I received six admits from the world's best university in Biomedical Engineering during Fall2021 with low GRE marks. They were from Johns Hopkins University, Brown University (Ivy League), Cornell University (Ivy League), Case Western Reserve University(conditional for language proficiency), New Jersey Institute of Technology, Northwestern University. And rejection from Duke University, Georgia Tech, Columbia University and EPFL.
I badly failed in GRE. Nobody fails in GRE, but I received very low marks. I gave TOEFL twice. Since the first attempt score was very low in reading. Even on the second attempt, I didn't cross 100.
The key to succeeding in these exams is to give tests many times, which I figured after TOEFL. Secondly, the template of studying in these exams didn't match with my study pattern. I was used to studying from books, solve assignments then implementing them. The same thing I used while learning from MITOCW. However, the trick for these exams is not to dig that deep. That's why I failed.
From these test, I found that learning best occurs with feedback. The information can be loaded into the brain with the pre-existing system in my brain. But to check it, feedback is required. Feedback can be found from the test, just like a heart simulation, before actually developing a heart valve prosthesis. In addition to it, the learning should be followed with a quiz. The information that we think profoundly doesn't guarantee that it will be retained as the concept of retention is forming the number of connections with many neurons. The only test provides an opportunity to connect the information with many things.
India is a marks-based country. If someone has good grades, then he is going to be on the positive side. And the other person is going to be on the opposing side. I believe that marks are crucial in any exam. But at the level where we know that the marks will not solve real-world problems. The difficulty starts if we belong to a middle-class family with male and general category. Banks are willing to give loans to other category people a little bit easier or even if female. So this discrimination exists. The solution is GRE marks. If someone has marks ≥ 335, then the chance of getting an unsecured loan from banks drastically increases. Plus, they are eligible for Indian scholarships. So why this happens? The system is straightforward - bankers don't care what you are working on; their computers can only understand marks. Give the marks and take the money. No CV, SOP required.
In my opinion, everyone should work hard on GRE. It not only teaches how to study effectively but how to decode the English language. For non-engineering courses, it is indispensable to get good marks in GRE. There's no harm in learning and testing. It can be fun, exciting if done correctly. Finally, without GRE, there can be a lot of hurdles. It is like fighting with a broken sword and winning the war. Low marks in a standardized test are like losing a battle, but it doesn't mean losing the war. War can still be won. Vice versa is also true; people who get good grades in universities have won the battle, but the castle is still left to conquer.
Don't start studying for GRE. Give diagnostic test first. Try one complete test after every five days. Also, try to find the weak spots. Priming the vocabulary can work. But look for GRE and TOEFL flashcards available on QUIZLET. Don't buy anything for GRE preparation. Books and lecture videos are available free of cost. It simply demands few hours of google search to find suitable material. Set a date for a real test within 1-2 months. Take the test even with a short preparation. Read - There exists a plugin in Github for reading articles behind the payment wall. It will become easy to find NY Times, Newyorker, etc., articles once such a plugin is installed. Don't take TOEFL; try Duolingo if the university supports it. Duolingo is economical and less time-consuming.
Don't waste too much time in GRE preparation. Remember, good universities review applications as a whole, not focused on just marks. GRE marks can add just a few points. Though, SOP, CV, the internship also matters. Please don't go to any coaching institutes for it. Friends, online forums are a better source for help than coaching.