I am about to start the fun that will be GRE prep over the next few months and was wondering if anyone has suggestions for good study guides or classes in the area.

There are a lot of classes available around Raleigh but for 400 bucks, id want someone's feedback.

Books are giving me the same problem with the sheer number of them available.

Also, I have to make sure the books are updated for the most recent version, which may be an issue if any of you took the GRE ~2 years ago or more.

Thanks!

1/5/2009 11:04:24 AM

I'm going through the same process. I'll probably take it in March. Not sure how classes would help. Just learn a few new vocab words everyday and practice simple math problems.

As far as books, I've been looking over the "Crash Course for the GRE: The last minute guide to Scoring High: Learn 10 Simple steps in Less than 1 week: 2nd Edition" It is full of great tips and strategies.

http://www.freerice.com

1/5/2009 3:21:13 PM

you dont need it

its just like the sat and not difficult at all

1/5/2009 3:24:59 PM

^ Very much so. The only thing that got me was the verbal part. Just like on the SAT's! Study those shmancy GRE words and you'll do just fine. Also, make sure you use up all the break time they give you so you give your brain a break between sections. It would've helped me a little more on the vocab sections I think.

1/5/2009 3:27:20 PM

Quote :

"you dont need it its just like the sat and not difficult at all"

And, if you need a book, you can't go wrong with Barron's, Princeton Review, Kaplan, or the College Board/ETS.

Go to a bookstore and flip through them, and choose the one you like the best. Before you decide on a publisher, you need to see how much time you have a decide on a thickness (of the book). Then, get the one you like.

1/5/2009 3:30:03 PM

When during undergrad should you take the GRE? I'm a junior beginning to look at grad schools and I hear varying things from second sem jr year to second sem sr year?

1/5/2009 5:56:57 PM

I took it the summer after my junior year. Had plenty of time after getting the results to get all the paperwork in on time for my December/January application deadlines. I had a book someone gave me to look over. A refresher on the math was helpful, took like 30 minutes just to look over everything & have that, "Oh yeah, that's easy" moment. Also, you can't go wrong with learning some new vocab.

1/6/2009 11:44:45 AM

you don't need a course. just buy the princeton review and kaplan test prep books (they have cd's with lots of practice tests), play around on http://www.freerice.com, and you'll be fine

1/7/2009 9:08:21 AM

Yeah. I used both the Princeton Review books and the Kaplan book, but spent most of my time taking practice tests over and over. The practice tests really help you get a feel for the test in general and what kind of questions they tend to ask. When you sign up ETS also sends you a disc with some additional practice tests. Plus for most of the test prep companies you can sign up to take a free practice test on their website.

I took it in September and in October of my senior year and that worked out fine for all my applications.

1/7/2009 10:11:59 AM

I used the Princeton Review book

scored something like 1190 and a 5.5 on the writing section

use the guides for the writing section
unless you're naturally a good writer - I didn't use the guide and my friends that are also good writers who followed the formula got 3's and 4's... I went WAY off formula and did very well

1/7/2009 10:15:53 AM

awesome, thanks for the input all. I seriously doubt the class is worth 400 bucks so screw that. I'm only worried about my terribad spelling.

1/7/2009 12:50:20 PM