list of best gre study guides
As a general rule, check first for a newer edition of the book and buy it. Here is the list of the best GRE study guides.
You are reading: Best gre books 2015
manhattan prep gre set of 8 strategy guides, 4th edition
what is it: the gre set of 8 strategy guides, 4th edition is published by manhattan prep, a leading company that helps developers students to prepare for exams. It’s a good idea to start your GRE prep with this guide that includes six math books and two verbal books. each of the eight books is devoted to a subject area of the test: algebra; fractions, decimals and percentages; geometry; number properties; word problems; quantitative comparisons and interpretation of data; reading comprehension and essays; and text completion and sentence equivalence. At the end of each book, three sets of practice questions are arranged by level of difficulty: Easy, Medium, and Hard.
advantages: For candidates with time to prepare and deep dedication to gre, this is one of the most comprehensive gre guides. it’s a great book for learning gre concepts and techniques and applying them to some really good questions. Explanations of concepts and questions are clear. verbal books give you solid techniques and good practice and reading techniques.
Disadvantages: Due to the large amount of information in these eight guides, they are not useful for those hoping to do everything at the last minute. The six math guides teach you well but don’t contain many difficult questions that set you up for excellence. In both of the verbal guides, the questions about text completion and sentence equivalence rely on difficult vocabulary rather than the difficult structures required by GRE.
get it here: manhattan prep gre set of 8 strategy guides, 4th edition
the official guide to the revised general test, 2nd edition
what it is: this “official guide” is really just that: it’s published by educational testing services (ets), the makers of gre. It is the only official guide available for the test and is called the Authoritative Guide to the GRE for good reason. Contains detailed Q&A and commentary from the very people who rate the GRE. therefore, it provides invaluable insight into the minds of gre’s creators and raters.
The guide has a good reputation because it can really prepare you for the actual exam. It consists of four complete real tests (two in the book and two on the accompanying CD-ROM), several genuine questions, detailed descriptions of the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning content areas, tips for answering each type of question, and a overview of the two types of analytical writing tasks that are part of the test.
pros: the content that explains the writing section of the test is particularly good: the instructions are clear and detailed. you’ll learn best practices that will help you get a high score.
Disadvantages: The guide does not supplement the content with strategic advice and does not contain as many practice questions or additional resources as other guides.
get it here: the official guide to the revised general test, 2nd edition
more official ets gre books
the official gre superpower pack
the official gre superpowers pack (which includes the official gre guide and two books with practice questions on verbal and quantitative sections) may lack fancy tips for writing the gre, but it does offer plenty of practice, detailed sample answers real. by test candidates and expert feedback from test scorers. the power pack, which comes with a cd-rom, provides four practice tests.
get it here: official gre superpower pack
big big book
this is perhaps the oldest ets guide and follows the old gre pattern (the one followed before 2011). how does it help? help by giving you extra practice. it has extensive verbal and quantitative sections, but you should not make it the basis of your preparations.
here it is: big gre book
official gre verbal reasoning practice questions
This book has been described as a “must have” for verbal reasoning questions that are similar to what you might expect to find on the actual exam.
Get it here: Official gre Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions
official gre quantitative reasoning practice questions
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the quantitative reasoning guide is packed with useful strategies and this makes it an improvement over the old ets guides. the practice problems are more challenging than the previously published gre quant questions.
Get it here: Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions
other popular gre prep books
kaplan gre premiere 2016
what it is: a complete new package that is a treasure chest of exam instructions and over 2,200 practice questions. Also included are six full practice tests (five online, one in the book), a digital iPad download, a DVD, a mobile app, online access to a rich question bank, and six online practice tests. Another useful feature is a 500-question online quiz bank, where custom quizzes can be taken and reviewed. kaplan also provides academic support from instructors on their facebook page. the sweetener? a guarantee that if you use his resources and strategies, you will get a higher score in the overall test or receive a full refund.
pros: the reading passages and the questions are good.
