Best way to study for GRE (books, method, etc)?

[Mikeden]

Hi everyone,

I would like to begin studying for the GRE now to take it sometime in November (hopefully in time to apply for programs that have applications due in December).

I was wondering if someone can please suggest some books that I can use to study for the GRE? I did some research to try to find the best review books but as the test has changed over the last few years and will be changing again next year, there were a lot of different options and I wanted to be sure that I am using the correct and best books.

Also, I was wondering if someone can recommend a strategy or method that they used to study for the test? How many hours a week did you study? Did you take a course? How many months in advance did you study for? I took a Princeton Review course back in 2005 (I never ended up taking the test afterwards since I wasn't sure what I wanted to go for at the time), which I found pretty much worthless (but expensive!). I have the motivation to study on my own so as long as I am studying and preparing correctly, I think that I should be OK. I tend to get nervous and choke on standardized tests so I am hoping for somewhere around 1200 (roughly 600 on each section). I would like to apply for psychology MA and possibly PhD programs. I work full time so at the most, I will probably only be able to study roughly 6 hours a week (2-3 hours during the week and maybe 3-4 over the weekend), so maximizing the effectiveness of the time that I study is very important to me.

Thanks in advance!

[Alyanumbers]

Hi! I'm also taking the GRE in November, and I've only started studying a few days ago. I got Bob Miller's Math for the GRE (I was good at math in high school, but it's been 4 years), which isn't that good, but it does cover the basics and has lots of small exercises that help you flex your math muscles (IMO, that's the most important studying strategy, as the math involved isn't that complicated).

I'm also using the Princeton Review Cracking the GRE DVD, 2009 edition for the whole test, but I haven't tried it yet. Otherwise, I downloaded the free practice booklets I could find online, and Powerprep, and another CAT practice test off 800score.com (it was only the math section and I used it as a pre-studying diagnostic test).

I don't really have an organised strategy. I'm just planning to finish the math book by next weekend (I did about half of it last Friday, in roughly 4 hours), and then start on the DVD, and use Powerprep a week or so before the actual test.

[salome]

I found the Barron's book really helpful. Its quantitative section helped me to divide my study time (I was also working full-time while studying for the GREs) into doable increments. I ended up working around 30 min a few nights a week using this book and felt very prepared when I took the exam.

[Mikeden]

Great, thanks for the replies!