Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Graduate Record Examination (Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Test (Book and CD-Rom), 14th ed) [Paperback]

Sharon Weiner Green (Author), Ira K. Wolf (Author), Sharon Weiner-Green (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2000 | Series: Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Test (Book and CD-Rom), 14th ed

The new edition of this comprehensive test-preparation manual has been radically revised and updated to reflect the most recent Graduate Record Exams in length, structure, question types, and degree of difficulty. The book features five model tests with answers and explanations. It also contains all new and up-to-date subject review material in its mathematics and analytical ability sections, as well as all-new questions in those sections of the model tests. Other important features include a 3,500-word vocabulary building list, plus practice and review in sentence completion, reading comprehension, and all other test areas. An accompanying CD-ROM features a model test in the Computer Adaptive format. This format presents a succession of questions rated in difficulty according to the test taker's ability, which has been measured by responses to the test's initial questions. All questions are answered and explained, and the exam is scored automatically.

Product Details

• Paperback: 597 pages
• Publisher: Barrons Educational Series Inc; 14th Bk&Cr edition (September 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764173952
• ISBN-13: 978-0764173950
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,114,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for practicing and Great Vocab!!, September 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE Test: 14th Edition (Paperback)

I used this book (not the CD), the Princeton Cracking the GRE, and the ETS Powerprep software. I have to say this book was the most helpful to get my scores (V 730, Q 790, A 800). I only really studied the Verbal part, and the 3500 word list in this book was exceptional (and needed for the test). I also liked the large number of questions after each section that you could practice on.

For each section of the GRE, and type of question in each section, Barron's gives you tactics to answer each question effectively. I felt those tactics did help me, on all sections. Especially on the math section, which had a whole chapter which reviewed, point by point, each math concept which you could be expected to know. That geometry is always a pain! :)

I didn't miss the CD, and one word of caution, don't take the Diagnostic Test too seriously, just practice alot and get familiar with questions and strategies to deal with them. That will help more, because you are probably more aware of your weak areas than the test can show you.

I recommend this book, not necessarily for it's tests, but for the abundance of study material, and for practice questions at the end of each section to review what you just learned. Also for the LARGE vocab list (love those notecards).

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You NEED the 3500-word vocabulary list, February 3, 2001

By 

David P. Ellis (Takoma Park, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Graduate Record Examination (Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Test (Book and CD-Rom), 14th ed) (Paperback)

As I've mentioned in other GRE preparatory material reviews I've written, I used four resources from four different publishers to prepare for my GRE. In the end, three only proved useful. To that end, Barron's was useful primarily for one reason - the 3500-word vocabulary list. It is broken down into 50 lessons, each of which contains an average of 70 words. The definitions are clear and concise and the lesson quizzes at the end of each section are helpful in reinforcing your knowledge. As it turns out, I studied the list religiously, eventually learning literally every single word in the list (I knew about 60% of the words before starting out). Because of the list and my fervent dedication to learning it, the Verbal portion of my GRE was demonstrably easier (or more difficult, actually, because of the computer-adaptive nature of the test). In any event, I am certain my Verbal score was enhanced as a direct result of studying the list. I trust you will find the same. Good luck!

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Barron needs to go back and PROOFREAD!, December 29, 2000

By 

Lexi (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Graduate Record Examination (Barron's How to Prepare for the Gre Test (Book and CD-Rom), 14th ed) (Paperback)

I just finished taking the GRE earlier today and although I did ok, I can not say had a pleasant time studying for it using this book. While the book does have 4 complete tests and goes through all of the major tactics, it has too many errors in it for a book published under the Barron's name. On numorous practice problems there were typos which just enraged me because I thought I had gotten a problem wrong and could not comprehend their reason until I noticed that their explanation was for choice C instead of D. Also in the math and analytical sections, the book presents problems that are very ambiguous, or contain incomplete information in order to solve the problem, and then the explanation uses one of those missing facts in order to justify their answer. Many of the math and analytical problems were unsolvable without the missing information, and made a real test situation very hard to attain with their examples. I was accepting of the first couple of typos, but after experiencing a couple of typos per practice test section, I have become very upset with the overall quality of this book. If all you intend to do is read the tactics and vocabulary list, then this book is just fine, but if you really want to be prepared for the GRE and actually do practice problems, this book is the one to STAY AWAY from. I am so upset right now, I almost want to go and write Barron's a letter of complaint, but I think all they would do is throw my comments with the rest of the trash. But if I write this review, I can help people choose a much more appropriate book, such as any other GRE prep book.

There, I'm done ranting. People, please avoid this book if you intend on using the practice problems. Spend the extra money and buy that software package from ETS with real problems. I should have done that if I wasn't so cheap. D'oh!