Customer Reviews

Cracking the GRE with DVD, 2011 Edition (Graduate School Test Preparation)

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

After a month and a half of studying with Kaplan GRE Exam 2010-2011 Premier with CD-ROM (Kaplan GRE Premier Program (W/CD)) and this Princeton Review book, I took the GRE over the weekend and can say that between the two I was extremely well-prepared. I began with Princeton and reviewed all the material in this book, including the practice tests, and then moved onto Kaplan, subsequently reviewing all the Kaplan material and using the online quizzes and tests as well. Here are my thoughts on the positives and negatives of the Princeton Review Cracking the GRE 2011 (with DVD) book compared to the Kaplan GRE Premiere 2011 book (with CD):

Positives:

- Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Antonyms: Princeton does a really great job of explaining how these sections work and then telling you exactly how to have the best chance of getting the answers correct. I used to abhor analogies...technically I kind of still do...but Princeton will tell you how to find the best solution when you know both stem words, when you only know one stem word, or when you don't even know either stem word. They teach you how to be an effective test taker no matter how well you know the material in the question, and they do it for all these three sections. For comparison, Kaplan kind of glosses over each of these sections, and does not even attempt to have the same level of helpfulness in preparing you for any situation you run into, as Princeton does.
- Practice questions: Princeton gives you generally 9 - 10 practice questions after each section you do, or sometimes up to 20. Answers are sometimes explained and sometimes not, unfortunately. Kaplan will give you generally 3 - 4 questions for each section, and again will sometimes explain them and sometimes not.
- Vocabulary: Princeton gives you "The Hit Parade," four lists of 75 words that are supposed to be GRE level and which are defined for you in the book with an extensive practice quiz/test at the end of each list. There are also two additional lists called "Beyond the Hit Parade" which are just more words. Kaplan's book has a couple sections in the back which give you similar GRE-style words all put into groups, which is helpful for learning synonyms, and then also goes over the roots of words, which is helpful if that's how you want to learn.
- Math: Princeton does a really great job of explaining everything you could possibly need to know about fundamental math concepts that would be on the test. The only thing I didn't see in Princeton that I did see in Kaplan was how to measure the distance between two points on an x, y graph. Other than that, the Princeton math section is well-organized and really well-explained, breaking down the math concepts to their most basic elements and then reinforcing them with examples and practice problems. The Kaplan book just doesn't do it as well and for some reason splits the math into different parts of the book.
- Readability: This is all preference. I found the Princeton book to be very casually written and very informal. It made it a little more enjoyable and easy to read because it made it more like a conversation, not so much like a lecture, while reading. The Kaplan book is more formal; not extremely formal and not to the point where it's difficult, but just much less casual.
- Practice tests: Princeton gives you four full-length CAT practice tests on their website. What distinguishes them from Kaplan is that you have the option to have your essays graded by Princeton staff for $5.99 for each test (that's two essays per test for $5.99 total) or for a slightly discounted price if you purchase grades on all four tests at once (Note: you DO NOT have to purchase grades if you don't want to...it is *optional*). This is very helpful, because the Princeton staff not only gives you your number score for each essay, but also gives you feedback and the strengths and weaknesses. Kaplan gives you the grading rubric, some examples to go by, and expects you to grade the paper yourself, which I think is pointless since you are probably not a qualified GRE essay grader. For what it's worth, I thought the Princeton CAT tests were more difficult than Kaplan, but I also did Princeton first, so I can't say for sure.

Negatives:
- Reading Comprehension: In my opinion Princeton drops the ball on Reading Comprehension. They do such a great job of explaining the other verbal sections, but I felt that Kaplan outdid them in this area. There's nothing necessarily wrong with the Princeton Reading Comp section, it's just that Kaplan does a better job of explaining their strategy and then gives you about a million examples to get it ingrained into you. Seriously, I was going through the Kaplan section going, "Jeez, ANOTHER passage? When is this section going to end?!" Kaplan basically does for Reading Comp what Princeton does for Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Antonyms.
- Practice sets: Princeton has additional practice sets at the back of their book. I don't think these are very good. They're nice, they're helpful, they're good practice...it's just that Princeton separates questions into completely separate easy, medium, and hard sections. That's great if you want to practice your skills over time, but it's just not an accurate representation of what the test will be like. To be fair, neither is Kaplan, but Kaplan is a bit closer because they just lump everything into one section so you are alternating between difficulties, which is slightly more true to the test, which changes difficulty depending on your performance.
- Online practice material: Princeton just doesn't cut it with the online practice material. Besides the fact that it took me like an hour to figure out how to even get to the practice material on their website (easy now...click on "Student Tools" in the top right...it's just not clear that that's where the practice stuff is as you're perusing their website), they just don't have the same amount to offer as Kaplan. Kaplan will overload you with practice material, and they really mop the floor with Princeton in that regard. Princeton may be infinitely better for your essays, but Kaplan will really give you a workout with the amount of practice options they give you.
- Practice tests: Not a big deal at all, but the Princeton practice tests have a visually glossed up look. Kaplan's tests look exactly like the real test. Princeton's have their own look. Worth pointing out if you're going to practice only by Princeton so it doesn't throw you off. Same basic concept, just noticeably different look in the real test.
- Essays: Not the essay grading, which again is great...but teaching you how to write the essays. I think Kaplan is a bit better. Princeton pushes too hard on this mediocre format in which they tell you to start your issue essay with "Many people believe that ______. However, I believe ______" etc. over and over. It's boring and it sucks. They hint at making it fancier, but don't really give you much help to do so. They also emphasize that you should always oppose the issue presented because if you agree you won't have as interesting of an essay. They say you should make up your mind right away on your exact stance and then begin coming up with examples and narrowing it down to your top three before writing your essay; Kaplan tells you to write examples for both yes and no positions and then to decide based on your examples which is a stronger stance to take. I prefer the Kaplan method of actually choosing if you agree or not, and it helped big time on my actual GRE issue essay. Had I gone with Princeton and attempted to disagree I would have had a really awful essay.


