Best gre test guides according to redditors
We found 197 Reddit comments discussing the best gre test guides. We ranked the 44 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 197 Reddit comments discussing the best gre test guides. We ranked the 44 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
>I didn't say they wouldn't have to work hard or take advantage of other opportunities (Kahn academy, online tutoring, supplementary materials), but you implying that they can't under any circumstances achieve an education?
This sounds dangerously like bootstrap nonsense. Yeah, sure, an inner city kid can get a good education by going to their run-down public library and watching 4 hours of Kahn academy videos a day. Without any academic support system. Without a reinforcing social environment. Without a stress-free suburban lifestyle. (You'd be surprised how easy it is to study when you don't have to worry where your next meal is coming from.)
I'm a college student. My family is pretty well off. I consider myself ridiculously privileged compared to a less well-off peer:
Far from an exhaustive list. And that's just the privilege of being upper middle compared to regular middle class. Think about what you're saying.
Just took the test on Saturday and got 170V/168Q. Let me tell you a few things about prep:
1)DO NOT waste your time or money with Kaplan/Princeton/Barron's etc.. they are inadequate and full of distracting typos.
2)Do use Magoosh.com and/or the Manhattan course. They both come with top-notch instruction and lots of practice tests/questions. I actually used both. For even more practice questions (which you probably won't have time for at this point) check out the 5 lb book of questions.
3) Definitely memorize every word on the free Magoosh vocab flashcards. Knowing these words saved my verbal score.
4) For the love of all that is holy please use the official GRE book that is put out by ETS.
5) Do not ignore the essay. It requires a very specific type of writing. Even if you are a "good" writer you will be disappointed in your score unless you write the way they want you to. What you may not know is that every essay is graded by one computer reader and one human reader. For $13 you can actually have 2 essays graded by the exact algorithm the computer reader uses and you'll get an idea of where you stand.
You don't need to really understand the "underlying physics" to do well on the PGRE. The way to get a good score is to learn a few key facts and what sort of problem to apply them to by rote. Memorize the number 1.22 because it shows up in the Rayleigh criterion. Don't bother recalling that it's the zero of some Bessel function. Cram. Memorize. This is the sort of exam where writing speed can be a huge factor. It's a big, dumb ritual that everyone has to go through that teaches you nothing.
If you buy a PGRE practice book that comes with practice exams they'll likely be similar to the real thing. I can recommend this. A week of cramming from that increased my score dramatically.
The first time I took the GRE practice test, I got a 148V/152Q. I am a math major, and honestly, I was not well equipped for the type of questions given on the test. I studied (for only two-three weeks) and ended up getting a 153V/166Q. I used this book to practice/prepare for the quantitative section (it is the one written by the test takers).
You still have time to take the exam and schools will likely only look at the best overall score you sent them. Sign up to take it exactly 21 days from when you originally took it, and have the scores prepared to be sent to all of the schools you are applying to. Buy the book I linked and take a full quantitative practice test. Figure out what type of questions you missed and where were you overconfident, and study that content and do more practice questions.
Finally, don't say stuff like this:
>This all makes me feel like I shouldn’t have even bothered majoring in engineering and giving my life to my department, because ETS has decided that my buck stops here.
I promise you that thinking like this will keep you from being successful and achieving your goals. You will have much worse failures in the future (as does everyone in academia) and it is important to learn from things like this. Don't question your worth just because of one occurrence where you didn't meet your own expectations.
Good luck!
Get the main book done directly by ETS. Imo, it's the best one and has the most realistic questions.
http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462402098&sr=8-2&keywords=ets+gre+prep+2016
I took my test in 2014, so you might want to double check that there isn't a newer edition (any edition should be fine, though, really).
Also, if you are just starting to study, I would recommend paying for full access on Magoosh. I think they are very good for the money and would be better than taking a class. It's all online, so you can study comfortably on your own time. Good luck!
Take it twice if you can afford to do so. The test is brutal and you will want as much preparation as possible. Get a copy of Conquering the physics GRE and take practice tests under test conditions. /r/physicsgre is low traffic but has some very good resources.
To get an idea of the resources you'll need, I suggest that you take an official practice test. It may be the case that you're already scoring above your target scores, in which case you may not need to prepare at all :-).
Resources-wise, be sure to get ETS's Official Guide for GRE. For extra practice questions, ETS (the test maker) has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 200 questions.
As far as instructional resources go, the one that's best for you will be the one that best suits your learning style.
Finally, it's a good idea to have some kind of Study Plan. We have a one here if you're interested.
Cheers,
Brent
I think that the content of this post, especially for someone looking at Physics PhD programs, is spot-on. Focusing on grades now and getting into research ASAP are basically the two things you should do in the short term.
