DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT buy the Princeton Review's "Cracking the GRE" book!

[modernity]

I hate to sound brash, but I think that the PR's "Cracking the GRE" appeals to a lower common denominator than most other review materials. If you're comfortable with reading a lengthy passage or doing simple math, a lot of its "tricks" will simply encumber you and take more of your time than actually solving the problems or reading the passages. However, if you have trouble focusing on a lengthier passage and shudder at any math problems that have parentheses or exponents, you'd probably find "Cracking the GRE" really helpful. That said, your mileage may of course vary. This is just my two cents, but I thought that it might be helpful in this thread.

The math may be simple but it requires having a lot of formulas memorized that I hadn't seen in the years since I took it in high school, and had long since forgotten because it has no relevance in my studies or day to day life (with the exception of stats courses). It's not that I didn't know how to use them- once I used the book I had a lot of "Oh yeahhh I remember that now" moments. It's a great refresher tool for those of us who hated math, haven't taken it in a long time, and will only need it for taking the GRE. I agree that this may be a smaller pool of people because of all the sciences, engineering, etc. people out there... but it was relatively helpful for me.

[spozik]

The math may be simple but it requires having a lot of formulas memorized that I hadn't seen in the years since I took it in high school, and had long since forgotten because it has no relevance in my studies or day to day life (with the exception of stats courses). It's not that I didn't know how to use them- once I used the book I had a lot of "Oh yeahhh I remember that now" moments. It's a great refresher tool for those of us who hated math, haven't taken it in a long time, and will only need it for taking the GRE. I agree that this may be a smaller pool of people because of all the sciences, engineering, etc. people out there... but it was relatively helpful for me.

Certainly it is helpful to review the relevant formulas, strategies, etc. that are necessary to complete the math problems. My comment was directed at the Princeton Review's methods in "Cracking the GRE," not to reviewing in general. As I recall from reviewing with the book, they often suggest that you simply plug in numbers or use little tricks to decide what answers are better. I'm applying to grad school in a humanities discipline, but I realized quickly while taking the test that this method just took way more time than allowable for me to finish the section comfortably. I've always been better at quantitative reasoning than questions like those in the verbal section, and I even said at the end of my previous post that the Princeton Review's methods in "Cracking the GRE" may work well for some people who aren't as comfortable with math. On the flip side, if you have a decent math background, you're going to be able to move through the section much more efficiently (and probably score better) if you actually learn (or relearn) how to solve the problems.

[modernity]

Certainly it is helpful to review the relevant formulas, strategies, etc. that are necessary to complete the math problems. My comment was directed at the Princeton Review's methods in "Cracking the GRE," not to reviewing in general. As I recall from reviewing with the book, they often suggest that you simply plug in numbers or use little tricks to decide what answers are better. I'm applying to grad school in a humanities discipline, but I realized quickly while taking the test that this method just took way more time than allowable for me to finish the section comfortably. I've always been better at quantitative reasoning than questions like those in the verbal section, and I even said at the end of my previous post that the Princeton Review's methods in "Cracking the GRE" may work well for some people who aren't as comfortable with math. On the flip side, if you have a decent math background, you're going to be able to move through the section much more efficiently (and probably score better) if you actually learn (or relearn) how to solve the problems.

For me it was different- the verbal/comprehension is a breeze... the math makes me question my intelligence. haha. When I felt like I was under a lot of pressure, I would spend more time racking my brain if I had covered all the rules properly than I did on the solving of the problem. So I have to say sometimes, it was easier just to plug in to solve (although I wouldn't really consider this a new found trick Princeton, as I remember being taught that in grade school). I also thought it was a good back up method for when I found myself second guessing my answer. Like you said, it's all very relevant to background though, and where your strength lies.

[Ziz]

I can't believe no one has mentioned this yet...

The Cracking the GRE (at least the 2009 version) is WRONG. I used it to study and was getting a lot of really easy questions wrong and not understanding why. I found the teaching material was good, but the answers to their practice questions are WRONG WRONG WRONG. I know this because I did a google search after getting frustrated with getting simple questions wrong, adn found that a lot of people have commented on this. Sometimes the explanation in the back doesn't even match the question, so buyer beware. Use it for skills it teaches, but do not rely on the practice questions/answers.

[misterpat]

However, it wasn't until I actually went to take the GRE that I realized two things in particular didn't work for me: (1) the writing down A B C D E and narrowing down for every question just takes way too much time, and (2) I found their suggested approach to the reading passages extremely unhelpful, as I had a much easier time just thoroughly reading the passage and then answering the questions that followed.

I fully agree with both of these points. As for your first point, I prefer to do this instead:

A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

B

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

C

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

D

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

E

Then add vertical lines to separate your notations for each problem. This way, your scratch paper has less of a cluster-fuck appearance and you waste less time creating it.

