Barron's Pass Key to the Gre (2nd ed) [Paperback]

Samuel C. Brownstein (Author), Sharon Weiner Green (Author), Sharon Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997 | ISBN-10: 0812097424 | ISBN-13: 978-0812097429 | Edition: 2nd

A short version of the full-size GRE test preparation manual. Covers all GRE test topics. All test questions and review questions come with answers and explanations. There is additional instruction and advice for students planning to take the GRE in its computerized version.

Product Details

• Paperback: 474 pages
• Publisher: Barrons Educational Series Inc; 2nd edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812097424
• ISBN-13: 978-0812097429
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,888,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This book is a piece of junk, November 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Barron's Pass Key to the Gre (2nd ed) (Paperback)

All of the study suggestions and coaching seemed very helpful...UNTIL I took the three practice tests in the book. Several of the answers the book gives are totally wrong, mainly typos on math problems. This casts doubt on the accuracy of the rest of the material in the book. Typos are to be expected in any book. But somebody should have checked to make sure the answers matched up with the questions before this thing was published. This is a seriously sloppy editing job. I'm sure there's a better GRE study book out there.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor proof-reading undermines this book's value., November 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Barron's Pass Key to the Gre (2nd ed) (Paperback)

This pass key could benefit from a more careful locksmith. Multiple proof-reading errors_in questions, answer keys and solution explanations_made studying with this book almost as challenging as taking the test.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat helpful, but verging on obsolete, July 30, 2000

By 

Christina P. Branson "Strixaluco" (Fort Collins) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barron's Pass Key to the Gre (2nd ed) (Paperback)

I'm certain that I did better on the GRE than I would have without having read this book. However, there must be better books out there. For one thing, this one (2nd edition) spends an awful lot of time on strategy for the pencil-and-paper version of the GRE. I don't know of any place in the US that doesn't offer the computer-adaptive version, and it's my understanding that the vast majority of US test sites will not *let* you take the pencil-and-paper version. Let's hope the book's 3rd edition takes that into account and gives more strategy info on the computer-adaptive test.

Then there were all those typos. Big ole honkin' errors everywhere. So the practice tests were almost worthless. They were also arranged in such a manner that I had to use three bookmarks to refer back and forth after each section. Very annoying, and the book's squat shape wouldn't let the pages stay open by themselves, so I always had to use a hand or a knee or something to anchor them down.

Where the book does give useful information, it doesn't give enough. There was a little section (about a page) on math formulas, which was nice, but what I really needed was a page or two of those little math "tricks"--those shortcuts you learn in high school and promptly forget until the next time you take a math class (which is a looooong time for some of us).

I would have given this book one star, but a) it was better than nothing, and b) there *is* a 3rd edition out, so maybe there's hope.