/u/luxuryy__yachtt is completely right, chronologically speaking, to leave the Physics GRE (or pGRE, as it is unaffectionately known) to the end. However, I want to emphasize just how important that test can be to your graduate hopes. It alone will not open any doors to you, but a poor performance on the pGRE can definitely close doors in a hurry. More leeway here is given to students from top undergraduate programs (think Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, MIT), while students from lesser-known programs have more to prove with their pGRE score, but do not take it lightly either way. I have friends from [insert elite, private university] who didn't take the test seriously, ended up doing poorly, and ended up being effectively locked out of the top 10 or top 20 for PhD programs.
Some (very top) programs seem to use pGRE scores as a hard cutoff and – at the very least – will look very critically at the rest of your application if your score is subpar, which is really unfortunate. The test is pretty dumb and effectively tests your ability to answer a bunch of questions about freshman-level physics really, really quickly, but scoring well (e.g. above 80th percentile, which is an 860) can be the difference in your application. For that reason, it is worth taking the time to ensure that you do well on it.
Now that I have hopefully scared you into caring about this exam, let me give you a quick DO's and DON'Ts in bullet format:
TL;DR Follow /u/luxuryy__yachtt's advice. Just remember that the Physics GRE is a test that exists, will be very important to your grad school admissions, and will be something that you need to prepare for if you want to get into a top tier program. The details of the exam can get ironed out later; for now, just do your best to master the material in your classes and get involved in research.
5lb Manhattan book helped me immensely for the quantitative section. The ETS quantitative reasoning book is also a great resource.
Lastly, use Magoosh if you enjoy studying on the computer. The software Magoosh provides is well worth the money. The ETS website also has a bunch of mock-tests you can take too, so make sure you take those as well.
Good luck!
I just went through the process of applying to sociology PhD programs last fall.
Not falling behind: the only suggestions that I have would be to regularly read journal articles related to your research. Also, if you have some funds I would suggest going to local sociological conferences and present your research/work if you can. It's also a great opportunity for your to network and get in contact with grad students, faculty, and professionals in your research. It's important to keep in touch with them over the years so that come application time, you may know someone in the selection committee and that definitely helps.
Preparing for grad school applications process: Speaking from experience, start early and keep your applications organized. Start looking at PhD programs that you're interested in and keep a hierarchical list according to top tier programs (e.g. UC Berkeley), middle tier programs (e.g. University of Oregon) and bottom tier programs (e.g. UC Riverside). For this list, I would suggest ranking them not only on the program's national ranking but how much the program would satisfy your wants and needs i.e. department research, faculty, funding opportunities, diversity, location, etc. Keep track of this list and narrow it down to however many programs you plan to apply to. Look for faculty in your research and read their work. Contact faculty, ask them provoking questions about their research, try to set up appointments to meet them in person. If not, try to build a relationship through e-mail. This would be a opportunity for professors to notice that you are taking the initiative to contact them and being active in sociological research. They will also remember you when they are on a selection committee for a PhD program or even on a committee for a position in academia. I'm not sure if you had to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for entry into your master's program, but sociology PhD programs require the GRE. My advice for studying for the GRE: start studying at least 6 months before you take the test and study regularly - it's not a test you can cram for the night before. I would say set up your own study plan and work off the [ETS Revised GRE prep book] (http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-revised-General-Test/dp/0071700528) Keep in contact with the people who will write you letters of recommendation - make sure you update them on what you've been working on for the past couple of years. It's helpful to give them your application materials so they can write you a strong letter of recommendation. For personal statements, just start writing and getting through drafts and get feedback from your letter writers. Keep track of transcripts - make sure they are submitted. Most applications are online and required unofficial transcripts but I would say triple check the transcript requirements.
PhD programs: I'm just starting my sociology PhD program, and from my own experience I can say that you definitely need to do your research on PhD programs and talk to graduate students in the programs that you're interested in. The program may seem promising but grad students may be miserable (and it's good to talk to many grad students to get multiple perspectives on the program). In terms of funding, usually PhD programs offer some form of support to students - whether through fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. Be careful though - look to see how many years the program supports and how many years it takes for students to finish. If there's a big gap, say a program offers 3 years of support and it usually takes students 7 years to finish (unlikely but may happen), then you would want to prepare yourself for applying for external funding once you are in the program. Definitely look into external fellowships that you are eligible for like the Ford Foundation (that's a big one) and the American Sociological Association minority fellowship. There are many external fellowships outside of sociology that you may be eligible for, you might have to dig deep to find them. I haven't officially started my PhD program, so I can't tell you my experience or how to navigate the program.
I hope this doesn't sound redundant as I'm sure you underwent a similar application process for master's programs. Please feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.
