GRE: Practicing to Take the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test [Paperback]

Educational Testing Service (ETS) (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1995 | ISBN-10: 0446395854 | ISBN-13: 978-0446395854

An accessible and authoritative guide provides actual past exams and answer explanations as provided by the test developers themselves, enabling readers to prepare for the Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology exam.

Product Details

• Paperback: 54 pages
• Publisher: Educational Testing Serv (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446395854
• ISBN-13: 978-0446395854
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 11 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #875,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is a Rip-Off Scam, January 20, 2005

By 

Paul Watson (Oregon State University, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GRE: Practicing to Take the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test (Paperback)

I am a fourth year university student preparing to take the Biochem/Cell Bio GRE Subject Test. I ordered this book thinking that it was a work-book and stugy guide. I was under the impression that this volume would contain multiple sample tests along with study materials in the individual subject areas. At over $90, plus shipping, I was expecting a comprehensive review like the workbooks published by Barron's for the SAT.

To say I was disappointed when I recieved this book is a gross understatement. Its not even a book, it is a 60 PAGE BOOKLET. [...] This booklet contains just ONE full-size subject test, and not much more. The sample test occupies the bulk of the booklet, the remaining 16 pages offer no viable insight as to how you should study for this test, or any valuable tips to get you ahead. Examples of the "advice" contained in this useless booklet includes, "A general review of you undergrad cirriculum is the best preparation," Gee; thanks.

You can obtain a sample test for FREE when you register for your subject test. Do yourself a favor and save your 90 bucks, you can get everyting contained in this lousy booklet AT NO CHARGE. A no-name company called BookoRama in Pennsylvania billed my debit card for almost A HUNDRED DOLLARS. When the booklet arrived, it did not come with any kind of invoice or receipt, just a slip of paper that read "ALL SALES FINAL." It might as well have said "YOU GOT F*****" There is no hope for a refund. On top of it all, to add insult to injury, the list price on the back cover reads: $9.00 US!!!

I got screwed out of my hard earned cash for a worthless, nine dollar booklet. Take it from me; dont order this trash. The only way to study for this test is with your old Biochem, Cell and Genetics textbooks; NOT by dropping over 90 dollars for this SCAM.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent instrument to assess self knowledge., October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: GRE: Practicing to Take the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test (Paperback)

This booklet was exactly what I was looking for: a practice exam to determine my strong and weak areas in order to build a study plan for the real thing.

In my case, the result of the practice exam was a good predictor of my BCHM subject test GRE score (by the way, I did very well).

On the other hand, if you are looking for exam hints or a review-style publication, this is not the book for you.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These test questions are not available elsewhere, September 27, 2004

By 

ChemLady "ChemLady" (lab library) - See all my reviews

This review is from: GRE: Practicing to Take the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Test (Paperback)

The two most recent reviewers have suggested that this book is the same as the PDF file on ets.org. Although I'm sure they were trying to be helpful, that information is false.

The file you can download from ETS is an electronic copy of the same sample booklet that you get in the mail (for free) when you register for the exam.

The published book itself follows the same format (test info, outline of topics, sample test, scoring). However, it is a totally different set of test questions.

For example, page 1 of the test on the ETS website includes questions on: RNA molecules that exhibit catalytic activity; the conversion of pyruvate to oxylate; identifying a particular hormone given a description of its function; oxydative phosphorylation; a general question on enzyme catalyzation; and the turnover of molecular components through the plasma membrane.

Page 1 of the published test guide (the book for sale here) includes questions on: the importance of phospholipids as consituents of cell membranes; the stabilization of folded states of globular proteins; the ionic strength of .5 molar MgCl(2); the most efficient substrate of an enzyme; the terminal electron acceptor for noncyclic electron flow during the light reactions of photosynthesis; the most effective method for isolation of secretory vesicles from a cell lysate; the function of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (of five listed functions, you have to pick the one that's incorrect); communication among the cisternae of the Golgi complex; and theoretical implications fo the resolving power of light microscopes.

As you can see, they are NOT the same exam.

Both the ets.org PDF file and the published book include 180 questions. Either of them should give you a good idea of how you would do on the real exam.

However, if you can get a hold of the published book (which ETS has stopped making), you have twice as many questions to study from. If you use the actual questions to look up topics, then the bigger pool of sample questions you have, the better. Some people aren't just satisfied with knowing they got a correct answer; they make sure they can identify all the terms and concepts in the *wrong* answers as well.

I think the printed study guide is useful. The two reviewers who say it's not useful haven't even looked at it; they just "heard" it was the same as the PDF file on the website.