(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best test preparation books

I just went through the process of applying to sociology PhD programs last fall.

Not falling behind: the only suggestions that I have would be to regularly read journal articles related to your research. Also, if you have some funds I would suggest going to local sociological conferences and present your research/work if you can. It's also a great opportunity for your to network and get in contact with grad students, faculty, and professionals in your research. It's important to keep in touch with them over the years so that come application time, you may know someone in the selection committee and that definitely helps.

Preparing for grad school applications process: Speaking from experience, start early and keep your applications organized. Start looking at PhD programs that you're interested in and keep a hierarchical list according to top tier programs (e.g. UC Berkeley), middle tier programs (e.g. University of Oregon) and bottom tier programs (e.g. UC Riverside). For this list, I would suggest ranking them not only on the program's national ranking but how much the program would satisfy your wants and needs i.e. department research, faculty, funding opportunities, diversity, location, etc. Keep track of this list and narrow it down to however many programs you plan to apply to. Look for faculty in your research and read their work. Contact faculty, ask them provoking questions about their research, try to set up appointments to meet them in person. If not, try to build a relationship through e-mail. This would be a opportunity for professors to notice that you are taking the initiative to contact them and being active in sociological research. They will also remember you when they are on a selection committee for a PhD program or even on a committee for a position in academia. I'm not sure if you had to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) for entry into your master's program, but sociology PhD programs require the GRE. My advice for studying for the GRE: start studying at least 6 months before you take the test and study regularly - it's not a test you can cram for the night before. I would say set up your own study plan and work off the [ETS Revised GRE prep book] (http://www.amazon.com/Official-Guide-revised-General-Test/dp/0071700528) Keep in contact with the people who will write you letters of recommendation - make sure you update them on what you've been working on for the past couple of years. It's helpful to give them your application materials so they can write you a strong letter of recommendation. For personal statements, just start writing and getting through drafts and get feedback from your letter writers. Keep track of transcripts - make sure they are submitted. Most applications are online and required unofficial transcripts but I would say triple check the transcript requirements.

PhD programs: I'm just starting my sociology PhD program, and from my own experience I can say that you definitely need to do your research on PhD programs and talk to graduate students in the programs that you're interested in. The program may seem promising but grad students may be miserable (and it's good to talk to many grad students to get multiple perspectives on the program). In terms of funding, usually PhD programs offer some form of support to students - whether through fellowships, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships. Be careful though - look to see how many years the program supports and how many years it takes for students to finish. If there's a big gap, say a program offers 3 years of support and it usually takes students 7 years to finish (unlikely but may happen), then you would want to prepare yourself for applying for external funding once you are in the program. Definitely look into external fellowships that you are eligible for like the Ford Foundation (that's a big one) and the American Sociological Association minority fellowship. There are many external fellowships outside of sociology that you may be eligible for, you might have to dig deep to find them. I haven't officially started my PhD program, so I can't tell you my experience or how to navigate the program.

I hope this doesn't sound redundant as I'm sure you underwent a similar application process for master's programs. Please feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

http://leadership.olemiss.edu/for-current-um-students/

This program is generally well regarded. Just do well in the prerequisites.

It is sort of akin to political science, but has more of the economics stuff that'll be useful to get you cool jobs (ie, you might be doing more business stuff for a sports team or something in the marketing world. Most people overestimate the size and capacity of marketing as a career field.)
Still, I would really try to CLEP out of everything you can.

http://www.amazon.com/CLEP-Human-Growth-Development-Preparation/dp/0738603961

They sell guides like this (I mentioned it earlier), but if it is an easy subject that you're looking to take for clep, reading the book should be enough to get you through it.


What did you get on the ACT if you don't mind?

If you're pretty smart, being in the Public Policy Program will sort of shepherd you from being lost in the crowd of a big school with apathetic advisers.

Also, even if you major in some random liberal arts thing or your degree doesn't exactly match what you're doing or there is no direct equivalent (say you were working somewhere in the sports world), the better your GPA, the greater the chances of you being accepted to do whatever you want to do.

Even if you decide on law school or business school in a few years, your GPA will be really important. And even if you had some sort of dramatic career change to move towards something like medicine or something very math heavy, it is a relatively small group of classes that separate you from those fields of study. Not that you should only pick an easy major or easy classes, but plenty of people decide they want to study biochemistry or biology, trash their major, switch majors, and then end up studying IMC (not that imc is bad, but making a 3.0 with biology will make you untouchable to law school, and even hamstring you a bit at the business school admissions process).

Picking up useful skills like the business/economics stuff, or a language can really help you with certain fields of study, or put you into niche positions.

Math: if you want to review basics = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBCAv_NzzPQ&t=2s - this for algebra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8wdKOsUD-4 - this for geometry. If you watched those or didn't, I'd do Khan or Uworld, whichever you prefer, and then take some sat practice tests after you feel sick of those two programs. Writing = Math, you either know what you're doing or don't.

