How accurate predictor is Barrons GRE practice tests?

[Brad Miller]

So I took the GRE general test a year ago twice, and scored a 490 and 410 on the verbal. I'm seriously considering taking it a 3RD time.

But I took two practice tests today from Powerprep, and got in the mid 500s! When I took the practice tests in the past, my scores varied wildly, from low 400s to low 500s. And I have since forgot hundreds of the words I had memorized. Maybe I just got test anxiety?

However, I then took two practice paper tests from Barron's GRE test prep, and both times I scored in the low 400s for the verbal!

I heard that the Powerprep is a good predictor for a score. But what about the Barrons practice test?

[bigant]

So I took the GRE general test a year ago twice, and scored a 490 and 410 on the verbal. I'm seriously considering taking it a 3RD time.

But I took two practice tests today from Powerprep, and got in the mid 500s! When I took the practice tests in the past, my scores varied wildly, from low 400s to low 500s. And I have since forgot hundreds of the words I had memorized. Maybe I just got test anxiety?

However, I then took two practice paper tests from Barron's GRE test prep, and both times I scored in the low 400s for the verbal!

I heard that the Powerprep is a good predictor for a score. But what about the Barrons practice test?

Someone I know who did the test told me that Barron's was easier than the real exam. But that could be because the real test is quite draining, from what I've heard.

[Madmoony]

And how accurate in your experience is the Powerprep test?

[Brad Miller]

I cant remember if the actual verbal questions were harder than those on the Powerprep, but my guess is that I did poorly (in particular, the 410) because I was just nervous and uncomfortable. I know for a fact I felt that way during the AW part, which is why I got a 4.0 on it, whereas I got a 5.0 on my 1st try, when I felt more comfortable

Edited May 18, 2011 by Brad Miller

[Brad Miller]

Anyways, I've already learned the test- taking strategies for the antonym, analogies, etc. But how much does memorizing THOUSANDS of words help? I memorized the high-frequency word list in the past, and memorized 100s, if not 1000s, of words from Barrons, but it must not have helped