Customer Reviews

Kaplan GRE Vocabulary Exam in a Box

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

These cards suited my purpose well. I have about a month before my GRE general exam but I gave myself 5 days to work through this entire box so I would learn them all before I had a chance to get bored and before my summer course started and I had other things on my mind. That's 100 cards a day, which is quite a few but, by going through each set, setting aside the words I already knew, and then drilling myself on the remainder, I learned them all and learned them well! So lets evaluate the cards themselves...

1) Physical Quality of Cards: The cards are each 3 1/4" x 2 1/8". This was a good size for me, not too small to read but still portable. They are made of a thin but glossy (not matte) paper. They are definitely sturdier and easier to use than cards made from writing paper but don't expect them to be cut from a stiff cardstock. The only time the quality of the cards was an issue for me was when I accidentally splashed a few drops of water onto some of them. Water, I discovered, will cause them to almost immediately warp. However, I wiped them off right away and then put them back in the box where they fit in snuggly with the other cards so that they dried completely flat. Also, because the cards are thin, sometimes static causes them to cling to each other and it's easy to accidentally pick up two cards rather than one and not notice until you see that the definition on the back doesn't belong to the word on the front.

2) Effectiveness of Wordlist: On practice GRE tests, etc, I have seen many of the words in this box (eg. desultory) but also many other words that were not in the box. After I learned all of these, I began supplementing my vocabulary study with additional wordlists. For example, the Barrons word list of high frequency GRE words has 300 words more than Kaplan. Also, I was tipped off by a fellow GRE testtaker to [...], where you can improve your vocabulary and donate rice through the UN World Food Program at the same time.

3) Accuracy of Given Definitions: I often needed more than the given definition to fully understand the meaning of words that were completely new to me and to understand how they are typically used. For example, I learned the word meretricious from this box, where the definition was given as "falsely attractive". I was a little shocked therefore when I came across this word elsewhere defined as meaning "like or relating to a prostitute". I'd like to know in advance if I'm going to use a word that means that. While another dictionary definition of meretricious is "insincere, based on deception or pretense; showy in a cheap, inappropriate way", it's origin is definitely truer to the former meaning. It comes from the word, Meretrix, meaning harlot. I worked through some of these cards with a friend and we came across additional cards where the given definitions were very narrow or otherwise somewhat questionable. So, don't rely solely on the definitions given. It's easy enough to google any word (eg. define: meretricious) to see multiple definitions and get a better idea of the way it is actually used. Furthermore, the more you engage with the vocabulary, the better you will learn it.

4)Quality of Sentences: Together with the other information provided on the back of the cards, the sentences did help me to both remember the meaning of each word and understand how it is used. No complaints here.
Ex. Calumny - The unscrupulous politician used _calumny_ to bring down his opponent in the senatorial race.

5)Accuracy of Provided Synonyms: On each card, there is a list of "synonyms", however these are sometimes better thought of as families of related words. For example, according to the Kaplan cards, these words are equal in meaning...
languid = weak
desultory = unplanned
winsome = attractive
lampoon = tease
attenuate = water (not water down)
and
largess = present.

6)Accuracy of Provided Pronunciations and Elements of Speech: Most of the time the pronunciation was correct and useful. I recall that there were at least a couple of cards where the wrong syllable was emphasized (underlined)...I checked these with a dictionary and found that, if I had trusted the cards, my pronunciation would have been incorrect. You can sound as goofy as you like however and still get a 800 on the verbal reasoning section of the GRE since pronunciation is not tested there. In the provided 'Elements of Speech' categorizations (is it a noun, verb, adjective, etc.), I didn't notice any errors.

7) The box: I really like the box that the cards came in. The set is a very compact portable size, the box itself and the lid are made of an extremely sturdy/hard and high quality glossy blue and green cardstock (image provided is accurate), and it holds the cards snugly so they don't easily fall out. It would be nice if they sold blank index cards (of the same petite size) in boxes like this...

In the end, I just wish there were a second set of cards, Kaplan GRE Vocabulary Exam in a Box II...but I'll have to make my own in order to continue preparing for the GRE general test and expanding my vocabulary. I also would really appreciate more help with analogies. If they added an analogy question to each card that used the relevant word (and another, of course), that would be just perfect. The letter of the correct answer could be on the front...

Advice for fellow GRE General test-takers: Don't rely on one company and, instead of paying hundreds or thousands of dollars for GRE prep courses, spend a small portion of that on GRE materials that target your areas of weakness (take a diagnostic practice test early on!). There are lots of materials available for self-study and, of course, you can do self-study, that's why you're applying to graduate school! :-) Hope this review was helpful...Good luck everyone!