Reading: I would read a ton to get more used to the test and increase focus and speed. Read scholarly readings - here are a few websites with lists https://www.albert.io/blog/ultimate-ap-english-literature-reading-list/ and https://blog.prepscholar.com/ap-literature-reading-list . start off light, like The Stranger by Albert Camus; don't try to read Hamlet your first run or you're going to get confused and don't know what the hell is going on. You'll increase your focus and improve. Be sure to actively read and if you don't understand a point, go back and analysis it. And when you get to harder readings, it's okay to slow down so you can soak everything in (i.e. Heart of Darkness). Try to read 30 to 60 minutes a day and you'll crush the reading passages. Just make sure you aren't tired when reading because it isn't as useful and read books you like, don't force it. Reading is something our generation isn't accustomed to and we get distracted by technology, but trust me, it will be worth. Just keep reading. And again, after you feel like you mastered it, do some passages.

Writing - https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430 and https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-English-3rd/dp/0997517883/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540762075&sr=1-1&keywords=act+english . Writing is more of a formula, just like math, you either know the concepts or don't. Buy either one. I've tried the second link but heard the first one is better and cheaper.

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There have been multiple books on math, reading and writing; I'd buy only math and writing books from the web (Amazon) if you would like to. They aren't NECESSARY, but can help. An approach to the reading passages was created by George from 1600.io . George is smart, so use George. Don't buy sat reading books from the web, George is free. For math, Khan Academy attacks on one point heavily, while Uworld gives harder, but more variety in their programs (you can also chose specific categories too). GOOD LUCK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU GET!

Yeah, I'm SO happy with the result! No lie I cried a little at the end when it spat out my score and I'm sure it was embarrassing for the lady who helped me check out afterward.

I can't recommend Official Guide to the GRE enough. It's really good at teaching you all the math you need, but I think this ETS math review pdf is the same as in the book? Anyways the good thing about the book is it has two full length, official practice tests that are a similar difficulty as the real test and loads of practice questions. I did every question in here and read the math review like three times.

ETS has two more free official practice tests, same thing as the ones that come with the CD in the book. I did both of these too and half of the Manhattan Prep free practice test to practice quant.

For more practice questions I used the Manhattan GRE and Ready4GRE phone apps. They give you some free and you can pay if you want more. The Ready4 questions felt like good practice to me and the Manhattan ones were a little harder than the ones in the ETS book.

All my friends recommended signing up for Magoosh. I didn't because it is pricey, but sometimes people sell their accounts if they still have time on their subscriptions so check GRE facebook groups or /r/GRE. They have some free things: some video lessons and practice problems, and explanations of problems from the ETS practice tests/practice books. I heard the Princeton Review and Kaplan practice tests and questions are too easy compared to the real thing, but the Manhattan Prep 5lb Book of Practice Problems, official ETS extra quant book and extra verbal book, and Manhattan Prep study guide set are all supposed to be good.

This is my second time taking it. I def did not prep enough for the first one! This time I did a full practice test first for a baseline, wrote down topics I was bad at, read the math review, did the exercises from the book, and did all the practice problems from the book. Then I took another practice test, started doing questions from 3rd parties, and spaced out the rest of the practice tests.

For the writing I read a lot of sample essays that scored a 6 or 5 and made outlines for different essay prompts. I was too lazy to write even one full practice essay though so I might have bombed that part, ahaha. I spent about a month studying and $20 on the ETS official guide.

TBH I might be taking the GMAT now so maybe I'll join you guys. Good luck studying! :)

Here's the thing. If you enjoy that workbook, and are learning words from it, you probably won't regret the investment. An engaged mind is an effective mind, and you'll definitely forget all of your flashcard words if you aren't motivated by them. So don't spend half of your study time on the book, but it sounds like a good supplement for you.

I am a big fan of learning vocabulary in context by reading high level material like the New York Times or The Atlantic. If you see unknown words, look them up. You don't have to drill them into your mind, but remembering the context in which you saw it will likely make it stick better than you think. And some words you'll see repeatedly. Those are the goldmines. Seeing a word multiple times in context will help you form your own idea of it.

Reading also helps with your reading comprehension (duh), ability to track with arguments, and recognize proper collocation, which is at least as important on the GRE as vocabulary alone.

Keep practicing the verbal material in the official guide as well. That stuff is way ahead of any other third party source. You'll really want to get to know those questions. Spend time analyzing them, seeing the traps, and learning why the right answers are right, especially for problems you get wrong. That should keep you busy for awhile, and be the difference between more than a few points.

160 is a pretty darn good score, but it's achievable. Feel free to let me know if you have any more specific questions or concerns!

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There are a ton of strategies online you could use to improve your reading speed (just google them) and using effective reading strategies also helps. Some people deep read while others skim and refer back, but when it comes to reading those strategies are really subjective so find out which one works best for you. The MOST IMPORTANT strategy for reading is to NEVER answer the questions in the order ACT gives you. For example, you should answer questions about general summation last and questions referring to specific lines first. This saves A TON of time. As always, practice makes perfect. The most useful practice book for reading I've found is this one https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0997517824/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For science, organize the passages into difficulty levels and come back to the more complicated passages (or passages that require reading) after you've finished the easier ones for the science section. This will save you a significant amount of time.
Hope this was helpful! :)

>I didn't say they wouldn't have to work hard or take advantage of other opportunities (Kahn academy, online tutoring, supplementary materials), but you implying that they can't under any circumstances achieve an education?