Real, Official ETS GRE materials are are totally missing from your list.
ETS GRE materials are the best materials to practice with--especially for the Verbal section, where imitation questions can differ significantly from the real exam.
Below is an exhaustive list of all the official GRE preparation materials from ETS currently available:
If you add up all the unique questions in these official resources, it totals about 1,600 official questions, which for many students is more than sufficient for a full GRE preparation. However, many students need more learning, strategy and practice than the official materials can provide. With that in mind, here are some additional 3rd-party GRE strategy and learning guides that we can recommend:
You might also want to consider purchasing the Manhattan Prep GRE CATs, which do not include real GRE questions, but are still (mostly) realistic and make for good practice if you need more than four CATs. The first exam is free, and you can buy six more for $39.
We do NOT recommend Kaplan or Princeton Review books, which are decent for mid-level scorers, but too simplistic for the student who aspires to high GRE scores.
Bonus: Don't forget about the GRE Big Book, which is now outdated, but has 27 old GRE tests, which are still useful, especially for Quant, despite subsequent changes to the GRE test format.
Source: Vince and Brian's (Free) GRE PowerPrep Explanations
When I took the GRE, I had the same study philosophy, and it hurt me a bit. There's a bunch of very simple math that I blanked on because I hadn't even seen it since Freshman year. The complex math is actually going to be a bit easier for you since you've been using it more recently as an Engineering student. Geometry and Trigonometry were the bits that got me.
For studying, just get a test prep book. They're about $20, and have everything centralized. The official guide is what I used, but just about every other guide covers the same material.
Just going to play devil's advocate here. I've never bought any tutoring from Brian. The only experience I have with Brian is reading his comments/posts on the GRE subreddit, reading his GRE tutorial, and his GRE Vocab Book. Although his vocabulary book is hot garbage, his GRE comments are generally insightful and his free GRE tutorial is actually spot on. I've been following this community for about a year and his recommendations are usually pretty good. Not as good as gregmat but no one can really live up to the enigma that is GregMat.
Looking through your purported "evidence" I don't see any foul play here. It is at minimum true that Brian has tutored for 15 years, I don't think that anyone was under the preconceived notion that Brian has been tutoring the LSAT specifically for that amount of time.
Further, I've done practice material from the LSAT, the GRE, and the GMAT and I've got to say that there is a lot of transfer between tests. I'm reasonably certain with minimal effort that I could score decently high on the GMAT or LSAT as I have on the GRE. Even if Brian has less experience with the LSAT, his knowledge is still very valuable for the LSAT because many of these strategies/techniques are transferable between tests.
If you wanted to bash the way Brian incessantly avers his Harvard degree and his absurd tutoring prices, then I think the whole community would get behind that (Why most GRE prep material suck). But I cannot stand by and see a man's clear talent for standardized tests be the object of reproach in this way.
Oh man. Every time this question comes up my answer is the same: buy the official ETS book. Forget every other material, because they're much too easy. You can take two electronic practice tests on the GRE website that are also included with a CD in it (the CD has two additional electronic tests), but the paper practice tests are still useful for identifying where you mess up. You'll notice a pattern of which types of questions you miss, and they include the solution work in the back of the book.
Go to B&N, Borders, or whatever bookstore and buy this: http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Edition/dp/007179123X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374844912&sr=8-2&keywords=GRE
Yes, I took it on July 5th. I used this book for practice tests mostly the week before the GRE. Every day I used this 5 lb. book of practice problems to go over math concepts I needed extra work on and these flashcards for vocab. It seems a little overkill in retrospect, but I was damn determined not to take it twice. All of these helped me enormously, probably about equally. By combining them I was able to raise my scores about 25 percentile points each between my diagnostic test to actual test day.
Best of luck! Just study hard and keep your cool and you'll do just fine.
Much to my disappointment, I need these because I have to apply for grad school in the fall. My yoga therapy book is a dollar over (not including shipping), so yeah, this is it. FML.
Goodbye Eleven. Are you trying to make me cry?
Get the official book. It shows you exactly what to expect on the test and has sample tests to practice with.
Then get a third party book, like Princeton Review or Kaplan. They give you the non-BS lowdown on the different types of questions to expect.
A friend who teaches test prep classes gave me that advice when I took the test 2 years ago and it served me well. I aced the math, but the English was a little tougher. Like musicnerd1023 said, it's mostly vocabulary words, and it's impossible to know which words will come up. There were a few words that I had never even heard before.
The math was pretty much middle school difficulty, but you have to be fast. The tricks given in the books were very helpful in showing you how to eliminate wrong choices quickly to narrow down the possible answers.