[bme123]

I found Princeton Review's "Cracking the GRE" to be helpful. I only studied the Math Section from it though, but I got a 780 on Quant. I have a pretty good math background (Engineering major), but there were still a lot of small tricks that I was able to learn from it. Definitely helped me from making stupid/small mistakes.

[Tall Chai Latte]

i agree with you on this. the answer key in the math section contains mistakes, i was shocked to find this out that i mistakenly marked my right answer wrong (i'm applying for Pharmacology PhD F10). and i didn't do as well as i anticipated on quantitative section. i would also say, DO NOT buy this book!

[Lantern]

I can't comment on the Princeton Review since I didn't use it, but did want to post what was really helpful to me for the math section: Cliffs Math Review for Standardized Tests. I used Kaplan's books (including the Math Workbook), and Cliffs alone may not do you much good, but it's a great reference for when you just don't get it from the big name GRE prep books. I remember feeling incredibly frustrated by Kaplan's math explanations (or lack thereof), but then I would just reference Cliffs, and it would really help me out. (Plus Cliffs is less than $8 on Amazon.) I took the Kaplan practice tests and I also downloaded the ETS practice tests. In the end I scored 120 pts. higher on the real GRE than I did on my best practice test which to me meant that I had been practicing with harder tests than the real one! I am a science major, which means I am supposed to be great at math, but that's not really the case. I'm holding onto Cliffs for when I (hopefully) get into grad school - I think it will continue to be a big help.

I think the key to GRE prep is spreading out your studying between several books, and not relying entirely on one text. Even if you just skim several different books you can get the highlights of each.

[qberta]

i think the irreverent tone of PR's book can make it a good choice for people who struggle with test anxiety. i think their approach takes ETS down a few notches, and can keep people from feeling like failures just because they don't know the relationship between salubrious and turbid.

kaplan is the only other test aid i'm familiar with, & i was surprised at how respectful they are towards the GRE. don't they know that the GRE is an evil monster? oh yeah, to them it's a massive cow.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

Don't knock Princeton's "Cracking the GRE" please.

I raised my Verbal from 600 to 720, and my Math from 560 to 670, although I didn't use it exclusively. Since my main concern was the verbal, I also got Kaplan's Advanced Verbal, Barron's 800 Essential words, and used Vocoboly every day to beef up on esoteric GRE vocab.

Considering the fact that I'm planning to apply to top-tier English PhD programs, I needed a SUPERB verbal. But the math going up was a nice bonus (since I'm a doofus at math, and barely remember any geometry at all, since the last math class I took was in High school, 20 years ago).

Overall, GRE math is comparatively easy. The Verbal is a BITCH, and tricky, even for people with superb language skills.

So, yes, use the book, but don't solely rely on it, if you're aiming for above a 700 in the verbal (I can't say for math, that was a fluke).

[hogmommy]

I didn't use PR's Cracking the GRE, but I did use their 1400+ Practice Questions book. I agree with the poster that mentioned there are mistakes (wrong answers in answer key, right in explanation, or wrong in both) and that becomes frustrating. Other than the PR book, I used an older Kaplan book and CD that had be given to me by a former neighbor. I studied a lot. My last math course was Cal 1 in 1999, so I had to literally relearn all but the most basic arithmetic. I ended up with a 680V and 740Q. I should have probably paid more attention to the AW suggestions, as I ended up with only a 4.5.

[jeanne]

I can't speak to the Cracking The GRE book specifically, but TPR methods are pretty good overall. Maybe if you're a math whiz then they won't be helpful but most people aren't.

Also, if you have a TPR office near you they offer free GRE "math bootcamps". This are 3 or 4 hours long and a refresher for just the basic math facts/equations. I suggest doing this if you can. (Can you tell I'm a TPR Teacher? )

[punkybugsy]

I used both the Princeton Review and Kaplan's GRE Prep w/ Live Online and I found them to be nearly identical. I modified their techniques to suit me though.. I didn't write down A,B,C,D for any of the answers... that's a time waste. But the quick tips and tricks were nearly the same and very helpful. I ended up with a 680V 710Q and 5.5 AW and honestly, the math was just a bad trip for me, I ran into a few questions that snagged me up on time, so I think if I took it again my math would likely be higher.

[Katzenmusik]

I hate the whole GRE system, but I must say the Princeton Review really helped. I used it as my sole way to prepare for the GRE aside from taking one POWERPREP practice test (free from ETS). From the practice test to the real thing I improved by 100 points, from 1300 to 1400. The book was worth it.

Did you take practice tests before the real thing to see where you stood? If not, you never know--it's possible that you would have done worse without the Princeton Review practice. It isn't really fair to blame the book!

[BrianM]

The book really annoys me with pluggin in, thats all they talk about...nothing else!

Is this site representative of what is on the gre, math wise?

http://www.testprepreview.com/gre_practice.htm

Cause if it is then there will be a hell lot of work I gotta start doing!

Oh and for those who have taken it, did the GRE contain rate problems where you have to make charts and stuff?