As you embark on the 2022 GRE journey, a good GRE prep book is your only true companion for entering the famed gates of world-class universities and colleges. gre prep is time consuming and therefore wasting your time on an unworthy book will not meet your needs. In your search for the perfect GRE study material, you’ll come across many worthless prep books lining the library aisles. Let us help you zero in on the best GRE prep book for 2022 and beyond!
how to select the correct gre book
Choosing the right GRE prep book depends on numerous aspects such as the graduate program you are aspiring to, your current set of verbal and analytical skills, past and future goal scores, etc. then there are factors such as authors, quality of material, question sets, verbal and analytical experience, and availability of practice tests. So let’s cut to the chase and let us help you select the right gre book.
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top 5 gre prep books to master gre of 2022
1. manhattan prep 5 pound gre practice problem book
When it comes to the heaviest GRE book, Manhattan Prep’s 5 pound GRE practice problem book wins hands down! Close to being a perfect GRE resource, this book is ideal for students of all levels of preparation. Practice questions increase in difficulty levels, so you can target your range of skills and test your weaknesses. Verbal and math practice questions, along with words and idioms, make it a one-stop solution for your preparation. Each practice question is followed by a detailed explanation and analysis. In addition, there are a variety of online resources included with this book, including a large bank of GRE practice questions, an online GRE introduction, and an archive of difficult GRE questions.
advantages:
- the best-selling gre prep book for many years.
- covers most practice question types with equal weight in all sections.
- awa topics are included at the end of the book. .
- explanations of quantitative questions are well detailed along with tips.
- an advanced quantitative section is even more difficult compared to real gre.
- over 1,800 realistic practice questions
- a nice addition to the manhattan prep gre strategy guides
cons:
- limited vocabulary practice questions with fewer flashcards.
- focuses more on reading whole passages and less on text/sentence completion.
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2. 2nd edition of the official ets gre super power pack
The practice tests are the most important aspect of preparing for the GRE exam. The book pack contains practice tests complete with questions prepared by the official ETS exam team, so they are worth their weight in gold. And there’s nothing better than the official ETS GRE Super Power Pack to test your skills before you sit down for the real thing. Introduces the three GRE preparation books, i.e. the GRE Official Quantitative Reasoning Questions, the GRE Official Guide, and the GRE Official Verbal Reasoning Questions. you save a significant amount of money when you buy this package.
advantages:
- 600 real practice questions with detailed answer explanations
- 4 real gre tests with 2 mock computer-based tests
- come directly from the creators of gre, so the credibility factor is high.
- two tests are available online, while the other two can be accessed on kindle.
- the difficulty level of the question mimics the gre pattern.
- questions are adaptive in nature to stimulate real-world exam experience.
- free practice exam on cd-rom.
cons:
- focuses more on practice questions and full tests.
- some problem explanations can be overwhelming due to confusing details.
- prefer the pocket version as it the kindle version may have formatting errors.
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3. gre prep plus from kaplan 2022
If you want to have it all, this is the book to choose. Kaplan’s GRE Prep Plus 2022 gives you a comprehensive overview of the GRE exam, starting with a comprehensive explanation of each section, a 500-question quiz bank, detailed chapters, and comprehensive mock tests. there is a mock test in the book and two online that help to understand the ets form of the exam. Overall, gre prep plus features over 2,200 practice questions with full explanations that test a student’s appropriate gre skill at various levels of difficulty.
advantages:
- new book on the market with updated test taking strategies.
- includes access to online exams that also include full exams.
- multiple ways to learn and apply gre test taking strategies.
- Questions are categorized by range of difficulty.
- 500 questions from the quiz bank, 2200 practice questions with full explanations
cons:
- focuses more on formulas and less on concepts.
- the math section may seem insufficient for some students.
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4. manhattan prep gre 2022 strategy guides
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the manhattan prep gre strategy guides provide a complete overview of all the topics that can be seen in the gre. The 8-book series that makes up the bundle is designed to provide students with a substantial learning experience by helping them develop the knowledge, skills, and strategic thinking they need to perform well on the test. The Manhattan Preparatory Books aim to provide the groundwork and rudimentary foundations behind the questions. this ensures a good understanding of the quiz because you have quiz strategies that are directly related to the quiz content. Each book contains detailed instructions on a specific part of the exam, so you can combine the exact instructions you need based on your strengths and weaknesses. the package provides access to six full computer adaptive field tests that accurately simulate test day conditions.