However, I don't know how much the test has changed this year. You may be screwed. ;)
These are the GRE books I'm using:
[Prep book from ETS, the test writers] (http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00)
[Kaplan Prep book] (http://www.amazon.com/GRE-Premier-2016-Practice-Tests/dp/1625231326/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464258601&sr=1-1&keywords=kaplan+gre)
[Big book of practice problems] (http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Problems-Manhattan-Strategy-Guides/dp/1941234518?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER)
ETS PowerPrep II, which is software that includes 2 practice tests with standard testing conditions.
If anyone has other suggestions, please share.
I'm a professional in-person and online GRE (among other things) tutor. It's best to use a recent book, especially since they are typically close in price to older editions. Depending on where you're starting your prep at (take a practice test first), and what score you're aiming for, usually 2-3 months is a great amount of time to prep.
I recommend and use this book with my students - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1259862410
And these flashcards -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1618656198
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find.
amazon.co.uk
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Here's the link!
I am going to get more physically fit while also getting back in touch with nature and myself. [I currently don't do anything physical and I'm way too stressed out for my liking].
I'm going to use my new bike (!!!!!!!!!!!) that the incredible Jason purchased for me recently to ride to work every day it is warm outside. This will also force me to get up earlier and really take time to myself. I will time myself and journal how I feel at the beginning and end of the month and a half of biking. It's going to rock.
/u/ChiefMcClane /u/mewfasa /u/chronos42 - you're already my real life cheerleaders but I know you will kick my ass to keep going!
This is not going to get my body fit, but it will help me shape my mind and in turn my future.
I don't use Amazon music.
Can't wait!!
For 160+ targets, 1000 is a bit low. I recommend https://quizlet.com/SherpaPrep and https://smile.amazon.com/GRE-Vocab-Capacity-Powerful-Mnemonics/dp/1477650555/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510028747&sr=8-1&keywords=gre+mnemonic.
Looking for unis myself. As for GRE, I picked up the Barrons for Maths basics first despite what my friends said because I liked it. Then did some math from Kaplan. After that spent most of my practice time on questions from the Manhattan 5 pound book. As for words I used quizlet to mug words on pc. Felt it was much more effective than any other app. Especially the test generation and space race feature. Finally for the writing section I used tips from Kaplan and Barrons on the general grammar to be used while making points. I wrote about 5-10 essays for practice I guess. Asked a friend good with English to help review my essays and suggest where improvement could be done.
Anyway, ended up getting 327(V:160,Q:167) and 4 on the AWA.
Edit : Forgot to add one test series which I had used. The Kaplan book came with a free online account which I used extensively. While the maths seemed to be easier than the actual questions I encountered at GRE, I'd still call it a good source for practicing. There are several Kaplan books available so rem. to get one with an online account if you do. http://www.amazon.in/Kaplan-Premier-2014-Practice-Tests/dp/1609789369/ref=pd_cp_b_3 < This one.
I agree with many other replies that you would need a B.S. in something more closely related to physics (math, chemistry, engineering, etc) if that's really what you want to do.
Note that it would be very difficult to find any program that would consider accepting you with a business degree. If you really think you want to give it a try, it's never too late to go back to school, but know that if you take physics seriously (as one of the other posters stated) it'll be at least 10 years of school. Source: I just defended my Ph.D. and have been in college for 12 years...I am not unique.
If you really want to give grad applications a try, note that you'll need the general GRE ($205), then the physics subject GRE ($150). Take a gander at this book for some physics subject test preparation. Note that to apply, there will also be application fees (generally ~$25-75), transcript fees (generally free-$25), and you'll have to find people that can write very strong letters of recommendation for you.
TL;DR: If you really want to pursue graduate physics, get a B.S. in physics first (and plan to dedicate at least the next decade exclusively to your studies).
ETS, the makers of the GRE, publish their own guide but you will need many more practice questions that it can provide.
On the other hand, I've done what you are starting out to do and started with Khan Academy to get a place to start and then found materials elsewhere in accordance with my results from there.
Get this book-
Conquering the Physics GRE https://www.amazon.com/dp/1479274631/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PyADDbZYF289R
Practice all the exercises and skim through the text. I started with my Physics GRE prep two weeks before the test and scored full. This book helped a lot I think. All the best!
TL;DR: the difficulty depends on what you're good at - English and/or Math.
I'm a jiak kantang kind of person and I've never had major problems with math, so I personally thought that the exam wasn't super challenging. Basically I found some free practice tests online and did a few of them to get a feel for what the time management would be like. Granted I took the GRE like five years ago so I don't really remember all that much about the test itself haha
In contrast, my friends from more Mandarin-speaking backgrounds really struggled with vocab and grammar and some of them had to take the test twice to get the score they wanted. They managed to improve their score by grinding Kaplan and Manhattan. There are PDFs floating around so you don't have to spend a ton of money.