This sounds dangerously like bootstrap nonsense. Yeah, sure, an inner city kid can get a good education by going to their run-down public library and watching 4 hours of Kahn academy videos a day. Without any academic support system. Without a reinforcing social environment. Without a stress-free suburban lifestyle. (You'd be surprised how easy it is to study when you don't have to worry where your next meal is coming from.)

I'm a college student. My family is pretty well off. I consider myself ridiculously privileged compared to a less well-off peer:

• I don't have to spend 20 hours a week working, so I have more time to study, and i'm not tired or stressed out when I do.
  
• I don't have to stress out about loans, or spend hours doing paperwork and arguing with student loan companies
  
• I can afford brand new laptops, the newest editions of the textbooks, plus any supplementary material I choose, without worrying about it.
  
• I can afford the best tutors, prep classes, prep books, etc
  
• I can freely take summer classes (where no financial aid is available), giving me a leg-up for the next year.
  
• I have a car, which allows me to do many simple tasks (grocieries, doctor's appointments, etc.) much faster than if I had to bike or take public transport. Again, more time to study or relax.
  
  Far from an exhaustive list. And that's just the privilege of being upper middle compared to regular middle class. Think about what you're saying.

So, for Naval Aviation (Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard) you'd be studying for the ASTB. You can use resources here and here to study; my scores jumped by a fair amount after doing some smart studying.


The Marine PFT is pretty straight forward, but most people have to spend 3-6 months getting in good running and pull-up shape. You can google Armstrong Pull-up program and C25K running programs to get you started. Then, get in contact with an OSO or Navy Officer Recruiter once you've gotten in better shape.


An FAA 1st Class Medical is a pretty good indication you'd pass the NAMI physical.


edited to say; I've heard tanker life is actually pretty sweet. There's a reason KC-130Js are the platform that a lot of Marines put #1 but don't get...

I'd say focus almost exclusively on the MC for the writing section, since the essay isn't nearly as important as people think. I was actually thinking of starting an SAT essay subreddit to practice critiquing essays because that is something I could use practice with to get better at.

Reading is the hardest section to raise your score in, and you're already in the 92nd percentile. Therefore, the return on investment for any studying that you would do for the reading section is quite low. But if you're trying to get in a top 20 college, it might be worth a little studying with these:

• The Direct Hits series is quite good for vocab
  
• The author of the Ultimate Guide just released a book for the critical reading section literally today. It's probably excellent, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it yet
  
  For math, it's a similar problem; you're in the 96th percentile, so you don't have much room to improve. That said here are some resources:
  
  
• I'm a huge fan of PWN the SAT, and here's his book
  
• Much of the information in the book is available for free on his website
  
• I've heard good things about this book, and the kindle version is on sale for $3 today
  
• Dr. Chung's book is great if you need to drill exercises
  
  75% of your studying time should be devoted to the writing section.

To get an idea of the resources you'll need, I suggest that you take an official practice test. It may be the case that you're already scoring above your target score, in which case you may not need to prepare at all :-).

Resources-wise, be sure to get GMAC's Official Guide for the GMAT. For extra practice questions, the test maker has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 300 questions.

Regarding strategy, to achieve a solid GMAT score, you must:

1. Learn the concepts and techniques tested on the GMAT (e.g., circle properties, divisibility rules, past perfect tense, equation-solving, etc.)
   
   
2. Master GMAT-specific strategies (e.g., testing the answer choices, rephrasing the target question, identifying subjects and verbs in sentences, etc.)
   
   
3. Understand the many different ways the test-makers can test your knowledge of each concept
   
   
4. Hone your test-taking skills (e.g., endurance, time management, guessing strategies, etc.)
   
   Many students make the mistake of limiting their preparation to item #1 and perhaps item #2. So, once they fully grasp a concept and successfully answer 1 or 2 related questions, they move on to the next topic.
   
   The problem with this strategy is that the test-makers can take ANY concept, no matter how simple, and create dozens of wildly different questions, each requiring a different approach. Take, for example, the relatively simple concept of averages (arithmetic mean). The test-makers can take this concept and create super simple questions like this and they can create super hard questions like this, both of which test the same concept. So, to achieve a great score, you must answer A LOT of practice questions specifically-related to each concept tested on the GMAT.
   
   To find tons practice questions related to a certain concept, you can use the question-tagging tools at GMAT Club or Beat The GMAT. Alternatively, our GMAT course is arranged so that students can fully explore a certain concept. For example, at the bottom of the video lesson page for inequalities, you’ll find links to dozens of practice questions that test the specific concepts covered in that video. This format lets you fully explore the ins and outs of each concept.
   
   Finally, your study plan should include several full-length practice tests. Keep in mind that the GMAT is a test of your math and verbal skills AND it's a test of your test-taking skills. So, 700-level math/verbal skills, combined with 600-level test-taking skills, will likely result in a score that's closer to 600 than to 700.
   

Definitely take an official practice test first.

