Editorial Review

A review guide for the GMAT, prepared by the creators of standardized exams, features previously administered exams for practice tests and more. ... Read more

Reviews

A Must Have
The secret for the GMAT is practice and stamina.

For my own preparation, I used The Princeton Review, Kaplan's Book and ETS' The Official Guide for GMAT Review.

I will go through the advantages and disadvantages of each, and explain why The Official Guide for GMAT Review was the best of the three and why you should give it more time than the others.

Princeton:
Plus
- Good review sections (both quantitative and verbal)
- Practice tests similar to the GMAT
- Online tests are easy to review
- Provides you with a test strategy on how to crack the questions
- Explicitly advises you to practice also with The Official Guide for GMAT Review
Disadvantages
- Does not explain why a choice is wrong
- Not enough practice questions

Kaplan:
Plus
- Good quantitative review sections (appendix was great)
- Interactive software for reviewing the Kaplan GMAT strategies
- Practice tests similar to the GMAT
- Practice tests and sections are difficult, this creates in you a sense of urgency
- Plenty of practice questions
Disadvantages
- The software interface is old and slow, you are left to work with a little box on the screen
- Practice tests and sections' answer choices are not very well explained
- The questions are far fetched and do not fall in the spirit of the GMAT, this might lead you the wrong path

The Official Guide for GMAT Review:
Plus
- More than plenty of practice questions
- You might get the same or similar questions on the GMAT (like I did)
- The practice questions are organized by level of difficulty, the last ones are the most difficult
- Free PowerPrep software that has two practice tests exactly similar to the GMAT in look and feel (free online tests at the mba dot com website http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT/Tools/PowerprepSoftware.htm)
- The practice questions reveal actual GMAT test patterns
Disadvantages
- Absence of test taking techniques
- The skills review sections are poor
- Only the last 200 questions in every practice section will be like the ones you will see on the GMAT (unless you perform poorly)

This Official Guide from GMAC should be the cornerstone of your preparation, simply because the questions are from past tests and are very thoroughly researched. This will allow you to develop insight into the test mentality.

Equally important the correct and the wrong answer choices for each question are explained in detail. You will learn the various ways used to lead you in error and consequently, you will develop the feel to spot and eliminate wrong answers.

The rules of grammar on which the GMAT Sentence Correction questions are based are best outlined in this guide. I had a lot of difficulty with the Verbal section until I read through the explanations here.

Overall, this book shows you all the tricks of the GMAT. I did not have bad surprises when I took the actual test; it seemed that I had seen all the questions before.

12 Edition Review: Not a Guidebook but an excellent source of Real GMAT Questions
This book, coupled with the Official GMAT Verbal and Quant Review Guides (by the same company, GMAC) is enough to give you a thorough understanding, of the type of questions that can be expected in the GMAT and the reasoning needed to answer them correctly. I found the reasoning provided with each answer, especially useful. Another nice thing about these books is that the questions are arranged in increasing order of difficulty. So, if you find some questions very easy, just jump a few questions forward. The only setback with these books is that they do not give detailed explanations in the 'concepts review sections'.

You will need to turn to other books/websites to get tips and tricks for the exam. I recommend Princeton for this purpose: The Princeton guide gave me very clear and effective test taking strategies that helped me a lot. I highly recommend NOT USING Kaplan, especially to take practice tests. The scoring is very tough, and you are tested in areas that are absolutely unnecessary for the GMAT. Also, very low scores on these tests are discouraging. I highly recommend taking the two Powerprep practice tests available for download from the GMAC website. These tests consist of 'retired' GMAT questions, and are very much identical to the actual GMAT. Your scoring on these tests would be identical to your actual GMAT score.

My practice scores are as below (in chronological order):
Powerprep Test 1: 630 (35 days before my GMAT)
Princeton Test 1: 650
Kaplan Test 1: 600
Princeton Test 2: 670
Princeton Test 3: 700
Princeton Test 4: 720
Kaplan Test 2: 530 (One day before my GMAT - Very, very discouraging!!)
Powerprep Test 2: 750 (One day before my GMAT)
Powerprep Test 3 (Reinstalled): 760 (with some repetitions from Powerprep Test 2)
GMAT: 750 (Verbal 40, Quant 50)

My GMAT Prep consisted of lots and lots of practice, analysis of my practice test results, and noting down where I erred, and making sure that I did not repeat my mistakes.

770 - Essential Resource
After 3 months of study, I just took the GMAT last week. This is my first and only attempt at the GMAT-CAT. In fact this is the first standardized test I have taken in 12 years. Overall I am happy with my score (770 Q51 V44).

The only study materials I used were:

- Official 11th Edition
- Official Verbal Review Guide
- Official Quant Review Guide
- Official GMATPrep Software (sent to you once you schedule your test)
- Manhattan GMAT Guides (reviewed for techniques only)

The three official books are the absolute bible for sample problems. I am a firm believer in quality over quantity. I NEVER did any problem that was not provided by the real GMAT company...NONE. Using problems written by other vendors is not needed, and could be counter productive. I would rather fully understand 200 official problems, than slog through 1000 non-official problems.


STUDY TIPS:

- First master all the problems in the printed official guides (11th, Verbal Guide, Quant Guide). NOTE: Getting the correct answer is not the same as "mastering" a question.

- Any problem you miss or find changing, repeat many times (even after you may have memorized the answer). Keep repeating the problems, until the basic skill is fully understood.

- Keep accurate records every time you do a problem (correct / incorrect, easy / challenging / stuck).

- Focus on core concepts. In truth, the GMAT tests very few concepts, but will use these simple building blocks to construct an unlimited number of tricky problems. Know the core concepts, become aware of the tricks, and the rest is timing.

- Only once the printed materials are exhausted (took me about 2 months), then you should "graduate" to the GMATPrep software. This should be used mostly for developing timing skills. In the end, you need to gain the confidence to flex your time during the actual test. You should be able to answer simple questions quickly, so you can invest more time in higher value problems.


This book is not a problem solving technique book. You will not find tips and tricks. Basically this is book should be considered a "question bank". In the quantitative section it will provide the questions and an answer key...period. For the verbal section, it will provide very useful detailed explanations of the correct answers. If you are you looking for a book on techniques, I would recommend the well organized Manhattan book set.

Bottom-line: you need this book for any serious attempt at the GMAT.

GMAT Books Comparison
Here's how one old geezer (47 y/o) prepped for the GMAT. I started in late June 07 and first bought the Princeton Cracking the GMAT and Math Workout books. I worked through all the quantitative sections in those books and skimmed the verbal (I am far weaker in math than verbal). That took about a month. Then I bought the GMAT Official Guide and again worked through the quantitative areas and skimmed the verbal. That took another 4 weeks. In the meantime I had signed up for the test and received the GMAT prep software. I took the first practice test in mid-July and scored 560. That was fine with me because I only needed to score 500 or better to get into the grad program I wanted. When I completed the Official Guide (about three weeks later) I took the second practice test and scored 680. I reviewed certain math topics for another two weeks and took the test Sept 6. My official score was 670, not Harvard-worthy but plenty good for someone who took their last math class twenty years ago. So my advice in a nutshell is use the Princeton books, the Official Guide and take both tests on the GMATprep software. The practice tests are great for acclimating yourself to the actual test taking environment and learning how to pace yourself. And don't be afraid to guess on math questions- a wild guess is better than taking 5 minutes to work out one problem. Good Luck- believe me, if I can do it you can too.

Good first start and last review, too few questions & tests
I just took the GMAT and used this book and the Kaplan 2007 book (and CD) to study. I would definitely recommend starting and ending with this book (and use the Kaplan one in between for its larger qty of questions and tests). I started with the diagnostic test and then worked through the sample questions. I found the practice tests to be excellent at reproducing the actual GMAT, both in the type of questions and the scores (I got a 760 on the GMAT and a 770 and 720 on the practice tests). Unfortunately, there are only two tests, which is why I used the Kaplan book for more practice. Kaplan was good for practicing your speed, but it's not very good at teaching you the concepts you need to know. It completely missed some math topics, and tested you extensively on things you didn't need to know. Also, the verbal section of Kaplan is crap...the sentences are poorly worded (and sometimes just wrong) and it's frustrating if you're trying to figure out what good english should be like (since I wasn't educated in an ivy league, my spoken english can be rather...bush-like). It's also very frustrating/discouraging because my scores on the practice tests were between 550 and 650. My recommendation is to start with this book to get a feel for things, then use Kaplan for mass quantities of stuyding, and then finish up your studying with this book again so everything that you actually need to know is fresh on your mind for the test. ... Read more

Editorial Review

 
If it’s on the GRE, it’s in this book. Cracking the GRE with DVD, 2011 Edition, includes:

• Access to 4 full-length practice tests online, plus more than 300 questions in the book
• Everything you need to know for the current version of the GRE, plus info on changes coming in late 2011
• Detailed explanations for every practice question
• Engaging video tutorials from our top instructors
• Practical information on the what, when, where, and how of the GRE
• Techniques for turning difficult algebra problems into easy arithmetic problems
• Strategies to help you solve even the toughest questions in Text Completions, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Comparisons, and more
• Online, interactive tutorial lessons with extra practice problems ... Read more

Reviews

Cracking the GRE is by far the most user-friendly and helpful GRE prep book!!!, June 29, 2009
I just finished studying for the GRE with Barron's, Kaplan, ETS, and Princeton Review, and Cracking the GRE is by far the best out of the four. Its math and verbal sections are incredibly user-friendly and helpful, and the analytical writing section is essential if you want a top-scoring essay on the test. Princeton Review not only tells you exactly what you need to do to get the highest scores on your essays, but its website also offers LiveGrader, a service which allows you to have your essays scored by actual graders (not computers!) for $6 per test. This is much cheaper than the grading service ETS offers ($13 per test)! The math section is excellent for someone (like me) who is not gifted in math, with the most simple, clear, and useful explanations of any GRE prep book I've found. As far as I'm concerned, Cracking the GRE is ESSENTIAL to do well on the GRE!! The only caveat I would add is that if you want a top score on the verbal section you'll also need to reference Barron's comprehensive vocabulary list, which is unmatched by any other book...

Good advice on strategy, but very few practice questions, October 1, 2009
This book should not be the only source you use to study for the GRE. While it does contain advice on helpful strategies to employ to answer the different question types, it has very, very little practice, which is precisely what you need most to adequately prepare for the GRE! The DVD that accompanies the book has very little material on it, and even less material that is useful. If you do want to buy this book, choose the non-DVD option and save yourself some money. I don't find the Hit Parade very useful because it just lists the word, part of speech (noun, adjective, verb) and the definition of the word, without giving the word in context. They encourage you to put the word in a sentence yourself, but this is difficult for words that you are totally unfamiliar with (you may be using it the wrong way). I like Kaplan's strategy better, which is to place a word in a sentence, because it helps with recall. Kaplan also creates sentences in which the meaning of the word is clear.

A positive: the PR book comes with a product key which you can plug in on the Princeton Review website and get access to four full-length practice tests and some practice lessons and drills. You can get a demo version of what I'm talking about for free on the website (even if you don't have the product key), but the product key unlocks some more options. Curiously, the study plan that PR provides you with (on the website) tells you to practice using ETS's "Practicing to Take the GRE: General Test, 10th Edition" -- so they expect you to buy yet another book.

Bottom line, PR is good for strategy, but bad for practice. My boyfriend used Kaplan and I'm using some of his material (flashcards, pocket reference, etc), and I'm finding Kaplan much better for verbal (I haven't gotten to the math section yet).

I like the strategies better than Kaplan's, July 4, 2009
I echo many peoples' sentiments in that I feel both the Princeton Review and Kaplan books are useful. Personally, I like how this book is written better than I do Kaplan's. I also like the strategies a little more. Both are good though. If you're not going to take the courses in person, then I would suggest getting both this text and Kaplan's. The more practice the better. One thing that I found interesting is that after combining Barron's, Kaplan's, and the Princeton review's top 250, top 200 (and top 400 found online after signing up for the online supplements), and top 450 (Hit Parade and beyond the hit parade)words, respectively, I came up with about 940 words. You would think that there would be more overlap; I guess not.

Cracking the GRE Helped My GRE Score, September 14, 2009
There are two kinds of people who take the Graduate Record Examination. Well, three, actually: Those who don't study for the GRE, those who take a course costing several hundred dollars, and those of us buying a book or two. Buy "Cracking the GRE." It is what you need.

I suspect those who take the courses get their money's worth.

However, "Cracking the GRE" is a much cheaper, quicker solution. It cuts to the chase, tells you what you need to know, and shows you how to figure out those algebra problems better than your high school freshman year teacher.

They teach you how to be organized during the test. And you'll learn how to draw sensible charts for the logic portion. This will save you precious time as you realize you have no clue how to answer number 27. It teach you how to effectively guess.

With the DVD, you will endure (it is a tough exam, after all), test conditions, and receive video tutorials. The greatest benefit, however, and where you might find yourself studying the most is the book. Plow through word lists, key types of questions and testing suggestions.

I took the GRE. I used the Princeton Review. I crammed. Sure, sure--not the best approach for an important exam, but the fact remains, I'm not alone. Effective cramming involves knowing what to jettison, and what to keep on board. That is, knowing what is important to focus on. The Princeton Review folks know this.

I dreaded the math portion. If I told you how low my high school grades were for math, and then told you my GRE score, you'd likely believe neither. But it is true. My score rocked. Why? The easy teaching style of "Cracking the GRE." The MIT admissions people wouldn't be impressed with my score, but for a guy with a literature degree looking to get into a marketing communications program, the "Cracking the GRE" helped me get the math score I needed.

Have I convinced you? No more delaying. Hurry up, get on with it, and buy "Cracking the GRE." You'll get the best results cramming can bring you. Oh, and be sure to get to the exam early. There is a long form to fill out beforehand.

I fully recommend "Cracking the GRE."

Anthony Trendl
http://anthonytrendl.blogspot.com

Princeton Review is Best GRE study book, November 15, 2009
I purchased the Princeton Review and Kaplan GRE study books several months ago. I started with Kaplan and found it more confusing than helpful. I read the first section or two, and then did not continue with this book. Princeton Review, however, was much more clear, in my opinion. Before studying at all, I scored a 490 verbal and 490 quantitative on the PR computer adaptive test (very helpful!). I spent the next two months studying about 10 hours each week. My main obstacle was learning new vocab, whereas I really just needed a bit of review for math. I memorized the first 4 vocab lists in PR's "hit parade" (out of 6). I also bought ETS's "Practicing to Take the GRE" book, which contains actual past-used paper tests. The PR book does not provide enough practice problems, which would be my only complaint, so definitely buy ETS's book as well. I also found the Writing Section in PR to be extremely helpful. I went into the test with the structure for the essays already planned out.
The last week of studying, I took 2 full tests to get a good idea of how to pace myself (VERY important!) and how tired I would be by the final section. Again, the ETS and PR books are all I used to study. I took only 1 math and 1 english class in college, so I'm not exactly an expert in either area. On the actual GRE, I scored a 730 Quant, 610 Verbal. I would definitely recommend these two books to anyone taking the GRE. I am thrilled that I don't have to worry about taking the GRE again for a higher score!

GRE's - Cracked, July 31, 2009
I can't recommend this highly enough. I've been out of college 34 years. It's been 38 years since I took a math class (and then who knows how much attention I was paying). I worked with this book and the related tools on the Princeton Review web site for less than two weeks and I was able to get the score I needed for grad school (a combined 1100). It was also helpful on the essay questions, though I won't know those scores for a while. What an amazing tool! Just do like they say, take the practice tests, etc., and you'll be good.

Awesome, definitely effective, October 13, 2009
I took the GRE last year with only the ETS preparation materials, and didn't realize until I read this book how many little tricks there are when it comes to the GRE. It's about strategy, and not so much about what you know. I used this book along with 'The GRE Test for Dummies' and between the two, my score went up significantly.

The vocabulary lists in this book are wonderful. I made an online flashcard game for every word and spent the summer glancing through them when I had a chance. I was a bit dubious that these would actually be the words on the exam, but on test day I was amazed to find that I knew nearly every word (both in the questions and answer choices and in the reading comprehension) because they were in the lists in this book. My score went up from 560 to 780, and that's a testimonial to this book. The verbal section becomes quite a bit easier once you know your vocabulary :-)

The math section was more difficult for me. They had some really good strategies and problem-solving techniques, a lot of which felt like 'cheating' (e.g., they suggest always plugging and never actually doing algebra) but which worked surprisingly well. The strategies for averages and distance/rate/time made life a lot easier and simpler for me. My score went up from 630 to 650, so not a huge improvement, but it's something.

This book saved the day with the analytical writing section. They had some really solid advice on writing good essays. I consider myself a good writer, but only got a 4.5 last year. When I read this book, I understood that there is a definite formula that needs to be used and they pinpointed exactly what the GRE graders are looking for. They suggested some basic templates that could be used in any scenario, for both the issue and the argument essays, and it made my writing much more straightforward. My score went up to a 5.5.

They also give some general advice, like how to effectively use your scratch paper. Their advice helped me pace myself and focus better.

Although I'm giving this book 5 stars, I did feel that the practice sets at the end could have been better. I didn't like how they split it up into 'easy', 'medium' and 'hard.' I would have preferred to have a full-length practice exam that had a combination of difficulty levels because that would better simulate the actual exam. But they're explanations of the correct answers were good and thorough.

