How to Prepare for the GRE: 2005-2006 (Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE: Graduate Record Examination) [Paperback]

Sharon Weiner Green (Author), Ira Wolf Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0764132709 | ISBN-13: 978-0764132704 | Edition: 16

Students planning to take the Graduate Record Exam will find six full-length model tests with answers and explanations in this up-to-date manual. They will also find intensive test topic reviews covering antonym questions, analogy questions, sentence completion, reading comprehension, vocabulary, analytical writing, quantitative comparison, data interpretation, and math. A 3,500-word master vocabulary list with definitions is supplemented with a GRE high-frequency word list.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

[back cover]
Choose Barron’s Method for Success on the GRE Test

Read and understand the overview of the test

Devise your personal study plan to strengthen your weak areas

Use this book’s subject reviews to improve your skills in all test topics

Take the practice tests and check your score after taking each test

Review the answers and explanations for all test questions

It’sYour Path To a Higher Test Score

Product Details

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series; 16 edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764132709
• ISBN-13: 978-0764132704
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #983,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For This One Plan On 3-6 Months of Practice, July 22, 2006

By 

Martin Asiner (jersey city, nj United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Prepare for the GRE: 2005-2006 (Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE: Graduate Record Examination) (Paperback)

The GRE is no joke and neither should be one's preparation for it. The 16th edition of Barron's HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE GRE 2006-2007 is about the best single volume edition for home study. I had already taken some pay to learn courses for the GRE and there was nothing in those courses that Barron's did not cover just as well and at a fraction of the cost. One ought not to assume that an undergraduate degree is sufficient by itself to get a high score. What Barron's assumes is that one's degree is simply a starting point and that guided suggestions will help. The authors, Sharon Weiner and Ira Wolf, provide an helpful introductory diagnostic test that closely mimics the latest version of the general test. From there, they divide the test study material in the following component parts:

Antonyms/Analogies

Sentence Completions

Vocabulary

Reading Comprehension

Analytical Writing

Quantitative Comparison

Data Interpretation

First, a mildly negative comment. The section on Analytical Writing is inexplicably skimpy. True, Weiner and Wolf explain the basics of how to take the computer version, which involves writing two essays on a computer. The problem is that they do little more than provide some very basic advice about how to structure your essay. They provide the theory behind writing an essay without much in the way of presenting finished essays. What I would have appreciated would have been several critiqued and scored essays that would have put verbal flesh on deskinned skeletons. What I recommend for test takers is to use the topics provided and write a word processed essay daily each within a 45 minute time frame. Plus, their mention of "claim," "grounds," and "warrant" seems like an unnecessarily complicated way to tell the writer to write a brief listing of ideas.

The remainder of their text is a rich mine of details, suggestions, and explications that test takers may find more valuable in some areas than in another. Those test takers with degrees in math and science may not need the more than 150 pages that cover algebra, geometry, and quantitative analysis. In my case, they were quite helpful since I have an English background. I found the sections on reading and vocabulary to be a welcome refresher on fine points. For those whose native language is other than English, they ought certainly pay close attention to these latter sections. Weiner and Wolf close out with five fully explicated practice tests.

There is no excuse for taking the GRE general test with insufficient preparation. The Barron's text of Weiner and Wolf is a demanding and arduous step toward getting into grad school. Yet, it is an indispensable step and except for the previously noted shortcomings in analytical writing, I highly recommend it.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I only spent time with the math section, October 3, 2006

By 

maggiej (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prepare for the GRE: 2005-2006 (Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE: Graduate Record Examination) (Paperback)

I took the GRE for the second time three weeks ago and did better than I expected. When I took the test before (2001), I had used the Princeton Review material (Cracking the GRE), and it definitely gave me excellent pointers on approaching the questions, guessing effectively, and managing my time. As a result, I got a 660 on the math last time -- pretty good. But I felt that the actual math instruction in PR was a little skimpy, and I got Kaplan's GRE/GMAT Math Review and this Barron's book (the 2006 edition).

The math questions in Barron's book are MUCH more difficult than those in the Princeton Review. They kicked my butt, as a matter of fact, and made me work a lot harder. The practice tests, in particular, were very challenging in the math department, and I never scored above an estimated 630. So I wasn't expecting a better performance when I actually took the test again. Low and behold, I got a better score! I really think it was the hard work I put into both the math review (Kaplan's) and the practice in this book/CD. I agree with a previous reviewer that the GRE is more about hard work than anything else. (Of course, all it really tells you is how well you do on the test and has little to do with real life or real ability.)

I give this book 4 stars instead of 5 for two reasons: there are some cringe-inducing typos and some dropped material; and the section on data analysis questions could have been more thorough. I felt as though the data analysis questions themselves had an ungodly amount of calculation as well -- an amount that never would be required on the real GRE.

BTW, there is some free material out there that is also extremely useful. The University of California system has a tutorial at its site for its students and anyone interested in applying to grad school there. If you go to the main page and search for "GRE" you'll find the tutorial. I found the questions in this tutorial to be the closest to the actual GRE questions than any other prep I used. I think the keys are: study a bit every day over a good period of time (6 weeks, say) and use as many different prep sources as you can find and/or afford.

23 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good for the practice tests, November 20, 2005

By 

Doc Dave "Doc Dave" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Prepare for the GRE: 2005-2006 (Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE: Graduate Record Examination) (Paperback)

This book is great for the practice tests it provides, and I recommend it for anyone who is practicing for the GRE. However, I think it is important to look at some of the other books out there as well. Some will be stronger in explaining the answers, but may have less practice tests, or other deficiencies. I don't know of one absolute best source to recommend to you, and I doubt that there is one. It depends so much on exactly what you need the practice on. This book is great for general review and practice, and it can help you to identify the areas that you really need to work on. Based on that you may be able to identify what other books or material could be helpful in getting ready for the test.