(Part 3) Best test preparation books according to redditors
We found 962 Reddit comments discussing the best test preparation books. We ranked the 301 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 41-60. You can also go back to the previous section.
What's up dude. Took the LSAT in June. Went from a cold diagnostic of 154 to a 167. (Retaking in Sept for a 170+). Books I used/recommend:
https://www.amazon.com/LSAT-Trainer-remarkable-self-study-self-driven/dp/0989081508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539064&sr=8-1&keywords=lsat+trainer
https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-Logic-Games-Powerscore-Preparation/dp/0988758660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539126&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+logic+game+bible
https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Logical-Reasoning-Bible/dp/0991299221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539163&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+logic+reasoning+bible
Books I used but don't recommend:
https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Reading-Comprehension-Bible/dp/099129923X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539188&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+reading+comprehension
Get your practice tests here (seriously, do 20+ under timed conditions while filling out LSAT bubble sheets):
https://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Official-LSAT-PrepTests/dp/0986045519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539233&sr=8-1&keywords=10+lsat+preptests
https://www.amazon.com/Actual-Official-PrepTests-Comparative-Reading/dp/0984636005/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539233&sr=8-3&keywords=10+lsat+preptests
Also, use https://7sage.com/
Sign up for a free account, and use their logic game explanations. They also have analytics that will track your progress and spit out analysis concerning where your weak areas are.
Good luck!
Math: if you want to review basics = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBCAv_NzzPQ&t=2s - this for algebra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8wdKOsUD-4 - this for geometry. If you watched those or didn't, I'd do Khan or Uworld, whichever you prefer, and then take some sat practice tests after you feel sick of those two programs. Writing = Math, you either know what you're doing or don't.
Reading: I would read a ton to get more used to the test and increase focus and speed. Read scholarly readings - here are a few websites with lists https://www.albert.io/blog/ultimate-ap-english-literature-reading-list/ and https://blog.prepscholar.com/ap-literature-reading-list . start off light, like The Stranger by Albert Camus; don't try to read Hamlet your first run or you're going to get confused and don't know what the hell is going on. You'll increase your focus and improve. Be sure to actively read and if you don't understand a point, go back and analysis it. And when you get to harder readings, it's okay to slow down so you can soak everything in (i.e. Heart of Darkness). Try to read 30 to 60 minutes a day and you'll crush the reading passages. Just make sure you aren't tired when reading because it isn't as useful and read books you like, don't force it. Reading is something our generation isn't accustomed to and we get distracted by technology, but trust me, it will be worth. Just keep reading. And again, after you feel like you mastered it, do some passages.
Writing - https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430 and https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-English-3rd/dp/0997517883/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540762075&sr=1-1&keywords=act+english . Writing is more of a formula, just like math, you either know the concepts or don't. Buy either one. I've tried the second link but heard the first one is better and cheaper.
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There have been multiple books on math, reading and writing; I'd buy only math and writing books from the web (Amazon) if you would like to. They aren't NECESSARY, but can help. An approach to the reading passages was created by George from 1600.io . George is smart, so use George. Don't buy sat reading books from the web, George is free. For math, Khan Academy attacks on one point heavily, while Uworld gives harder, but more variety in their programs (you can also chose specific categories too). GOOD LUCK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU GET!
I think the general consensus is:
Reading | Writing | Math
-------|-------|----
Erica Meltzer Critical Reader | Erica Meltzer Grammar | College Panda Math
| |College Panda Writing | Steve Warner 28 New Lessons - Advanced
| | |College Panda 10 SAT Practice Tests
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 have personally only used Meltzer's english book, CP's english book, and CP's math book and can vouch that all of these are amazing, but others on this sub also recommend other books. Here is a list of many of them. I hope they serve you well :] (Edit: I apologize for how huge this post is, lol)
English
https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610454&sr=1-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+writing
https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610514&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+writing&dpID=41iRh%252BJb19L&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
Reading
https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519610443&sr=8-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+reading&dpID=51cR4Uh0YBL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
Math
https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610506&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+math
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-John-Chungs-Math-Fourth/dp/197452602X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610536&sr=1-1&keywords=dr+chungs+sat+math&dpID=51gqq9mu0XL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
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According to the College Board the Analysis portion of the Essay should "demonstrate an understanding of how the author builds an argument by examining the author’s use of reasoning and persuasive techniques and supporting claims with well-chosen evidence from the passage."