It may be the case that you're already scoring above your target scores, in which case you may not need to prepare at all :-)

Resources-wise, be sure to get ETS's Official Guide for GRE. For extra practice questions, ETS (the test maker) has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 200 questions.

As far as instructional resources go, the one that's best for you will be the one that best suits your learning style. We have a GRE video course you might want to try.

Finally, it's a good idea to have some kind of Study Plan. We have a one here if you're interested.

Cheers,
Brent

Although I don't strongly recommend it, I didn't buy any sort of practice exam nor study guide. First, I went to the Free Clep Prep Human Growth and Development section, and used all of the "Free Study Sources". The Tufts link isn't valid anymore, though.

Next, I went to this link for one of the test prep guides on Amazon. But instead of buying it, I just clicked "Look Inside" and studied every single vocab word.

I also used this practice exam. Here's the answer key.

From that point on, I would go into google and type in "Clep Human Growth and Development Quizlet" and studied up on every set of flashcards I could find.

Again, you're probably better off actually buying that practice book. It's currently the cheapest study guide you can get right now and it has a lot of good reviews. Free Clep Prep even recommends it. I'm pretty frugal, but that's just me.

Also, don't underestimate understanding the theories from Sigmund Freud and Piaget! I skimmed over them at first, but then I saw a forum post where this person was like "They were most of the exam". I'm glad I heeded that advice lol.

I have personally only used Meltzer's english book, CP's english book, and CP's math book and can vouch that all of these are amazing, but others on this sub also recommend other books. Here is a list of many of them. I hope they serve you well :] (Edit: I apologize for how huge this post is, lol)


English

• The Ulimate Guide to SAT Grammar by Erica Meltzer
  https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610454&sr=1-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+writing
  
  
• SAT Writing: Advanced Guide and Workbook by College Panda
  https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610514&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+writing&dpID=41iRh%252BJb19L&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  
  
  
  Reading
  
  
• The Critical Reader by Erica Meltzer
  https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519610443&sr=8-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+reading&dpID=51cR4Uh0YBL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  
  
  
  Math
  
  
• SAT Math Advanced Guide and Workbook by College Panda
  https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610506&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+math
  
  
• Dr. John Chung's SAT Math
  https://www.amazon.com/Dr-John-Chungs-Math-Fourth/dp/197452602X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610536&sr=1-1&keywords=dr+chungs+sat+math&dpID=51gqq9mu0XL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  

TL;DR at the end.

According to the study book I used here, the math section plays a heavy role in the calculation of a lot of your ASTB scores, especially the OAR sections. So definitely work that area heavily for your retake.

When I took the test, I did some light study about two weeks in advance of my date and scored 68 8/7/8. Honestly, I think going into the test environment calm and well-rested is as crucial as being well-versed in the material, which can be pretty broad. I took my exam at 1000, late November of 2018.

For the kind of math you get on this test, drilling-and-killing is the order of the day once you understand the nature of the problem. For any questions you don’t fundamentally understand, spend a bit of time during your practice sessions deconstructing a problem or two so you can really probe it and figure it out.

For example, the colored ball problem you listed is a combinatorial probability problem where we have choice without replacement. You’re basically counting how many things you have and comparing that to your item of interest. Differentiating between choice with and without replacement is crucial to probability problems like that one.

As for reading, I agree: all the Navy excerpts caught me off-guard as I had assumed I’d have a bunch of random SAT-style passages. I felt this area dicked my OAR score a bit because of my poor assumption.

I got lucky with mechanical and naval/aviation history in that they didn’t ask any obscure questions, except for one question about super conducting in the Mech section, lol.

I’d never touched a flight simulator or program in my life before the ASTB, so I feel like I just grabbed my ankles and hoped for the best on that section; very chaotic. I have no idea how much simulator software helps in preparation.

TL;DR Focus on math, then reading, and go into the test environment calm, fed, and well-rested. Khan Academy is your friend! You’ve got this!

Get yourself some books, if you haven't already. The two easiest scores to improve are writing and math, because those are the ones that have concrete techniques for you to study, unlike critical reading which is more conceptual. (But you could probably boost it by studying vocab.)

I recommend PWN the SAT (I know what the name sounds like but it's really helpful) particularly for the math guide.

For writing, Erica Meltzer's ultimate guide to SAT grammar is a good choice, although it's a bit more involved than the math guide.

You should note that something as small as 10 points honestly comes down to luck. You could try again without any prep and have a decent chance at getting those points- and sadly, there is no preparation technique on earth that will allow you to score exactly 10 points higher. But hey- instead of taking the chance, you might as well prep a lot while you have the time and get your score higher by even more than 10 points. It can't hurt.

Status:
Admitted: HBS
Dinged w/o Interview : Stanford, MIT, Berkeley

Background: Hispanic Male, 3.7 GPA (Top 25 public univ), 166V/165Q, PhD drop out in engineering
2.5 yrs at graduate program, 1.5 yrs in industry at the leading company in my field.

Multiple NSF Fellowships, first author research papers, awards at current company, president of outreach org.

Strategy: Only applied to schools I would be more than excited to go to. Figured I either had a terrible shot or a great shot given my background. Sold myself as an expert in science and tech that wanted to branch out into leading my own start up or VC depending on the timing.

