If it’s on the GRE, it’s in this book. Cracking the GRE with DVD, 2011 Edition, includes:
• Access to 4 full-length practice tests online, plus more than 300 questions in the book
• Everything you need to know for the current version of the GRE, plus info on changes coming in late 2011
• Detailed explanations for every practice question
• Engaging video tutorials from our top instructors
• Practical information on the what, when, where, and how of the GRE
• Techniques for turning difficult algebra problems into easy arithmetic problems
• Strategies to help you solve even the toughest questions in Text Completions, Reading Comprehension, Quantitative Comparisons, and more
• Online, interactive tutorial lessons with extra practice problems
- Paperback: 464 pages
- Publisher: Princeton Review; Pap/DVD edition (June 8, 2010)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0375429786
- ISBN-13: 978-0375429781
- Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 1.2 inches
- Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
Cracking the GRE is by far the most user-friendly and helpful GRE prep book!!!, June 29, 2009 By Ian W. Ettinger
I just finished studying for the GRE with Barron's, Kaplan, ETS, and Princeton Review, and Cracking the GRE is by far the best out of the four. Its math and verbal sections are incredibly user-friendly and helpful, and the analytical writing section is essential if you want a top-scoring essay on the test. Princeton Review not only tells you exactly what you need to do to get the highest scores on your essays, but its website also offers LiveGrader, a service which allows you to have your essays scored by actual graders (not computers!) for $6 per test. This is much cheaper than the grading service ETS offers ($13 per test)! The math section is excellent for someone (like me) who is not gifted in math, with the most simple, clear, and useful explanations of any GRE prep book I've found. As far as I'm concerned, Cracking the GRE is ESSENTIAL to do well on the GRE!! The only caveat I would add is that if you want a top score on the verbal section you'll also need to reference Barron's comprehensive vocabulary list, which is unmatched by any other book...
Good advice on strategy, but very few practice questions, October 1, 2009 By lalina
This book should not be the only source you use to study for the GRE. While it does contain advice on helpful strategies to employ to answer the different question types, it has very, very little practice, which is precisely what you need most to adequately prepare for the GRE! The DVD that accompanies the book has very little material on it, and even less material that is useful. If you do want to buy this book, choose the non-DVD option and save yourself some money. I don't find the Hit Parade very useful because it just lists the word, part of speech (noun, adjective, verb) and the definition of the word, without giving the word in context. They encourage you to put the word in a sentence yourself, but this is difficult for words that you are totally unfamiliar with (you may be using it the wrong way). I like Kaplan's strategy better, which is to place a word in a sentence, because it helps with recall. Kaplan also creates sentences in which the meaning of the word is clear.
A positive: the PR book comes with a product key which you can plug in on the Princeton Review website and get access to four full-length practice tests and some practice lessons and drills. You can get a demo version of what I'm talking about for free on the website (even if you don't have the product key), but the product key unlocks some more options. Curiously, the study plan that PR provides you with (on the website) tells you to practice using ETS's "Practicing to Take the GRE: General Test, 10th Edition" -- so they expect you to buy yet another book.
Bottom line, PR is good for strategy, but bad for practice. My boyfriend used Kaplan and I'm using some of his material (flashcards, pocket reference, etc), and I'm finding Kaplan much better for verbal (I haven't gotten to the math section yet).
I like the strategies better than Kaplan's, July 4, 2009 By T. Duda
I echo many peoples' sentiments in that I feel both the Princeton Review and Kaplan books are useful. Personally, I like how this book is written better than I do Kaplan's. I also like the strategies a little more. Both are good though. If you're not going to take the courses in person, then I would suggest getting both this text and Kaplan's. The more practice the better. One thing that I found interesting is that after combining Barron's, Kaplan's, and the Princeton review's top 250, top 200 (and top 400 found online after signing up for the online supplements), and top 450 (Hit Parade and beyond the hit parade)words, respectively, I came up with about 940 words. You would think that there would be more overlap; I guess not.
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