Shorter GRE - Best Test Books

There is no one-size-fits-all book to prepare for the GRE test. After all, if we would have just one book, a sort of panacea for every aspect of the test, it would be easy to have just ONE book, but this would not reflect what in the end the GRE is: a challenging test.

The GRE is like a puzzle. You need several elements or notions, gather them together, and put them in your toolbox to use when is necessary. In other words, to tackle this test, flexibility is paramount. Therefore, more than one source (a good source I would say) is pivotal to use from the very beginning.

Usually, these following books are a great starting point - they get you familiarized with the test format, sections, timing, and main strategies. Picking a book might be real quick, just search on amazon and that's it. However, this choice has great impact on your preparation since the very first moment, here is why:

• the time and effort you infuse into your preparation can conclusively impact your final score and your chances to get into the BS you want to attend;
• the right book not only is helpful to shorten the time dedicated to the study but also will make the process less painful and more fun in the end;
• the practice questions contained in them - considering that they are NOT official books for the vast majority - must be as close as possible to the real GRE. Otherwise, practicing not good material will hurt you more than to have benefits you. You would have the false feeling to be prepared and in the end during the real exam will be a disaster.

1. The Official Guide to the GRE General Test 3rd Ed
Published by the creators of the GRE. Must have to access to roughly 350 real GRE questions but lacks any strategies.
Strengths:
1. 350 real GRE questions
2. The practice questions follow actual GRE test patterns - great to have one's ear trained
3. The questions, both quant and verbal, in the book are still pure ETS original material.The best and probably the only thing you need for the best score.
4. In Every quant question explanation there is a reference to the strategy used for that specific question
5. The OG contains TWO full tests in the book
6. The examples provided as a response to the Issue and Argument AWA in the section and why that particular essay is graded as 6, 5 and so forth is definitely the PLUS of the guide, overall.
Weaknesses:
1. The book does not contain any particular strategy or different strategy to tackle a question from a different perspective angle. I.E, more than one way to solve a question
2. Mostly low and medium-difficulty questions. Not very helpful to a person aiming to get above 300 or more.
3. NO vocabulary section




2. GRE Math & Verbal Strategies Set
Strengths:
1. Strategies & Questions that cover EVERY single aspect you need for the GRE
2. The strategies provided will help you to go from the very ground up to the most advanced and obscure notions.
3. The practice questions follow actual GRE test patterns - probably the only book on the market
4. Every single lesson is simple and easy to follow yet very robust. Nothing is left to chance
5. The book's organization is basically flawless
6. The book has six full tests to it. A bang for the bucks
Weaknesses:
1. The major negative side is that the previous highly acclaimed Set of 8 GRE Strategy Guides had at the end of every book 60 questions divided into 3 batches: easy, medium, and hard.
They were a blessing for those that at the end of the book would practice at the best the notions learned throughout the book.
Perhaps, those questions now are part of the questions bank that comes along with these two books, on a "diet"




3. GRE Prep Plus 2023 (Kaplan Test Prep)
Strengths:
1. 1,500+ questions, 6 practice tests, online content with videos explanations/strategies/mini-drills/full-length exams in the end. In brief, probably the best books for the GRE
2. The book provides the best all-around preparation for the GRE with foundations for each section of the GRE test. And well beyond with a section of advice for the test day and for the admission process into the BS.
3. More content provided by the competitors.
4. We do like specifically the RC questions: probably the best aside the Official ones
4. For what we get, we have a bargain. Especially for the overall quality
Weaknesses:
1. The quant theory is not so in-depth as provided for example by Manhattan. If you want a very top score probably is not the best pick you could make
2. The AWA section could be way better.





4. GRE Prep by Magoosh
Strengths:
1. 150+ really close GRE questions
2. The practice questions follow actual GRE test patterns. However, we found that several of them are a little bit off from the real ones
3. The explanations are well crafted. This is a crucial aspect when you are preparing for the GRE. You learn more from a good explanation than from 10 questions while practicing.
4. One of the key aspects we always take into account when we review a book is if it has the level of difficulty of the questions: easy, medium, and hard. Pivotal reference for the student
5. The book is well organized and comes with: a study plan, a good AWA section, a vocabulary list, and also tips about your preparation
6 Overall, a good quality product.
Weaknesses:
1. Just one full GRE test is provided with the book
2. Not as many questions as provided by other GRE books.




5. Cracking the GRE Premium 2020
Strengths:
1. 6 Practice Tests +
2. Covers each section of the GRE test with a good theory
3. The verbal side is pretty decent and the Tc and SE are better than Kaplan in our view
3. Lot of tips for the exam.
4. A good pick overall.
Weaknesses:
1. Some practice questions do not reflect the real GRE questions or a far too easy
2. The math theory barely scratch the surface. It is not suitable for a top score.