There are so many GRE study materials available today that can help you prepare well for the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). While it has become easy to get study materials, with the availability of umpteen number of GRE study guides, it has also become confusing for students to know which the best ones are. Since GRE study guides can play an important role in deciding your GRE verbal score, it is important that you understand the pros and cons of each before you finalize your choice.
A good GRE study guide should meet your individual requirements. Some students are already good at GRE vocabulary and need only some GRE practice tests to sharpen their exam technique. Some students need to build up their GRE vocabulary before they can attempt any GRE practice test. Depending on your own skill sets and aptitude, you must check out the study material to see what it offers. A CD or a password for online access accompanies most GRE books. If you will be taking the GRE as a computer-based test, then you should practice GRE verbal online. When researching study materials, make sure that the GRE study guide you choose has some form of guidance on taking computer-based tests.
GRE books are still the most popular of all GRE study guides. There are many publishers who have printed some very good study guides that you can use. The most notable books that will help you through the GRE verbal prep are Barron’s Guide and GRE books from Kaplan and Princeton Review. It is recommended to have at least two books to ensure that what is missed out in one is covered in the other. Good GRE books are well set-out, with explanatory text and practice tests. When selecting a GRE book, check the book’s style of language. The explanations have to be in simple language for easy comprehension. Also compare the GRE vocabulary word list given in the book. Select one that has the most useful number and type of GRE words.
The official GRE study guide is the GRE Big Book published by ETS, the conductors of the Graduate Record Exam. The GRE Big Book is different from the “unofficial” GRE study guides. It is a compilation of previous GRE test papers. This book does not contain any explanations or strategies to improve your GRE verbal score. But it is a very useful book for improving your GRE vocabulary and is highly recommended. Using the GRE Big Book will give you a fair idea of the GRE vocabulary questions and the difficulty level you can expect in the GRE test.
Most GRE books will have some GRE verbal-vocabulary tips and strategies on how to work out the correct answer. There are also many free books available on the Internet that you can download and use. It is recommended you have a hard copy book where you can mark up points to be referred over and over again. Ebooks are sometimes more convenient to purchase, but many of the free ebooks do not have the relevant features that an old and established book like Barron’s Guide will have. Even with the availability of GRE vocabulary-builder programs and other resources, GRE books are still the most preferred GRE study guides among students.