First and foremost, I want to express my appreciation to the following people for heir help and contribution to the most significant communities for the GMAT and GRE exams.

bb for being at the vertex of these two great forums, GMATClub and GREPrepClub, providing so many tools (most for FREE), thanks to which thousands of students can achieve their dream score. Sometimes, it is like sailing in a sea of madness because it is so challenging. However, in the end, it is worth it. Thank you sir.
VibhuAnurag Guys if you are on the fence to find a tutor for your preparation, especially for the GRE, his help will worth every penny. His students score consistently in the 320 range of the test. Thank you for providing the graphical interpretation of the new questions in this version of the Official Guide for the GRE.
GMATNinja His contribution, skills, and , on top of that, his kindness is a reference for all of us. Thank you


This brand new Official Guide for the GRE General Exam 4th Edition is long overdue. The previous OG was published way back in 2016. It should be out in 2018 but then the pandemic disparaged the entire landscape; therefore, it has been postponed until this past January 2025. Frankly, even though the new version of the GRE is just the shortest version of the classic exam for which you can easily use the old official material, this new OG is fresh air. And we enjoy it in full, believe me.

This new OG is far from being perfect. However, it is robust and consistent. If I should answer the question: does this new OG have all the students need to have an excellent score? My answer is YES, even though not at 100%. Hence, let's dive into the positive and negative (very few) points that make it worth buying this new outcome.



POSITIVE SIDES - What we like about it

• The structure is the same as the former OG but with two more chapters. And those two chapters are what we waited for years, a nail bomb: 75 Verbal and 75 Quant questions BRAND NEW. And they are amazing. I also have the Mentor Course with the best official questions ETS could provide to you and the result is quite similar: questions for practice that represent 100% the actual real exam. . In the past, the questions in the OG were probably slightly inferior or somehow more straightforward than the questions in the real exam. Here NO. and why so ? Because they have the same imprint of the mentor course and , turns out, the mentor course is quite close tot the real exam. It is a transitive relation.
  
• We have general information about the GRE. Not so many but the essential is present. It is quite important in my view that every student has a general look to the exam is going to take. Caring every single aspect of the GRE is pivotal. Even those elements or sides that look superficial.
  
• The AWA section contains all the necessary elements: an example of AWA and strategy for every half-point increment. It is well done. I like it.
  
• We have a general overview of both the verbal and quant sections with a syllabus of the questions-type in it
  
• The overview of the sections is reinforced by practice questions both verbal and quant. 73 questions each. They are repeated or carried from the previous OG, though. They are not new.
  
• We have two practice tests designed to reflect the new unfolding of the GRE since 2023. The questions are the same of the OG 3rd edition but in smaller numbers. Before, each test had 100 questions, but now 70. Not a big deal, though.
  
• As mentioned earlier, we have TWO new Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning Mixed Practice Sets sections: 150 new questions. The questions themselves are more challenging and tricky than ever. Especially on the verbal side, we did notice how the questions are slightly more complicated than in the past. For example, three blanks are long as text completion and have multiple shifts. Multiple sentences. It's longer than a critical reasoning question.
  
  
  So to make the precise count of the practice questions in this new OG
  
  

  TOTAL Questions 363;
  NEW Questions never seen before 150
  Old questions from the previous OG 213
  
  
  We have the following breakdown of the book's sections, which are also the most important. Every mixed practice set is composed of five sets.

The following is the breakdown of the Verbal Mixed Set




Text Completion breakdown



Reading Comprehension breakdown





The following is the breakdown of the Quant Mixed Set




Quantitative section breakdown - concepts area tested.




NEGATIVE SIDES - What we do not like of it


NEGATIVE SIDES - What we do not like about it

• The Math REVIEW, as in the Og 3rd edition, barely scratches the surface of the concepts tested during the exam. it is true that in this section, there is an overview of all the notions, but if you want something to dig deeper and look at the nuances and intricacies of the math portion of the test, well, you need to look and study somewhere else.
  
• We would like to see a dedicated chapter conceived explicitly for the test day, for example. What to do or not to do at the test center. What does a student bring with him/her or less? What kind of assistance is provided to disabled or diversely abled people? This is a category we care about, and we try to help at our best.
  
• We would like to mention the home testing. Even though all this information is provided on the ETS website, having it in the book was valuable.
  
• The net worth per question is not so great. For around 50 dollars (shipping costs included but it depends where you are located geographically) you have in the end 150 fresh questions. However, for an investment of 100 dollars in the mentor course, you have a staggering number of 640 questions, and not only that, according to the official ETs website
  
  • 640+ authentic practice questions, answers and explanations
  • Lessons, quizzes, challenges and achievements
  • Content to help you brush up and build skills
  • A full-length, timed practice test (POWERPREP PLUS® 2) valued at $40

Conclusion and final remarks

The new OG is not an expensive book. It carries a bunch of new questions that are the gold standard. it has almost all the elements to prepare well for the new GRE. Of course, you need more practice to maximize your quantitative preparation with a more in-depth understanding of the math part. However, it is a must-have for your journey.

Please, guys, leave a comment down below, give us feedback, and tell us what you think. We are here to hear from you. We would be eager.

Best regards
Carcass