I highly recommend this book, in conjunction with 'The GRE Test for Dummies.' Between the two, I felt very prepared. This one is a bit more dry and boring, but straightforward, and the Dummies book is more fun and a bit more accessible, but it seemed more geared towards those shooting for just an average score, not a really high score. The improvement in my scores speaks for itself!

Simple and user-friendly study guide for the GRE, August 22, 2009
I purchased both the Cracking the GRE, 2010 Edition and the Kaplan GRE Exam 2010: Strategies, Practice, and Review. I went through the Kaplan book first, because there are less pages in it than in Cracking the GRE. However, while going through the Kaplan book, I found that I was only being told what, for example, types of math problems might show up on the GRE, but there was no real review. Looking at the same section in Cracking the GRE, you'll find step by step breakdowns of problems as well as information and explanations about things like the area of the circle, factorials, etc, that are not in the Kaplan book. Overall, I would say that Cracking the GRE is so much more user-friendly than the Kaplan book and I recommend it over the Kaplan, if you are only planning to get one.

Great resource, July 24, 2009
I used this book, 1,014 GRE Practice Questions (also by Princeton Review), and Kaplan's Vocabulary in a Box (1st ed) to study for the GRE. This book is really helpful. It offers strategies that when applied really can raise your score. The online practice tests are essential and are EXACTLY like the real test. I recommend using this book and a vocabulary aide from a different company (Ie loved my Kaplan flashcards)as the verbal section really is just a vocab test. I used th 3 materials mentioned above and only studied for about 3 weeks. I scored very well.

Worth using as part of your study strategy, January 16, 2010
I took the GRE more than 5 years ago and didn't use it, so I have to take it again. I scored well the first time (770 in each verbal and quant) so this time I'd like to do at least as well. I don't think this is the only book that a person looking for a high score should use, but it's probably OK if you're aiming in the 500s and 600s. There's not enough advanced questions.

If you're a high scorer, you will find when you take the real test, that after you get the first couple questions right, the computer adapts and the test gets very hard. So you can forget all those easy questions you practiced; you won't see them! So focus your efforts on hard questions.

I would say I learned one or two things about the test from this book, such as early questions counting more, but not much else. The major strategies are process of elimination and plugging in math answers. OK, I can do that on my own, and that is helpful only when I don't know how to solve something, because I'm fast with math, but the book usually only tells me how they plugged in the answers. Not helpful.

The first time I took the test, I found it most helpful to study vocabulary words in groups of synonyms, and I *always* learn the etymology. I find that more helpful than coming up with odd pictures, which this book recommends. This book has a lot of words to memorize but not grouped and there's no etymology. Sign up for a word-of-the-day e-mail from a couple of places and learn the definitions WITH the etymology and you'll retain a lot more.

And forget about filling in all the answers you don't know with the same letter. That is bad advice. I have tested that approach and it is NOT as good as filling them in randomly. Try it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Real ACT Prep Guideis the only book with insider test-taking tips and strategy, practice, and insight from the makers of the ACT.

... Read more

Reviews

A must have book for the real tests, but bad for content and strategy., March 4, 2009
First off, if you could only buy one test prep book for the ACT, I would whole heartedly recommend The Real ACT prep guide. This is saying a lot coming from none other than an author of another ACT prep/analysis guide! The main advantage of this book is that it has tests which contain REAL questions made by the ACT organization. While other books may tout having "(Insert High Number Here) ACT practice Tests", the one serious shortcoming of all these books is that the questions in these tests are not real ACT questions made scientifically and validated statistically by the ACT corporation, which has adequate funds to employ such methods. Another huge advantage of this book is that it gives detailed explanations for every question in the three tests that it offers. While many other unofficial test prep books give explanations for their answers, the questions themselves are not scientifically validated like the questions from the test makers. The explanations to the questions explain the concepts behind each question, as well as why the wrong answers are wrong. This book certainly provides an enormous amount of useful material for your hard earned money!

The book's main downside, however, lies in the introductory content sections before the practice tests are introduced. In the math section, for example, the guide tells you that you need to have a clear understanding of basic trigonometric relationships to be successful on the test. On page 55, the book gives you an example problem and simply tells you that you must use the sin relationship to answer the question. However, it does not state the definition of the different trigonometric relationships needed for the test, such as sin, cos, and tan(and in some cases: cot, sec, and csc). While looking at real ACT tests, I have seen many questions in the math section where the test asks one to evaluate a specific trigonometric expression, such as "What is the tan of (specific angle in triangle) in triangle ABC". A clear understanding of these identities are needed to solve these problems, and the ACT prep guide fails to define these, assuming that the reader already has a firm understanding of them. A prep guide does not have to go into the detail of a text book, but it should at least define the core concepts that will be tested. The prep guide also tells you to think about the question extensively before writing anything down- not a very good idea. When approaching a problem, you should always write expressions or representations of the problems, as it is much easier to see relationships on paper than in your head. Using your pencil frees up storage in your short term memory, so you can focus on the approach to the problem. Strategies that are not often beneficial with regards to the time constraints of the test are also present in the science reasoning introductory content section. For example, on page 115, the guide states that it is important to read the text thoroughly and make notes in the margins before you approach the questions. Because of the extreme time constraints of the science section, it is very hard if not impossible to completely understand the introduction to the experiments in each passage and still have time to answer all of the questions. The English section fails to mention a few concepts such as parallel structure and other smaller concepts that I have seen on multiple real ACTs in the past.

Despite these shortcomings in the introductory concept sections of the Real ACT Prep Guide, it is still an invaluable resource for ACT test prep. No other company can make ACT questions like the ACT. Even my book, DISSECTING THE ACT 2.0: ACT TEST PREPARATION ADVICE OF A PERFECT SCORER or ACT TEST PREP WITH REAL ACT QUESTIONS], is dependent on real test materials that the ACT provides free of charge. Using and analyzing real test materials is the single best way to prep for the ACT, and this book has three of them.

If you have an older version of this book, you do not need to get the newer edition, since nothing substantial has changed since the book has some out several years ago. You can also save money by getting used versions of this book.

Bottom Line: A must have book, but use only the practice tests and explanations. Ignore the rest of the book since it contains quite a bit of bad advice. This is based on my experience of taking the real ACT and getting a prefect score of 36. For ACT content and strategy there are other better books, but no other book gives you three real ACT tests.

Crucial for test preparation--but unfortunately, you'll need more than this to ace the test, September 3, 2009
We run a very successful test prep company and highly recommend The Real ACT Prep Guide to students. It is important to note that the ACT is one of the most predictable tests ever created. This test always tests the same skills--in the same amounts!--on each section of the test. For example, the English test will ALWAYS have 10 questions testing punctuation, 12 questions testing grammar, 18 questions testing sentence structure, etc. And within those categories, the same skills are always tested. This predictability can be found in all sections of the test. The math section will ALWAYS have 14 plane geometry questions, 4 trig questions, etc.

Why am I blabbering on about this? Since the ACT is so predictable, the best way to prep for the test is to take official ACTs. The same question types just repeat and repeat. With enough practice, you'll know exactly what to expect on test day. And no, the fake Princeton Review and Kaplan ACT practice tests just don't cut it. (Just check out all those Amazon reviews for those books. Sadly, they are filled with comments like, "The tests in this book were nothing like the real thing. Not a good thing to find out on test day." Oy.)

This book is the only one out there offering real ACT tests. You need this book!

There are several problems with this book, however:

1) The Real Guide doesn't give you a "big picture" view of the skills you need to improve. Let's say you answer a test question incorrectly and review the answers and explanations. Hopefully, you won't get a similar question wrong next time. But you don't necessarily have a "macro" sense of the topics you need to review.

2) Even if you realize what skills you need to improve, the Real ACT Prep Guide doesn't really review any skills tested on the ACT. Don't remember how to calculate the distance formula? Forgot what subject-verb agreement is? You're stuck.

3) The Real ACT Prep Guide doesn't offer practice problems (besides for the 3 included tests). We often find that students who are most successful practice with hundreds of practice problems before test day (particularly those practice problems that focus on their weak areas).

4) The Real ACT Prep Guide doesn't offer "sneaky" strategies. After all, this would be a conflict of interest for the ACT folks.

As a result, you need more for good ACT prep. In our program, we use Boost Your Score! The Unofficial Software Guide to the Real ACT along with this book, since it analyzes student performance on the real ACT tests in the book and then provides practice problems and strategies to boost weak areas. We have actually turned out two perfect scorers using the software in combination with The Real ACT Guide.

Other good products we have used include Princeton Review's 1,296 ACT Practice Questions (College Test Preparation) or the Kaplan or Princeton books when they are used just for strategy, but not for the practice tests.

Best practice tests, February 8, 2008
Not the best review or test taking tips; ACT is not going to give too much away. The value of this book is in the three practice tests it contains. There is no substitute for practicing on the real thing. Answers and detailed explanations are included.

The best ACT book - but please read this if you have the older edition!, January 20, 2009
This is the only ACT prep book that contains 3 actual, retired ACT tests, and hence it is the best book available. All other ACT prep books contain tests created by the test prep company, and they are NOT THE SAME as an actual test! They may look the same, but don't be fooled! The amount of work and expertise that goes into developing an actual ACT test is staggering, and it cannot be duplicated by Kaplan, Barron's, Princeton Review, etc. I make my living providing ACT prep, and this is the only book I use. I give it 5 stars, but with a warning: if you own the 2005 edition, don't buy the new one. The practice tests and study materials are exactly the same. The new edition does provide some updated information about test norms, but this is a single page of data, and is essentially meaningless to about 99% of the users of this book. I thought it was misleading, even dishonest, to advertise this as an updated product, but nonetheless, this is still the only book I recommend.

Great resource to improve score, October 31, 2008
I used this book along with the Real ACT book, the McGraw Hill 10 Practice Tests, and Sparknotes Guide to the ACT. I found that this books was one of the more helpful ones. The strategies given are insignificant, as it is a conflict of interest. This book's value is attributed only by the 3 practice tests. The three practice tests are exactly the same as you would see them during test day. The answer sheet is exactly the same, and there are also blanks for you to add your personal information as you would during test day. That example shows that the book prepares you so that you will not be unpleasantly surprised during test day. The tests are exactly the same in content as you would find during test day. The answer explanations are one of the best aspects of this book; you will find out exactly what you did wrong as the explanations are completely thorough. By practicing on a real ACT, finding out what you did wrong, and using the corrections through the extensive explanations to deter future mistakes, the Real ACT book is the way to go.

This book helped me get a 33!

Great resource, March 16, 2008
I'm a college student and I coordinate an ACT tutoring program for the inner-city high schools and we purchased 5 copies of this book. So far, it's been a very good resource. I felt that the best way to prepare for the ACT exam is to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE -- so we just work through problems from the exams and go over the answers. And this book comes with 3 REAL ACT EXAMS! PERFECT for what we're doing. :D

Great English, not so great Math, May 1, 2009
My daughter just took the ACT after working through this book. She found the English and science portions helpful, but the math presented in this book was not anywhere near the level of the problems on the actual test. She consistently aced the practice test problems easily, but not so on the actual test. The English and science portions were an accurate reflection of actual test level. This guide also did not cover the writing section at all (which is optional on the actual test, but was my daughter's worst area by a long shot - it would help to have more guidance in that area in the prep book).

ACT book EXCELLENT, May 2, 2008
The Real ACT book is one of the best books of its kind. I teach SAT and ACT prep, and this book not only is well formatted with REAL ACT problems (by the test-makers), but the book gives the fullest explanations of the correct and incorrect answers that I have ever seen. I'm using it exclusively in my classes. Parents looking to help their kids get prepared should buy NO OTHER BOOK.

Robert Sposato

No different than 2005!, October 18, 2008
The 2008 Copyright Second Edition, Revised and Updated by ACT, The Real ACT Prep Guide, has exactly the same sample questions, tests and test questions, as the 2005 Real ACT Prep Guide. If you have the 2005 Copyright, this new, second edition will not give you any additional, original practice. Misleading advertising.

An essential book, but you need another book for content and strategy., June 14, 2009
This book has three real ACT tests form the makers of ACT test. All three of tests have very good explanations. Nothing will improve your scores more than practicing with the real test, figuring out what you are doing wrong and changing the way you take the test. This makes this book essential. In my opinion, the practice tests and explanations are the only worthwhile things about the book. The rest of the stuff in the book is not worth the time. There in no good summery of concepts you need to know. No list of math formulas you need to memorize. No useful strategies. For content and strategy consider getting Dissecting the ACT:Dissecting the ACT: A Unique Student Perspective on the ACT or ACT Test Prep with Real ACT questions. These two books are all that you need.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Completely updated to reflect April 2010 test plan changes

To become a registered nurse (RN) in the United States, nursing school graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million nursing students take this exam.

Kaplan NCLEX-RN is the only book to combine its unique strategy guide with a comprehensive review designed to meet the challenges of this rigorous exam, including:

• Two practice tests (one in the book and one online)
• Detailed answer explanations
• In-depth analysis of NCLEX-RN question types
• Review of alternate question types

Strategies play an important role in passing the NCLEX-RN, which is a critical thinking test requiring students to go beyond simply recognizing facts. In this guide, test-takers will have access to the most effective methods available to guarantee a passing score.

With a bold, fresh user-friendly design and more of the most challenging questions, readers of Kaplan NCLEX-RN will be assured and confident on test day. ... Read more

Reviews

Key to success on the NCLEX, March 12, 2010
Coming from a newly registered nurse, this book was my saving grace on taking and passing the NCLEX on the first try. It helps you dissect the question to find out what it is really asking and offers very practical and useful strategies in how to look at the question. It even comes with a CD w/ many practice questions and rationales and has a paper version of the test in the back. Had I not used this book, I'm pretty sure I would have failed the NCLEX because the test tests more of your critical thinking skills than it does your knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology, etc.

There are better NCLEX review books on the market, June 4, 2010

Pretty good, but not complete, September 22, 2010

Excellent test preparation, September 16, 2010

Kaplan NCLEX-RN review book, September 2, 2010
This book is absolutely amazing. If you actually sit down and take the time to read it thoroughly, it is very helpful. It really makes you think about how to critically think, which is exactly what you have to do on the NCLEX. There are very many strategies in the book that help you to narrow down choices on the NCLEX and they really work! It also comes with a CD that has 1 test on it and this test helps you to see where you are and what you need to work on before the real test. This book is very good I would recommend it to anybody who is serious about passing the NCLEX on the first time.

I PASSED!, June 24, 2010
I waited to write my review until I knew that I passed or failed NCLEX. Yes, I passed in 75 questions, even while a fire-drill bell was going off in the building. In part, I credit this book. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5, because it isn't a complete study program.

By no stretch of the imagination will this book totally prepare you for NCLEX. The new test is just, well, HARD! The real benefit to this book is the test-taking tips in the first couple of chapters. I wish I had been taught these things before starting nursing school, because those tips alone would have improved my test taking in school, when I needed to narrow down past the last two "good" answers.

The practice questions in this book, are far too easy to help you prepare for NCLEX. The questions in the Saunders book are too easy as well. What do I recommend? I took a computerized prep course with computerized testing that was DIFFICULT. I had the instructor "unlock" the rationales for me, so that I could see where my thinking was leading me astray. And, I used the techniques I learned from this book to hone-in on the correct answers. I also recommend doing as many "alternative format" questions as you can do, especially the "check all that apply." It seemed my test was nearly all of that style.

In the end,on the big day, I didn't get any drugs that I knew, and didn't get any of the diseases I had studied. It was all completely new, but armed with my rigorous OCD preparation, I was able to translate what I DID know, across to something I didn't know, and in part, I credit this book with helping me achieve my goal.

It's counterintuitive but, study hard, and if after the big day, you feel like you failed the hardest test in the world, and you knew nothing, you probably passed.

I wish you the very best of luck!

NCLEX-RN 2010-2011 - Great!, June 16, 2010

A must for student nurses, June 11, 2010
I am a registered nurse and I used the Kaplan NCLEX-RN as part of my study regime for the NCLEX exam. This is the latest edition. Kaplan is a must for nursing students. It not only provides the user with test questions in the book, but it also offers a test very similiar to the actual NCLEX on disk that can be installed on the computer and used over and over again. What makes Kaplan different from other NCLEX study guides? It not only provides hundreds of sample questions but it also gives the rationale for all the answer choices, so not only do you know why the correct answer is correct, you also are told why the other three options are not correct. If you take the time to read all the rationales, even on the questions you answered correctly, you will gain a wealth of information and will hone your NCLEX test-taking skills. Kaplan also offers an indepth tutorial on test taking strategies that will prove invaluable. The NCLEX is not like any other test you have ever taken. All of the answer choices could be correct for the topic the question is testing on, but only one answer will be the best answer. Kaplan will help you learn to look for what the question is really asking and to answer ONLY what the question is asking. I highly recommend getting this book as soon as possible, even if you are only in your first semester of nursing school. It will also help you improve on your grades in nursing school since most of those tests mimic the NCLEX style of question. This is the best use of your money for study guide material and if you can only afford one NCLEX study guide, buy this one. Good luck.

good book, May 27, 2010
I thought this was a good review book for the NCLEX. IT doesnt really focus on content, but it teaches you strategies to break down questions and goes through how the test is divided into different topics.