There are 2 parts to this.
a) Show that you understand how authors create persuasive arguments
b) Identify and present evidence of those persuasive techniques
So, you need to be able to identify the most prominent persuasive elements and then write about how the author uses those elements to build his or her argument.
STEP 1--Identify the Rhetorical devices used
What follows is not an exhaustive list of rhetorical devices you might encounter on the new SAT Essay, but this is a good starting point. I have split them into the larger categories of Logos, Ethos and Pathos, but some of these devices fall into more than one category, so don't get too hung up on that.
LOGOS
Statistics
Perhaps the easiest to identify. Statistics are numbers used to suggest factual information. But beware statistics are open to interpretation.
Factual Evidence (examples)
Factual evidence occurs when the author offers examples of something or provides proof.
Reasoning
Reasoning is the use of a logical progression of ideas to come to a conclusion.
Analogy
Analogy is used when the author makes an extended comparison between 2 things which are alike in many respects to suggest that they may be alike in other respects.
Comparison
Comparison is when the author compares limited aspects of 2 or more things.
Challenging Assumptions
Challenging Assumptions occurs when the author wants to present a radical argument, but in order to do so, old ideas must be removed first.
Hypotheticals
Hypotheticals are the weakest form of logical argument because they rely on imaginary situations. However, in limited circumstances, they can form the base of a larger argument.
ETHOS
Credibility of the Author
Authors establish their credibility through experience, education, past actions and even just charisma.
Credibility of Contributor (person or group)
This is the same as credibility of the author except that the author is using someone else’s credibility to build the argument. When this is referred to a appeal to authority it can become a logical fallacy because we are merely trusting someone in authority.
PATHOS
Diction
Diction is also referred to a word choice. English has a vast vocabulary and many words have specific connotations in addition to their denotations. Those connotations carry emotional weight. For Example, thin versus emaciated. Thin has a positive connotation (when speaking about people), but emaciated has a negative connotation.
Syntax
Syntax is the structure of sentences. Certain sentences due to their constructions are inherently more persuasive than others.
Concession/Refutation
Concession happens when the author concedes to the oppositions points and agrees they are valid.
Refutation is the anticipation of an attack and an explanation why the opposition’s point of view is invalid. These strategies are persuasive because they create the sense that the author has considered all sides of the issue and thus is giving an less biased point of view.
Anecdote
Anecdotes are short descriptions of events that are designed to set up a point or evoke a feeling in the reader.
Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical Questions are questions posed to the reader that have an obvious or intended answer.
Appeal to Identity (we)
Appeal to Identity can involve more than one rhetorical strategy, but at its heart it creates a sense of belonging with the reader through appeal to experience, the use of collective pronouns (we, us), the use of 2nd person (you), and flattery.
STEP 2--Explain them correctly in your essay
Too frequently, students write something like to following as their analysis.
In paragraph 3, Miller uses statistics such as "15%" and "30,000,000" to prove his point. Statistics are very convincing to the audience.
ARGH! Nope. First, eliminate the word "prove" from your essays. Authors don't prove anything in an essay, they support arguments, present persuasive evidence, or demonstrate logic, but they don't prove anything. Next, don't assume that the reader or audience is convinced. You can't know this. Also your job isn't to analyze a reaction, but to analyze what did the author do.
Try this
In paragraph 3, Miller bolsters his argument that the self-published e-book market is growing and a viable opportunity for many authors. He uses statistics such as "15% of uploaded books" and "30,000,000 sales" to support his position. These statistics provide support for his argument because they present tangible data that is more persuasive than mere opinion.
The focus remains on what the author did, not on how the reader will respond, and evidence from the given essay is integrated.
Some students have used templates to help them improve their analysis score. College Panda's SAT Essay book has a serviceable template you can follow, and you can download his e-book from Amazon for less than $10.
