. All you need to do is practice as much as you can. This app offers specific practice sessions that can be customized based on your learning level. Download this application for the excellent interface and high quality of questions provided.
Download: APK File
Best Vocabulary Apps Free
7. TOEFL Preparation
With overall positive reviews, it is worth considering. This is an app dedicated to TOEFL preparation. It is perfect for grammar practice for TOEFL. Learning English has been made easy with this app as it improves your listening skills along with words and reading section.
Download: Android
8. Exam English: TOEFL ® Grammar
This app created by experts in English exams is a leader in multiple choice and error reduction in your GRE prep work. It’s an app specifically crafted for comprehension type questions for TOEFL and other exams. Also useful for other exams like TOEIC and is a great way to improve English grammar.
Download: Android | iOS
9. GRE Daily Vocabulary
A part of the Economist GRE Tutor program, this app features a daily passage from ‘The Economist’ with a new GRE word to ponder upon. This way you can learn a new word every day along with its application in a paragraph. This targets an overall learning experience and caters to your need to achieve a great GRE score.
Download: Android | iOS
10. GRE Flashcards by Magoosh
One of the best rated flashcards apps available for the GRE verbal section, GRE Flashcards by Magoosh is a must try. It uses a space repetition system. This system is very useful as it allows the unlearned words to reappear on the screen until you get those words to perfection. This is one of the many exciting features for you to download this app.
Best Vocabulary Apps For Middle School
Download: Android | iOS
11. Ultimate Vocabulary Prep for English, GRE ® & exams
With its addictive format, this app enables us to relax and add new words to our vocabulary on daily basis. Download this with other apps like the Magoosh Prep to get the best results. Rather than the basic GRE preparation apps mentioned in this article, this app uses games as quite an impressive method to learn. This app helps you to understand the application and nuance of the words. This is the ultimate prep app with easy functions and wonderful study material.
Download: Android | iOS
Pick the Best GRE prep App Now
So, apps provide a portable and easy way to prepare for exams like the GRE and TOEFL. There are many GRE prep apps available on the app stores for Android and iOS based smart devices. We hope that this little help from our side will assist in your success.
Would you like a bigger vocabulary? If you're like most people, the answer is yes. Then again, if you're like most people, you don't have the free time to enroll in a course or work your way through the dictionary.
But you can use your smartphone as a powerful tool to learn new words, increase your vocabulary and strengthen your command of the English language without devoting blocks of time to the task. These apps make learning new words painless or even fun, and all you need is a minute or two at a time while drinking your morning coffee or waiting in line. (Unless noted otherwise, these apps are available for both iOS and Android devices.)
This combined learning tool and game allows you to either learn and retain words you choose or words the app chooses for you. Vocabulary.com claims to use sophisticated algorithms to customize questions and exercises just for you.
PowerVocab is a definition matching game similar to this quiz currently popular on Facebook, or to Free Rice. Players match words against multiple-choice definitions with the added elements of competing against other players and playing against the clock. (Android only.)
This quiz app is similar to PowerVocab but is specifically aimed at improving scores on the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) used for entry to graduate schools. Magoosh is an online prep company that helps graduate school applicants do better on the GRE and other exams.
From the people who brought you PowerVocab, A Word A Day Widget puts a new vocabulary word on your device's home screen every day. Android only, but for iOS, try Word of the Day Widget.
This fun little vocabulary game gives you seven definitions and tiles with combinations of two or three letters on them that you have to arrange into the seven words. You learn as you narrow down your choices from words you do know to words you don't. I'll admit to having played many rounds of 7 Little Words myself.
This clever word association game offers you lists of words and challenges you to find the connections between them. They could be synonyms or antonyms, related words (such as 'scurvy' and 'liver') or elements in common phrases. Word to Word is simple to play but looks addictive to me.
This highly successful game from Zynga (the company behind Farmville) has been around for years and still appeals. (I'm a recent convert myself.) Because the only way to win is to find uncommon words, Words with Friends forces you to learn new words although not ones you're likely to find on a GRE exam. Plus, it's a nice way to stay in touch with distant friends. Available for Windows Phone as well as iOS and Android.
Doing crosswords is a great way to increase your vocabulary and Penny Dell Crosswords offers a free daily puzzle. But there are many other crossword app options out there, including the venerable and challenging New York Times crosswords, if you're willing to pay for the subscription. Doing a crossword puzzle on a mobile device can be a lot more appealing than doing one with a pencil or pen--no worries about illegible letters or having to erase a wrong answer.
So pick an app, download it and get playing. Your vocabulary will be bigger before you know it.