[What is the best prep book for the new GRE?]

Manhattan GRE - they have about six different books - so you can work more closely on your weak areas.

[Thesis or no thesis MA]

I have recently been accepted to several MA Art History programs: Boston University, WashU American U, CUNY Brooklyn college, and UMass Amherst. I am still waiting to hear back from CUNY Hunter College, hopefully by the end of this week. The only programs that include a thesis are the two CUNY schools. I have been offered a TAship at UMass, which includes a tuition waver and a stipend, making the offer very attractive. The problem is that I want to pursue a PhD after I finish my masters, and I know that there are some programs that prefer candidates with a thesis.

To anyone who is currently in a Master or PhD program in Art History: is it worth it to choose a program that requires a thesis, to be more competitive for PhD programs?

I will want to apply to PhD programs at NYU, Columbia, Berkeley, and CUNY College Center.