My SAT Reading Books are available for Free from the following links
Guide to SAT Reading: Literature Passages
Guide to SAT Reading: Global Conversation Passages
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Kaplan tests aren't that great. I, in fact, own one of them and they contained several errors and questions you would never see on the SAT. For example, a reading question was, "what's the best title for this passage?" You won't see that on the SAT.
If you want practice tests pretty similar to the SAT, check out Ivy Global's. Well made and accurate.
For just math only, College Panda's 10 Practice Tests are very accurate to the real test. Good explanations in there and of course you get plenty of problems to work with.
See you later!
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
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 score, in which case you may not need to prepare at all :-).
Resources-wise, be sure to get GMAC's Official Guide for the GMAT. For extra practice questions, the test maker has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 300 questions.
Regarding strategy, to achieve a solid GMAT score, you must:
Many students make the mistake of limiting their preparation to item #1 and perhaps item #2. So, once they fully grasp a concept and successfully answer 1 or 2 related questions, they move on to the next topic.
The problem with this strategy is that the test-makers can take ANY concept, no matter how simple, and create dozens of wildly different questions, each requiring a different approach. Take, for example, the relatively simple concept of averages (arithmetic mean). The test-makers can take this concept and create super simple questions like this and they can create super hard questions like this, both of which test the same concept. So, to achieve a great score, you must answer A LOT of practice questions specifically-related to each concept tested on the GMAT.
To find tons practice questions related to a certain concept, you can use the question-tagging tools at GMAT Club or Beat The GMAT. Alternatively, our GMAT course is arranged so that students can fully explore a certain concept. For example, at the bottom of the video lesson page for inequalities, you’ll find links to dozens of practice questions that test the specific concepts covered in that video. This format lets you fully explore the ins and outs of each concept.
Finally, your study plan should include several full-length practice tests. Keep in mind that the GMAT is a test of your math and verbal skills AND it's a test of your test-taking skills. So, 700-level math/verbal skills, combined with 600-level test-taking skills, will likely result in a score that's closer to 600 than to 700.
I'm gonna direct you to this response I just made and also recommend picking up this practice book. My SAT score put me in the approximate 30 range already so I knew I was not in most cases the target audience for the average practice book. The book in my opinion is loaded with valuable information (advanced information that the average book or equivalent might not include or go into such detail, hence the specific 36 publishment) to help familiarize you with the types of questions the test will ask and the things you will have to know to answer them and the questions included are subjectively harder than the real ACT questions so that was a relief when it came to taking the actual test and it also made me feel more confident in myself, and confidence is key (in all aspects of life!!)
So, for Naval Aviation (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard) you'd be studying for the ASTB. You can use resources here and here to study; my scores jumped by a fair amount after doing some smart studying.
The Marine PFT is pretty straight forward, but most people have to spend 3-6 months getting in good running and pull-up shape. You can google Armstrong Pull-up program and C25K running programs to get you started. Then, get in contact with an OSO or Navy Officer Recruiter once you've gotten in better shape.
An FAA 1st Class Medical is a pretty good indication you'd pass the NAMI physical.
edited to say; I've heard tanker life is actually pretty sweet. There's a reason KC-130Js are the platform that a lot of Marines put #1 but don't get...
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. ;)
http://www.amazon.com/CliffsTestPrep-Praxis-Education-Exceptional-Cliffsnotes/dp/0470238445/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1321540399&sr=8-15
I am already certified to teach English in my state, but I would like to study for (and pass) a few more certification exams. That will not only make me more desirable to hiring districts/principals, but it will also let me be a better teacher for the kids in my classroom.
Thanks for considering me!
I don't see any concrete advice, so I'll advise of what I did to prepare. I started 4 months away from my test date because I was still a full time student the whole time preparing. Got a 159/167/5.0 and was pretty stoked with my verbal score. I started out in the low 140s/high 130s (words r hard) and had to work a lot to bring that up. For math, I just ran through two practice tests in the beginning and that was enough to brush up on the math stuff (the only things I forgot were statistics related).
