Kaplan GRE Exam with CD-ROM, Fifth Edition: Higher Score Guaranteed (Kaplan GRE Premier Program (W/CD)) [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Kaplan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2001 | ISBN-10: 074320526X | ISBN-13: 978-0743205269 | Edition: 5th

Features 5 practice tests, including 4 simulated computer-adaptive tests on CD-ROM. Proven computer-test strategies for a higher score.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan; 5th edition (March 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074320526X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743205269
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,752,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get the CD, ditch the book, June 27, 2002

By 

"-elle-" (Brussels, Belgium) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kaplan GRE Exam with CD-ROM, Fifth Edition: Higher Score Guaranteed (Kaplan GRE Premier Program (W/CD)) (Paperback)

Over 5 years out of college and having not studied math since my Calculus AP years ago, I was in sore need of review for the GRE. I bought this along with Barron's "GRE Test" and "GRE: 9th Edition" put out by the ETS. Getting all three was expensive, but I felt it was a worthwhile investment for my future. Just in case you don't want to do the same, here is a comparison review of all three.

KAPLAN: Practising with a computer (via CD-rom or whatever you can get from ETS online) is ESSENTIAL. The Computer Adaptive Test (CAT for short) is nothing like the SAT some of us "fogies" (I'm only 27!!) took way back when. Filling in circles with a #2 pencil, flipping between sections, and leaving the hard ones to last is a great deal easier than the CAT. If you are used to working out answers on paper, jumping from screen to paper and back again is something that requires practise to do quickly and efficiently. So for preparing you for that, the CD was excellent with its multitude of practise sections, practise full-length tests, and to a much smaller extent, a couple of the drills. You can also benefit from the immediate feedback that it gives you, showing your weak sections and strong ones, where to review, and so forth. Also, I found that all of my test scores tended to rank me much lower than the actual test. It was discouraging but helped me push myself harder. Still, the actual test was a relief compared to that, and I wonder if I didn't waste some time practising harder problems that would never actually appear, as opposed to studying more vocabulary. Is this the BEST CD out there? I don't know. I didn't try the other CD's, but I did find it very useful for what it was. Perhaps you can do better with another CD or with ETS online, which does offer a free practise test. But please do try some computer-based testing. As for the rest of the CD and book, do not even both with their review. The book and review sucked. Quite seriously. Waste of time.

BARRON'S HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE GRE TEST: For the BEST review, particularly in Math, (which was my major concern,) Barron's was the absolute best. Very clear explanations that slowly led you along to a very good understanding of the fundamentals and then progressed you to the more difficult problems in a way that you could easily understand. Practise problems WITH explanations so that you had one more chance to understand how to work a problem. Their vocabulary review list was tediously long, and that typically being my forté anyway, I was tempted to skip it. I found, however, that they included many words for which one might expect to know the definition but of which most of us probably have an inaccurate understanding. (I can't think of any examples off the top of my head.) It was a surprisingly good education for me, and I have referred back to it even after taking the test.

ETS PREPARING TO TAKE THE GENERAL TEST, 9th EDITION: Ugh. Just plain "Ugh." No CD. The review is PATHETIC. Don't use it for anything more than practise tests. BUT let me give you a not-so-sublte hint here, A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS ON MY EXAM CAME STRAIGHT OUT OF THE ETS 9TH EDITION REVIEW BOOK WITHOUT ANY VARIATION WHATSOEVER. I kicked myself for having only taken one practise test, because who knows how many more questions might have been in some of the other tests? (Probably an attempt on their part to get more people to buy their books. Shamelessly self-promoting and completely unair, but now that you know that, why not take advantage?) Use that one for its practise tests in the hope that some of the questions may be repeated AND to get the best idea of how well your knowledge meets the needs of the exam. BUT DO NOT COUNT ON ETS FOR A REVIEW.

Okay, now the part that is supposed to sell you. Every reviewer seems to put his or her score, and I have perceived these spaces more as a brag-box than a real desire to help other prospective grad-students. Truthfully, anyone can ace the test if they put in the time and effort to studying, and no single book is going to guarantee you the perfect score. To emphasize the importance of review and to keep this from being a brag box, I will tell you the embarrassing truth of just how badly my scores started off to show how these books and a lot of effort helped me. Verbal went only from a 690 to 710, but that was still an improvement. My math score went from a 400-something on my very first practise to a 730 on the actual test. And best of all, Analytical went from a 500-something (I wasn't even able to finish the section on time until many practise tests later,) to a 770. Need better better testament than that? Oh, and as for that other review box habit of bragging about all my schools accepting me, yes they were impressed by my scores, but they ALL said that academic record and experience counts even more. So put this test into perspective for what it is, don't stress too much about it, and good luck. You'll do fine. :o)

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Study Guide for GRE, May 13, 2001

By 

Just Me "MichiganNative" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kaplan GRE Exam with CD-ROM, Fifth Edition: Higher Score Guaranteed (Kaplan GRE Premier Program (W/CD)) (Paperback)

I found the book and CD to be very helpful. I used the CD more than the book to review all the lessons and then the practice tests. The CD looks just like the real GRE test which made it easier for me to feel comfortable when I took the test. CD also contains some great games to learn the vocabulary as well as antonyms, sentence completion & math review. I purchased the book based on the reviews that were on Amazon at that time. I am happy with the book and would recommend it to anyone preparing for the GRE.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't Work with Windows 2000 or Windows NT, May 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Kaplan GRE Exam with CD-ROM, Fifth Edition: Higher Score Guaranteed (Kaplan GRE Premier Program (W/CD)) (Paperback)

The book seems just fine, but with this being a CAT exam, one must be able to use the CD-ROM for the practice and full-blown exams and so here's my warning before purchasing this product: It DOES NOT WORK WITH WINDOWS NT OR WINDOWS 2000 platforms as I was so informed after being tossed around to 5 different 800 numbers, and no fix is coming down the pipe anytime soon. I told the IT helpdesk number they provide that I would be posting my comments and they seemed just fine with that (maybe this will quell the phone calls they are receiving on this matter :)).