Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, 2nd Edition (Graduate Test Prep) [Paperback]

Monique Laberge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0375762663 | ISBN-13: 978-0375762666 | Edition: 2nd

The Princeton Review realizes that acing the GRE Chemistry Test is very different from getting straight A’s in school. We don't try to teach you everything there is to know about chemistry–only the techniques you'll need to score higher on the test. There's a big difference. In Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, we'll teach you how to think like the test writers and

·Eliminate answer choices that look right but are planted to fool you
·Raise your score by focusing on the material most likely to appear on the test
·Test your knowledge with review questions for each chemistry topic covered

This book includes one full-length practice GRE Chemistry Test. All of our practice questions are like the ones you’ll see on the actual GRE Chemistry Test, and we fully explain every solution.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The Princeton Review realizes that acing the GRE Chemistry Test is very different from getting straight A's in school. We don't try to teach you everything there is to know about chemistry–only the techniques you'll need to score higher on the test. There's a big difference. In Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, we'll teach you how to think like the test writers and

·Eliminate answer choices that look right but are planted to fool you
·Raise your score by focusing on the material most likely to appear on the test
·Test your knowledge with review questions for each chemistry topic covered

This book includes one full-length practice GRE Chemistry Test. All of our practice questions are like the ones you'll see on the actual GRE Chemistry Test, and we fully explain every solution.

About the Author

The Princeton Review is the fastest growing test-preparation company in the country, with over 60 franchise offices in the nation. Each year, we help more than 2 million students prepare for college, grad school, professional licensing exams, and successful careers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Princeton Review; 2nd edition (September 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375762663
• ISBN-13: 978-0375762666
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,931,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Critical, but hopefully objective review., November 15, 2003

By 

JKW Chui (Vancouver, British Columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, 2nd Edition (Graduate Test Prep) (Paperback)

There are several conceivable uses of this StudyGuide: for initial familiarization of basic materials (that often is not covered in standard undergraduate curriculum), for subsequent in-depth study, and for practicing on the model tests / questions included.

Writing a book that concisely yet succinctly covers every aspect of undergraduate curriculum in chemistry is a behemoth task, and it deserves credit for bringing up most of the material I've encountered in either other model tests, or the actual GRE I've taken. I estimate the coverage of the material on my actual exam be about 90%.

I would not recommend anyone to rely solely on this for in-depth studying. As mentioned by a large number of reviewers, the guide is in much want of care and quality. I wonder if there has been any reviewer who have gone through the book before publishing. To cite an example, I refer you the Physical Chemistry practical questions #20 (pp. 277).

The question implicitly requires examination and interpretation of a graph; however, the graph is nowhere to be found with the question; in fact, it is located with the *answers* on page 281. There are 4 pieces of possible facts that constitute the answer - I, II, III, V (not a typo on my part). The answers are [A. I and II] [B. II and IV] [C. II and III] [D. II and IV] [E. I and IV] - again, not a typo on my part for B and D to be identical. 3 critical errors in one single question is perhaps abit too much.

Beyond the careless in proof-reading & preparation (like the multitude of five-bonded carbons), some of the material is outright *wrong*. To cite an example, on page 314, Median is defined as 'the value that appears the most frequently in the group' - this is the definition for Mode (median is the value in the middle of the series of number). These seriously hamper the use of the StudyGuide as a study guide - afterall, in case of doubt, one is never sure whether to trust the book or not!

The model test is of appreciably better quality. My suspicion is that it's cropped directly from ETS materials (since some questions recurred from other guides) so there is not much to comment upon.

My advice is to get an old edition of this book and treat it as a half-rotten treasure map. Yes, there's an X and some landmark that could be worth looking at - but to trust it wholehearted, and expect it to actually lead you to the treasure is something I'd do only as last measure.

JKWC.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do Not Waste Your Money, August 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, 2nd Edition (Graduate Test Prep) (Paperback)

Do not waste your money for this lousy prep book. This is the worst chemistry book that I have ever seen. I just can't believe that this book actually is in press despite having so many mistakes ... It seems to me that this book was not edited by people who know about chemistry before being published. Believe me, mistakes in this book are countless .. starting with a carbon with five bonds, a carbocation having four bonds, and so many more. The more I read this book, the more upset I became.

There are so much inaccurate information as a result of poorly edited chemical strutures drawings. For example, in page 173, the structures drawn showed that ketones react with amines to yield amides, which this reaction couldn't possibly happen (unless if there are such reactions that I haven't been taught in college).

I am deeply disappointed with this GRE Chemistry book (however, I am quite satisfied with the general GRE prep book by The Princeton Review)). So, if you need a study aid for GRE chemistry, your undergraduate textbooks and notebooks are actually your best bet to score high on the test.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Is this book reviewed by chemists????, July 2, 2003

By 

SW in VA - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cracking the GRE Chemistry Test, 2nd Edition (Graduate Test Prep) (Paperback)

This is the most awful chemistry review book I have ever read. I cannot trust any of the information given in this book to be true because of the many mistakes that were made.
The most amazing thing occurred on the top of page 132: There are 5 bonds to carbon! Within the same example, the molecule containing a double bond is an alkene NOT an alkane. Other simple errors also occured, such as on page 111 when they spelled iso-butane, "iso-butnae." Also, on page 104, they spelled naphthalene, "naphtalene." Is there not an editorial staff looking for these errors? I must say I only read pages 104-132 because I fear to see MORE obvoius mistakes made. If you want to learn something about chemistry, DO NOT get this book!!