Looking to prep for the NCLEX-RN? Start here., August 24, 2010

Editorial Review

Amazon.com ReviewProduct Description
The only official quantitative review for the GMAT from the creators of the test.  Anyone preparing for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) knows it's important to study with the experts. With The Official Guide for the GMAT Quantitative Review, Second Edition, you'll get questions, answers, and explanations straight from the source. The only official quantitative review for the GMAT Exam, this book targets your study and helps you improve your quantitative skills by focusing on your ability to solve equations, interpret data, coordinate geometry, and determine probability with assurance and ease. Inside, you'll find

• 300 actual questions from past GMAT tests, including 75 questions new to this edition
• Sections on Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Problem Solving, and Data Sufficiency
• Questions organized in order of difficulty to save study time

The Graduate Management Admission Council certifies all content so you can trust that you're getting expert guidance as you prepare for the GMAT Exam.

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is the association of leading graduate business schools around the world. GMAC's mission is to meet the needs of business schools and students through a wide array of products, services, and programs. It is the owner and administrator of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the first and only standardized test specifically designed for graduate business and management programs. Available in nearly 100 countries, it is the global standard for entry to the MBA degree course.

Top Myths About the GMAT®

Myth – If I don’t score in the 90th percentile, I won’t get into any school I choose.

Fact – Very few people get very high scores.

Fewer than 50 of the more than 200,000 people taking the GMAT test each year get a perfect score of 800. Thus, while you may be exceptionally capable, the odds are against your achieving a perfect score. Also, the GMAT test is just one piece of your application packet. Admissions officers use GMAT scores in conjunction with undergraduate records, application essays, interviews, letters of recommendation, and other information when deciding whom to accept into their programs.

Myth – Getting an easier question means I answered the last one wrong.

Fact – Getting an easier question does not necessarily mean you got the previous question wrong.

To ensure that everyone receives the same content, the test selects a specific number of questions of each type. The test may call for your next question to be a relatively hard problem-solving item involving arithmetic operations. But, if there are no more relatively difficult problem-solving items involving arithmetic, you might be given an easier item.

Most people are not skilled at estimating item difficulty, so don’t worry when taking the test or waste valuable time trying to determine the difficulty of the questions you are answering.

Myth – You need very advanced math skills to get a high GMAT score.

Fact – The math skills questions on the GMAT test are quite basic.

The GMAT test only requires basic quantitative analytic skills. You should review the math skills (algebra, geometry, basic arithmetic) presented in both The Official Guide for GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2nd Edition, and in The Official Guide for GMAT® Review, 12th Edition, but the required skill level is low. The difficulty of GMAT Quantitative questions stems from the logic and analysis used to solve the problems and not the underlying math skills.

Myth – It is more important to respond correctly to the test questions than it is to finish the test.

Fact – There is a severe penalty for not completing the GMAT test.

If you are stumped by a question, give it your best guess and move on. If you guess incorrectly, the computer program will likely give you an easier question, which you are likely to answer correctly, and the computer will rapidly return to giving you questions matched to your ability. If you don’t finish the test, your score will be reduced greatly. Failing to answer five verbal questions, for example, could reduce your score from the 91st percentile to the 77th percentile. Pacing is important.

Myth –The first 10 questions are critical and you should invest the most time on those.

Fact – All questions count.

It is true that the computer-adaptive testing algorithm uses the first 10 questions to obtain an initial estimate of your ability; however, that is only an initial estimate. As you continue to answer questions, the algorithm self-corrects by computing an updated estimate on the basis of all the questions you have answered, and then administers items that are closely matched to this new estimate of your ability. Your final score is based on all your responses and considers the difficulty of all the questions you answered. Taking additional time on the first 10 questions will not game the system and can hurt your ability to finish the test.

Myth – I need to speak US English in order to do well on the GMAT.

Fact- Essay grading is not affected by dialect of English. Questions on the GMAT are evaluated to ensure they are fair for all examinees, whether in the US or around the world.

... Read more

Reviews

Review for GMAT OG Quant
I bought this book in addition to the Official Guide and the Verbal Guide. While it does have additional math problems, they are lacking in complexity and not representative of what you will see if you're scoring much above 600. I found the problems in the Official Guide much more representative of what I faced on the GMAT. So, if you're scoring at a high level, skip this book and concentrate on the last 50 problems of each math section in the Official Guide.

I found this to be VERY helpful
While I did not compare this with other guide books, like some reviewers have, I did use it to prepare for the GMAT. There are hundreds of sample problems and the solutions and HOW the solution was arrived at.

When I took the exam, there were no problems that were in a format I had not seen. Naturally, they were different, but the TYPES of problems had all been explained in the book.

If - for some insane reason - I were to have to take the GMAT again, I would buy this book again.

PS: I scored 90% on the quantitative (woohoo!)

Good Additional Book for Math Problems
I bought this book with the understanding that it was not a study guide. This book should be only used as an additional aid for the math section of the GMAT. This book has really great sample questions that are very similar to the questions that you will see when you take the GMAT. This booked coupled with a GMAT Review study guide, such as the books offered by the Princeton Review makes an awesome combo.

Required reading
If you are serious about taking the Gmat and getting a good score, you absolutely must buy this book along with the other two official supplements. Between the three books, you will have access to over 1,000 problems that have been retired from the Gmat and are 100% representative of what you are going to see come test day.

My scores:

Powerprep 1 (Official software) - 700 - no studying
Princeton 1 - 630
Kaplan 1 - 560
Kaplan 2 - 600
Kaplan 3 - 580
Powerprep 2 - 730
Actual Gmat - 750

I am 100% certain that using all three books is what raised my score those last 50 points. On test day I was the only one at the center and I got to know the receptionist pretty well. She told me that she sees hundreds of these scores a year and the ones who get 700+ all have one thing in common - they have all done every problem in all three books.

My advice: spend the money on all three. Work every problem, noting which ones are hard and which you get wrong. When you are done, go back and work the hard/incorrect problems again. Then, when you are done, start over from page one. You effort will be rewarded on test day. ... Read more

Editorial Review

As more and more students prepare to take the GMAT, Kaplan is there with a ground-breaking prep program unlike any other. With the latest uses in technology and advanced Internet tools to maximize scores, Kaplan GMAT 2011 Premier with CD-ROM is an invaluable guide that provides proven score-raising strategies and essential practice needed to succeed. Offering exclusive free access to an interactive online companion, this unique guide enables one to achieve a top score by utilizing:

• Live Online Seminar: A state-of-the-art online classroom in real time, complete with audio, video, instant chat, whiteboards, and screen sharing
• Fast Fact Videos in which Kaplan’s top instructors review the most important concepts from each chapter
• Diagnostic quiz to target areas for score improvement
• Practice quizzes
• Customizable study plan and progress report

This comprehensive preparation program also provides:

• Valuable insider advice from our top instructors 
• 5 full-length practice tests plus hundreds of additional practice questions
• Answers fully explained in detail

Reviews

I wouldn't have been able to do it without Kaplan's book
Kaplan GMAT Premier is an essential resource in GMAT study. I started out with GMAC's official guide, but it only seemed to be good for practice, not learning. GMAC's book only teaches the simple math that most of us already know, but Kaplan's book goes into methods of solving difficult questions. Before I went through the reading comp section in the book I generally missed about half of reading comp questions. Kaplan got me up to missing only about 20%.

The book helped in every area tested on the GMAT. It taught great tricks to solving math problems. I was always good at math, but GMAT math is a completely different world. I didn't use the software and online companion much, but they seemed to be good. My only warning is with there "scores". I took one of the CAT practice exams from Kaplan and scored quite low--a 570. The next day I took the real GMAT and scored a 720. Granted, my GMAC practice test scores were 700 and 640, so most would call me "lucky." But 570 is a pretty unrealistic estimate. So use it for practice and don't trust the score. Download GMATPrep if you want a real estimate of your score.

Yes, there are a couple of minor (unimportant) errors in the book, but so what. It just means that if you can find them you are even better prepared for the GMAT.

I'd say that with this book, GMAC's Official Guide, and about 50-100 hours of study, you should be good to go. No need to take an expensive course or hire a tutor unless you particularly struggle. I was going to take a $500 course offered by a local University, but I talked to someone at the MBA school where I'm applying and he recommended I study with a study buddy.

Great Source for GMAT Review
This study guide has been a great source for me as I prepared for the GMAT. I learned techniques from just reading the first few pages of the book. It also provides on-line test, videos with techniques on how to solve problems and recommendations on how to mentally prepare. The on-line portion is the best part for me because I obtain a test score and it shows the areas where improvement is needed.

Kaplan is truly the best study guide available for individuals to prepare for the GMAT. ... Read more

Editorial Review

• 500 flashcards covering the most-tested GRE vocabulary words
• Sample sentences provide the words in context
• Synonyms and a pronunciation key

Reviews

Be wary of "Definitions" and "Synonyms", June 11, 2009
These cards suited my purpose well. I have about a month before my GRE general exam but I gave myself 5 days to work through this entire box so I would learn them all before I had a chance to get bored and before my summer course started and I had other things on my mind. That's 100 cards a day, which is quite a few but, by going through each set, setting aside the words I already knew, and then drilling myself on the remainder, I learned them all and learned them well! So lets evaluate the cards themselves...

1) Physical Quality of Cards: The cards are each 3 1/4" x 2 1/8". This was a good size for me, not too small to read but still portable. They are made of a thin but glossy (not matte) paper. They are definitely sturdier and easier to use than cards made from writing paper but don't expect them to be cut from a stiff cardstock. The only time the quality of the cards was an issue for me was when I accidentally splashed a few drops of water onto some of them. Water, I discovered, will cause them to almost immediately warp. However, I wiped them off right away and then put them back in the box where they fit in snuggly with the other cards so that they dried completely flat. Also, because the cards are thin, sometimes static causes them to cling to each other and it's easy to accidentally pick up two cards rather than one and not notice until you see that the definition on the back doesn't belong to the word on the front.

2) Effectiveness of Wordlist: On practice GRE tests, etc, I have seen many of the words in this box (eg. desultory) but also many other words that were not in the box. After I learned all of these, I began supplementing my vocabulary study with additional wordlists. For example, the Barrons word list of high frequency GRE words has 300 words more than Kaplan. Also, I was tipped off by a fellow GRE testtaker to [...], where you can improve your vocabulary and donate rice through the UN World Food Program at the same time.

3) Accuracy of Given Definitions: I often needed more than the given definition to fully understand the meaning of words that were completely new to me and to understand how they are typically used. For example, I learned the word meretricious from this box, where the definition was given as "falsely attractive". I was a little shocked therefore when I came across this word elsewhere defined as meaning "like or relating to a prostitute". I'd like to know in advance if I'm going to use a word that means that. While another dictionary definition of meretricious is "insincere, based on deception or pretense; showy in a cheap, inappropriate way", it's origin is definitely truer to the former meaning. It comes from the word, Meretrix, meaning harlot. I worked through some of these cards with a friend and we came across additional cards where the given definitions were very narrow or otherwise somewhat questionable. So, don't rely solely on the definitions given. It's easy enough to google any word (eg. define: meretricious) to see multiple definitions and get a better idea of the way it is actually used. Furthermore, the more you engage with the vocabulary, the better you will learn it.

4)Quality of Sentences: Together with the other information provided on the back of the cards, the sentences did help me to both remember the meaning of each word and understand how it is used. No complaints here.
Ex. Calumny - The unscrupulous politician used _calumny_ to bring down his opponent in the senatorial race.

5)Accuracy of Provided Synonyms: On each card, there is a list of "synonyms", however these are sometimes better thought of as families of related words. For example, according to the Kaplan cards, these words are equal in meaning...
languid = weak
desultory = unplanned
winsome = attractive
lampoon = tease
attenuate = water (not water down)
and
largess = present.

6)Accuracy of Provided Pronunciations and Elements of Speech: Most of the time the pronunciation was correct and useful. I recall that there were at least a couple of cards where the wrong syllable was emphasized (underlined)...I checked these with a dictionary and found that, if I had trusted the cards, my pronunciation would have been incorrect. You can sound as goofy as you like however and still get a 800 on the verbal reasoning section of the GRE since pronunciation is not tested there. In the provided 'Elements of Speech' categorizations (is it a noun, verb, adjective, etc.), I didn't notice any errors.

7) The box: I really like the box that the cards came in. The set is a very compact portable size, the box itself and the lid are made of an extremely sturdy/hard and high quality glossy blue and green cardstock (image provided is accurate), and it holds the cards snugly so they don't easily fall out. It would be nice if they sold blank index cards (of the same petite size) in boxes like this...

In the end, I just wish there were a second set of cards, Kaplan GRE Vocabulary Exam in a Box II...but I'll have to make my own in order to continue preparing for the GRE general test and expanding my vocabulary. I also would really appreciate more help with analogies. If they added an analogy question to each card that used the relevant word (and another, of course), that would be just perfect. The letter of the correct answer could be on the front...

Advice for fellow GRE General test-takers: Don't rely on one company and, instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for GRE prep courses, spend a small portion of that on GRE materials that target your areas of weakness (take a diagnostic practice test early on!). There are lots of materials available for self-study and, of course, you can do self-study, that's why you're applying to graduate school! :-) Hope this review was helpful...Good luck everyone!

Good investment., January 9, 2008
I decided to take the GRE basically on a whim, and scheduled an exam right after I had finished finals for that particular semester. I did use a few other study methods for the exam, but this was by far the most helpful in a short period of time. I studied these cards intensively for about three days and ended up with a 700 on the verbal section. Take the deck once you get it and quiz yourself over them. Take all the cards you didn't get right and put them into one pile, and then study those. It worked well for me.

Best Bang for the Buck, September 29, 2007
I bought several different study aids and used them all. This was the best of the lot. These words actually showed up on the test I took.

Great idea but poor definitions, August 22, 2008
As others have written in, while the cards cover most of the frequently used GRE vocab words and are an extremely helpful way to study, be wary of the some of the definitions. Kaplan doesn't always provide the best definitions or example sentences. They often define the word as a verb and then use it as an adjective in a sentence, for example. In addition, they often don't provide all of the possible definitions, and it's the secondary definitions that get you on the GRE. The card design is extremely helpful, but I had to relearn many words from other vocab sources.

Excellent GRE study tool, February 19, 2008
The GRE Exam in a Box is a collection of 500 words commonly used on the GRE verbal section. I found this an excellent way to increase my vocabulary for the GRE, and many of the words I learned were actually on the test. I tried making my own flash cards, but much preferred using these cards. They had the word and its pronunciation on the front, and the definition, an example sentence, and synonyms on the back. The cards are sturdy, and were in good shape even after being carried around in my pocket. The definitions were simple and straightforward enough to be remembered easily.

Focus Your Time Elsewhere, July 24, 2008
I purchased these cards in an attempt to build my vocabulary for the GRE. However, they proved to be pointless. I took the time and the effort to memorize all the words, as well as the synonyms for each word. When I took the GRE practice tests from Kaplan, the words showed up, I knew the answers, and I did well. When it came time to take the GRE however, only one word from the entire box showed up, and I ended up guessing on majority of the questions. Needless to say, I did not do well. While these cards did build my vocabulary, it did not help for the GRE.
I had glanced over the root list that Kaplan gives in their GRE Premier Program book, but didn't study the list as much as I should have. I will say that it would be much wiser to study the root list that they give, and not concern yourself with knowing these words too much. Plus, their Premier Program book gives much of the same words, so all you have to do is make flashcards yourself.
For some people, these cards seemed to have worked, so perhaps it was just me that didn't work for. But it should be noted that a common theme among all these reviews is to study the root list. Studying the root list will get you through a lot of questions, whereas memorizing 500 words and definitions, as well as all synonyms, didn't really seem to have a big impact on my performance. I leave the decision up to you.

Good words, but TERRIBLE definitions, August 12, 2008
Embarrassing quality from Kaplan. The words they have chosen may be appropriate and certainly seem like "GRE Words", however, the word choice, sentence examples, and even the definitions are terrible. Did they even have an English instructor take a look at them?

The example sentences often use an obscure or not-intuitive usage of the vocab word. For example, "inimical":

"Even though a cease-fire had been in place for months, the two sides were still inimical to each other."

The point being: You would NEVER see this sentence in a newspaper or book...why didn't they use a more common usage of the word as an example? Like "...inimical to good health...".

More examples abound. This terrible work and an embarrassment from Kaplan.

GRE Verbal points in a box, December 19, 2008
I bought this box of vocab words after taking the GRE and not being happy with my scores. The verbal section is tricky because how well you do is highly dependent on your vocabulary level. Over the course of 2 months, I learned all 500 words in that box by walking around with a few of the flashcards at a time in my pocket and testing myself during free moments. By learning the words and doing countless practice exams and questions, I raised my verbal score from 540 from 710.

The cards themselves are fairly small and slightly flimsy, but I liked them that way because they were easy to carry around. The front of the card has the word, part of speech, and pronunciation; the back has a succinct definition, a sample sentence, and synonyms. The words I learned were very representative of the vocabulary on the GRE--I saw a dozen or so on the exam I just took.

Bottom line: Only buy these cards if you have the self-discipline to use them, but if you do use them, you will definitely raise your score.

Decent as a backup plan, December 2, 2008
I purchased both these and the Baron's GRE cards, studied each religiously for about 3 weeks, and took my test. I much preferred the Barron's cards to these. The cards are flimsy and, while the words are hard, the ones that actually appeared on my test were the ones that both Kaplan and Barron covered. I also preferred the definitions and format of the Barron's cards. More of the synonyms/antonyms on the Barron's cards also appeared on the actual test and one part of the analogy did too.