The Complete Book Series contains the following book sets: Algebra; fractions, decimals & percentages; geometry; number properties; word problems; the guide to quantitative comparisons and interpretation of data; reading comprehension; text completion & sentence equivalence there is the option to get the full set or buy just one of the full package. If you have a month or two to prepare for the exam, this package will be a great tool to help you increase your score.
advantages:
- set of 8 books covering all gre topics
- 6 online tests included
- very effective to increase gre score
- the materials are of excellent quality
cons:
- price is higher than other gre preparation books
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5. barron’s essential words for gre 2022
A good command of the vocabulary section is essential to pass the GRE exam. In addition to learning the difficult vocabulary, you have to apply it in an analytical and sophisticated context in the exam. therefore, you not only need to learn the meanings of various words, but also need to know their scope. Barron’s essential words for the gre help you do just that! helps build vocabulary along with the relevant implementation of words.
The book focuses on strengthening basic vocabulary and then progresses through levels of difficulty. The introduction presents the 800 most common vocabulary words for GRE along with their definitions. A pre-test helps you further familiarize yourself with the GRE vocabulary standards. sample sentences, practice quizzes, and flashcards are there too. it also features pre-written practice exercises that further test students’ vocabulary quotient.
advantages:
- a wonderful collection of high frequency gre words
- gre flashcards help memorize high frequency words with ease.
- extremely helpful for preparation last minute
- extensive vocabulary with more than 20000 words.
cons:
- the cards do not have a phonemic spelling.
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what should you look for in a good gre book?
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practice tests: practice tests are the oxygen that each gre book has to feed its reader. they are the final call on how preparation went by assessing student progress. buy a book that includes at least two practice tests along with more practice test options online. the more opportunities there are to stimulate the exam, the greater the chances of success.
layout: The way a book presents the content is very important in the preparation. The Right GRE Book divides each section into subsections to help grasp the concepts easily. From the analytical to the verbal to the quantitative section, due attention should be paid to all areas.
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test-taking strategies: In addition to practice questions and study concepts, a book should also help the reader create a study plan. A GRE book that provides test-taking strategies increases your chances of success.
Quality and quantity of questions: The number of questions offered and the quality of the questions have a great impact on the preparation of the student. it is important that the difficulty level of the questions match the actual exam pattern along with the adaptive scoring. In general, choose books that offer around 2,000 practice questions.
price: how much should you pay for a gre book? It depends on a lot of factors, like the size of the question bank, the online practice tests, if the cd is included or not, etc. Typically, expect to pay around $50 to $70 for books that are popular with students.
realistic gre questions: books that have real gre practice questions should be preferred. Since it is an adaptive exam, you will need to know the actual pattern of the exam along with the level of difficulty. a book that helps you develop these skills is an ideal purchase.
Full Answer Explanations – Even the largest question bank is useless if there are no explanations for the questions. a book that has detailed explanations of the answers to each type of question along with tips/tricks to solve them should be preferred. this helps you grasp the underlying concept and develop skills that hone your practice strategies.
handy tips: gre handy tips can mean a lot to the student. Beginners need to develop test-taking strategies that suit their study pattern and behavior. a book that offers multiple test-taking strategies with a section-specific focus is a good buy.
personal factors: individual aspects such as time available for preparation, study patterns, location, financial limitations, etc., should also be part of the book purchase research . calculate the exact time available for its preparation. detailed study guides are ideal for longer durations, while video courses are good for short preparation plans.
conclusion
Not all gre books are the same. In addition to these latest books, there are many others that focus on other GRE preparation strategies. for example, there are books dedicated to flashcards or practice tests that can be used by students at specific stages of preparation. Additionally, there are online GRE courses, such as magoosh, that are paperless and deliver all of their content through digital channels only.
These top 5 gre books are tested and trusted by students for many years. Our goal is to help you select a book that not only covers individual sections, but also provides a holistic GRE prep experience where you not only learn but also grow. all these books offer this and much more. the gre book market is huge! so choose wisely and buy a book that will help you pass this exam.
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comparison table of books prep gre 2022
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