What immediately hits you is that this book provides down to Earth examples and spells everything out in plain English so you can understand it easily. It doesn't sound like it was written by your 5th-grade algebra teacher (snore). As soon as I got it, I was impressed. It has some of the best examples from the GRE and advice from expert test takers to go along with an awesome online course that makes studying fun. Overall it's a perfect fit for someone who hates taking tests (who likes them anyway?). It isn't perfect, but it's great value for money and perfect for someone who needs to a simplified way of studying. Here's what you will like and what might give you a headache if you're a picky studier.
What I Love about This Book
As soon as I cracked the first page of the GRE Prep by Magoosh I knew my life was about to get a lot easier. This isn’t your typical GRE prep book which drills you with questions until your brain turns to mush but instead offers a practical guide to study and success. It puts you on the right track from the very start with a carefully thought out study schedule which starts on the day you open the book and finishes the day you pass the test. It couldn’t get any easier! Here are some other unique ways this book will simplify your studies and prep you for the big test.
- Tips and FAQs- The first thing you need to know is what you’re getting into (“What?! I need to know math for this test?!”). Magoosh has compiled some of the top questions and answers from past test takers to calm your nerves and let you know exactly what to expect.
- Expert Questions from Expert Tutors- Once you have your bearings they get straight into it with 130+ questions designed and analyzed by expert GRE tutors. Not only can you test yourself with the questions but they even provide in-depth explanations and statistics to help you measure the difficulty level (and your progress).
- Teaching, Not Just Testing- Yep, it’s time to end your post-grad couch potato phase and get learning again! Comprehensive chapters on all the parts of the test work to teach you what you need to know instead of just making you run the gauntlet of question after question. There’s even an extra chapter on the analytical writing category to turn your chicken scratch into Shakespeare.
- Practice (Testing) Makes Perfect- One complete practice test with answer key is provided and includes detailed explanations for all the answers. It’s just what you need to see if you’re ready for the real thing (as long as you check the answer key after taking the test!).
A Few Concerns about the Book
As you can probably tell so far from the review, I think this book is fantastic, but in the spirit of leaving a balanced review, here are some things might leave you a bit less than thrilled.
- The Online Program Isn’t Included- The Magoosh online program is a companion to the book (and I’d highly recommend it), but it isn’t included with the book. The good news? The book comes with a coupon for 20% off the full online package.
- A Bit Light on the Questions- This book has fewer exam questions than some others, which might be a problem for you if you’re looking for a test prep book that just contains a ton of questions and a key.
Well, there are my thoughts on the Magoosh GRE Test Prep book. It may not be perfect, but for my money, there’s no better way to plan, study, and conquer the big test.
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