These Kaplan cards are good to get if you have plenty of time, but the words were needlessly difficult and might serve more to make you paranoid.

Good but Not Enough, November 29, 2009
About me: I'm aweful at vocabulary and reading comprehension.

About the test: The first three questions of each section on the test put you into a bracket. To get a high score you need to anwer the first three questions correctly to be in a high bracket.

My first experience with the GRE: I memorized every word in this box. I felt more than confident in my ability to get a decent score. HOWEVER, the first three words on the test were words that were not in the box. I was put in the lowest bracket and only saw ONE word from this box. I made a 470.

After this: I went to a booksstore and looked through vocabulary books until I found a book that had some words I had seen on the test(simpler words than in this box). I had to look through a lot of books. Finally I found them in the Kaplan Vocabulary Prep Level One for the SATSAT Vocabulary Prep Level 1. I learned most all of the words in this book as well as the GRE box.

GRE take two: Much improvement. I could tell during the test that I was in a harder bracket. I recognized most all the words, there was a mixture from this box and from the SAT book (granted I had forgotten some of the meanings!). My score was a 620 (not great, but I am very happy with it).

Overall: I recommend this box, it is convinient and you can definitely learn the words. As for the example sentences that some have complained about - they may not be an accurate use of the word, but they will help you remember the meaning (which is all I cared about). However, if you vocabulary is abysmal, you will need this as well as a teaching aid with more simple words. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If it’s on the GRE, it’s in this book. Cracking the GRE, 2011 Edition, includes:

• Access to 2 full-length practice tests online, plus more than 300 questions in the book
• Everything you need to know for the current version of the GRE, plus info on changes coming in late 2011
• Detailed explanations for every practice question
• Practical information on the what, when, where, and how of the GRE
• Techniques for turning difficult algebra problems into easy arithmetic problems
• Strategies to help you solve even the toughest questions in Text Completions, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Comparisons, and more
• Online, interactive tutorial lessons with extra practice problems ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent GRE prep, August 5, 2010
The Princeton Review GRE books are wonderful in helping prepare students to take the test. I just took the test this morning, and decided I wanted to write reviews for all of the study aides I used. The Princeton Review book is very well-written and straightforward. It's overwhelming at first, and I found that the best way to go was to buy study aides at least a month in advance and just focus on one section at a time. I read this book cover-to-cover and many of their hints helped me a lot (such as, on analogies where you do not know all of the words either in the analogy given or in the answer choices, to eliminate those sets of words that have no relation to one another). Much of what was in the book seemed like common sense once I read it and mastered it, but I wouldn't have thought of it without the help of the book. The writing section was especially helpful to me, with great breakdowns of how to write both essays. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was the online area where it says you have access to two full length practice tests. I could only access one, but as I had also purchased a Barron's book that had access to give, it wasn't a huge deal. Still, you should be aware that I could only find one practice test online, so if you want more I'd recommend also buying the Barron's book, which is also very helpful. I highly recommend this book!

One of the Books You'll Want to Use, July 11, 2010
I don't plan on taking the GRE anymore (I a graduate student now), but I read these test prep books every year to refresh my skills. I actually enjoyed preparing for the test (weird, I know) and I don't want to forget what I learned, especially the vocabulary and analytical writing content. I don't know if this is the only book you should buy for the test. However, I think it ought to be one of them!

VERBAL
------------------------
The advice they give is extremely helpful. I've always had trouble with the analogies (I scored well, thanks to an earlier version of this book). I like the idea of writing down a defining sentence with both words. It actually does help to spend time doing this. I relied heavily on flashcards when I studied for the test. I made one for EVERY word that I thought would appear on the tests (various lists exist online and in books). This was VERY helpful. However, because I did not write stuff down and THINK about the relationships in practice, I struggled with the analogies during the test.

MATH
------------------------
I had an atrocious score when I took the test. I really should have followed their advice and written stuff down (I can't remember now if they told me to do that back then). I also think that I should have used flashcards when studying for the math section as well. Some formulas and simple problems would have been good to have memorized.

The problem with this book is that I found the math section easy. Knowing my poor ability, I wonder if this book is sufficient. You may want to read and follow the advice here, but check out the math section in another book for more tips about how to approach difficult problems.

ANALYTICAL
------------------------
Great advice here. In fact, I think this might be the best part of the book for test preparation. These are also some of the skills that graduate students (especially in the humanities) need on a daily basis. I would say it is definitely worth reading.

One piece of advice from my own experience, DO NOT REVISE SENTENCES AT THE LAST MINUTE. The second time I took the test, I finished my essay early, and during the last minute or so I tried to polish my last sentence. I ran out of time with the sentence in a jumbled mess! I lost points for that (score was lower than the first time I took the test, even though the essay was far better and longer).

SUMMARY
------------------------
It is definitely worth it to spend time with it. I didn't look at the DVD (read it in a bookstore), and I am not interested in taking practice tests anyways. If you are, you may want to look at the DVD version. Variety is important! Make sure to read other books as well (Barron's, Kaplan, etc.). Out of all that I have seen, I honestly don't think I could say there is only ONE book you need.

Great book, not too dry, September 5, 2010
Of the three books I bought to study for the GRE, this is my favorite. The writers have a good sense of humor and help to establish the right approaches to the various parts of the exam. The only part that I think could be improved is the math section. Math is the greatest challenge for me and I found some of the explanations inadequate. I think they could "dumb it down" a bit more. Of course, this may be more of a reflection on my math skills than it is a criticism of the book! The vocabulary and writing hints are excellent.

Great prep book!, December 2, 2010
This GRE prep book was an invaluable resource for my test preparation. I did really well on the exam and the book definitely helped make that happen. It is great on its own or used in tandem with other GRE prep books and materials.

Good study, November 28, 2010
This seems to be a fairly solid book. I didn't find any mistakes, only a couple of typos. They did use a word or two that they did not define in their list of words, and was not in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate 11th ed dictionary, nor on Dictionary.com. One of the words was ludology. Overall, a good book to study with.

Good GRE review material, September 25, 2010
This book is loaded with strategies to help learn how to take the GRE. Am loving its explanations and how it gets right down to the nitty gritty to assist in finding the correct answer as fast as possible. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kaplan SAT 2011: Strategies, Practice, and Review gives students the expert advice, practical hands-on tips, and test practice that have made Kaplan the smart, proven choice for SAT test preparation. This comprehensive guide offers everything a student needs to succeed in achieving a high SAT score: strategies, practice tests, and content review of all aspects of the SAT exam.

Kaplan SAT: Strategies, Practice, and Review also features:

• Tips from Kaplan’s SAT expert instructors and tutors 
• Advice and strategy callouts from Kaplan’s SAT perfectscorer 
• Helpful parents’ guide explaining how they can help their children use the book and prepare for the exam 
• Student study group guide 
• Four full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations
• Additional full-length practice test online

Reviews

Better than the Official SAT Guide, October 29, 2010

Kaplan SAT 2011 Sra=rategies, Practicd, and Revoew, September 6, 2010
The book was divided up nicely amoung test, a good self assessment with timed sections and 5 actuat tests at the back of the book. The answers sheet gave full explanations whay the correct answers were chosen. My son preferred Kaplan over Barrons. He said Batton's works book had antiquaited paragraphs and vocabulary. Kaplan gave lots of test tips and SAT test traps, 'what to look out for' clues. He is very happy with this book and also ordered the Educational Testins Service their own SAT 10 test booklet.

Kaplan Convert, November 4, 2010

Comprehensive SAT Review, November 4, 2010

Kaplan is a class act, November 19, 2010

Editorial Review

In college, there's a surprise around every corner…

The #1 Student Handbook; Updated 3rd Edition

But that doesn't mean you can't be prepared! From sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, The Naked Roommate is your behind-the-scenes look at EVERYTHING you need to know about college (but never knew you needed to know).

From sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers to sharing lecture notes, The Naked Roommate is the behind-the-scenes look at everything students need to know about college (but never knew they needed to know). Completely revised and updated, this essential guide used by hundreds of thousands of students is packed with expert advice on everything from managing money to managing stress—plus hilarious, outrageous, and telling stories from students on over 100 college campuses:

College Living

• Dorm do's, don'ts, and dramas
• Lying, noisy, nasty roommates

Finding Friends

• Facebook and MySpace
• Friend today, gone tomorrow

Classes

• To go or not to go?
• How to get an A, C, or F

Dating

• 16 kinds of college hookups
• Long distance = BIG concerns

The Party Scene

• The punch in the "fruit punch"
• Sex, drugs, and the truth

Money

• Grants, loans, and loose change
• Credit cards and online gambling

The Naked Roommate is the #1 bestselling college life guide, and Harlan Cohen is the top voice on college life. Through his speaking engagements, college tour, music, and website, he has reached thousands of students with his message of relaxing, being yourself, and making the most of the college years.

With calendars, planners, and The Naked Roommate being used as the first year experience guide at colleges across the country, The Naked Roommate is the top name in college life advice.

PRAISE FOR THE NAKED ROOMMATE

"If The Naked Roommate existed when I went to college, I would have devoured every page before I stepped foot on campus."
Linda J. Sax, Associate Director of the Higher Education Research Institute and Director of the CIRP Freshman Survey

"The most useful guide [on college life]. (Five stars)"
The Daily Orange, Syracuse University

"The Naked Roommate is one of the best and most practical college advice guides I've read."
Andrew Tinnin, administrator at the University of Michigan

Naked Roommate Article (PDF) (20100826) ... Read more

Reviews

A great resource for the college-bound, March 5, 2005
Harlan Cohen is an advice columnist and speaker for college campuses. The Naked Roommate is one of the best and most practical college advice guide's I've read. The tips are based on questions actual students have asked, actual students have provided real-world advice on, and Cohen has added his professional perspective on as well.

Cohen and Sourcebooks are launching an on-line companion site, http://www.thenakedroommate.com/, that I look forward to visiting.

The first, very crucial tip (and a staple in Cohen's campus addresses) is: "Relax. Have fun. Enjoy it all. Your job is simple: be your best, meet lots of people, make new friends, make smart decisions, possibly find a career, possibly find love, and take risk after risk after risk so that you can figure out what you love and what you don't love. If you do this, you'll leave college with more than a degree. You'll leave knowing what it takes for you to be happy."

Buy this for my college bound teenagers, June 27, 2007
The author, Harlan Cohen, gives advice on the hard issues, like dating, sex, alcohol and drugs, plus tips on going Greek, getting involved, skipping class and dealing with roommates and the stuff we tend to overlook, like avoiding the 'freshman 15' and doing laundry without losing your unmentionables. And yes, there is a tip on how to deal with a naked roommate (tip #16). My all time favorite advice is what to do if your roommate enjoys having sex in your presence. First he suggests you talk to her and let her know it bothers you and if that doesn't work then invite friends over to watch. She might move her lovemaking to somewhere a little more private if she realizes she has an audience.

There are so many things to love of about this book, but let's start with humor. Harlan doesn't spend over 400 pages preaching. Instead he writes as if he's sitting around chatting with his friend [and that friend is you, the reader]. He cracks jokes. He invites you to check out his mySpace and Facebook pages. And he never once talks down to you. This is great considering the target audience is teenagers and I think we all know how hard they are to get through to.

Another great thing about this book is the testimonials. Each tip begins with a comment from a real live college student. And the tips come from students all over the U.S., even Iowa. It was great to hear from students who are living it, have learned from their mistakes and are willing to share [anonymously]. It made the advice feel more credible since we're hearing it from all different types of students from all different kind of schools.

But what I love best about this book are the chapters on the tough stuff; sex, alcohol and drugs. I'm one of those who thinks we can [and should] preach abstinence and `just say no' to drugs and alcohol, but we also need to make sure our kids understand the consequences and know what to do if they don't listen to our preaching. Some of our kids will experiment and they need to know what to do in those situations. Harlan does a great job of giving both sides.

In the sex section, his advice is to not have sex until you are absolutely ready and in love and won't be ashamed of it in the morning. Several times he states you must feel comfortable enough with your partner to discuss both of your sexual histories. He discusses different birth control options plus what to do if you make a mistake. And he pounds home the point that you need to make sure you aren't doing something drunk that you wouldn't do sober.

In the alcohol and drug sections, he makes it clear that not everybody on campus is getting drunk and high. Kids come in to college thinking everybody gets drunk four nights a week, but the reality is more than half of students are there to [gasp] get an education. But he also has advice for those students who do decide to drink or do drugs. He suggests they figure out how to balance it all; drinking and making it to class so they don't flunk out. He also has some suggestions for dealing with druggie roommates or alcoholic friends.

This is the stuff our college students want to hear about. They don't want to hear their parents preaching "be safe." They want real advice about what to do when they find themselves in these situations and Harlan gives them those answers.

I could go on and on about the great tips offered in this book, but instead I'll just leave you with one last tip; finding your place on campus (tip #3). Throughout the book Harlan emphasizes the need to be involved. Several tips talk about joining sporting clubs or religious clubs or political clubs or starting your own club. This is one of the most important tips in the book. Too many kids spend their first few months holed up in their room not making friends. College is such an amazing experience. Not one second should be wasted and I think with the help of this book kids will be able to dive right in and make the best of it. If you have teenagers get a copy of this book. If you have toddlers, put this in your Amazon wishlist so you'll remember to buy the latest edition when they are teenagers. I can't wait for my teenagers to read it.

Great book for RA Staff, March 13, 2006
I used this book in RA Trianing after learning about it at the ACUHO-I 2005 conference and meeting Harlan in person. The staff loved the book, and it has a lot of great examples and speaks well regarding University resources for students to seek out and utilize. The book was so well-liked, that I bought a copy for each of the RA Staff members for International RA Recognition Day in February 2006!

I wish I would have had a book like this when I went to college, June 30, 2006
It would have been less stressful. The book is very well written. Easy to read and follow. It flows well from topic to topic. It's engaging and truthful without being patronizing to the reader. Gives great tips on how to handle, approach and deal with most everything one can and will encounter during their years in college. It's also very real, because Harlan Cohen has students themselves sharing their experiences. A must read for every student headed for college.

A little disappointed., August 4, 2009
I am an entering college freshman. I read the reviews for this book and was really excited for it's arrival. Overall, it is informative but incredibly repetitive. It could have been cut down to about ten tips instead of the overwhelming and somewhat boring one-hundred and seven. A lot of it is common sense and I could have done without reading it. The study tips included and the conflict resolution/avoidance tips will come in handy but I am not really impressed.

Amazing Read, July 29, 2007
I am a first generation college student so it is not as though I had anyone to talk to about what to expect in college. I ordered this book to answer some of my questions. This book did that and so much more. It wasn't a boring "self-help" book; it was engaging and informative at the same time. Truly amazing read. If you are going off to school or your children are going off to school, get this book.

Some good content..., May 5, 2006
This book is extremely well written and it is clear the author (Harlan Cohen) has experience in this field and has done the appropriate research to be and expert.

That being said this book does contribute itself to the pile of books before it that are categorized as "college guides". "Be careful using a credit card", "you're on your own now that you're at college", "beware long distance relationships", etc. This are some pretty cliche terms typical in any "college guide-book". Albeit students need guidence when going to college they are better off reading a book like The Power of Focus for College Students which is a book with much more valuable content for the student reader.

If you want a good college guide book this is it. If you want more, then this isn't it.

Finally, THANK YOU!, March 8, 2005
Having two kids in college and one getting ready to go away to school next fall, I've read all these types of books. This one is by far the best of the best. I loved the stories from real students and Harlan has a great sensibility and sense of humor. I couldn't have said it better. This is sure to become the book on college life and teenage life. For other parents, like me, who read Charlotte Simmons, The Naked Roommate is the real story. Read this one. It's non-fiction and it will help you sleep at night.

Why didn't he write this 4 years ago?, August 8, 2005
I was a teacher for four years and was always on the lookout for a book to give to my graduating students (the ones I liked at least) that wasn't sappy or over-the-top inspirational. Sadly, I never found one that fit the bill. That's why I wish this book had been written back then. Now that I'm no longer teaching, I have found The Naked Roommate, a book that is practical, funny, and encouraging without being cheezy. I definitely recommend this for people going off to college and people looking for a gift to give someone going off to college.

The Best Without a Doubt -- Required Reading!, July 10, 2006
I should start off by saying that I've bought The Naked Roommate for my son, my son's friends, my nephews, my nieces, and for my friends' children and a few friends (they were having a tough time dealing with the college transition). Every single person who has picked it up has raved about it. The book captures the essense of college life in a way that is rarely seen and heard. I just heard through my nephew that it's being used as required reading on his friend's colleges. I was familiar with the author from his advice column, and appreciate his style of writing. I'm also a fan website(thenakedroommate.com) an online forum for the book. I found the title after I came across a rave review by the New England Board of Higher Education (I'm a teacher). That was last year, and this year I saw it everywhere! But I saw it first! Anyone who has something disparaging to say about this book, clearly has not read the book or has some other motive. In conclusion, this book is smart, funny, witty, extremely well researched, on the the best book out there for students, parents, educators, and anyone who wants to know about college life. I can't wait for his next. I'm sold. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Amazon.com Review

Product Description

The only official verbal review for the GMAT from the creators of the test.  Anyone preparing for the Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT) knows it's important to study with the experts. With The Official GMAT Verbal Review, 2nd Edition, you'll get questions, answers, and explanations straight from the source. The only official verbal review for the GMAT Exam, this book targets your study and helps you improve your verbal skills by focusing on your ability to read and comprehend written material, to reason and evaluate arguments, and to correct written material to conform to standard English. Inside, you'll find

• 300 actual questions from past GMAT tests, including 75 questions new to this edition
• Sections on Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Sentence Correction, and Analytical Writing Assessment
• Questions organized in order of difficulty to save study time

The Graduate Management Admission Council certifies all content so you can trust that you're getting expert guidance as you prepare for the GMAT Exam.

The Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC) is the association of leading graduate business schools around the world. GMAC's mission is to meet the needs of business schools and students through a wide array of products, services, and programs. It is the owner and administrator of the Graduate Management Admissions Test® (GMAT), the first and only standardized test specifically designed for graduate business and management programs. Available in nearly 100 countries, it is the global standard for entry to the MBA degree course.

Top Myths About the GMAT®

Myth – If I don’t score in the 90th percentile, I won’t get into any school I choose.

Fact – Very few people get very high scores.

Fewer than 50 of the more than 200,000 people taking the GMAT test each year get a perfect score of 800. Thus, while you may be exceptionally capable, the odds are against your achieving a perfect score. Also, the GMAT test is just one piece of your application packet. Admissions officers use GMAT scores in conjunction with undergraduate records, application essays, interviews, letters of recommendation, and other information when deciding whom to accept into their programs.

Myth – Getting an easier question means I answered the last one wrong.

Fact – Getting an easier question does not necessarily mean you got the previous question wrong.

To ensure that everyone receives the same content, the test selects a specific number of questions of each type. The test may call for your next question to be a relatively hard problem-solving item involving arithmetic operations. But, if there are no more relatively difficult problem-solving items involving arithmetic, you might be given an easier item.

Most people are not skilled at estimating item difficulty, so don’t worry when taking the test or waste valuable time trying to determine the difficulty of the questions you are answering.

Myth – You need very advanced math skills to get a high GMAT score.

Fact – The math skills questions on the GMAT test are quite basic.

The GMAT test only requires basic quantitative analytic skills. You should review the math skills (algebra, geometry, basic arithmetic) presented in both The Official Guide for GMAT® Quantitative Review, 2nd Edition, and in The Official Guide for GMAT® Review, 12th Edition, but the required skill level is low. The difficulty of GMAT Quantitative questions stems from the logic and analysis used to solve the problems and not the underlying math skills.

Myth – It is more important to respond correctly to the test questions than it is to finish the test.

Fact – There is a severe penalty for not completing the GMAT test.

If you are stumped by a question, give it your best guess and move on. If you guess incorrectly, the computer program will likely give you an easier question, which you are likely to answer correctly, and the computer will rapidly return to giving you questions matched to your ability. If you don’t finish the test, your score will be reduced greatly. Failing to answer five verbal questions, for example, could reduce your score from the 91st percentile to the 77th percentile. Pacing is important.

Myth –The first 10 questions are critical and you should invest the most time on those.

Fact – All questions count.

It is true that the computer-adaptive testing algorithm uses the first 10 questions to obtain an initial estimate of your ability; however, that is only an initial estimate. As you continue to answer questions, the algorithm self-corrects by computing an updated estimate on the basis of all the questions you have answered, and then administers items that are closely matched to this new estimate of your ability. Your final score is based on all your responses and considers the difficulty of all the questions you answered. Taking additional time on the first 10 questions will not game the system and can hurt your ability to finish the test.

Myth – I need to speak US English in order to do well on the GMAT.

Fact- Essay grading is not affected by dialect of English. Questions on the GMAT are evaluated to ensure they are fair for all examinees, whether in the US or around the world.

... Read more

Reviews

Required reading
If you are serious about taking the Gmat and getting a good score, you absolutely must buy this book along with the other two official supplements. Between the three books, you will have access to over 1,000 problems that have been retired from the Gmat and are 100% representative of what you are going to see come test day.

My scores:

Powerprep 1 (Official software) - 700 - no studying
Princeton 1 - 630
Kaplan 1 - 560
Kaplan 2 - 600
Kaplan 3 - 580
Powerprep 2 - 730
Actual Gmat - 750

I am 100% certain that using all three books is what raised my score those last 50 points. On test day I was the only one at the center and I got to know the receptionist pretty well. She told me that she sees hundreds of these scores a year and the ones who get 700+ all have one thing in common - they have all done every problem in all three books.

My advice: spend the money on all three. Work every problem, noting which ones are hard and which you get wrong. When you are done, go back and work the hard/incorrect problems again. Then, when you are done, start over from page one. You effort will be rewarded on test day. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This manual�'s new edition offers prospective graduate students intensive preparation for the GRE Graduate Record Exam. Opening chapters provide a perspective on the exam with a GRE overview, advice on effective test-taking tactics, anda diagnostic test to help students pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. Subsequent chapters review all GRE test areas and include practice exercises for the following topics: antonym, analogy, andsentence-completion questions, reading comprehension, vocabulary, analytical writing, discrete quantitative questions, quantitative comparison questions, data interpretation questions, and math. The math review includes questions in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. The manual�'s concluding section presents five full-length model exams that reflect recent GREs in length, question types, and degree of difficulty. All questions are answered and explained. ... Read more

Reviews

Barron's (2009 ed.) and Princeton Review (2009 ed.) compared / contrasted, January 16, 2009
If you're preparing to take the GRE and trying to determine which book to use, the answer depends on your goal score. If it happens to be in the 500-650 range for either the verbal or quantitative sections, then most any review book should do the trick provided you invest a reasonable amount of time studying. Since the big name reviews (Barron's, Kaplan, PR) generally target this segment, any one of them alone should suffice.

If your goal is 660-800 in either section, and you don't have a natural talent that puts you in that range, then the main ingredient is: lots of studying.

At any goal level, Barron's is the best vocabulary review, hands down. It contains 50 word lists comprised of 3500 words whose usage is prioritized based on retired tests (i.e. if an obscure meaning of a word never came up on the test, the authors omit that definition so you don't waste time). To score consistently above 650, you'll need to know more than just the 333 words on the high-frequency list. To score consistently near 800, you'll need to know most of the 3500 words and be able to handle the tougher inferential questions that come up in high-level reading passages. The math review in this book is well done, but you'll need to look elsewhere for the more challenging math questions seen at the 700+ levels (Barron's is especially shallow on probability / permutations / combinations). The test taking tactics they present are well written and definitely useful. On the down side, the 2009 book doesn't contain significant revision from previous years and fails to include the new verbal and math question formats that ETS is gradually introducing (and which you may see on test day). It's an oversight which the authors ought to correct for 2010, but if you understand the actual material, you can get a great feel for the new formats on the ETS website.

Personally, I used the Barron's book as my main study tool. After digesting it and its practice tests, I moved on to the 2009 PR book. From a content perspective, there is very little in the PR review book that wasn't covered in Barron's and much that PR omits which Barron's covers well. I'd say I gleaned less than 10 new word meanings from PR (that weren't in Barron's), got a slightly better feel for probability from PR than from Barron's (but still not enough for high-end questions), and did learn a few good test tactics not covered in other books. All things said, format is what PR does best. PR understands its audience well, is very user friendly, is much easier to read, and is clearly designed for those with a short to medium attention span. But content is king for higher scores, and PR is definitely lighter in this department with one caveat: the online computer-based tests (included with a book purchase) are some of the best around and worth getting a hold of for this reason alone.

I didn't have the opportunity to review the Kaplan material, so can't give you a good feel except to say I've heard good things (especially about the math section). If you are looking for 700-800 level math, there are a number of off-brand guides available on the internet, including a great one put together by some very diligent (and very talented) Indian students. Best of luck.

Fabulous book & CD-ROM!!!!, January 12, 2008
At age 51, I was applying to grad school, and had to face the GRE. The English/writing part was no problem, but I had done badly in algebra in 9th grade, and never had trig at all. I had to learn it all in ONE MONTH. This book came through for me. It has very clear explanations of all key math points. I did all the practice problems in the book, pushing myself a little further every day. When I'd gotten through all the math, I tried a practice test. Only got a 250. I had the knowledge, but not the speed. That's where the CD-ROM came in. I took 2 practice tests a day, and slowly got my speed up. (Each time you do the practice tests, they are different. Now and then, there was a question I'd had before, but not often enough to significantly boost my score.) By the time I took the real test, I was getting in the 600s on the practice tests. I had figured out some strategies. Finally, I took the real thing, and got a 720 on both sections, for a total of 1440! I owe it all to the excellent math tutorial and examples in the book, and ESPECIALLY, to the real-time practice tests on the CD-ROM. I just cannot rave enough about this book!!

Perhaps the best book for the GRE!, November 7, 2007
As a former graduate student and someone who has already taken the GRE before, several times, I went into preparing for the GRE in a way that a former prisoner goes back into prison. Those who have taken the test before will understand what I mean. The GRE forces some people, those who want to do particularly well on the test, to kill their social life and become prisoners in their homes studying for this test every single day!

I want to wholeheartedly and without reservations recommend the Barron's GRE book, as it takes the time to cover the subject matter at a degree which surpasses any $1000 Kaplan class you will ever take. It forces you to analyze the questions, analyze your own approach/method, and to truly (I cannot stress this enough) LEARN (not just regurgitate, my friend) the material need for success on the GRE.

The GRE is not a test of regurgitation, but a test of your ability to problem solve, and problem solve well. Match this book with the Princeton review 2008 or 2007 book and you will be golden. Nothing else is needed. You will spend roughly $40 and will accomplish much more than others who have chose to take the expensive GRE courses.

Really good thorough test prep, September 15, 2007
This book is really really thorough and works well if you plan on studying well ahead of time. There are sections for each type of math problem that appears on the actual test and this was what I found most helpful. I went through each of the specific sections because math was a weakness for me and I wound up getting a 660 in the quantitative section. There is an extensive list of vocabulary words and several sections of review for the verbal section of the exam. Studying the high frequency words was helpful. The tips and hints that are included are great for helping you learn how to take the test and to save time. The amount of time for the test is fairly limited and the book shows you how to do the least amount of work to come to the correct answer. I studied using this book and I received a 1320.

Great for Vocab, mediocre practice tests, August 22, 2008
In preparing for the GRE, I used the Princeton Review book, Kaplan vocabulary flash cards, and the Barron's book. Of the three, I feel the Princeton Review was the most useful to overall test prep.

The Barron's book excels at vocabulary: their list of words is extremely large and pretty comprehensive from what I've seen. In addition, they break down roots and stems which makes taking an educated guess on a word you're unsure of or have never seen substantially easier.

I feel the math on the Barron's was much more comprehensive than it needed to be. Often, questions on the Barron's tests were on material that would not show up on the actual test. In addition, their data interpretation questions are plagued with poorly drawn graphs that make it hard to ascertain the values. I had to make approximate guesses on data questions that demanded exact answers simply because the graphs didn't provide adequate labels.

However, unless you are testing on paper, the practice paper tests really don't help much more than provide more practice questions. To get an understanding of the rhythm of a computer-adjusted test, you really need to take computer-adjusted ones! When you can't skip and have limited time, it's important to learn how much time to spend guessing and how important it is to ace the first third of the test. Where Barron's is weak is its lone computer-adjusted test. For this reason, I feel the Barron's book is less helpful than the Princeton Review. If I had to pick one book, I would get the PR because of those extra tests - they make all the difference.

In short, the Barron's will overprepare you for the math and provide a comprehensive word list. It's great at preparing you for specific questions. However, it doesn't do a very good job of preparing you to TAKE the test, which is the most important aspect of acing the GRE. For that, I would recommend another book, especially the Princeton Review's.

Find another book!, November 4, 2007
After going through a number of different GRE books, I find this to be the worst by far. Will it help you? Sure! But it's not going to help you nearly as much as, say, the Kaplan book. Whereas the Kaplan book works you through many of the though processes necessary to do well on the GRE, the Barron's book just gives you a few examples. Where the Kaplan book explains (perhaps to excess) the reasoning behind each and every question, including on the electronic practice tests, the Barron's book has explanations like "The answer is C." ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? What's the point in even having an explanation section when all you put is that? Even worse, the so-called Computer Adaptive Practice Test will give you the same questions more than once in the SAME test. Stay away. Use a better resource and you'll fair much better in the end.

OK for the basics, September 25, 2007
This book is good for people who need a general review, but aren't necessarily aiming for the topmost scores. This was one of several GRE prep books/CDs I ordered. The writing style is very basic and down-to-earth; it assumes you know next to nothing about math or taking tests. A couple other books (esp. the Princeton Review) had more sophisticated techniques that I found helpful.

I found the software a bit ugly. The graphs on the quantitative practice problems were much more difficult to read than the actual GRE was, and the interface was a little clunky. Still, it's good for additional content review.

GRE! Read for Quick Tps on Studying., March 17, 2008
I studied for the GREs from October 1st 2007 to November 17th 2007 (the day of my exam). Though some would call me crazy with such a short time studying; I studied nearly everyday, all day long (at least 10 hours a day). This book is perfect and is more or less all you need to study the GREs. The books organization is spot on, and I suggest following it as it is. Like any diet or exercise program, as long as you follow your plan (in this case the book's plan) you will unquestionably see satisfying results in the end.

I also suggest to make sure that you take the Diagnostic test at the beginning of the book in order to make sure, in the very beginning of your studies, what is most necessary for you to study and concentrate on. I didn't realize what the diagnostic test was for and did not take it until midway through my studies. A mistake. For the Verbal, I studied (with flash cards and all) the 333 High Frequency Word List. Do the same, a surprising number of these words were indeed on the GRE. I began to go through the 3,500-Word master list, but with time constraints soon realized that this would be ineffective.

The math section, in this book, is also organized quite well. Follow it. Like math we learned as secondary school students, it builds and builds to an end which is a complication of every thing previously learned.

Lastly, as many out there are concerned mostly with the math I suggest a supplementary book on the math alone. I basically used all of the sample problems in this book and would have easily done more if I had more time.

I do wish I took at least another month to study for this exam. While I am fairly happy with my GRE score, with that extra month I would have had that slightly extra edge in my graduate school applications.

This book is sure to help. Goodluck.

Great tool for the GRE, October 28, 2007
I looked at many publications before settling on the Barron's GRE guide for my preparation for the GRE. The guide features 6 full length tests (including diagnostic) as well as a CAT test at the end. There are a ton of math exercises and I recommend doing every one. There is also a massive list of words--you can decide to memorize the bold ones, I did not. However, I did do every verbal exercise. My scores on two tests that I took before reading the book average 540 V and 560 Q, my scores on the GRE were 670 V and 740 V, that is an overall score increase of 310 points and is the difference between being in the top 30 percent for my major and the top 2 percent for my major. The average GRE for admission to the Psych PhD program at Harvard is 1388 (not that I have any intention of applying, just making a point)--the book can make your GRE score a very valuable tool in your application process. Buy it!

Great electronic materials, October 2, 2007
I bought this book more for the CD than anything else. I never read the book or used their methods, I only used the diagnostic and computer adaptive tests on the CD. In that respect, they were very good. Barron's did a wonderful job recreating the computer-adaptive test environment, and there were no surprises when I went to take the GRE. ... Read more

Editorial Review

As students prepare to take the Graduate Record Exams, Kaplan is there with a groundbreaking prep program unlike any other. With the latest in technology and advanced Internet tools to maximize scores, Kaplan GRE Exam 2011 Premier with CD-ROM, is an invaluable guide that provides proven score-raising strategies and essential practice needed to succeed. Offering exclusive free access to an interactive online companion, this unique guide enables one to achieve a top score by utilizing:

• Brand-new practice quizzes provided every month
• Diagnostic quiz to target areas for score improvement
• Customizable study plan and progress report
• Live Online Seminar: A state-of-the-art online classroom in real time, complete with audio, video, instant chat, whiteboards, and screen sharing
• Fast Fact Videos where Kaplan’s finest tutors review the most important concepts from each chapter

This comprehensive preparation program also provides:

• Valuable insider advice from our top instructors
• Quick Start Guide to streamline the test prep experience
• 5 full-length practice tests plus hundreds of additional practice questions
• Answers fully explained in detail
• Essential tactics for the computer-adaptive test (CAT) format

Reviews

A complete review, August 15, 2010
So, i was frustrated with kaplan in the beginning because the CD wasn't working on my windows 7 computer. Don't waste your time calling kaplan's customer service because from what i've read in online forums, they don't know how to deal with it. However, i came across a thread on microsoft's website about the MCI drivers the CD asks for and here's a way to get around it: Install the CD on your computer, remove it from your computer and restart your computer in safe mode ( hit the F8 key while the black screen is on just before the windows logo appears) and just select the safe mode option. I know some people with vista who select the 'safe mode with command prompt' but i discovered that selecting just the "safe mode" option works perfectly. Once your computer is started, insert the CD and click on the icon and viola!, it should work like a charm. I have a HP windows 7 laptop and it worked wonderfully.

The CD has 6 quantitative test and about the same amount of verbal tests. There are 3 CAT exams on the CD. The exams on the CD actually simulate the real exams way better than the diagnositic i took online. Go figure!
The online companion has 5 exams as well as tons of practice quizzes and what nots. I actually have both the kaplan MCAT and kaplan GRE. The GRE premier is good for a year, at least the online thing says it'll expire august, 2011 compared to the MCAT premier that's only good for 6 months. I read other reviews that the exams and quizzes online weren't available but so far, all of them are showing up at the same time.