During my reflection, when I started realizing I was going to be dinged at most schools, I realized that the essays didn't really let me get my message across. I knew going in to stick to my message and just mold it to the schools prompts, but really answering the question for MIT was impossible to convey my message outside of my resume. Overall applying to MIT sucks I do not recommend their school if the admissions office is a reflection of the career support they give students. Also, Stanford is just a crap shoot. Berkeley is doable but honestly I didn't put enough effort forward to fit my message into a measly 500 words.

The Harvard essay was the only one that let me properly sell myself, and I believe that is why I was successful there. ~800 words just introducing who I am and how I can provide value. It's the only essay I think works to sell myself. That is what the application process is about, how can you add value to the class in a unique way.

The fact that schools are slashing essays and word counts so heavily really tells me they are just playing a numbers game and looking for bullet points on your resume / how much you will donate based on your career path. It's all random once you meet the cut offs, so quantity is king. Sell sell sell your value add to the class.

I didn't use a consultant, this is really the only book you need:
http://www.amazon.com/MBA-Admissions-Strategy-Profile-Building/dp/0335241174

Feel free to ask me any other questions.

I loved these two books for practicing (especially Magoosh!! I bought them on Amazon, but look around--you may find a better price), but I'll admit I really focused on the math part since that's what I needed the most practice on. The Magoosh book really breaks down the math section into the different concepts you need to know, a lot of which I hadn't talked about in school for a long time, haha. I also recommend taking practice tests in the same setup/format as you're going to take the real test.

If you want to do a bit of work in preparation for a GMAT class, be sure to get GMAC's Official Guide for the GMAT. For extra practice questions, the test maker has a quant-only book and a verbal-only book, each with 300 questions.

As far as instructional resources go, the one that's best for you will be the one that best suits your learning style. We have a free GMAT video course you might want to try.

Finally, it's a good idea to have some kind of Study Plan. We have a one here if you're interested.

Cheers,
Brent

If you worked hard on your homework and paid attention in class and have a thorough understanding of the basics across the different subdisciplines of EE (power, microelectronics, and communications), then the FE is really easy. If you are an A-B student then it shouldn’t be a problem for you at all. You can buy practice tests on amazon. This is the exact practice test I took before taking the official test and it has pretty much everything that you can expect to see on the official test.

My advice, is to take the practice test as though you were taking the actual test (setting aside time to focus only on it in a quiet room), then use your results to see what you need to improve. Also become familiar with the FE reference handbook. They will give you a pdf version of the handbook to search through during the test, so familiarizing yourself with it will be beneficial.

I would recommend taking it now while you are fresh in college. $175 isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things, especially since it could potentially open up more opportunities (especially if you get your PE down the road).

Real, Official ETS GRE materials are are totally missing from your list.

ETS GRE materials are the best materials to practice with--especially for the Verbal section, where imitation questions can differ significantly from the real exam.

Below is an exhaustive list of all the official GRE preparation materials from ETS currently available:

1. PowerPrep Online (Free): 2 free computer-adaptive tests (CATs) containing 160 real GRE questions per test (320 total), along with a Test Preview Tool (18 additional questions and 2 more essay questions). Note: The PowerPrep Online GRE tests include the exact same 320 questions as the questions from this book.
   
2. Powerprep Plus Online ($40 per test with 90 days of access): 3 more CATs ($40 each with 90 days of access) that you can only take once per purchase. 80 real GRE questions per test, and 480 real GRE questions total, along with a Test Preview Tool (18 additional questions and 2 more essay questions).
   
3. Paper-Based GRE Practice Test (old version): Beware: only 22 questions on the old paper-based test are unique: the other 78 questions overlap with the free PowerPrep Online test #1. Do not take these paper-based tests until after you take the PowerPrep online tests, or your diagnostic scores on the CATs might be less realistic due to question repetition.
   
4. Paper-Based GRE Practice Test (new version): Beware: only 37 questions on the old paper-based test are unique: the other 53 questions overlap with the free PowerPrep Online test #2. Do not take these paper-based tests until after you take the PowerPrep online tests, or your diagnostic score might be less realistic due to question repetition.
   
5. The Official Guide to the GRE General Test, 3rd Edition: 296 real GRE practice questions, including 57 additional math exercises.
   
6. Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions, Second Edition, Volume 1: 150 additional GRE Quant practice problems, along with answer explanations / test info.
   
7. Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions, Second Edition, Volume 1: 150 GRE Verbal practice problems, along with answer explanations and information on the test.
   
8. The Official GRE Super Power Pack (includes books #5, 6 and 7 in one bundle, sometimes at a lower price than the individual books).
   
9. The Official GRE Value Combo (includes books #6 and 7 in one bundle, sometimes at a lower price than the individual books).
   
