Customer Reviews

Barron's GRE: Graduate Record Examination General Test (12th Edition)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book was a waste of money. It is written for the paper test, which is not given anymore. There are a few modifications for the CAT, but it is obvious the authors did not put much time into modifying the book for the CAT. The computer program contains many careless errors. In fact, the analytical section had omitted words and parts of clues. In places, the questions were unanswerable because of these omissions. The quantitative section had many errors, and even gave incorrect answers for some of the graph questions. This book may cause you to do worse on the GRE's. I bought this book along with Peterson's cracking the GRE and the ETS "Big Book". The Peterson's book contains some useful hints on the analytical section, but I strongly recommend the ETS Big Book and the ETS PowerPrep software.

This Barron's guide to the GRE probably has equivalent information and study tips to the other GRE guides that are available, making it an acceptable guide. This especially applies to the Verbal Ability section and the diagnostic and model tests. The 3500-word dictionary of brainiac words is also useful but takes forever to get through if you tackle it from a study angle. The biggest problem with this guide is the Quantitative (math) Ability section, in which complex solutions are difficult to read and sometimes contain errors and typos. Take this example: "x+.25x=1.25x=2000=>y=2000/.75=2666.67." Now imagine that crammed into the middle of a paragraph containing various fonts and typefaces - and this example doesn't even contain square roots, exponents, fractions, or other hard to read symbols. Add to that some flat-out errors (see some of the other reviews here for examples) and the Quantitative section presents some difficulties. The Analytical Ability section falters in some places as it tries to explain how you should "infer" or "deduce" answers. I found myself just plain disagreeing with some of the answers in the Analytical section, with no explanation as to why I should agree with the guide's answer. One final humbug in this edition is the 2-page synopsis on the new Analytical Writing portion of the test, which is hidden at the end of the book after about 140 pages of model test information.

This guide will surely help you practice adequately for the GRE, but the presentation leaves a little to be desired. Also, you can buy this book with the optional CD-ROM, which gives tips on the current computer-based version of the test. If you have at least competent computer skills, the CD-ROM is unnecessary, so skip it and save some money.

Buyer Beware!!! This book proclaims that its CD-ROM "presents an almost limitless number of different tests." This is clearly misleading. In actuality, the CD-ROM presents an almost limitless number of different tests with THE SAME QUESTIONS!!! After a mere two rounds with the verbal section, I started encountering questions I'd seen the day before (-this includes entire reading comprehension passages and questions). If you're interested in trying to replicate the actual testing situation (i.e. encountering questions you've never seen before, much less within the previous 24 hours), then this book is clearly a waist of time. If anyone finds a book with a CD-ROM that does NOT repete questions within the first couple of tests, then please email me.

Don't believe me? Let me give you just few examples among many:

On p. 281, the solution to question 13 requires the total number of acceptable committees, and fails to include JKLOR, which was an acceptable committee in the answer to question 12!

On p. 285, question 15 aks which students could *not* be the last to perform. The fifth choice, "Ellen" is the most obvious choice (the set of conditions on page 283 states she must be first!) but is not the right answer, according to Barron's.

On p. 287, just before Question 18, they state that "it is now an easy task to answer question 4". There is no question 4 in relation to the tactic.

I know this all sounds boring, but I just wanted to document the glaring errors. And folks, this is within the span of 7 pages.

Barron's, if you are reading this, thanks for NOTHING. I have pulled my hair out only to find one incorrect item after another.

Go with Kaplan. You've been warned.

Scott

This was my first GRE reference and practice book and it has proven to be the best. There couldn't have been better explanatory advice and comments that you could find in other GRE references of this nature. I personally find the verbal part in the book very useful in expanding my lexicon that was required for the test. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about taking the GRE!

I found this Barron's book a much better help than any other GRE book I used or looked at (esp the Priceton Review book - very bad). This book has a huge number of example problems and exercises (and practice tests) that are really beneficial. The tips about each section of the test are helpful, informative, and well explained. The vocab section is tremendous - with many many words and quizzes to test yourself.

If you are considering a GRE study book, I highly recommend this one as the only one you'd need.

This is definitely one of the best preparation guides I used for the GRE. The Math section was especially helpful to me. Instead of generic strategies, the book gives me many practicle math shortcuts which I found to be essential in tackling time constraint.

The book also provides a pretty comprehensive vocab list and numberous exercises for both verbal and math. The only downside of this book is the CD-a useless supplement to an otherwise fantastic review book.

This book was, for the most part, a waste of time and money. The computer software contained errors and did not look like the actual test (fractions, for example, were written on this software in a difficult-to-decipher format). The test-taking strategies in this are not useful, and the instructional sections are more time consuming and less helpful than in GRE for Dummies. The only things this book is useful for are additional practice tests and lists of word roots.

Barron's GRE book is the best. In addition to Barron's, I used different books suc as Kaplan and Princeton review. I found that if you study this Barron's book diligently, you can do very well on your GRE test. The 3500 word list is very very very helpful.

The quantative questions may be harder than the actual exam. However, if you can master these questions, you should do well on the actual test.

All in all, it's an excellent book. Please give yourself two months as there are a lot of material to be learned and studied.

I'm not good with standardized tests, but this guide helped me to see what areas I needed to improve and taught me how to study for a complicated test.

Admittedly, the book has a few glitches and can make a non-math person feel stupid at times, but the advice and strategies for the quantative part were logical and well explained.

The 3500 word list was essential for mastering the verbal, and the excercises helped me to see the answers the test makers have in mind.

The book gives excercises that are more difficult than those on the GRE website. If you can do the Barron's excercises and practice tests, you are ready for the test.

The additional CD also helped me to visualize the test and contained good practice excercises.

I am pleased with my results and would recommend the book to anyone seeking to prepare for the GRE.