Product Description

Cracking the GRE offers major features on DVD, including engaging video tutorials from The Princeton Review’s top instructors. The 2008 edition includes over 300 practice questions in the book and exclusive free access to 4 practice exams and expert advice online.

Of course, you’ll also get all the test-prep techniques you expect from The Princeton Review. In Cracking the GRE we’ll teach you how to think like the test writers and

·Solve analogies even when you don’t know the meanings of all the words in the problem
·Crack even the most complex algebra problems by plugging in numbers in place of variables
·Master even the toughest problems in the Verbal and Quantitative sections
·Learn directly from our teachers in a GRE strategy session on DVD

We give you plenty of practice problems to help you master our proven techniques. Our practice questions are just like those you’ll see on the real GRE–but with detailed answers and explanations for every question.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #158068 in Books
• Published on: 2007-07-03
• Released on: 2007-07-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Customer Reviews

Best of the Bunch
I used this, along with the Barron's book and the Kaplan GRE vocabulary flash cards. Of the three, this was most essential to my test prep. Although I feel both the Barron's and Princeton Review books had helpful ways to approach the test, what set the Princeton Review book apart was its computer-adjusted practice tests. These were essential to getting a feel for the test - acing the GRE is as much about how to take the test as it is about knowing the answers.

By taking multiple practice tests, I was able to discover the optimal way to space my timing on the test. Since you can't skip questions, it is essential to know how much time to spend to tackle a difficult question before making an educated guess and moving on (this is more of an issue for the math than the verbal). In addition, PR offers the ability to have your analytical writing samples scored. The scoring turnaround is quick and helpful. I was able to hone in on exactly what the test graders want.

The only downside to the Princeton Review is that its vocabulary, while essential and important words, is pretty small. I would take a second book or flash card system to supplement.

With the help of this book, my scores went up 400 points in total between my initial practice test and the actual test within the course of a couple of weeks. Have no doubt, Barron's and Kaplan are also helpful, but the the Princeton Review's many computer-adjusted tests and writing sample grading is what made the difference for me. Incidentally, the DVD really isn't worth it.

Excellent book, can be used alone, but I recommend using it with another book.
This was a great book! I have to say its only real weak point is that it offers less in terms of test-taking strategy, but does a superior job giving you the actual knowledge you need to answer the questions. The math section of this book was extremely in-depth and I only used worksheets I found online as a means of getting extra practice. The verbal section was so-so, but the vocab list was great. I made flashcards with all the words I didn't know from the book's lists and I ended up dramatically expanding my vocabulary. The writing section of the book was okay, but not that great. I think Kaplan's book's writing section was much more useful. I did not use the DVD at all with this book and I didn't use the online tests, but I don't know how good they are. I used this book for all of my verbal prep except practice tests and I used this book for almost all of my math review. I used the Kaplan book for the writing along with reading the prompts the ETS website lists (all potential writing questions are listed on the GRE website). Using the two books together (Princeton for review of infomation and learning vocab and Kaplan for test strategies, practice test CD, and a math topic list to guide my studying) and I got a 690 in both sections for a 1480 composite score. I had originally expected to get around a 600 in the verbal, but on a practice test I had scored in the bottom 6% on the math; using these books dramatically improved my math score. I highly recommend this book, and if you can afford it, also get the Kaplan book.

A Very Good Guide (and online resource)!
Yesss! I got a very good score on the GRE! Like many others, I used more than one method to prepare (Kaplan, Princeton Review, ETS.) Each of them, of course, has positives and negatives about them. But if I have to pick one that is the MOST responsible for my once-thought-to-be-unachievable-by-me score, it is the Princeton Review w/DVD.

Here is the thing. Much of this book's helpfulness is owed to the online access to Princeton Review's GRE website. There, you will find some very good and own to earch online lessons, and be able to construct a 'tailor-made' education plan that takes into account your present levels and amount of available time before your test.

The most invaluable thing about the online feature is the GRE computer adaptive practice tests (4 of them, with purchase of this book). Yes, there are many other books that offer sample tests, but - unlike the Kaplan CD I bought, and the ETS PracticePrep disc you will recieve - these sample tests actually emulate the "computer adaptive" component of the GRE.

This is important because, as the test adjusts the presented questions to your presented answers (when you get a question right, the next question is harder, etc.), this is a HUGE component. These sample tests teach you exactly how much weight to put on the first 5 to 10 questions, etc. In other words, "computer adaptive" piece to this test is a big component and if you don't practice with tests that emulate this feature, then you are only "kind of" practicing. (If anyone doubts this, take one of the ETS PowerPrep tests and see what score you get; then take one of the Princeton Review online 'computer adaptive' practice tests and see the difference.)

While, in my book, this practice was the biggest contrubutor to my score, there are other great features to this book also. The "hit parade" is a list of words most likely to appear on the GRE (as determined by the words that have shown up in previous years). And as others have mentioned, anyone who is having trouble with the writing section will find a great deal of good informaiton and practice prompts in this book.

(The last feature that I will mention is part of the online component, and will be particularly helpful to those struggling with the writing. When one is taking the Princeton Review's online practice tests, one has the option - for around 6$ per test - to submit their composed essays from that test to have them graded by live graders (who use the rubric used on the GRE). Scores to this will come back within a few business days and are accompanied by helpful explanations of the scores. Big help!)

All in all, I cannot say that this book was the sole contributor to my good score. Kaplan also has a solid product (particularly for verbal and math explanations), and the ETS CD and book are good in that they contain ACTUAL practice questions from past GRE's.

There is no doubt, however, that had I not had this book, DVD, and online component, though, my score may well have been much lower.