   If you add up all the unique questions in these official resources, it totals about 1,600 official questions, which for many students is more than sufficient for a full GRE preparation. However, many students need more learning, strategy and practice than the official materials can provide. With that in mind, here are some additional 3rd-party GRE strategy and learning guides that we can recommend:
   
   
10. Manhattan Prep 5-Lb Book of GRE Practice Problems
    
11. Manhattan Prep GRE Set of 8 Strategy Guides
    
12. GRE Prep by Magoosh
    
13. Barron’s GRE, 22nd Edition
    
14. McGraw-Hill Education GRE 2018
    
15. Cliff’s Notes Math Review for Standardized Tests, 3rd Edition
    
16. GRE Vocab Capacity (disclaimer: also written by us)
    
    You might also want to consider purchasing the Manhattan Prep GRE CATs, which do not include real GRE questions, but are still (mostly) realistic and make for good practice if you need more than four CATs. The first exam is free, and you can buy six more for $39.
    
    We do NOT recommend Kaplan or Princeton Review books, which are decent for mid-level scorers, but too simplistic for the student who aspires to high GRE scores.
    
    Bonus: Don't forget about the GRE Big Book, which is now outdated, but has 27 old GRE tests, which are still useful, especially for Quant, despite subsequent changes to the GRE test format.
    
    Source: Vince and Brian's (Free) GRE PowerPrep Explanations

I read this one, seems like something that would be in it, but I doubt it's the one OP is using since it looks like there haven't been new editions. Book was hilarious, had a vocal list with puns to help you remember words. Still probably useful , but you should actually do practice tests if you want to succeed.

Good for you! I work in IT/AT for a program that teaches teachers to work with students with special needs, so I know that being a teacher nowadays is a tough job & I commend you for going into the field of (special?)education.

That being said, do you still need THIS? If so, I would love to gift it to you in congratulations of your progress thus far.

1. Different people will have different opinions about what makes a law school "good" so you should look at different resources and determine if Temple's program and outcomes qualify as "good" to you. That being said, there are several rankings out there, US News and World Report is the main one, ILRG has a sortable data table that's helpful, ATL also has a list, and 7sage has some good tools, to name a few. Other useful things to look into are the 509 reports and other ABA information for employment outcomes, grant amounts, and other good info.
   
2. Don't commute, it'll drain you, especially a 3-hour round trip commute. Also, buses can be really difficult to study on I personally cannot do it, I study at home and in the library almost exclusively.
   
3. A year seems like a long time to study for the LSAT, I think I studied for ~4 months. I would spend a few hours a day studying and I would do 1-3 time-constrained practice exams each weekend, tracking my progress for each test and for each section. I used an app (i think the 7sage one, can't remember now though) on my phone to simulate test room noise and time. I used the Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible. Also, I would recommend subscribing to the Economist, its voice is very similar to the voice of the LSAT reading sections.

I highly recommend Magoohs book in combo with ETS books. Magosh breaks the math down better if that is your challenge. It also does a good job of teaching you how the GRE will trick you! Best of luck! https://www.amazon.com/GRE-Prep-Magoosh/dp/1939418917

In my complete honest opinion, I do not associate Khan Academy as the "Bible" in preparing for SAT. While it is very helpful and provides accurate questions that resemble what you would see on test day, it's all just practice.

In other words, Khan Academy doesn't really explain the concepts well, it just hosts a bunch of practice questions (and tests) that you can repeatedly go over. Yes, I'm aware they provide step-by-step solutions, but some may not be sufficient enough. There are about 1-2 videos per math topic, for example, but they are all focusing on one type of concept (e.g. one particular way to solving a proportion problem).

I think KA is great for Reading, a less conceptual and needing to memorize facts subject. Math and Reading though, I think you're going to have to hit the books.

Now you might be wondering, what books?

Well here's the general consensus, brought to you by /r/SAT:


Reading | Writing | Math
-------|-------|----
Erica Meltzer Critical Reader | Erica Meltzer Grammar | College Panda Math
| |College Panda Writing | Steve Warner 28 New Lessons - Advanced
| | |College Panda 10 SAT Practice Tests

http://www.amazon.com/CliffsTestPrep-Praxis-Education-Exceptional-Cliffsnotes/dp/0470238445/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1321540399&sr=8-15

I am already certified to teach English in my state, but I would like to study for (and pass) a few more certification exams. That will not only make me more desirable to hiring districts/principals, but it will also let me be a better teacher for the kids in my classroom.

Thanks for considering me!

I would definitely recommend to start with this collection: GMAT Official Guide (OG) 2020

- Take the evaluation test in the beginning and review some of the basic materials/subjects. This should refresh the base knowledge you need to know as well as give you a feel for how the test is structured. Then, take a free practice test online (official gmat one). See how you do and proceed from there.

​

From the above, you should be able to get an idea of how well you can perform now and what gaps you may need to fill to get your desired score.

​

For more focused review on subjects/improving on weaknesses, I would suggest: https://www.amazon.com/GMAT-Manhattan-Prep-Strategy-Guides/dp/1506219705/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=manhattan+gmat+prep&qid=1574377630&s=books&sr=1-1

​

For adv quant, many people on this subreddit have recommended TTP: https://gmat.targettestprep.com/

I know it's a little... something, but Series 7 For Dummies actually does a really good job of covering the basics of what is traded and how.

I say this as an amateur economics nerd who just likes learning for the sake of it, you may well get better advice from the pros/students on here.