The book itself isn't as comprehensive as i was hoping for it to be. it really doesn't have much content. I think you should get the princeton review book and read that first. Also, i recommend kaplan flash cards or barrons essential words for the GRE. Barron's has more words in addition to kaplans 500. i like how kaplan gives synonyms at the back of the cards along with the sentences. Barrons doesn't give synonyms but the exercises at the end of each of the 10 word lists helps you to understand the word. Better still, the kaplan flashcards have the pronunciations which i think is a great asset.
All in all, this book is ok but i highly recommend the princeton review or barrons in addition to this as kaplan doesn't have much of a content. I like princeton's strategy so far. i gave it 4 stars cuz it's not complete and also for the frustration that comes with searching for ways to use the CD. I hope this helps.

UPDATE: I have to take my words back because this book has all you need. If you're a little OCD, i suggest Barron's in addition to this because it's very comprehensive and has the 3500 word list. The kaplan book doesn't appear to have content based on my initial glance through it but after going through it, it has everything you need to score 700+ in each section. I did 4/6 of the quantitative tests and 5/6 of the verbal tests and 1 CAT exam on the CD plus online CAT 5. (Please note the first CAT on CD is very hard). I also did 3/6 of the online quizzes. I scored 49% on the diagnostic after perusing the princeton review. Did barron's and that helped a lot but i still wasn't testing well. 1 week with kaplan and my score skyrocketed. I highly recommend this book and Barron's. if your goal is to get around 500, you should be ok with The princeton book. English isn't my first, 2nd or even third language so to break 700+ on verbal is impressive. Also, I suggest testing on the CD to simulate testing conditions. The verbal exams has 38 questions timed at 30minutes. the math has 30 questions timed at 30minutes. I had 13 questions uncompleted the first time i took i took the verbal CAT and barely scraped 50% of the questions i answered. After working through the kaplan book, i went from getting 2/7 right in the reading comprehension section to getting at least 6/7 right and finishing the 38 questions with about 2 or 3 minutes to spare. I never got past question 25 on the quantitative test but considering the real deal had 28 questions to be completed in even more time, i wasn't worried. The writing section is the best. I also did one of the CAT on barron's CD. i didn't get the chancce to do the princeton exams since i stopped using the book.

Also, get the powerprep software from ETS. If you have a 64-bit windows 7 pc, don't bother because it won't work ( I called ETS after having problems installing and the rep told me it won't work). If you have vista, it does work although if it freezes, try running it in safe mode. ETS suggested that and it worked on my other laptop that has a 32-bit windows vista. I only did the first practice test and i didn't find it that helpful because it lacks explanations. however, it's a nice way to see how they test.

Oh, and get to the test center early. it sucks to sit there waiting anxiously. I HIGHLY recommend this book. in fact their reading comprehension advice is better than the one in their MCAT book. This book has helped me immensely and i'm very grateful.

CD-ROM Only Runs on XP, July 30, 2010
Advanced warning to would be purchasers - the included CD only runs on Windows XP - it will not run on Windows 7 unless you have Windows 7 Professional or higher and download the XP mode for Windows 7. The book is still useful - but you may not be able to access all the features you expect.

I took the GRE today...here are my post-test thoughts on Kaplan, December 11, 2010

Best on the Market, December 11, 2010

Not for Macs -- not even for as many Windows OS's as claimed., November 3, 2010

Great for general GRE test prep, December 8, 2010

A Good Place to Start, November 18, 2010

Good, but doesn't work on Windows 7, October 21, 2010
This book had everything from a CD to multiple options such as paper tests and online information. I really like the availability of the resources- BUT the CD did not work on my computer because I have Windows 7. The highest this CD can work on is Windows Vista. I do not think it works on Mac computers. So if you have Vista enjoy the CD if not- it's still an okay but but for the price just get one without a CD or that works on 7.

Do not buy, November 3, 2010
It is not acceptable for a product dated 2011 to only work on XP which is 10 years old. What is more unacceptable is the non response from Kaplan. I will not buy another Kaplan product. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible is the most comprehensive book available for the Logic Games section of the LSAT. The intent of this book is to provide you with an advanced system for attacking any game you encounter on the LSAT. This same system is covered in the live classes taught by PowerScore, and all of the methods and techniques discussed in the book have been tested in classroom situations over many years.

The book features and explains a detailed methodology for attacking the games section. All aspects of Logic Games are covered, from recognizing game types to diagramming rules to making inferences and answering questions. Entire chapters are devoted to the most advanced game techniques and to time management strategies.

Logic Games are divided into individual types, and a discussion follows that teaches you how to approach each type of Game, and drills are presented to help you apply and understand the techniques. Thereafter, real LSAT logic games are used to illustrate how the techniques apply to real tests. Using real LSAT questions is a must for high-level LSAT preparation, and twenty-one real LSAT logic games are contained in the book. Each logic game is accompanied by a detailed analysis of the game setup and related questions.

The author has over 12 years experience teaching the LSAT and has scored in the 99th percentile on a Law Services-administered test. An expert in LSAT preparation, he has overseen the preparation of thousands of students and founded two national LSAT preparation companies.

The Logic Games Bible can be supplemented by The Ultimate Set-Ups Guide, which features setups for every game in each released LSAT from 1995 to 2002.Also, both books provide access to a unique website for additional LSAT and Logic Games information, and has answers to frequently asked questions.

For more information about the renowned PowerScore LSAT Logic Games Bible, contact PowerScore at (800) 545-1750. ... Read more

Reviews

Beats the competition hands down, December 21, 2003
I have currently completed studying logic games with this book, Master the LSAT (which was recommended in several Amazon.com reviews), Kaplan LSAT (for average students), and Kaplan LSAT 180 (for very strong students). The Logic Games Bible by PowerScore was definitely the most helpful of any of the books. Applying PowerScore's methods has reduced my time per game from 13 minutes to 8 - which gives me enought to complete every game in the section - and to boot, I'm hitting 100 percent accuracy on most of the practice tests I've taken from real LSATs and simulated tests from other companies. I didn't think that was possible.

PowerScore was helpful because it includes clear suggestions for the best way to diagram any of the game types and what to watch out for when diagramming. (As I mention below, Kaplan doesn't do this.) It is the only book of the four I've used that exclusively uses actual logic games administered since the LSAT was rewritten in 1991. The other books don't do that because they don't want to pay as much in licensing fees (which is reflected in this book's comparably high price), but their simulated questions have a much different feel. Simulated questions are often too easy, which can leave you underprepared, or too difficult, which can frustrate you needlessly. In addition, there are certain patterns in the way real questions are set up that other companies haven't been able to imitate.

I read the reviews that gave this book three or fewer stars, and I found all of them unconvincing. It's true that the book won't solve your timing issues automatically, but no book I've seen was very helpful on timing. PowerScore does have a fairly strong section discussing who should skip a game and who shouldn't, and it goes over some rules for picking the hardest game if you do decide to skip one. I haven't seen anything more than that about timing in any other book. Ultimately, practice makes perfect, and again, using real questions for practice will be a big help in terms of timing.

This book does have a few typos, which I was surprised to see in a book of such quality in terms of content. But this isn't a mass market publication, and the fact that PowerScore apparently doesn't have the financial resources to hire decent copy editors won't impact your LSAT score.

Kaplan's book wasn't nearly as helpful. It gives broad suggestions (e.g., use a concise system that you understand), but it's much more helpful to have someone suggest symbols that will capture the essence of most games. I'm still thinking about taking Kaplan's classroom course, since I presume that there is more information in it, but I wouldn't recommend their book to someone on a limited budget. It took me only a few hours to get through the lessons, and I think studying simulated practice tests is a waste of time when you can get real tests.

Master the LSAT is not a bad book. Unlike Kaplan, it does include a real LSAT logic game in each section. I think it will be a good tool for reading comprehension and the analysis section. But if you can afford to get the Logic Games Bible, I would study with that first and only go to Master the LSAT if you have extra time. Once you have studied the Logic Games Bible, most of the examples in Master the LSAT will be easy. (I completed some Master the LSAT logic games in under four minutes with 100 percent accuracy.)

Overall, an excellent resource and well worth the extra money.

A serious book for anyone seeking serious LSAT scores, June 6, 2003
This book is extremley comprehensive in every respect... But if you are smart enough to begin your LSAT preperation a few months ahead of time--and are willing to work [hard]--then this book will do the trick. It helped me score a 179 in February.

Before purchasing the Logic Games Bible, I took KAPLAN's $1000 classroom course... Right away, I knew "The Bible" was going to be better than KAPLAN because it used the commonsense approach of setting up games BELOW the questions (where there's actually room to write). In every respect, The Bible provides a more systematic and organized approach to setting up games than does KAPLAN. Having The Bible's more diciplined and systematic approach to setting up and solving the games proved invaluable on test day. I finished all four games with 9 minutes to spare. You should have seen the confused looks I got when, after only 26 minutes into the Logic Games section, I put my pencil down, raised my hand, and asked to go to the restroom! Their system paid off. Agian, this book will deliver the goods--but like most things in life, you'll only get out of it what you put into it.

The Best, Period, September 10, 2005
I've been studying for the LSAT off and on for the past two years, and I've worked my way through a lot of study guides. Princeton Review's LSAT publication and the Kaplan book (not the 180) are good as general overviews, but I wouldn't bank on taking away any methods that will drastically improve your score. Additionally, using such material in addition to PowerScore materials may leave you confused as to what symbols or methods to employ in a given situation. That said, this is by far and away the most powerful tool that you can have in your arsenal as you prepare for the LSAT. It teaches clear and easy symbolization techniques, helpful places to look in making deductions, and the most effective ways to tackle different kinds of questions. Even after using other LSAT prep materials, I was still answering only about half of the questions in the Logic Games section correctly. After going through this book thoroughly twice, I am much more efficient and scoring near perfect in Games on every previously administered LSAT that I take. This book, in combination with the Logic Reasoning Bible, raised my practice LSAT score ranges from the mid-150's (153-157) to the high 160's (166-169). Beware of study prep materials that tell you that you can perform without first making deductions on the Logic Games portion of the LSAT, as deductions are incredibly important (most likely not only for me) in pre-phrasing answers and eliminating wrong answer choices, allowing a rapid attack of the questions. Also be advised that taking previously administered LSATs under timed conditions is another very important key to success, and the more tests you take, the more your comfort level will grow and the higher your average score will become. In short, if you are struggling with the Logic Games portion of the LSAT, buy this book!

Not The Savior Everyone Says It Is, May 9, 2004
I agree with the reviewers who mentioned that the Logic Games Bible is complicated and slows you down.

I feel it, first of all, has too many classifications to memorize--especially in their Grouping Games section--then goes into somewhat-complex explanations about each one. Also, if you have read other guides and are used to the way they classify Games (for example, many guides seem to call them Sequencing, Grouping, Matching, Hybrid/Mixed Games), this guide is confusing in that way, too, because their classifications are pretty different (for example, they have no category called Matching...I think they include those as Grouping Games, but I really haven't been able to tell yet).

Second, I believe that the author spends a little too much time writing and a lot less time demonstrating. Thus, you can basically sit there and read a whole page of the author's explanation of a type of Game and might not understand what he's really trying to say, particularly if you're a person who better understands by seeing examples already worked for you demonstrating their techniques before you try them on a game yourself. At most, they give you the question and maybe one or two rules as an example...then they set you loose with about 2-4 practice Games to attempt on your own without really seeing what they were trying to say worked out for you beforehand--I, at least, give many of the other guides that!

Third, I think the author explains some types of Games better than others. For example, he goes into pretty good details about strategies to use on Sequencing and Grouping Games, as well as the many types of Games within those categories. However, after that, the guide gets even more complicated than what I was saying before. For example, the section on Pattern Games, which I had never even heard of before this guide but definitely had encountered in my practice, is mentioned in this guide--which is great--but their explanation of Pattern Games is only two pages (and not even a full two pages) and really doesn't give much insight into them other than to tell you how to recognize them. After learning of these Games and attempting the practice questions they provided in the Logic Games Bible for this game type as well as one I found in "10 Actual, Official LSAT Preptests," I definitely feel that I don't understand these Games any better and don't really know how to approach them--they are the hardest Games to me, and this guide didn't really do anything to clear that up (I still miss almost every question on these Games).

As far as the more common Games, such as the Sequencing/Linear and Grouping Games, I think the techniques the guide mentions are very good and quite helpful...BUT, using them, I now go even slower in completing Games than before using these techniques! The only Games I have been able to complete in 9 minutes have been the simplistic Sequencing ones. At least I can actually get the answers correct on these Games, though, and have an easier time knowing how to set them up (unlike the Pattern Games). However, I will probably sit down and re-read the guide again, looking for anything I may have missed, trying to understand things I might not have understood before and keep trying to internalize their techniques (and pray I don't get any Pattern Games).

Reading the explanations given after the 2-4 practice Games they offer in each section is also helpful...but, again, they are not written in the most easy-to-read manner like many other guides out there (I actually think this is the LEAST readable guide of all the ones I've read, and I've read almost all the guides). They also don't have a simple answer key you can just go down to quickly see if you got the right answer--you have to fish through their long explanations (and I just happen to be someone who likes to quickly see whether I got the answers right, THEN read the explanations).

Conclusion--the book is NOT exactly a page-turner, is NOT exactly written in the most user-friendly way, is NOT a total savior or some kind of guarantee that you will be able to get all the Games right within the time given after you finish it and is NOT worth $44, especially only being 232 pages (a THIN little book, thinner than LSAC's books of 10 but more costly!!) and not giving satisfactory techniques for all Game types.

WONDER TOOL FOR THE LSAT!, April 17, 2004
Are you smart? Were you shocked at how fundamentally simple you felt in the presence of the logic games section? Read on.

Of 77-78 possible points on the other three LSAT sections, I typically score 70-72, not a slouch performance. On my first LSAT pre-assessment GAMES section I answered 12 (half of the possible) with only two correct answers. You want to talk about a reality check?! The sheer magnitude of the failure crushed me.

So I did what you've likely done - purchased "Master", "Princeton", "Kaplan", "Kaplan 180", blah, blah, blah, ad infinitum. Most give obtuse instruction for someone with my GAMES ability. I needed remedial help from step one with a "1-2-3 learn and apply" appoach. This is where the "Bible" shines.

By using accessible language for someone from a non-logic background, it guides you step by step into full comprehension of games principles (through the most complex and universally applicable) and, most importantly to me, to practical application of those principles by drilling in practice exericses. Included are full (read:complete) explanations of all answers for the times you say, "huh?".

Remember calculus? You kind of understood the fundamental principles, but the ceaseless practice (homework) made you proficient. Same thing. No need to have the esoteric comprehension of a logician when you can apply and win. After all, isn't law about practical application of principles? (Aspiring judges primed to write opinions and set precedents please do not respond.)

If you are already scoring 20 points in the GAMES section or possess a preternatural ability to manipulate these questions in mental space, forget this book. Pick up "Kaplan 180" and enjoy your Yale scholarship. For the rest of us, the "Bible" is REQUIRED reading.

Your scores will go up, March 18, 2006
I used this when preparing for the LSAT and my practices scores increased an average of 11 points once I had mastered the games section. Unless you are a natural with this section, I highly recommend you use this book to learn strategies to attack that section. It will teach you how to identify which "type" of game you are dealing with, and then you will learn the various strategies specific for each type. It's a really big book, so you will have tons of practice. This book removed all the mystery of the logic games for me, I'm so glad I had it. I only wish I had ordered it sooner so I could have spent more time on it. You might want to also consider the Logic Games Setup, which helps breakdown the solutions on past LSAT tests.

If You are Scared by Logic Games Get This Book!, November 18, 2003
For me, the worst part of the LSAT was the logic games section. I purchased several other books including Kaplan and Princeton Review before buying this book. This by far, was the best resource I could have invested in for the Logic Games Section of the LSAT. I can't imagine having taken the test without the aid of this book. It wasn't a page turner, but I worked my way through each chapter carefully and ended up doing much better on the Logic Games section of the LSAT than I ever imagined possible. If you are anything like me and are CONFUSED and frustrated by the logic games and about to give up, buy this book, work through it carefully, take notes, and you will notice a huge difference in your performance. Following the advice in this book was the single most important step I took in improving my score, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get a good LSAT score and is willing to invest some time and energy in methodically applying the techniques that are outlined in the book to their practice tests and studies.

Taking the Lsat?--Buy this Book, May 10, 2005
I am recommending this book to anyone who is going to take the LSAT but not going to take a review course. The Logic Games Bible exposes you to a variety of games and clearly explains each game and answer. The first practice tests I took, I was getting 10-12 of the questions correct, now I'm only missing 2-4. My score has jumped from 149 to 162. A lot of it has to do with reading this book. Hands down, the best book you can buy to self-study for the LSAT.

Clear and Comprehensive, July 6, 2006
I usually dreaded logic games like the ones that appear in the LSAT. While some of the questions were generally straightfoward, there were some that I just couldn't get or would eventually get after spending great quantities of energy and time -- which is a definite no-no on the LSAT.

I bought the Logic Games Bible because I wasn't impressed with Kaplan's review materials, and I wasn't going to waste my money on actual classes. After only a few weeks of careful review, the logic games became clearer. I began to solve them faster and with greater accuracy. I scored perfectly on the LSAT logic games section after using onyl this book.

This is a definite buy for anyone who struggles with logic games. Powerscore takes you step-by-step to not only set up the games but also to teach what inferences can be drawn from certain game rules. Like most learning, once you see Powerscore set up a problem or draw and inference, that knowledge stays with you.