One friend who didn't take AMath at O levels had a lot of trouble with the math section, but the other people were mostly fine.
All the best!
They're the company that makes the GRE and a bunch of other tests. If you go to barnes and noble at the GRE section you can find this book https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-General-Test-Third/dp/1259862410/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1495162326&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=ets+gre which was the one I was referencing!
Probably score 315ish. Depending on how the verbal goes. I'd aim for a 165+ and 155 verbal for your 320. Focus on verbal this last week. I'd recommend getting the Official Verbal Practice Guide and just grinding thru it during the next week. Also keep memorizing vocab words.
Whoa. Certainly, many students perform worse on the real thing than on their practices. That's to be expected. But your quant scores were higher than your verbal, then all of a sudden your verbal was better? What happened? It's impressive that your verbal was so good, but that quant score is far below your practices.
Luckily, quant is fairly straightforward to improve. Clearly, there are concepts you don't know, and you have to learn them. Go back to that ETS material. The official guide and the quant book have plenty of practice problems. Which ones did you get wrong? Are there any concepts that are a little fuzzy?
Anything that's a little fuzzy will likely not be very helpful under the stressful conditions of test day. So you have to be really solid on all the fundamentals. Go back to the official material and see which problems give you a bit of trouble. Then re-learn those concepts.
I definitely think you can hit those scores though. Take your studying seriously and be intentional about what you are learning and practicing. Keep an error log and review the material in it every day. Bit by bit you'll build your knowledge base and should definitely get to where you need to be.
Let me know if you have any more specific questions or concerns. You got this!
-Magoosh Student Help
If you have a week:
Try to get thru Basic VII. Write down any words you miss and review them when you have a break. The Magoosh vocab app is great too.
So get the Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Book and Magoosh flashcard app and grind thru them. Do blind review, review mistakes, update strategies as you gain experience, and always note down any missed/new vocab words. That should get you 4 points.
Yeah, I'm SO happy with the result! No lie I cried a little at the end when it spat out my score and I'm sure it was embarrassing for the lady who helped me check out afterward.
I can't recommend Official Guide to the GRE enough. It's really good at teaching you all the math you need, but I think this ETS math review pdf is the same as in the book? Anyways the good thing about the book is it has two full length, official practice tests that are a similar difficulty as the real test and loads of practice questions. I did every question in here and read the math review like three times.
ETS has two more free official practice tests, same thing as the ones that come with the CD in the book. I did both of these too and half of the Manhattan Prep free practice test to practice quant.
For more practice questions I used the Manhattan GRE and Ready4GRE phone apps. They give you some free and you can pay if you want more. The Ready4 questions felt like good practice to me and the Manhattan ones were a little harder than the ones in the ETS book.
All my friends recommended signing up for Magoosh. I didn't because it is pricey, but sometimes people sell their accounts if they still have time on their subscriptions so check GRE facebook groups or /r/GRE. They have some free things: some video lessons and practice problems, and explanations of problems from the ETS practice tests/practice books. I heard the Princeton Review and Kaplan practice tests and questions are too easy compared to the real thing, but the Manhattan Prep 5lb Book of Practice Problems, official ETS extra quant book and extra verbal book, and Manhattan Prep study guide set are all supposed to be good.
This is my second time taking it. I def did not prep enough for the first one! This time I did a full practice test first for a baseline, wrote down topics I was bad at, read the math review, did the exercises from the book, and did all the practice problems from the book. Then I took another practice test, started doing questions from 3rd parties, and spaced out the rest of the practice tests.
For the writing I read a lot of sample essays that scored a 6 or 5 and made outlines for different essay prompts. I was too lazy to write even one full practice essay though so I might have bombed that part, ahaha. I spent about a month studying and $20 on the ETS official guide.
TBH I might be taking the GMAT now so maybe I'll join you guys. Good luck studying! :)
I highly suggest The Official Guide to the GRE and using this thread for anymore information you need. However, if you're tight for money look at older editions (the one I hyperlinked is the second edition) or PM me if you're really desperate.
Take some considerations when using/buying the book because MOST OF the information in the ETS book is available on their website. However, your situation says you aren't able to get online often so I can understand the advantage, however I'd like you to be aware of this. I also forgot to mention I've used the Manhattan and Princeton and liked those as well.
You're welcome!