I saw another comment that you wanted to know how the trading floors were set up... that is really dependent on the firms. So long as you have a basic understanding of what the various desks do you should be fine.

What's up dude. Post the exact same to someone above. Should work for you too.

Took the LSAT in June. Went from a cold diagnostic of 154 to a 167. (Retaking in Sept for a 170+). Books I used/recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/LSAT-Trainer-remarkable-self-study-self-driven/dp/0989081508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539064&sr=8-1&keywords=lsat+trainer

https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-Logic-Games-Powerscore-Preparation/dp/0988758660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539126&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+logic+game+bible

https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Logical-Reasoning-Bible/dp/0991299221/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539163&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+logic+reasoning+bible

Books I used but don't recommend:

https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Reading-Comprehension-Bible/dp/099129923X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539188&sr=8-1&keywords=powerscore+reading+comprehension

Get your practice tests here (seriously, do 20+ under timed conditions while filling out LSAT bubble sheets):

https://www.amazon.com/10-Actual-Official-LSAT-PrepTests/dp/0986045519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539233&sr=8-1&keywords=10+lsat+preptests

https://www.amazon.com/Actual-Official-PrepTests-Comparative-Reading/dp/0984636005/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469539233&sr=8-3&keywords=10+lsat+preptests

Also, use https://7sage.com/

Sign up for a free account, and use their logic game explanations. They also have analytics that will track your progress and spit out analysis concerning where your weak areas are.

Good luck!

This funny SAT book called UP YOUR SCORE would say:

"My herbal was better than my bath"


An old shrew would say:

"My burble was better than my wrath"


Just playing a little here :)

anyway, Thank You Very Much for this Reddit!!

Assuming your GPA and GMAT are in line with the schools you're targeting, the problem is probably your essays. Your essays need to assert some good qualities about yourself, use stories to prove that those assertions are true, and tieback how those qualities will help you perform at [school] and do your part to make it better.

I highly recommend this book to get inside the heads of the admissions committees. You have to put yourself in their shoes and show how you'll help the school, not the other way around.

If you’re super short on cash this is great. Add manhattan on scribd.com for $10/month and OG 2020 for $50 if you can. For $80 you can self prep hard.

I would get GMATclub.com’s tests too just because they have such useful error tracking, although you can get around that if your willing to put the time in on an excel spreadsheet. Gmatclub’s explanations of answers includes everything on that free Chinese site.

Top tip: track and attack your errors. Good luck.

I would actually recommend PWN the SAT:Math guide, it is definitely very good and it has a good reputation. here is the link http://www.amazon.com/PWN-SAT-Guide-Mike-McClenathan/dp/1495933180/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414975770&sr=8-1&keywords=pwn+the+sat

Upvote for Series 7 for Dummies. I was skeptical at first, but I think it's the best book for supporting study material.

Thanks for the contest, trying to study hard and get into a good college. I already spent all my christmas cash, so some books would be great.


http://smile.amazon.com/PWN-SAT-Essay-Mike-McClenathan/dp/1491007648/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451681637&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=pwnsat


http://smile.amazon.com/PWN-SAT-Guide-Mike-McClenathan/dp/1495933180/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451681637&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=pwnsat

The concepts tested on the ACT math are not the same on the SAT. ACT math is more straightforward and tests harder concepts.

I highly recommend buying this book. 5 stars on Amazon.

The author has a public Q&A forum where he answers questions, the guy's a genius.
Check it out at qa.pwnthesat.com

Graduated from Brown, and his full time job is writing these books and helping others with SAT math. It's the only book you'll need, and he actually gives useful tips.

I would recommend Erica Meltzer's books on ACT English and Reading sections. They're a bit pricey (>$29), but I've heard that they are excellent resources at tackling those sections.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-English-2nd/dp/1530072808/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1497577726&sr=8-5&keywords=erica+meltzer

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-Reading-2nd/dp/0997517824/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497577743&sr=8-2&keywords=erica+meltzer+act

Yes, I was referring to the FE reference manual. I typed my previous comment on my phone and its always easier to type with a computer. But yea, the Lindberg manual does 10 problems at the beginning of each major section and then throughout the section they have questions that go over a specific lesson they tried to teach you, if that makes sense. I bought mine new, but I wish I bought it used, simply because it was a good review manual, but I learn more with practice problems.

The two books I used were:
https://www.amazon.com/Study-Fundamentals-Engineering-Electrical-Computer/dp/1517777925/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W33Q3N8S9A25YRK8RWGD

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Engineering-Electrical-Computer-Specification/dp/1534759492/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W33Q3N8S9A25YRK8RWGD

It is the same author for both. Just as a warning, both of these books do have some errors, but they are easily caught. The first book has almost 400 problems, which may seem like overkill, but in my opinion, I liked it. For example, you get like 6 problems on two port theory. While on an exam you may see 1 or 0 of this problem, it was nice to see where you struggled. So if you went through all 400ish problems and noticed alot of incorrects in a particular section, you would know exactly what to review.