Highly recommended.

this one worked for me, May 3, 2004
There are two things to know about the LSAT before studying for it: (1) at least for native English speakers, the analytic (or "logic games") section of the test is by far the most challenging; and (2) no one can do well on the analytic section without study and practice. Thus the choice of the correct study plan geared toward the analytic/logic games section of the test can make or break your LSAT performance, which in turn can go far toward determining where you go to law school (local vs. regional, regional vs. national, top 15 vs. top 5, etc.).

For some reason, I chose the PowerScore book, and now I'm sitting pretty. This guide has four huge advantages over other guides that I looked over:

(1) the suggested notation is concise, thus leading to less scribbling time and more answering time in the test. This is very important insofar as the logic games section of the LSAT is the most "intensely timed" section of any test that I've ever taken.

(2) the categorization of problem types is accurate and easy to understand. As any guide will tell you, the logic games featured in the LSAT fall into a small set of recognizable types. However, some guides that I've seen posit phalanx of potential problem types, including types of problems that make reference to non-essential attributes like time. This is BAD. A linear problem is a linear problem regardless of whether its linear in time or in space. Anything else is needless confusion.

(3) this guide does NOT propose shortcuts to problem solving. By contrast, other guides that I encountered suggested FROM THE BEGINNING that test takers plan to skip a problem completely in order to save time. This is a supposed shortcut that actually cripples your performance before you've even begun. In reality, there are methods for solving logic game problems, but there are no short cuts. Use the methods recommended, practice alot, and then and only then consider skipping anything. (In my LSAT, I answered every problem, scored well, and had a minute or two left over to sharpen my pencil.)

(3) the sample problems are mostly taken from actual LSATs, and the made up problems are true to the LSAT model. Particularly nice is the reference in the back of the book that characterizes EACH published LSAT analytic problem as regards problem type.

In sum, I studied for a month and a half for the LSAT, using the Logic Games Bible as my study guide and LSAC's 10 More Actual, Official LSAT PrepTests for my practice material. I practiced the tests (both in part and in full) under timed conditions. I disregarded the reading comp. and logic sections almost entirely. Result: I scored well enough to get me where I want to go, and suffice it to say I was aiming high from the beginning. ... Read more

Editorial Review

What makes The Best 373 Colleges the most popular college guide?

The Best 373 Colleges is a comprehensive college guide written for any student or parent mystified by the confusing college admissions process. This essential college-planning guide, from the experts at The Princeton Review, provides the facts about the best schools in the country, popular college ranking lists, and the information needed to make a smart decision about which schools to consider.

Revealing answers from college students cover each school’s unique character and give you extensive insight into their classes, financial aid, social life, and everything in between. Students are the experts, after all, and we talked to 122,000 of them!

•Unique "Financial Aid Rating" scores for all 373 schools and list of 100 "Best Value" Colleges

•One-of-a-kind college rankings reveal the top colleges in 62 categories based on how students at the schools–the real experts! –rated their colleges. The ranking lists include:
-Top Professors  
-Best Financial Aid
-Best Career/Job Placement Services
-Best Classroom Experiences
-Top Party Schools
-Dorms Like Palaces 
-Best Athletic Facilities 
-Best Campus Food
-Most Politically Active Students
-Most Liberal Students
-Most Conservative Students
-Best College Newspaper 
-…and many more!    

•Learn what you can do in high school to prepare yourself for admission to a selective college  

•Get all the application essentials–tuition, admissions criteria, deadlines, phone numbers, addresses, demographics, student/faculty ratios, and most popular majors–for quick reference and easy comparison when you’re narrowing down your choices

•Green college ratings help readers find out if schools are environmentally friendly

•Special section on great colleges for the 15 most popular majors
   

 What the media is saying about The Best 373 Colleges from The Princeton Review: 

“The offbeat indexes, along with the chattily written descriptions of each school, provide a colorful picture of each campus.”–The New York Times

“The most efficient of the college guidebooks. Has entertaining profiles larded with quotes from students.”–Rolling Stone

“A great book…it’s a bargain.” –CNN

“Our favorite college guidebook.” –Seventeen

“Provides the kind of feedback students would get from other students in a campus visit.” –USA Today ... Read more

Reviews

The best college-search book, period., August 3, 2010
The Princetown Review publishes a number of college search-related books, including the "Complete Book of Colleges" and this one. This book is essentially a distilled version of the "Complete Book", and frankly a lot more useful (but for people completely new to the college-searching process, definitely check that out too).

"The Best 373 Colleges (2011 Edition)" (840 pages) is similar to last year's edition. After holding the number of best colleges at 371 last year (remember this book started off in 1992 with the best 350), this time there are 2 new "best" colleges: Austin College and the University of Missouri-Columbia. Not a single school from last year's list was dropped (if the inflation of "best" colleges continues, I surmise we'll get to 400 by 2020 or so). There are over 60 fun-to-browse top 20 lists of best/worst, such as "Most Beautiful Campus", "Students Study the Most", "Party Schools", and "Most Politically Active Students" (my daughter is attending the #1 ranked school on that list, it was ranked #2 last year, so yes these rankings change from year to year).

The best feature of this guide remains the 2 page layout for each of the colleges, with in-depth information on campus life, academic selectivity (the number of applicants, how many were accepted, and of those how many actually decided to attend), up-to-date tuition and room/board costs (I checked the numbers of the college that my daughter is now attending, and they are accurate), etc. Another aspect that is very helpful is the "Survey says" sidebar, in which the essence of the university is distilled from the college students themselves, and "The Inside Word" segment on how tough it really is to gain admission when all is said and done.

The proof is in the pudding: of the many college guides out there, my daughter spent more time with this book (when she was looking at colleges a few years ago) than with any other. This book is not the first place to start the college search, but once your son or daughter has narrowed down his/her colleges of choice, and assuming those colleges are featured in the "best 373", this book clearly is the best resource, the last step before a campus visit, and can be used again following the campus visits. I've looked at a lot of college-search books and if I was forced to recommend only one book among all the college search guides, this book is clearly it.

College planning BIBLE, August 3, 2010
My pre-order came in today, and thank goodness! I've been doing summer college visits with my niece, and in looking through Best 373, we found some more potential options for her to tack on before school starts up again. The rankings are great, as are the college info pages - everything you need to know, and then a little more. Highly recommended for families/students planning their college visits, or starting to research college options. A college bible, if you will.

Highly recommended!, September 14, 2010
The 2011 edition of The Best 373 Colleges should be in every high school and many a general lending library. It's the most popular college guide in print, juxtaposing direct quotes from students and unique rankings of the top 20 colleges in 62 categories with detailed admissions information from applications to majors and tuition. Highly recommended!

Great resource for students, September 25, 2010
I ordered this for my son who is a high school junior. The way the book is organized makes it very easy to access the information you need. The reviews give not only an academic feel for the institutions but also the flavor or culture of the place. This has been a very helpful resource for creating his long list of possible colleges. By having the book at home he has been able to browse at his leisure. For such an important decision, well worth the money.

Great reference, September 12, 2010
This book came recommended by a relative who's very demanding. It provides useful information, including useful facts but also insights and views from alumni and others. It's tough enough to plan the rest of your life and fully understand what one occupation or field will be like, so it's good to have all the perspectives you can get, organized in a useful manner, and this fills the bill.

OH MY GOSH Incredibly thorough with LOTS of insider info, December 14, 2010
This book provides a GREAT summary of each school reviewed, and is a perfect addition to all the books you need to narrow down this important process.
DONT try to think you can get away with just one reference book though - they ALL design them with limited info so that you need to buy multiple books. This book is a great addition to the mix. it has summaries of real student surveys - real insider opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of each school - I wanted to know if these were party schools, or which ones have drinking problems, or which ones emphasize greek membership - this book goes there with anonymous student feedback. GET THIS BOOK

Passed the teen-ager test, December 13, 2010
I bought this for my cousin who is a senior in high school. His mother tells me that this (among more than a few college guides) is the one he's kept going back to. This is the one that's dog-eared with post it notes, etc. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"The best college guide you can buy."
-USA Today
For more than 25 years, this leading guide to more than 310 colleges and universities-fully updated and expanded every year-has been an indispensable source of information for college-bound students and their parents. Helpful, honest, and straightforward, the Fiske Guide to Colleges delivers an insider's look at the academic climates and the social and extracurricular scenes at the "best and most interesting" schools in the United States, plus Canada and Great Britain.

In addition to the candid essays on each school, you will find:

• A self-quiz to help you understand what you are really looking for in a college
• Lists of the strongest majors and programs at each college
• Vital information on how to apply, including admissions and financial aid deadlines, required tests, and each school's essay questions
• "Overlap" listings to help you expand your options
• Selectivity statistics and SAT/ACT scores
• Indexes that break down schools by price and state
• A list of schools with strong programs for learning disabled students
• All the basics, including email addresses and university websites

Plus a special section highlighting the 5 public and private Best Buy schools-colleges that provide the best educational value

The guide the San Francisco Chronicle called "the bible."

Reviews

A Standard Guide to Colleges, November 13, 2008
The "Fiske Guide to Colleges" is probably the best known college guide in the country. This is the guide you will want to buy when you would like to read descriptions of most of the colleges that you have probably heard of. Most of the colleges and universities that the average high school student would be interested in are included. One feature that will appeal to many high school students is the ratings of a college's academics, social life, and quality of life. The social life opportunities at a college are an important consideration to a lot of today's teens. The guide rates the college's social life possibilities on a scale of 1 to 5 - with 5 being the highest. It has a similar 1 to 5 rating of each college's academic credentials that is based upon the school's reputation, the quality of its faculty, the quality of its facilities, the academic abilities of its students, and the academic seriousness of its students and faculty. There is also a 1 to 5 rating for the quality of life a school offers it students. This rating, however, seems somewhat difficult to pin down in terms of how it would affect any given student.

In some ways, the "Fiske Guide to Colleges" is the antithesis of books like "Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges". Whereas the "Colleges That Change Lives" book extols the advanages of small liberal arts colleges, the Fiske Guide seems to extol Ivy League and Ivy League wannabe schools. In fact, the author actually hints that the real reason some people say liberal arts colleges provide a better undergraduate education than Ivy League schools is due to sour grapes because they were not smart enough to get into the Ivy League schools!

Regardless of the reasons some people think small liberal arts colleges provide a better undergraduate education, there are some legitimate things to consider about the ratings in the Fiske Guide. First, the ratings and descriptions are subjective. They come from questionaires and interviews with those associated with the colleges. Ideally, it would have been nice if there would be some way to objectively consider every aspect of how a college meets the needs of various types of students. Unfortunately, there is no practical way to do that when considering so many colleges. Second, schools that the guide rates the highest academically tend to be the country's most prestigious schools (i.e., Ivy League and Ivy League wannabe schools), while most small private 4-year colleges are mostly rated academically average. However, the ratings cannot capture the value of smaller class sizes, a closer relationship of professors to their students, and a faculty in general more devoted to teaching than to research and publishing. Third, the guide's academic ratings do not prove that a school with world renown professors will give the typical undergraduate student much (if any) opportunity to learn directly from those professors. In fact, most of their classes will probably be taught by teaching assistants rather than the professors themselves. Finally, while reading the views of students at each college provides useful information about that particular college, it does not provide much in the way of comparative information. Most students will say good things about their colleges during interviews that they know will be published. The interviewed students have not attended the other colleges and are not in position to say their college is better than the others.

Despite its shortcomings, the "Fiske Guide to Colleges" is a valuable resource to have when evaluating colleges and universities. It provides College descriptions, and it includes ratings and statistics that most people will find useful.

3.5 stars... Not your first stop for college searching, July 9, 2009
Is it just me or are these college search/guidance books coming out sooner every year? I mean, we are barely into July, and here already is the 2010 edition of The Fisk Guide to Colleges. I am well aware that the publishing business on college search/guidance books is a multi-million business, but still.

"Fiske Guide to Colleges 2010" (774 pages) is a curious college-guidance/search book in my opinion. It lists the "best and most interesting" colleges in the country, about 300 out of 2,200 four year colleges in the US are written up. According to the introduction, they were selected on the basis of academic quality, geographic diversity, a balance of public and private schools, and schools that are currently popular for certain programs (engineering and technical schools, religious emphasis, etc.). Being from Ohio, I look at the list of schools that "made the cut" and inexplicably Xavier University (a fine Jesuit college here in Cincinnati) is left out of the book. Huh? While the descriptions give a good flavor of a particular college, there are essentials missing, such as the exact tuition/room/board (there is only a general 1 to 4 star rating on how expensive a college is). Also not helpful in my opinion is that the colleges are presented alphabetically, rather than by state, since most kids look at colleges in a particular state (usually their home state), although there is an index by state.

When my daughter was simply looking to get basic information, she did not spend a lot of time with this book. As she narrowed her choices, she did read up more on her pool of colleges in this book. Bottom line: if you are at the very beginning of your college search, this is not the book to start with. For that I would instead recommend "The Complete Book of Colleges" issued by the Princeton Review (the 2010 edition is coming out in early August). The "Fisk Guide to Colleges" is instead more helpful to get a second (or third) opinion once your child has narrowed down his/her selection of colleges of interest.

Detailed information with useful student feedback, August 25, 2008
This is one of the best college guides out there. It has a lot of great detailed information on the colleges including quotes from students. The number of colleges profiled is just right--enough to provide some options but not so many that it's overwhelming. I really like how Fiske shares which colleges are similar to the one you're interested in. That makes the college search a little easier.

good book.. but old school, October 10, 2008
this is a good book, but i can't help but to think that the old school college guidebook is a little outdated in today's tech-savvy world. i'm looking for a searchable tool, somewhere where i can enter in specific criteria that i'm looking for in a college and subsequently find the perfect college for me. i'd realy suggest using a website such as www.campuscompare.com that incorporates the quantitative information available in such a guidebook with the student-reviews and digital media that reveals the personality of the school, all in a searchable database, online format that i am familiar with.

A useful guide!, October 3, 2008
The Fiske Guide presents thorough information on a remarkable number of schools. In addition to basic enrollment statistics, this book provides up-to-date contact information for admissions departments, enrollment deadlines, a list of the school's strongest programs/departments, a list of similar ("overlap") schools for each college or university, and an in-depth discussion of academic and social life at each school. Well-researched and accurate. I am an academic counselor, and I refer to this book *constantly*. It is far superior to other college guides I have read. A must-have for anyone embarking on the college search process.

Read book at library,not worth purchasing., July 14, 2009
It is an interesting read, but not was I was looking for. Book is well written, clear and concise, but reads as a narrative about various colleges. Even the authors admit, the process used in choosing these colleges are selective and subjective. By choosing only 175 colleges , Many good institutions are unfortunately absent from this book. An hour spend reading this book is ample, and I doubt after reading it you would ever refer to it again. Check it out at your local library

Indispensable for narrowing choices, July 21, 2010
I have done College Admissions Counseling for 28 years. The only book I require students
to have is this Fiske Guide. Using it, we are able to decide if a school is a stretch college or not.
Some of the percentages are higher than actual figures, but the 'guide' helps to compare colleges.

great preview of colleges, October 24, 2009
Fiske gives an overview of hundreds of colleges using the same format for each school. The scores, quality of life, seriousness of each school ratings are very helpful. The only confusing part is comparing what a particular school's primary majors are with the listing of what schools have great programs in each major--somewhat contradictory.

One of the better guides, August 27, 2010
Some good info in the guide. Has more opinionated information than many of the other guides, which is good, though it tends to accentuate the positive side just a bit too much. The information about the school's "best majors" and the cross-over schools is very helpful. Would be nice if it had more detailed information that some of the other guides include. For example, it rates the schools with $ signs in terms of cost, but does not provide detailed cost information. But I suppose if you're really interested in a particular school you should be looking at their web side to get definitive cost data.

Fiskes, August 1, 2010
Definitely a good book to get to start your college search. Recommended by our college counselor & I agree, there is lots of good info to help put that list together ... Read more

Editorial Review

An extensive working vocabulary is a prerequisite for test-taking success on the GRE Graduate Record Exam. This revised and updated test preparation guide presents 800 college-graduate-level words with definitions that frequently appear on the exam, while also familiarizing test takers with how the words are generally used in various contexts. Additional features include a pretest that serves as a diagnostic, a lengthy word list with extensive sentence-completion exercises, and a chapter that discusses and analyzes essential word roots. The book concludes with a detailed posttest. Answers are provided for all exercises and for all questions in the posttest. ... Read more

Reviews

excellent way to build vocab, November 26, 2008
This is a great supplement to GRE exam study books. While not focusing on how to answer specific exam questions, it does build the critical vocabulary you need for the test. It gives you both definitions and context for the words, as well as numerous drills to help you practice them. I think that combination helped me understand these words a lot more effectively than just studying a list that the comprehensive exam guides tack on the end.

The Best, August 30, 2007
This book is very well organized, this book will help you to learn and memorize numerous words in short period.
Each unit contains 10 words with explanation and examples, after that, there are some exercises that helps to memorize the words. In just 1 week, I memorized about 600 words. I really recommend this book.

A real lifesaver, December 21, 2007
I was having so much trouble learning vocabulary before the GRE but this helped so much. I learned the words quickly thanks to how this book was set up and the next time I took the GRE I rocked the vocab section. This book is a must.

Very Important Book for GRE Test Takers, February 21, 2009
Although I have not yet taken the GRE exam, I recommend this book for the following reasons:

1. It contains 800 high-frequency GRE words, divided into units of 10 words each. The words are well explained and each unit summarize the 10 words by sample questions, which are answered at the end of the book.