Check out Vince Kotchian's guide for how to use Khan Academy (the bottom has links to specific sections of Khan Academy relevant for the GRE): https://vincekotchian.com/blog/gre/complete-gre-math-concept-list
Other free online material for Quant:
Yes, there is a verbal-specific book from ETS (there's a quant one as well that can be bought online - you might be able to find them at a library or at a bookstore as well): https://smile.amazon.com/Official-Verbal-Reasoning-Practice-Questions-ebook/dp/B01NH09WNS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=gre+official+verbal+questions&qid=1554581809&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Best of luck!
I guess that would be helpful!
ETS GRE Website with a breakdown of what they cover
ETS Guide
This is one of the best ways to prepare since they are the test writers. I was told this as I prepared.
Honestly, the test isn't that hard as long as you're familiar with grade school math and are comfortable with reading comprehension. The words are fairly complex, but nothing a little (or a lot in my case, with math) studying and flash cards couldn't help. And trust me, I'm no genius.
Found this comment:
Just took the test on Saturday and got 170V/168Q. Let me tell you a few things about prep:
1)DO NOT waste your time or money with Kaplan/Princeton/Barron's etc.. they are inadequate and full of distracting typos.
2)Do use Magoosh.com and/or the Manhattan course. They both come with top-notch instruction and lots of practice tests/questions. I actually used both. For even more practice questions (which you probably won't have time for at this point) check out the 5 lb book of questions.
3) Definitely memorize every word on the free Magoosh vocab flashcards. Knowing these words saved my verbal score.
4) For the love of all that is holy please use the official GRE book that is put out by ETS.
5) Do not ignore the essay. It requires a very specific type of writing. Even if you are a "good" writer you will be disappointed in your score unless you write the way they want you to. What you may not know is that every essay is graded by one computer reader and one human reader. For $13 you can actually have 2 essays graded by the exact algorithm the computer reader uses and you'll get an idea of where you stand.
Just because you ask specifically about books, I'll restrict my answer to just that
Pros:
This is quite good, covers all the techniques. Most importantly, there are problems which are v v tricky. And Only tricky problems, so you're exposed to all the charades that ETS can pull.
Cons :
Only covers tricky problems, so as to get you exposed. This isn't really detailed.
I would defo buy it tho, so I get the exposure!
That is pretty much all you need. All the books, at the very least, because most of the GRE services are software :|
There are plenty of books out there to help you prepare for the general GRE as well as the different subject tests. Here is a good example of one for physics. Most of the "tricks" involve recognizing certain classes of problems and utilizing dimensional analysis and proportionality arguments to identify the correct answer. The exam is multiple choice, which lends itself to a variety of techniques that don't involve a lot of deep physics.
Another piece of advice, if you are planning on applying to grad schools over the next year, then you'd better get moving. The Physics GRE is offered twice a year, in November and in April. You need to have your grad school applications submitted by early March at the latest, which means you need to take the test in November, April will be too late (a couple friends of mine got screwed by this, they didn't sign up to take the test until April, which was too late and the schools they applied to wouldn't consider their application without the GRE score). So make sure you do your research on what you need and when to apply for the various programs you're considering. It would be a shame if you didn't get in to the program you wanted because of administrative issues.
http://www.amazon.com/MCAT-Physics-Book-Garrett-Biehle/dp/1889057339
It's 88 cents over the limit, but I thought I'd link it anyways: GRE Prep Flashcards! I'm applying to vet school in the fall, and I'll need all the help I can get on the GRE.
But if you're a stickler on the $15 rule (and you probably should be, shame on me for being greedy), I think these pencils would really help me get back into drawing. Think of all the critters I should be sketching right now!
I wanna tell you that I really like this contest. All of us are crazy about gifting each other, but we gotta remember to TREAT YOSELF and take care of ourselves and our futures, too!
ROI!
These are the study materials I ordered:
I have the same question. And I just noticed that Manhattan Prep is coming out with a new edition of their 5lb Book in a few weeks; it's up for preorder on Amazon now, and part of the book's description reads "Manhattan Prep's best-selling 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems has been updated to include an online companion of lessons from Interact® for GRE, our revolutionary interactive, on-demand learning platform." So apparently some of the Interact content will be available to buyers of the new edition of the 5lb Book.
I'm considering holding off a few weeks on buying the 5lb Book and getting this newer edition when it releases, especially because its description says that the new edition includes new timed mixed practice sets. If I do, I'll report back on my experience with the Interact content that's available to me. (I can't imagine that it'll be anything near the full amount of Interact content that Manhattan is charging US$399 for, but maybe there will be enough Interact content included with the 5lb Book to make some reasonable inferences about how worthwhile Interact is generally).