And yes, the problems are a bit harder than the exam. The FE exam is here to test if you know the fundamentals, not be an expert. My biggest piece of advice is this: Buy the TI-36X Pro, learn all its functions (can solve polynomials, do matrices, convert binary to hex, etc) and only use the fe handbook when working problems. I only say this because if you use the Lindberg review, he goes into great detail on how to transpose a matrix, but your calculator can do that for you. No sense in bogging down in all these "tricks" when the calculator can solve you loads of time.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0996832203 - science (Really helpful)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0997517824 - Reading (Really helpful)

I'm very skeptical when it comes to buying books that promise that they'll help me out. When everyone told me to buy these books, I believed they were lying about how good they were; however, when I read these books, it made the ACT test seem so much more simple. Also, as sk0620 said, taking a bunch of practice tests help out a lot. Every day, I do a section practice test to better my skills.

Get the official book. It shows you exactly what to expect on the test and has sample tests to practice with.

Then get a third party book, like Princeton Review or Kaplan. They give you the non-BS lowdown on the different types of questions to expect.

A friend who teaches test prep classes gave me that advice when I took the test 2 years ago and it served me well. I aced the math, but the English was a little tougher. Like musicnerd1023 said, it's mostly vocabulary words, and it's impossible to know which words will come up. There were a few words that I had never even heard before.

The math was pretty much middle school difficulty, but you have to be fast. The tricks given in the books were very helpful in showing you how to eliminate wrong choices quickly to narrow down the possible answers.

However, I don't know how much the test has changed this year. You may be screwed. ;)

I'm not sure what kind of set up Indiana has, I'm in Florida, but I suggest maybe getting the materials for the ESE teachers to help with the questions. The only thing I found when searching amazon was this: https://www.amazon.com/CliffsTestPrep-Praxis-Education-Exceptional-CliffsNotes/dp/0470238445/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467333983&sr=8-2&keywords=indiana+teacher+certification

The OG prep books from GMAC themselves is going to be your best bang per buck.

I haven't gotten into the 2017 set yet, but it doesn't really matter between 2016 and 2017 IMO. Each successive version of the official guide only provides 15-25% new questions (15% new in 2017), so they are not radically different year-to-year. Therefore, I would just go with whichever is cheapest.

I would probably go with the main OG2017 because it is on sale ($20 on Amazon). If I needed more math questions (likely), I would just use the ones on www.gmatclub.com (thousands free, though ugly format - use forum advanced search or check out PS Directory and DS Directory). If I needed more verbal questions, I would go with OG2017 verbal. If I needed more verbal questions than that, then I am studying incorrectly and really need to reevaluate my preparation strategy.

I used these:

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Fundamentals-Engineering-Electrical-Computer/dp/1985699710

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Engineering-Electrical-Computer-Specification/dp/1534759492

and they really helped a lot to prepare for the test. hint: you can buy and return on amazon when you're done :)

These are the study materials I ordered:

• CliffsNotes Math Review for Standardized Tests
  
  
• Cracking the New GRE with DVD by Princeton Review
  
  
• 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary by Wilfred Funk, Norman Lewis
  
  
• New GRE 2011-2012 Premier with CD by Kaplan
  
  
• Barron's New GRE, 19th Edition
  
  
  

Probably score 315ish. Depending on how the verbal goes. I'd aim for a 165+ and 155 verbal for your 320. Focus on verbal this last week. I'd recommend getting the Official Verbal Practice Guide and just grinding thru it during the next week. Also keep memorizing vocab words.

I guess that would be helpful!

ETS GRE Website with a breakdown of what they cover

ETS Guide

This is one of the best ways to prepare since they are the test writers. I was told this as I prepared.

Honestly, the test isn't that hard as long as you're familiar with grade school math and are comfortable with reading comprehension. The words are fairly complex, but nothing a little (or a lot in my case, with math) studying and flash cards couldn't help. And trust me, I'm no genius.

PWN the SAT Math You might be able to find it cheaper used, but it's worth every penny. I taking AP Calc and was in a similar situation. I got this book and the math section was a breeze.

1. Because it or the GMAT is required for any business school worth attending.
   
2. Whenever you have at least a couple of months to study at least an hour a day. Also before fall application deadlines.
   
3. https://smile.amazon.com/Official-GRE-Super-Power-Pack/dp/0071841814?sa-no-redirect=1

You will want to see here: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/

Then buy this here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0071841814/

GMAT Official Guide 2020 Bundle: 3 Books + Online Question Bank https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119576156/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_J2DuDbGZY7VK8

I believe it does:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-Reading-2nd/dp/0997517824

Here's the link!

I finished up with my undergrad at UCF about a year and a half ago. I'm using the Official GRE study guide by ETS I'm looking to take the actual test by the end of the year so I'm planning on spending about six months in prep.

GMAT Official Guide 2020 Bundle: 3 Books + Online Question Bank https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119576156/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_h9MmDbQKGPAG1

https://www.amazon.in/Pwn-Sat-Guide-Mike-Mcclenathan/dp/1495933180

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.amazon.com/PowerScore-LSAT-Logical-Reasoning-Bible/dp/0991299221&ved=2ahUKEwj-n_SEu7LjAhVGOs0KHZCDCRcQFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw2JF31-X_neHa275CnhxhZt