Materials
Process
Writing: For this, I don't have much of a way of recommending how you prep. I have never been too great at writing itself, but you can learn a great deal from going through the book and googling extra essay prompts to organize your ideas. Organizing your ideas in an outline is imperative. Beyond that, the writing center at Tech might be worthwhile if you score below a 4.0 on your first test (it also depends what you're going to grad school for: I went into the medical field so writing is somewhat important, if you're going into engineering, you could pretty much get by with a 3.5 so long as the other scores are decent). Just work on organizing a good argument with brief but concrete examples. Read tons of example essays to figure out how to formulate your ideas.
Verbal: This is what I sucked at. My vocabulary has always been horrifically bad, and I got by forever with saying "I'm an engineer, I don't need this shit!" The Kaplan book has good lists in the back. I made flash cards for the most used words as well as word roots to figure out words on the fly. Go through the appendix and write down all you don't know, start with that.
Next, everytime you take a practice test, write down all of the words you didn't know on paper while you're taking the test, and make flash cards of those. I had a good 5-600 of word roots and words by the time I got done with a dozen practice tests and with how stupid the Kaplan book made me feel. Vocabulary is what got me the most, and is important for both the multiple choice as well as the reading comp. If you suck at reading comp. even after learning vocab, ask someone at the Writing Center for help. Reading/writing were never enough of a problem for me to seek out extra help, but I still wasn't great at them.
Math: Just run through practice tests. Write down any formulas you forget from math. If you're struggling with this, idk how to help because I can't explain math. You should be fine coming from Tech. I made like 50 flash cards of formulas to run through the week before the test (things like permutations vs combinations always tripped me up in the way they were worded).
TL;DR
Practice. A lot. If your grad school of choice is competitive or your GPA isn't the greatest, you should treat this like a class in itself over the next few months. It helps if you can budget the extra $200 to just take it now to get a feel for it and get a score to see where you need to improve. You must wear headphones and they give you a full pat down each time you go in and out of the computer room. The guy running my session was upwards of late 70s, and he stood behind me during half of the test.
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.
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find.
amazon.co.uk
amazon.ca
amazon.com.au
amazon.in
amazon.com.mx
Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.
Here's the link!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Logical-Reasoning-Bible/dp/0991299221&ved=2ahUKEwj-n_SEu7LjAhVGOs0KHZCDCRcQFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2JF31-X_neHa275CnhxhZt
NO! Not at all!! Not doing well on the science section doesn't mean you're bad at science (in fact it's more closely related to reading). Most of being good at science is hard work (at least career wise). Know yourself - if you're willing to put in the work and you love math & bio, find science interesting etc, that's what counts. Your grades and drive to study for those subjects in school are much more relevant.
Now ... if you hate bio class and can't be bothered to study, then yes maybe I'd suggest a different path. But not on the basis of your ACT scores.
If you do decide to take the ACT again, I think your science score could improve by a lot of points (based on where you're at with reading). I would recommend my book as a good guide to help you figure out the test. Tutors have said that they now use my methods with their own students - read the reviews. (https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-ACT-Scientific-Reasoning-mastering/dp/1771365692/)
PWN the SAT Math You might be able to find it cheaper used, but it's worth every penny. I taking AP Calc and was in a similar situation. I got this book and the math section was a breeze.
TL;DR at the end.
According to the study book I used here, the math section plays a heavy role in the calculation of a lot of your ASTB scores, especially the OAR sections. So definitely work that area heavily for your retake.
When I took the test, I did some light study about two weeks in advance of my date and scored 68 8/7/8. Honestly, I think going into the test environment calm and well-rested is as crucial as being well-versed in the material, which can be pretty broad. I took my exam at 1000, late November of 2018.
For the kind of math you get on this test, drilling-and-killing is the order of the day once you understand the nature of the problem. For any questions you don’t fundamentally understand, spend a bit of time during your practice sessions deconstructing a problem or two so you can really probe it and figure it out.
For example, the colored ball problem you listed is a combinatorial probability problem where we have choice without replacement. You’re basically counting how many things you have and comparing that to your item of interest. Differentiating between choice with and without replacement is crucial to probability problems like that one.
As for reading, I agree: all the Navy excerpts caught me off-guard as I had assumed I’d have a bunch of random SAT-style passages. I felt this area dicked my OAR score a bit because of my poor assumption.