I decided to take the GRE basically on a whim, and scheduled an exam right after I had finished finals for that particular semester. I did use a few other study methods for the exam, but this was by far the most helpful in a short period of time. I studied these cards intensively for about three days and ended up with a 700 on the verbal section. Take the deck once you get it and quiz yourself over them. Take all the cards you didn't get right and put them into one pile, and then study those. It worked well for me.

I bought several different study aids and used them all. This was the best of the lot. These words actually showed up on the test I took.

As others have written in, while the cards cover most of the frequently used GRE vocab words and are an extremely helpful way to study, be wary of the some of the definitions. Kaplan doesn't always provide the best definitions or example sentences. They often define the word as a verb and then use it as an adjective in a sentence, for example. In addition, they often don't provide all of the possible definitions, and it's the secondary definitions that get you on the GRE. The card design is extremely helpful, but I had to relearn many words from other vocab sources.

The GRE Exam in a Box is a collection of 500 words commonly used on the GRE verbal section. I found this an excellent way to increase my vocabulary for the GRE, and many of the words I learned were actually on the test. I tried making my own flash cards, but much preferred using these cards. They had the word and its pronunciation on the front, and the definition, an example sentence, and synonyms on the back. The cards are sturdy, and were in good shape even after being carried around in my pocket. The definitions were simple and straightforward enough to be remembered easily.

I purchased these cards in an attempt to build my vocabulary for the GRE. However, they proved to be pointless. I took the time and the effort to memorize all the words, as well as the synonyms for each word. When I took the GRE practice tests from Kaplan, the words showed up, I knew the answers, and I did well. When it came time to take the GRE however, only one word from the entire box showed up, and I ended up guessing on majority of the questions. Needless to say, I did not do well. While these cards did build my vocabulary, it did not help for the GRE.
I had glanced over the root list that Kaplan gives in their GRE Premier Program book, but didn't study the list as much as I should have. I will say that it would be much wiser to study the root list that they give, and not concern yourself with knowing these words too much. Plus, their Premier Program book gives much of the same words, so all you have to do is make flashcards yourself.
For some people, these cards seemed to have worked, so perhaps it was just me that didn't work for. But it should be noted that a common theme among all these reviews is to study the root list. Studying the root list will get you through a lot of questions, whereas memorizing 500 words and definitions, as well as all synonyms, didn't really seem to have a big impact on my performance. I leave the decision up to you.

Embarrassing quality from Kaplan. The words they have chosen may be appropriate and certainly seem like "GRE Words", however, the word choice, sentence examples, and even the definitions are terrible. Did they even have an English instructor take a look at them?

The example sentences often use an obscure or not-intuitive usage of the vocab word. For example, "inimical":

"Even though a cease-fire had been in place for months, the two sides were still inimical to each other."

The point being: You would NEVER see this sentence in a newspaper or book...why didn't they use a more common usage of the word as an example? Like "...inimical to good health...".

More examples abound. This terrible work and an embarrassment from Kaplan.

I bought this box of vocab words after taking the GRE and not being happy with my scores. The verbal section is tricky because how well you do is highly dependent on your vocabulary level. Over the course of 2 months, I learned all 500 words in that box by walking around with a few of the flashcards at a time in my pocket and testing myself during free moments. By learning the words and doing countless practice exams and questions, I raised my verbal score from 540 from 710.

The cards themselves are fairly small and slightly flimsy, but I liked them that way because they were easy to carry around. The front of the card has the word, part of speech, and pronunciation; the back has a succinct definition, a sample sentence, and synonyms. The words I learned were very representative of the vocabulary on the GRE--I saw a dozen or so on the exam I just took.

Bottom line: Only buy these cards if you have the self-discipline to use them, but if you do use them, you will definitely raise your score.

I purchased both these and the Baron's GRE cards, studied each religiously for about 3 weeks, and took my test. I much preferred the Barron's cards to these. The cards are flimsy and, while the words are hard, the ones that actually appeared on my test were the ones that both Kaplan and Barron covered. I also preferred the definitions and format of the Barron's cards. More of the synonyms/antonyms on the Barron's cards also appeared on the actual test and one part of the analogy did too.

These Kaplan cards are good to get if you have plenty of time, but the words were needlessly difficult and might serve more to make you paranoid.

easy to take it on the go, but somewhat cumbersome caring it on the bus. Only take a few cards out at a time to memorize them, or you might become overwhelmed. Great for studying with a friend. Type is appromixately 10-12 font size. Also writing the words out is helpful.