Disadvantages: The strategies given in this book could have been a little more refined.
get it here: kaplan’s gre premier 2015
kaplan gre complete 2016 (books, dvd, online)
gre complete 2016 has been prepared as a comprehensive exam preparation guide. Includes the three best Kaplan prep books: GRE Premier, GRE Math Workbook, and GRE Verbal Workbook. these books contain a lot of practical questions and explanations. Online access to a customizable GRE quiz bank is also offered along with the full 2016.
get it here: kaplan gre complete 2016
cracking gre 2016 premium edition with 6 practice tests (princeton review)
what is it: princeton review is a well-known educational company that offers excellent gre products. its strength seems to lie in preparing students for the verbal and written sections of the test. Cracking the GRE Premium Edition 2016 includes access to online video classes and two full-answer GRE practice tests. Four additional online tests and study guides are also available for download. The guide gives candidates an insight into the test, provides strategy lessons, and equips them with tips for each section of the test.
advantages: the book’s explanation of the verbal section is the great advantage. it is also well written and understandable.
Disadvantages: The explanations in the math section are inadequate.
get it here: cracking the gre premium edition 2016
cracking gre with 4 practice tests, 2016 edition
Cracking the gre provides a concise overview of the gre with general strategy lessons. the book’s explanation of the verbal section is excellent, although the math section could have been better. the individualized tips for each of the test sections are very helpful.
Get it here: Cracking the gre with 4 practice tests, 2016 edition
gre 2015 edition of barron
what it is: this revised edition is a comprehensive guide with detailed strategies for each section of the gre: verbal, analytical, and quantitative. a diagnostic test and two model tests with well-explained solutions are available. Buyers get free access to Barron’s online GRE course, which includes video tutorials, quizzes, a practice question bank, and an iPad study app.
Pros: Barron’s Guides have always been geared toward advanced test takers, and students with a solid starting understanding can tackle the toughest questions that may come up on test day. those who dedicate themselves and spend a good amount of time preparing will certainly benefit from their products.
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Cons: Beginners may find this guide difficult to read.
get it here: barron’s gre 2015 edition
more gre prep books
essential words for gre
If improving your verbal score is one of your priorities, Barron’s Core Words should be part of your kit. essential words provides useful tips for learning the roots and prefixes of words as a means of deciphering the meaning of words. you will find a pre-test that will help you identify your problem areas. the book has concise word definitions.
get it here: essential words for the gre
gruber 2015 complete gre guide
what is it: this guide has been prepared by dr. Gary Gruber, a well-known expert in analyzing and identifying test-taking techniques, has an excellent reputation for standardized testing. his 2015 complete gre guide covers all the sections of gre, but the quantitative section is where the guide does its best work: there is a wide variety of math questions including fractions, algebra, geometry, and rate and area.
Pros: The comprehensive GRE guide offers a detailed discussion of the quantitative section and includes excellent practice problems.
disadvantages: the verbal section is gruber’s weakest link. the reading passages may well have been taken from a poorly produced newspaper. the design is poor.
get it here: gruber 2015 complete gre guide
nova gre prep course book
what is it: nova press is a test preparation center that offers gre study material through books, e-books, the internet, computer software and phone applications. Nova’s GRE Prep Course Book focuses almost entirely on the math section of GRE, and does an excellent job of demystifying the elements of the section. the guide not only categorizes the questions by type (fractions, geometry, graphs, etc.), but also classifies sample problems according to difficulty levels (easy, medium, hard, and very hard), allowing the student to progress with confidence.
Advantages: Without a doubt, the focus of the math section is the main advantage.
Cons: The verbal section seems a bit outdated. also, the guide lacks general strategy tips.
get it here: the nova gre prep course book
gre for dummies, premiere, with cd
what it is: the popular ‘for dummies’ series is a range of instructional books that use simple, engaging language to open up various topics broadly. True to form, Gre for Dummies is written in a simple, conversational style. The book provides a good review of the test components and includes a CD with five practice tests and 500 flashcards.
advantages: its style and some of its substance, including review of trial components.
Cons: Difficulty level of some of the practice questions could be higher.
get it here: gre for dummies
learn more about gre: – gre preparation guide
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