I got lucky with mechanical and naval/aviation history in that they didn’t ask any obscure questions, except for one question about super conducting in the Mech section, lol.
I’d never touched a flight simulator or program in my life before the ASTB, so I feel like I just grabbed my ankles and hoped for the best on that section; very chaotic. I have no idea how much simulator software helps in preparation.
TL;DR Focus on math, then reading, and go into the test environment calm, fed, and well-rested. Khan Academy is your friend! You’ve got this!
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.
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! :)
Definitely take practice tests!! Also don't be afraid to take the ACT multiple times, I took it 3 times before I got the score I wanted and I am glad I did! There are also a lot of practice books out there, I recommend Barrons.
Good Luck and if you have any more questions be sure to ask!!
Compared to algebra, there are very little geometry questions on the SAT. And of course there are no proofs or proving with theorems so you don't have to worry about that. Make sure your algebra-game is strong.
For resources, I say your first step is to head over to Khan Academy. Since they partnered with College Board, you will get 100% accurate practice tests and questions that will be reflected on the actual test so this is a great site to develop and solidify your skills.
If you prefer books, check out this post of common books used by category.
The general favorite to help with Reading and Writing is Erica Meltzer's Series.
As for math, College Panda's SAT Math has been a fantastic resource that accurately depicts the math that will be on the test. In fact, there's even a separate book that features 10 practice tests if you really want to reinforce your math skills!
If you desire more practice tests after completing all of the ones on Khan Academy, Ivy Global's 4 Practice Tests are pretty accurate to the actual test. Their explanations are helpful as well.
Enjoy these resources! Of course you do not need all of these resources listed but I wanted to provide a range because you didn't quite specify what you need to improve on.
As I've said before, quality over quantity. A person that took 4 practice tests could outperform a person that took 21 practice tests. Best of luck!
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.
If you want to do a bit of work in preparation for a GMAT class, be sure to get GMAC's Official Guide for the GMAT. For extra practice questions, the test maker has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 300 questions.
As far as instructional resources go, the one that's best for you will be the one that best suits your learning style. We have a free GMAT video course you might want to try.
Finally, it's a good idea to have some kind of Study Plan. We have a one here if you're interested.
Cheers,
Brent
Yup, recruiters are super hit-or-miss...no joke, for one reason or another, I had to go through 5 different recruiters over the course of my OTS application process.
As for your question, I used:
https://www.amazon.com/AFOQT-Study-Guide-Practice-Questions/dp/1941743420/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1479501285&sr=8-6&keywords=afoqt
Granted, this was back in 2014 and I'm not sure if they alter/edit the test in any way. I'd say that, generally, any of the top study books off Amazon should work out fine, though.
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 :|
Hey!!
http://www.amazon.com/Real-ACT-3rd-Prep-Guide/dp/0768934400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420515022&sr=8-1&keywords=act
http://www.amazon.com/Barrons-ACT-36-2nd-Perfect/dp/0764147056/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1420515022&sr=8-3&keywords=act
These two were my favorite. If she wants help + tips feel free to PM me.
http://www.amazon.com/MCAT-Physics-Book-Garrett-Biehle/dp/1889057339
Get yourself some books, if you haven't already. The two easiest scores to improve are writing and math, because those are the ones that have concrete techniques for you to study, unlike critical reading which is more conceptual. (But you could probably boost it by studying vocab.)
I recommend PWN the SAT (I know what the name sounds like but it's really helpful) particularly for the math guide.
For writing, Erica Meltzer's ultimate guide to SAT grammar is a good choice, although it's a bit more involved than the math guide.
You should note that something as small as 10 points honestly comes down to luck. You could try again without any prep and have a decent chance at getting those points- and sadly, there is no preparation technique on earth that will allow you to score exactly 10 points higher. But hey- instead of taking the chance, you might as well prep a lot while you have the time and get your score higher by even more than 10 points. It can't hurt.
I haven't gotten into the 2017 set yet, but it doesn't really matter between 2016 and 2017 IMO. Each successive version of the official guide only provides 15-25% new questions (15% new in 2017), so they are not radically different year-to-year. Therefore, I would just go with whichever is cheapest.
