Princeton Review 2012

[Andrew Brooks]

Has anyone used the Princeton Review 2012 to study for the GRE? I have a question about interpreting scores. The books tells you to add up your correct answers for the two sections, so you can have a maximum of 40 points. Yet in the score interpretation for verbals 51-56 is considered above average and 48-52 for Quantitative. I know that books tests aren't that good to help, but I still want some feedback.

[asleepawake]

I have the book, and it's so fully of typos and misprints and general errors I could barely use it. However, I just looked at the score sections and it shows 30-40 as above average, 22-29 as average, and 1-21 as below average for Verbal, and 33-40 as above average, 24-32 as average, and 1-23 as below average for quantitative.

When I took the practice test I was quite annoyed by these completely vague score results (which I encountered right after question 19 and 20 in the answer section both describe question 19). Obviously the new GRE format is still new, so it may be the best they can give, but I was expecting some idea of my score, at least. I already know that my verbal score is above average and my quant score is average. That doesn't help me at all.

Edited June 7, 2012 by asleepawake

[ladyling]

So the score you're adding up is your raw score. I'm guessing that the conversion table either isn't there or isn't right, so here's my suggestion as a former PR employee:

-Take your raw score, e.g., 34, and divide it by the total # of questions (I think you said 40).

-Multiply that by the difference between the lowest possible score (per section--I think this is 170 in the new system?) and the highest possible score (per section).

-Add that number to the lowest possible score for each section.

-There's your score! It isn't perfect, but it'll do in a pinch.

[giles]

I, too, had purchased the Princeton Review book to study for the GRE. It was a very poorly edited book. I found a much more beneficial aid to be the free GRE practice test offered by Kaplan on kaptest.com. I found this test to be quite representative of the GRE and an accurate score predictor. I made a 158 and 168 on the verbal and quantitative sections, respectively, on the practice test... compared to 161 and 169 on the real deal. The Kaplan practice test is also very handy because, upon completing the test, it will give you a detailed breakdown of your strengths and weaknesses.

[1Q84]

I like the Princeton book but the online practice tests peeve me to no end.

I've done 3 on their site now and 2 of them had mistakes and the latest one I did, in the Verbal section, one of the "what does the highlighted sentence mean" questions didn't even have a highlighted question! YARGH! I got a 169 V and I could've gotten 170...

[alf10087]

I already finished the 2013 version and didn't find any mistakes.

How did you guys do on the tests printed in the book? I'm curious as I got 28/40Q on the first one and 29/40Q on the second, and I'm on the verge of suicide because I think those are horrible scores (not too worried about studying for Verbal right now).

[jmbrown88]

the princeton series has never served me well. the practice problems they give are always too easy and littered with typos. stay away from this 1014 question book that only does well at showing you 1014 ways to burn your money. if you need to improve your math score, use Nova's Gre Math or any of the problems from the Official GMAT guide. If you need to improve your verbal score, use Barron's GRE verbal work book and LSAT official practice tests. Between these resources my new gre improved by a cumulative 20points.

[coffeeandmilk]

I already finished the 2013 version and didn't find any mistakes.

How did you guys do on the tests printed in the book? I'm curious as I got 28/40Q on the first one and 29/40Q on the second, and I'm on the verge of suicide because I think those are horrible scores (not too worried about studying for Verbal right now).

As far as I know the math in the Pton book is easier than the actual GRE math. I am using the same book for general strategies but have been advised by multiple people to look elsewhere for harder math + other concepts that apparently the book doesn't cover.

[alf10087]

As far as I know the math in the Pton book is easier than the actual GRE math. I am using the same book for general strategies but have been advised by multiple people to look elsewhere for harder math + other concepts that apparently the book doesn't cover.

You're totally right. I used PR as my first book (to review concepts I hadn't used in 8 years), and even though I believe the difficulty is the same, other books cover many concepts not mentioned at all by PR and go deeper on some harder questions.

Let's say that with PR, you are able to answer 17-18 out of every 20 questions on the other books. It's those 2-3 harder questions that make the difference (and why PR should be complemented with another book).

I'm currently using Kaplan's Math Workbook and ETS. I think they are pretty good. I'm eating about a book each week and I still have more than a month for the test, so I think I'll try Manhattan as it is in my knowledge they have the hardest math.

[MiniMissMixxMatchMaxx]

I'll try that. I've been using the ETS practice books

Edited August 9, 2012 by MiniMissMixxMatchMaxx

[MiniMissMixxMatchMaxx]

I wonder what factors group or classroom instructor led study has as compared to self-study. I've been pondering such myself