Amazon preorder link for new edition of 5lb Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1506247598/
You will want to see here: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/
Then buy this here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071841814/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1618656236/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1425420047&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kaplan+gre&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51Y8pzPt93L&amp;ref=plSrch&amp;pi=AC_SY200_QL40
This is the latest version. I used the 2014 version (took the test last year)
The most recently released previous GREs are pretty similar in terms of question subject matter and form to what you'll see this year, so don't take all of those right at the beginning of your studies or you'll be left working through antiquated exams close to your test date.
Other than that piece of advice, I would second the recommendation of "Conquering the Physics GRE". It has both a good amount of very tailored subject matter review and lots of practice problems that are very similar to those found on the most recent GREs.
I finished up with my undergrad at UCF about a year and a half ago. I'm using the Official GRE study guide by ETS I'm looking to take the actual test by the end of the year so I'm planning on spending about six months in prep.
I highly recommend Magoohs book in combo with ETS books. Magosh breaks the math down better if that is your challenge. It also does a good job of teaching you how the GRE will trick you! Best of luck! https://www.amazon.com/GRE-Prep-Magoosh/dp/1939418917
GRE books that don't contain official, actual GRE materials are hit or miss. No matter what resources you use to study, make sure that you are always using real, official GRE materials to study in addition to whatever else you use. For example, this and these.
This is awesome! Thanks for serving our country!
I could really use this GRE practice bookEdit: scratch that. I forgot that I will most likely be taking the GREs around the same time this contest is over. So maybe something less practical like this light for gel manicures that I've been dying to try!
I have not used Varsity Tutors, so I am not certain of the difficulty of their questions versus actual GRE questions. However, unless you have already exhausted them, I suggest practicing official GRE questions from the GRE Official Guide. Your accuracy on those questions will give you a better idea of how prepared you are for GRE quant. If you find that you are struggling with official GRE questions, perhaps you may want to seek out a robust study resource to better help learn GRE quant. If you are unsure of which resources to use, you should check out sites such as Crush The GRE or GRE Prep Club.
When are you taking it? If you're looking for study materials I recommend this book!
My goodness, that looks comprehensive! I used this thing which was more expensive than your book, and has poorer reviews on Amazon. Ahh, why did I spend so much!?! I should have bought your book!
How's the studying going? How much have you done, how well did you score, etc? I feel like I'm trying to parent you and I'm afraid I'm being condescending, so please tell me if I'm coming off as rude.
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X
I used this book when I was studying and felt it was really helpful. I’d supplement with Khan Academy or YouTube videos to fill any gaps you might have.
Sounds like you've exhausted the official electronic resources. :(
https://smile.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X?sa-no-redirect=1
https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-Revised-General-Test/dp/007179123X
Here is a Magoosh blog post about average scores at top institutions.
Magoosh is a great resource, even just for information on the test if you are not interested in their packages. I cannot recommend them enough. I just started with 7Sage for LSAT, one of the highest rated LSAT prep programs available online, and so far my impression is that Magoosh was better overall. Interface, lessons, questions, everything.
Definitely pick up the official ETS prep book found here, and immediately. Burn through the review chapters in a couple sessions, then take both a written and computer based practice test (two of each are available with the ETS book). Now you will know where you currently stand, where you need to be, and how much more prep you will need.
I'm currently using ETS material for all the verbal, but for non-ETS material. I use the 5-lb Book of GRE Practice Problems from Manhattan Prep (https://www.amazon.com/lb-Book-GRE-Practice-Problems/dp/1506247598/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=gre&qid=1559187676&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1).
I got it on sale last December alongside with the GRE vocabulary flashcards.
However, my friend swears by Magoosh. I didn't want to drop $149 when I'm taking the exam in 3 months. I suggest utilizing and exhausting all of the free resource before thinking about buying GRE prep courses.
This is what I finished yesterday:
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https://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-GRE-General-Test/dp/1259862410/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TM1WWV0JK4V8ZZKVP4WB
Have you used any of the official ETS material? I'd recommend reading through their math review, hitting the paper-based practice test and the 2nd or 3rd edition guide, followed by the ETS quant practice book. You can't beat several hundred questions straight from the test-makers.
Manhattan 5lb would be a good source of practice once you've completed the other stuff. The 2nd edition guide + quant/verbal practice books all come in a pack on Amazon called "Super Power Pack." If you don't have any of them, I'd overnight it if possible.
Good luck.
For the old MCAT I used Nova MCAT physics which was a great book; however, looking through the new MCAT it seems to emphasize passage based questions that incorporate biology and chemistry. Regardless, people still seem to be using the baron review so maybe start there?
When I was prepping last fall I took a free kaplan class online and then got that year's premier book that comes with a computer component. It was really great. There were tons of practice questions with explanations, you could generate specific questions sets (difficulty, type, etc). It really helped me to learn how the test worked (the logic behind what the answers are).