2. In addition to explaining the words of the unit, it sometimes explain other strange words.

3. In addition to the 800 high-frequency words, it contains 300 high-frequency word roots, which learn you an additional 1500 words. For me, I prefer those 800 words + 300 roots over memorizing the GRE word list of more than 3000 words!


NOTE: If you buy the book, you will see at the beginning "300 Absolutely Essential GRE Words", but they are not defined! Do not waste your time looking in dictionaries, because those 300 words are partial set of the 800 high-frequency words, so it is just a list that will help you focus on those words.

worth getting, but imperfect, August 10, 2009
This book is certainly helpful and well organized. I would strongly suggest that you also get the Princeton Review general GRE book and also learn all of the hit parade words. I systematically cross checked all the words from the PR with this book and while there is some overlap it is definitely worth having both. It is slightly frustrating that Barron's doesnt go into a lot of second meanings for words, which is something you should definitely know for the GRE. I spent 9 weeks with a ton of flashcards working through both word sets and got a 630 V. The verbal section is HARD so practice and be prepared to make plenty of flashcards. Kind of knowing a word is not sufficient. I never got through the latter 2/3rds of the root section, but I can definitely see how that could help give you a high score. I'd say 10 weeks with this book if you plan to realistically ingest and retain all the information.

Decent book, but shouldn't be the only tool for the GRE., August 5, 2009
I'll keep things short. The issue with this study guide is that words are taught in alphabetical order.
It is easy to lose focus even if the book is divided in chunks.

I was expecting variation in how words will appear in the book, instead of lexical ordering. It's the same as reading a dictionary, memorizing a set of words, testing yourself, and moving on. This can get boring real quick.

Anyways, I give it 4 stars because it does have the GRE words you need to learn and useful exercises. I just wish words would appear at random or be listed by frequency. They do provide a list of the most frequent words, but it'd be better if the lessons were designed around the frequency of words. A little mix & matching would help.

Anyways, this is my initial impression. I do plan to study along w/ the Kaplan GRE Vocab. in a box.

Just okay, June 29, 2009
I'm still studying for the GRE, so I have yet to see if this book was actually helpful; but based on my experience going through the exercises, this book is for people who learn by memorization and have a limited vocabulary. I already knew 75% of the words. Words like "itinerary," "odyssey" and "dormant" are just a few examples of obvious words that someone looking to go to grad school should already know. That being the case, I'm not quite sure why the author chose to include them. Also, I found some of the definitions to be poorly worded, so I ended up having to use online dictionaries to better comprehend some word meanings.

The word roots section proved not so helpful as many of the exercises include words for which the definition can't be directly guessed or implied from the root's definition. The typos also created confusion and weren't helpful from a mnemonic (one word I learned from the book!) learning perspective.

All the same, I did appreciate the contextual sentences provided as they made the book fun and entertaining to work through. The secondary meanings / uses of some words were also provided which was rather insightful. There are also brief summaries of academic phrases, concepts, key figures, etc that could potentially be helpful in preparing for the GRE Verbal Section.

Will Improve Your GRE Verbal Score, September 24, 2009
I was only able to make it halfway through this book, and it helped me to improve my GRE Verbal score by 90 points. It makes it really easy to learn the words, and the word roots units in the end are highly useful. Even if you do not have time to go through this entire book, it is still a great buy.
In addition, I did not think it would be such a great help with the reading sections, until I realized that the GRE passages are crawling with the words taught in this book. Highly recommend!

Good to have for the test, July 8, 2008
I'm an international student and this book helps me a lot. I remember all the word and understand how to use it. Even you don't take the test, it is good to know these words for graduate level. Thanks Barron.

Great help for verbal section on GRE, July 25, 2010
This book was extremely helpful for preparing me for the verbal section on the GRE. The best way to do well on that section is to have a big vocabulary. The words in this book are pulled from many actual GRE tests, and I definitely saw a few of them on the test. I scored in the 95th percentile on the verbal section, and this book helped me achieve that. It has a whole section on roots that is quite beneficial, as well as a fairly comprehensive list of words (make sure you use other books in conjunction with this one. Learn words everywhere you can.) It also has effective methods of helping the reader to really memorize the words. As I said, it's best to use other books along with this one. Essential Words for the GRE is just what the title states- it's a great way to familiarize yourself with a lot of words. But you will need other books to learn about specific test questions. I used the Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE and GRE for Dummies, both of which were really helpful for all three sections.
This book is a must if you want to build your vocabulary. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If it’s on the SAT, it’s in this book. Cracking the SAT, 2011 Edition, includes:

• Access to 5 full-length practice tests—4 in the book and 1 online
• Practice questions with detailed explanations
• Updated and exclusive “Hit Parade” of most frequently seen SAT vocabulary
• Expert advice on how to tackle and ace the essays
• Practical information the what, when, where, and how of the SAT
• Key information about SAT strategies and myths
• Thorough review of all topics covered, including essay-writing techniques and a focused grammar review
• Planning and organization tips to get you all the way to test day! ... Read more

Reviews

disappointed in online tools, September 6, 2010
This is a great study tool, but when my daughter went to take the online practice tests, we learned her code had "expired", 5 weeks after purchase. No where in the materials does it state that you need to register online immediately. Very disappointing.

Best tool for SAT preparation, October 7, 2010
This book is by far the best tool for SAT preparation. It teaches very useful tactics and presents a complete vocabulary list, which provides 99% of the hard words in SAT tests.

SAT Prep, October 3, 2010
I bought this book for my daughter who is preparing to take the SAT. It arrived on time and in great condition. The material is easy to navigate through. We would recommend this. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book can save you over $100,000

These days, most people assume you need to pay a boatload of money for a quality college education. As a result, students and their parents are willing to go into years of debt and potentially sabotage their entire financial futures just to get a fancy name on their diploma.

But Zac Bissonnette is walking proof that this assumption is not only false, but dangerous-a class con game designed to rip you off and doom your student to a post-graduation life of near poverty . From his unique double perspective-he's a personal finance expert (at Daily Finance) AND a current senior at the University of Massachusetts-Zac figured out how to get an outstanding education at a public college, without bankrupting his parents or taking on massive loans.

Armed with his personal knowledge, the latest data, and smart analysis, Zac takes on the sacred cows of the higher education establishment. He reveals why a lot of the conventional wisdom about choosing and financing college is not only wrong but hazardous to you and your child's financial future.You'll discover, for instance, that:

* Student loans are NOT a necessary evil.Ordinary middle class families can- and must-find ways to avoid them, even without scholarships.

* College "rankings" are useless-designed to sell magazines and generate hype. If you trust one of the major guides when picking a college, you face a potential financial disaster.

* The elite graduate programs accept lots of people with non-elite bachelors degrees.So do America's most selective employers. The name on a diploma ultimately won't help your child have a more successful career or earn more money.

Zac can prove every one of those bold assertions - and more.No matter what your current financial situation, he has a simple message for parents: "RELAX! Your kid will be able to get a champagne education on a beer budget!" ... Read more

Reviews

Changing your worldview about financing college education
This is an excellent book. I cannot recommend enough that all parents with pre-college children read this book and use the valuable information provided to take ownership of the college decision process together as a family by considering what this book has to say.

I am a CPA and a financial planner in the Boston, MA area. I see exactly what Zac describes with many families whose financial plans are dominated by education financing at the expense of other goals. I'm blown away by a 22-year old college student being able to accurately identify all of these issues, cut through all the BS spewed by the higher education and college financing industries, and support his assertions and analysis with compelling facts, data and research. I would urge anyone reading this book to not hold Zac's age against his analysis. His analysis is spot-on accurate. In fact, his age is useful for lending credibility to the anecdotes he does mention in the book about campus life and his experiences. He knows what he's talking about because he's living it.

For years, I've struggled with the question of whether you need to attend an expensive college to get a quality college education. It didn't seem right to me, but I didn't have the information to assess this one way or the other. As Zac clearly shows, there are huge industries with tons of money at stake to make people believe that an expensive college is a must for your child's education. As Louis Brandeis said, "sunshine is the best disinfectant". This is one book that is the sunshine that exposes these industries for what they are.

Being in Massachusetts, I would feel very comfortable guiding my children to a Massachusetts public college armed with the information that Zac provides. I would know that I am giving my child every opportunity to have a terrific college experience and a wonderful opportunity for a successful and fulfilling life. UMass should be extremely proud of having Zac as a recent graduate.

Debt-Free U: How I paid for an outstanding college education without Loans scholarships, or mooching off my parents
Wow, I couldn't put the book down, with every page I could see all the ways to save money. This book is worth its weight in gold. Words cannot describe what this book has down for me, I really feel I have an insider in college and it has greatly reduced my stress of having my first child go off to college next year. This book contains more than finacial tips, it covers every aspect of college, from course tips to professor information, I can't say enough, you definately won't be dissapointed.
It was a fun read and will share with other college bound students. I have five teens and if I can do this anybody can. take care enjoy the journey. Debbie
PS I wrote this at 6a getting five kids off to school please excuse the typos.

Excellent
Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, orMooching off My Parents

The author reveals many ways to get a top flight education without getting yourself and your parents needlessly in debt. He backs up his assertions with hard facts, data, and research. For over-priced universities, it is an "Emperor has no clothes" moment. Highly recommended.

a new way of looking at college
Zac Bissonette has a revolutionary idea here -- It's nothing short of a new way of looking at college education as a value-driven purchase. He forces parents to examine whether they are really doing right by their kids to laden themselves with debt. He's totally on the money when he says college financial aid officers aren't there to help you -- they exist to sell you loans so you can pay for their salaries. Bissonette is changing the way America sees college. We are emerging from this recession as a nation schooled in living within our means. College educations are part of that equation. Great book for everyone with a child -- even ones in pre-school.Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, orMooching off My Parents

must read
Loved, loved, loved this book! This book is an easy read and may just change your life. As one who left 8 years of higher ed at private Universities with 6 figure student loans (thankfully now paid off) I may have done things differently if I had the benefit of this book 20 years ago. I'm thankful to be armed with this information before navigating the college selection process with my own kids. So much great research and information - this book has turned my assumptions and perceptions upside down about the benefits of shelling out tens of thousands of dollars for a prestigious school's name on your diploma. I am recommending this book to all my friends with teenagers!

AVOID COLLEGE DEBT!!! Thanks for explaining it all Zac.
I just heard on CNN that college debt passed credit card debt. That statistic alone should make anyone who will be paying for a college education read this compelling book. Zac tells it like it is and challenges a lot of conventional wisdom along the way. He is wise beyond his years and I expect we'll be hearing a great deal more from him in the future.

Debt-Free U- The Best Book You'll Ever Actually Want To Finish
The book was amazing. I could go on and on for days but this by far was a book I wanted to read word for word.

Zac Bissonnette author of "Debt-Free U" is a college senior with a jumpstart on life.
He's created a book which will clearly explain to you the in's-and-out of the financial aid and college tuition systems.

Colleges try to get you to come to their school.
Financial Aid can't pay for your tuition.
Loans are extremely risky.

What do you do when scholarships can't pay for college, and you're basically poor.

Zac outlines it in black and white.

A+++++++

Living Debt Filled U
I am here to say that Zac's book is a very true and college debt should be avoided. I know personally after financing my college education through student loans. I was 22 years old, without a job and 80,000 in debt. I personally except responsibility for debt accumulated and will pay them off and not look for a handout. I just wish I read a book in 2004 and had the information. I could have made better choices then the cliques most hear about going to college. This books shows the other side and it will allow people the best choices for each situation. Obliviously this book is not gold but should be used and I believe followed.

Now a little more on my story...

I am a firm believer that its not where you go its who you know. I took my great private diploma and got told it would open doors. The only jobs that I got call backs from were where I knew people and had an in. Networking anyone? I graduated and instead of being happy and looking forward to my life and career I was TERRIFIED and SCARED that I could not make my minimum payments. I will say that my debt did make me more determined to get a job to pay for the debt. I was extremely lucky and had an in and got a teaching job at a great place because of my networking and personal characteristics not much because of my "school." I have been working extremely hard to get out of my debt I teach, coach 3 teams, and bar tend. I am currently 25 and have paid over half of my loan off. The same student loan company that never alerted me of interest being accumulated but now that I am paying off in advance they tell me I do not have to make a payment until March 15, 2014. (If they ever call me I feel bad for the person who talks to me) I have put off my personal life goals (i.e. home ownership, family, investing) to pay off the debt. I CANNOT WAIT TO BE DEBT FREE!!! GO ON DAVE RAMSEY AND YELL I'M DEBT FREE!!!

It really comes down to this everyone and I really wish Zac hit on it in his book a little more. Maybe without being on the debt side of the college life he may have not felt this. Would you rather enjoy a four, five, six... years of college paying for with debt then having to work the rest of your life to get out of the debt hole you dug OR worked hard while you have the energy to and pay for school as you go, live within your means and then graduate college debt free and able to start your life at age 22? I wish I would have had the information in this book so that I could have chose the latter. I will use your book to help my classroom seniors to make the best choices for them!

Bought it for my son - read it myself...
The rules have changed since I attended college. The #1 change is that college debt has gone from close to ZERO to a $600 billion industry. Admissions officers may be more debt salesmen than academic advisors - be warned! Get informed. A well educated consumer [even of education] is best prepared. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent Information!, October 25, 2003
After being shown this book, I ordered two copies; one for my niece and one for my nephew, both of whom will be graduating from eighth grade next spring. Having gone through the experience of looking at, applying to, and choosing colleges with two sons, I can say that the information this book contains is right on the mark. It is thorough, succinctly presented, and easily understood. The list format and quotes from students present the information in a logical way that is fun to read. Organizing the lists as tasks to be considered during each year of high school makes the college search process much less overwhelming. I wish that "Countdown to College" had been available as my family felt its way through the process for the first time seven years ago.

College Parents of America Recommends "Countdown", August 23, 2004
As the president of College Parents of America, the only nationwide member association dedicated to serving and advocating on behalf of current and future college parents, I consider Valerie Pierce's "Countdown to College" to be one of the most valuable and user-friendly college planning guides in print. When I first began compiling and culling information for parents to access on our Web site (www.collegeparents.org), I consulted "Countdown" frequently for resources and easy-to-understand explanations of complex preparation and application processes. I found the book to be concise, well-organized and comprehensive in its "To Do" lists for high school students. Today, my staff and I still keep several dog-eared copies around for quick and easy reference. And, we have enlisted Ms. Pierce as one of our "Ask the Experts" panelists for our members to consult. I highly recommend this book for all parents of high school students -- and I guarantee that their copies will become dog-eared as well!

Must Have!!!, September 24, 2003
This book is a "must have" for any college-bound student. As a certified trainer for the College for Texans program, I know how important it is to start the process early. This book is a comprehensive guide to the entire college preparation, admission and financial aid process. I've seen many, many guides to college and this is very best!

THIS BOOK IS INCREDIBLE!!, January 16, 2009
I am in eighth grade and am already looking into what to do to get into top colleges. Through all of my research, I have to admit, I got very confused. This book helped me see when to get things done, how to get them done, and also gave some extra sites to help you on your journey through high school and on to college. This book is chocked full of financial aid and scholarship tips, volunteer information, the "ABCs of SATs and ACTs", many checklists of what to do in each grade and in the summers, how to lay out a four year plan, and tons of advice from students who have already taken the journey into college.

I would recommend this book to anybody!! And it was easy to read for an eighth grader!! 21 'To Do' Lists for High School is a great investment!!

A great book for preparing for college, October 20, 2003
This book is a wonderful resource on preparing high-schoolers to move through the college preparation and application process. I wish it had been available when my children went to college.

You have got to have this book!!, September 25, 2003
Countdown To College, gives each reader practical tools and insights on how to effectively plan and prepare for college. I guarantee it will answer every question you might have about the college process. This is a must read for all high school students and their parents.

Wow! This book really will SAVE YOU MONEY!!!!, September 24, 2003
I picked up a copy of this book for my 10th grade daughter about 2 months ago. This is a phenominal resource for ANYONE with college bound children, especially those just getting started with high school like my daughter. We have already put most of the suggested "to dos" for the sophmore year into action. At this point, I fully expect that we will recieve a 5000% return on investment in this book! In fact, I'm going to buy another one right now so that I can work the program along side my daughter!

the early birds get the worm....or at least a head start, November 16, 2009
I found this book to be very helpfull in planning for the junior year...it gave me alot of insight. i purchased copies for my children...to get them motivated and helpful in planning for the upcomming school years. I like how it was broken down into sections by year. The suggestions/quotes by students/counselors. The time line gives me a starting point...before reading this i was overwhelmed with where to start, when and what i needed.

Terrific resource for parents and teens, October 25, 2009
I have loaned out my second copy and will probably buy 2-3 more because we have lots of friends with kids in high school. Everyone LOVES this. This is another awesome book I stumbled upon on Amazon that we've been referring to a lot for the past two years. Nice affordable gift for a family or a teenager. Great resource to help you keep up with the tests, college applications, finances, scholarships, jobs, visiting schools, and almost every imaginable part of college preparation. No matter what grade your student is in, it is not too late. You will find lots of helpful information to help you get on track and ready for college. Highly recommend this!

What a great way for my niece to plan for college!, October 14, 2003
I bought the book for my niece. Then I bought one for her mother. They are planning together for her college years. I haven't seen such a useful book in ages. ... Read more