Overall I hesitate to recommend one book over the other. While I feel that Princeton Review does nearly everything better than Kaplan as far as the book material goes, except for Reading Comprehension, Kaplan blows Princeton out of the water with the availability of online practice material. Kaplan seriously goes above and beyond with the amount of practice they'll give you on their website, and they ought to be highly commended for that. Ultimately I think that having both books was really the best course of action, as Princeton will truly help you learn the material and how to do the questions, and Kaplan will help you to practice it. I also went through the Kaplan GRE Exam Vocabulary in a Box in its entirety, studying the last few unknown words right up to my last few minutes at the stoplight on the way to the testing center. Several of the words did come up on the test, and I think it was very helpful to go through and learn the vocab, even words that didn't come up.

Bottom line: if you are going to get this Princeton Review book, I highly recommend you supplement it with the Kaplan book, which really gives you a heap full of practice quizzes and tests. If you rely on the Princeton book on its own you'll be in totally fine shape because they teach it so well and do have a lot of practice material...it's just that you may feel like you aren't getting enough practice, which is where Kaplan really exceeds and why I recommend having both books. I highly recommend the dual combo, and maybe even that vocab box as well. As I said, with the combination of all three, I did extremely well on the test a few days ago. If you need to choose one, choose this one. It teaches you the material REALLY WELL and still has a good bit of practice. Kaplan is mainly useful as more practice; you won't learn the material as well from it.

*Please note that after August 1st, 2011 the GRE test will be changing. These books will probably still be somewhat relevant, but certain questions will be exiting and other new ones will be coming in.

Thanks for reading!

The Princeton Review GRE books are wonderful in helping prepare students to take the test. I just took the test this morning, and decided I wanted to write reviews for all of the study aides I used. The Princeton Review book is very well-written and straightforward. It's overwhelming at first, and I found that the best way to go was to buy study aides at least a month in advance and just focus on one section at a time. I read this book cover-to-cover and many of their hints helped me a lot (such as, on analogies where you do not know all of the words either in the analogy given or in the answer choices, to eliminate those sets of words that have no relation to one another). Much of what was in the book seemed like common sense once I read it and mastered it, but I wouldn't have thought of it without the help of the book. The writing section was especially helpful to me, with great breakdowns of how to write both essays. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was the online area where it says you have access to two full length practice tests. I could only access one, but as I had also purchased a Barron's book that had access to give, it wasn't a huge deal. Still, you should be aware that I could only find one practice test online, so if you want more I'd recommend also buying the Barron's book, which is also very helpful. I highly recommend this book!

I don't plan on taking the GRE anymore (I am a graduate student now), but I read these test prep books every year to refresh my skills. I actually enjoyed preparing for the test (weird, I know) and I don't want to forget what I learned, especially the vocabulary and analytical writing content. I don't know if this is the only book you should buy for the test. However, I think it ought to be one of them!

VERBAL
------------------------
The advice they give is extremely helpful. I've always had trouble with the analogies (I scored well, thanks to an earlier version of this book). I like the idea of writing down a defining sentence with both words. It actually does help to spend time doing this. I relied heavily on flashcards when I studied for the test. I made one for EVERY word that I thought would appear on the tests (various lists exist online and in books). This was VERY helpful. However, because I did not write stuff down and THINK about the relationships in practice, I struggled with the analogies during the test.

MATH
------------------------
I had an atrocious score when I took the test. I really should have followed their advice and written stuff down (I can't remember now if they told me to do that back then). I also think that I should have used flashcards when studying for the math section as well. Some formulas and simple problems would have been good to have memorized.