This year's book: http://www.amazon.com/GRE%C2%AE-Premier-2015-Practice-Tests/dp/1618656236/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420411587&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=kaplan+gre.
For the GRE, I used the book I was telling you about earlier (just the general GRE prep book that covers every section) but of course you'd want the revised version. I also used GRE vocab cards (these are what I have actually). If you're not very proficient in math I'd highly recommend getting a GRE math practice book.
For the GRE I got this exact set from Kaplan as well as the Princeton Review test prep book.
I didn't think the GRE was nearly as hard as everyone made it out to be. I did pretty well, but I'm an abnormally exceptional tester.
But I agree with pony_hawk, do a practice test before you study so you know your weakness.
Where can I find the (up-to-date) tests? Or is there a book that I can buy that has a bunch of different ones? I'm planning on buying this so I'll have the 4 tests included with that but would like to take more as well.
They changed the GRE a few years ago didn't they? So, I'm sure this is a given but just in case, I'm looking for practice tests that are up-to-date with the new test. Thanks!
Don't waste your time with that crap, unless that is effective for you. For me, whenever I read I gloss over words I don't know or can't pronounce. If you do this at all then reading won't increase your vocabulary.
For me, what worked was creating a mental picture of the definition based on the pronunciation of the word. The more personalized and outrageous the better. That last part on being personalized and crazy is key.
For example, truculent means "eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant." To me it sounds like "truck-you-lent" so I picture a guy driving a semi truck which costs like 400K who owns the truck, but works for a shipping company. He lends his truck out, but the guy doesn't give it back and so the big burly truck driver is pissed and eager to fight and argue.
I practice recalling the key phrase "truck-you-lent" and associated picture incorporating the definition. After three times I just know the definition without really being able to articulate it well. Its just in there, but it takes struggling and recalling it ~3 times over a 2 week period.
I have a database of GRE words with descriptions of pictures that I have been working on in hopes of writing a book based on the above idea someday. PM if you want me to send it to you.
Also, check out these books for ideas and even words. They tend to be simple SAT words but you need to know them as well for the GRE.
GRE Vocab Capacity: Over 900 Powerful Memory Tricks and Mnemonics to Widen your Lexicon
Vocabulary Cartoons II, SAT Word Power
Vocabulary Cartoons: Sat Word Power
Vocabulary Cartoons II: SAT Word Power
Picture These SAT Words!
Picture These SAT Words in a Flash
Vocabulary Cartoons: Word Power Made Easy
Vocabulary Cartoons: SAT Word Power
How to Build a Better Vocabulary
Verbal Advantage: 10 Steps to a Powerful Vocabulary
here's a picture of the book on Amazon.. might be easier to see. She seems to have the same eyebrows, nose, and eyes to me.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007183432X/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
There's also a verbal equivalent.
I have the paper version: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1259862410/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A1JKVWH22E85VP&amp;psc=1
there's something they're not telling us! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477650555/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
I loved these two books for practicing (especially Magoosh!! I bought them on Amazon, but look around--you may find a better price), but I'll admit I really focused on the math part since that's what I needed the most practice on. The Magoosh book really breaks down the math section into the different concepts you need to know, a lot of which I hadn't talked about in school for a long time, haha. I also recommend taking practice tests in the same setup/format as you're going to take the real test.
I used this book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477650555
I heard from someone who used the Manhattan deck that the content is pretty much the same, so just pick one and stick with it. But this is hearsay, since I don't actually know their differences myself.
I'd say don't take a class. You'll be paying a lot of money for a generalized approach intended to strengthen a bunch of peoples' GRE scores, instead of focusing on what you need help with. Suck at verbal and good at quant? A class isn't going to spend more time on verbal just because you suck at it.
I'd recommend hiring a good private tutor and/or joining Magoosh. Magoosh is $80 for six months and it's by far the best prep material I've found. It's all online and has videos teaching you different types of material. Those are like a Khan Academy for GRE prep. They also have questions and a quiz mode, so they throw questions at you and also give you an estimated score range based on how many you get right. The questions are much harder than the real GRE so they prep you really, really well.
I'd say also get the Manhattan Prep 5-lb Book of GRE Problems. They're really good, reasonably challenging, and harder than the real test. They don't teach you "tricks" as much as teach you the actual material you need. Avoid Kaplan and Princeton Review like the plague, since their questions often have a lot of typos and aren't good prep. Also for sure get the Official Guide to the GRE, since it's the only place to get official ETS questions. They resemble the ones on the actual test the most. If you're having trouble with a particular topic, Manhattan Prep also sells guides for individual subjects like word problems and geometry that are really good. ETS also sells books of Quantitative and Verbal questions for extra practice.
Good luck!