GRE Prep book

TLC RN · Apr 1, 2004

Does anyone have a recommendation for the best prep book study guide for the GRE exam? There are so many (Kaplan, Barrons, ETS, Princeton Review, etc.). I need a really good score, so any feedback is greatly appreciated!
-Hopegirl

Do you know anyone that took a Kaplan or Princeton Review class? All my friends that I know took the GRE offer me their books from the review class. They all say they would be best to study from.

TopCat1234 · Apr 1, 2004

and you know what i got! :wink2:

but i'm telling you, download the gre prep software from the gre.org website. that really was the absolute best to help me study, especially for the writing section. also if you go to gre.org, it has a listing of the 200 writing topics you may come across for the test. very cool! :coollook:

topcat

TLC RN · Apr 1, 2004

TopCat1234 - How long did you spend preparing for the test? Number of hours a day/subject and for how many months?

TopCat1234 · Apr 1, 2004

i'm the type that has to set a test date before i'll buckle down to study. i casually studied for 2 weeks and realized that was really getting me nowhere. so i asked for the earliest available test date and it happened to be 2 weeks out. so 4 weeks alltogether? i know people who study for months for the gre.

i borrowed a barron's book from the library. it had a huge vocabulary list, so out came the flash cards! studied them whenever i had free time over the two weeks. so vocabulary i maybe did a couple of hours a day?

i was more concerned with the math, since it had been years since algebra and geometry. i clep'd college algebra 6 years ago and didn't remember much. the barron's book gives you the formulas to solve problems, so - more flash cards! so another couple of hours?

i found that gre prep software helped a lot, especially on the analytical writing. it gave you sample topics and showed you examples for what they would be looking for each grade level, a 6 grade, a 5 grade, etc. the last 2 days before the test, i strictly used the software, with the practice questions and the full-length practice tests. i then used the flash cards to review vocab and formulas i missed.

i couldn't afford to take a test prep class and honestly, i really wonder if they help. i think if you buckle down with a good book, it can be done. i've used barron's guides for everything - i like them, they are easy to read and have a nice format.

i wound up getting a 580v/580q and 4.5 out of 6 aw.

topcat

TLC RN · Apr 1, 2004

TopCat1234 -

That is AWESOME!

I am trying to decide if I should do the course but it is expensive. I am like you in that i need a deadline or the prep books will be in the corner of the room collecting dust.

Did the vocab words help that much? I did not do well on my ACT's in high school and I think I am prone to test anxiety on these standardized tests

TopCat1234 · Apr 2, 2004

honestly, even as much as i read, there were a host of words i didn't know from that list. :uhoh3: it know it helped, as i know there were some words on the analogies and antonyms that i remember from my cards. also, there are words that you know, but have alternate meanings, so you have to be careful.

i'm telling ya - download that prep software and take the practie questions and practice exams. it's exactly how you will take the exam at the testing site and can ease some of that anxiety.

topcat