I would probably go with the main OG2017 because it is on sale ($20 on Amazon). If I needed more math questions (likely), I would just use the ones on www.gmatclub.com (thousands free, though ugly format - use forum advanced search or check out PS Directory and DS Directory). If I needed more verbal questions, I would go with OG2017 verbal. If I needed more verbal questions than that, then I am studying incorrectly and really need to reevaluate my preparation strategy.
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
Good for you! I work in IT/AT for a program that teaches teachers to work with students with special needs, so I know that being a teacher nowadays is a tough job & I commend you for going into the field of (special?)education.
That being said, do you still need THIS? If so, I would love to gift it to you in congratulations of your progress thus far.
I'm not sure what kind of set up Indiana has, I'm in Florida, but I suggest maybe getting the materials for the ESE teachers to help with the questions. The only thing I found when searching amazon was this: https://www.amazon.com/CliffsTestPrep-Praxis-Education-Exceptional-CliffsNotes/dp/0470238445/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467333983&sr=8-2&keywords=indiana+teacher+certification
https://www.amazon.com/No-Bull-Review-History-Subject/dp/1974103196/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542396589&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=no+bull+apush
No Bull Review: https://www.amazon.com/No-Bull-Review-History-Subject/dp/1974103196/ref=sr_1_3?crid=31WJ9QB9AYSZM&keywords=no+bull+review+united+states+history&qid=1557026481&s=gateway&sprefix=no+bull+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-3
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No Bull makes this APUSH/SAT USH book, and gov, geography and world history books. idk how the other No Bull books are, and if the gov is for AP or not, but I really liked the USH one. You can consider accompanying it with your class notes or maybe another prep book (i.e. the PR one if you are taking APUSH). Even though it is a bit shorter than most, it covers most of the small things you need, without putting essentially a whole textbook as your prep book like Barron's SAT USH. It is way more digestible than most prep books, using acronyms, charts etc. Do take my review with a grain of salt, especially if I seem overly endorsing of it, as I am just someone random on the internet, who hasn't even gotten their score back yet. I did take APUSH in school this year and do pretty well in it, so that's why No Bull, a shorter review book than most, was better for me by not being so long and exhausting, but still refreshing my memory.
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I found the No Bull questions at the end fairly easy, probably because they only ask from stuff in the contents of the book, but they also seemed easier than the real one today. Still good questions to go over though.
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Official College Board SAT US History (only has practice tests+explanations, no review section): https://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-History-Study-Guide/dp/1457309319/ref=sr_1_4?crid=QZMDIMIQKLRH&keywords=sat+us+history+subject+test+2019&qid=1557026528&s=gateway&sprefix=sat+us+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-4
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This one is pretty much the only source to get official practice tests. There isn't even a review section. I really dislike that these tests aren't available for free online but what are you going to do its CB :(. Anyways, this is the only book with accurate practice tests AFAIK. Save these tests for once you are done studying. I regret wasting one before I was ready, since all the other tests were so off.
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I also had PR for APUSH which was good but probably not necessary for sat USH if you have a textbook or something else. I also had Barron's SAT USH which had an ok-ish review section but the practice tests were really bad (waaaaaay too hard). Also, practice tests in Barron's and most on crackSAT, I wouldn't use to actually gauge your score, just as a review.
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?
Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!
Here are your smile-ified links:
https://smile.amazon.com/Understanding-Scientific-Reasoning-Jerusha-Richardson/dp/1771365692/ref=sr_1_3
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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot
I would follow up with your recruiter, there should not be that much hang time.
I studied using 2 books and a lot of random YouTube videos.
I'm at the end of the process. My package is submitted and now all that's left is to hear back a yes or a no.
There's a lot more than just a test and then a board. You are building a package. The package consists of:
Generally it goes something like this: AFOQT -> 1 month later -> TBAS -> 1 or 2 months later -> MEPS for initial screening (since you want to be a pilot) -> 1-2 weeks before board cutoff -> Commander interview.
Having no flying hours won't necessarily hurt you, but it doesn't help. Even just a few discovery flights will do wonders for your PCSM score.
https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Essay-Battle-tested-ebook/dp/B01HSM1QBE
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.