The problem with this book is that I found the math section easy. Knowing my poor ability, I wonder if this book is sufficient. You may want to read and follow the advice here, but check out the math section in another book for more tips about how to approach difficult problems.

ANALYTICAL
------------------------
Great advice here. In fact, I think this might be the best part of the book for test preparation. These are also some of the skills that graduate students (especially in the humanities) need on a daily basis. I would say it is definitely worth reading.

One piece of advice from my own experience, DO NOT REVISE SENTENCES AT THE LAST MINUTE. The second time I took the test, I finished my essay early, and during the last minute or so I tried to polish my last sentence. I ran out of time with the sentence in a jumbled mess! I lost points for that (score was lower than the first time I took the test, even though the essay was far better and longer).

SUMMARY
------------------------
It is definitely worth it to spend time with it. I didn't look at the DVD (read it in a bookstore), and I am not interested in taking practice tests anyways. If you are, you may want to look at the DVD version. Variety is important! Make sure to read other books as well (Barron's, Kaplan, etc.). Out of all that I have seen, I honestly don't think I could say there is only ONE book you need.

I have a copy of "Cracking the GRE, 2009" that I was using to study for the 2011 GRE (pre August changes). I called the Princeton Review customer service to ask if it was necessary to buy the latest copy. They said without a doubt, "YES". So, convinced that I would benefit from having the 2011 version, I bought it. It is EXACTLY the same book with the exception of a few paragraphs talking about the 2011 August changes that can be found on the gre.org website. The strategies are word for word the same as well as the practice questions. I thought they would at least have new practice questions! I know it might be a rare case to have two copies of this book, but I seriously paid $13 for a page of information that's given free on the GRE website.

I advise anyone looking to buy this book to try finding a used copy as far back as 2009, probably even earlier. Check your local library too; mine has the 2009 version.

Of the three books I bought to study for the GRE, this is my favorite. The writers have a good sense of humor and help to establish the right approaches to the various parts of the exam. The only part that I think could be improved is the math section. Math is the greatest challenge for me and I found some of the explanations inadequate. I think they could "dumb it down" a bit more. Of course, this may be more of a reflection on my math skills than it is a criticism of the book! The vocabulary and writing hints are excellent.

Don't buy this book. There are lots of editorial mistakes.
Just 1 example:
The Math Applications practice set has 10 questions. The answer key has 8 answers. Where are the answers to questions #9 & 10 (p.266)??? Not here!!
There are more little mistakes here and there - answers getting mixed up in the answer key; equations cited in the answer key don't match the equation cited in the original question, etc. Incredibly irritating.

I am very disappointed with this book. It is full of editorial errors and missing answers. There are not enough practice questions, and not a single practice tests included with this book. I am especially disappointed with the DVD, which does not add anything to the content in the book (a few videos that are nothing more than general overviews of the main sections in the book, no additional practice problems, no tests) and the website. I am still looking for the "access to 4 full-length practice tests online" advertised on the cover. For days the princeton review's website has been crashing on me. Finally, after running around the site declining one special offer after another, I stumbled onto a free practice test, which is part of their promotion for the online course. It crashed on me exactly 5 questions into the test; I can't get it back up now.

I bought this book as a refresher, it's been 11 years since I was last in college, and while I felt pretty comfortable with my ability to take an exam, I wanted to bone up on some of the math issues that I haven't used since 1996.

The Princeton Review, Cracking the GRE 2011 edition has at least three really big errors in the Quand section of the book that make it very difficult to navigate the explanations that they give. If you are really okay with things like quadratics, then it may be a non-starter. But for me it led to tons of head scratching. I got through it with the help of a math study guide that I picked up from Kaplan.

I like the only features, the practice tests were well laid out, and being able to purchase essay reviews were good. I found the feed back on my writing samples to be very comprehensive.

If the errors in the math section weren't there, or weren't so glaring, I would give this a 4 star review. But this is the Princeton Review, not "that guy publishing". They ought to do better.

I have been suspicious about the answer keys a couple times before, but today as I was running through the math section and the practice questions, I just have to conclude that the books is bluntly and blatantly WRONG. There are also questions that don't even make sense, seemingly incomplete (which in their current form would NEVER arrive at the answer given). I am really disappointed. You would imagine at least a test prep book can get all of its answer CORRECT, it's disconcerting.
Just for those who are curious, I refer to question 2 on page 220 and question 1 on page 263, as well as the strange questions 9 and 10 on page 263. It might be just a harmless misprint, but it reflects pertty poorly on the quality of this thing.

At first I thought this book was great, and I'm pretty sure it will help me out on the test a lot, but it's frustrating that I've found SEVERAL Typos and errors, which make it confusing. Some of them make it seem like they just put this edition out as fast as possible without having a single person read through it to check for errors.