Best Books for GRE

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is an exam taken by college graduates who are applying to graduate school. Whether one is studying arts, business, sciences, humanities, or another discipline, their school may require scores from this challenging exam as part of the admissions process. A high GRE score is critical to set one on their way to gaining admission to the school of their choice.

The GRE General Test is composed of three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytic Writing. The four books listed below offer instructions on how to complete each section of the test, strategies for being successful before and during the test, and practice questions to get one ready for test day. While there are a lot of study guides out there, these four are the top in the industry and earned the reputation they deserve by providing high-quality material that prepares students for this important exam. With one of these books and some hard work and dedication, candidates can be on their way to earning a high score on the GRE and enter into the graduate school of their choice.

List of Best GRE Prep Books

Books	Price	Parameters
Official Guide to the GRE General Test- 3rd Ed	$27.60	Practice Tests Authentic Questions Content Reviews
Manhattan Prep-5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems	$16.99	1400+ Vocabulary Words 2000+ Questions Content Review Online Course
Kaplan’s GRE Prep Plus 2021	$24.09	Practice Tests Content Reviews 1700+ Questions Personalized Study Plan
GRE by ArgoPrep 2019-2020	$29.99	Practice Tests Manual on Test 500+ Questions
The Princeton Review GRE Premium Prep, 2021	$32.30	Content Review Practice Tests Exam Strategies
Kaplan’s GRE Premier Integrated	$13.86	Practice Tests 2200+ Questions Online Practice Tests
Barron’s GRE with Online Tests	$22.99	Diagnostic Test Practice Tests Subject Reviews Access to Online Course
GRE Prep by Magoosh	$19.45	Study Schedule Practice Test Strategies and Tips

1

The Official Guide to the GRE General Test- Third Edition

Cost: $27.60
Educational Testing Services (ETS), the maker of the GRE, offers the only official guide to the test. This book is known as the authoritative guide to the GRE for a good reason because it's made by the same company that creates the test. It is one of the most recommended test-taking guides. This guide has a good reputation because it can prepare a candidate for exactly what they should expect on the test.

The unofficial test prep books that are released for GRE can be considered to be imitations of the real deal since the book released by GRE, though not updated frequently, remains the best prep book for beginners and top learners alike. This book can be used for learning the contents and strategies and is exceptionally beneficial for the verbal section of the test.

Pros-

• This guide comes with four complete real tests (simulated, computer-delivered POWERPREPÂ practice tests).
• It has hundreds of authentic test questions and detailed descriptions of Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.
• The content areas in the book include tips for answering each type of question and an overview of the two types of Analytic Writing Tasks candidates will encounter on the test including scored sample responses with actual comments.

Cons-

• The book does not provide strategical advice one can use to clear the examination with high scores.
• Most often, candidates will have to combine this prep book with other prep books for desired results. The best method of using this book will be to use the real tests and answers provided in the book
• Two out of the four tests offered are otherwise easily available to candidates who actively look for them. So technically, the book only provides an additional two complete real tests and answers that one can make use of.

2

Manhattan Prep - 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems

Cost: $16.99
Manhattan Prep, a leader in test-taking readiness, offers a broad range of products to help candidates prepare for the exam. Though the book is relatively heavy when compared to other prep books, it is efficient and contains content that is required both by advanced learners and beginners. The flashcards that accompany the book are the best one can find for self-prep especially due to the way it tests the content the student has mastered. The book is highly recommended by students who aspire to increase their scores by a few many points.

Pros-

• This book has over 1000 pages and has more than 2000 questions (book and online). There are 1400+ words (for GRE Vocabulary).
• The book provides explanations of both math and verbal questions and concepts along with step-by-step applications of every strategy mentioned.
• It comes with an online course that can be done with an on-demand learning method that suits the student’s needs. The online course especially helps students who are a little out of touch with academics and wants to be back on track.

Cons-

• The book lacks the code that allows them to access the free online tests. While the other online content is accessible as promised, the online tests that students look forward to are often inaccessible.
• The Logic Based Reading Comprehension of the book has been reviewed to be different from the original GRE examinations making it helpful in learning the language but unhelpful in tackling the examination effectively.

3

Kaplan’s GRE Prep Plus 2021

Cost: $24.09
Kaplan’s is a trusted educational enterprise that candidates look up to when it comes to competitive exam preparation. This book has newer editions that have been tagged to be similar to the 2021 edition and hence candidates always come back to this edition for the best results. The book has online tests, content reviews, and hundreds of questions that students can benefit from.

The online question bank that has been made accessible helps one customize their practice according to the difficulty level the student requires at different levels of study. The online tests also provide performance summaries for the student whereby they can access themselves and prepare accordingly.

Pros-

• This book contains step-by-step strategies, five full-length online tests, and content reviews that can help students prepare for the GRE General Test.
• The practice tests provided are in the computer format that is used for the official test.
• The book has over 1700 questions provided along with answers and a personalized study plan that can aid the student in the way a tutor can.
• There is also another full-length test included in the book for easy access to the student.

Cons-

• The content in the book often exceeds the requirements for the examination and hence candidates who use this book as their only source of information might end up learning more than what is required for the examination.
• Since the book is quite huge when compared to other prep books for the examination, there is reported negligence in the binding of the book. One might find loose pages or end up with a book that falls apart over time.

4

GRE by ArgoPrep 2019-2020

Cost: $29.99
This is a comprehensive guide that candidates can choose to learn about the examination and its content. The book contains a manual about the examination along with video lessons, practice examinations, and online support that one can choose from or access. The book also has a 14-Day Online Comprehensive Prep Included with it. There are video explanations made available for every question in the online test.

In addition, there are hundreds of questions made available through the book. The difficulty level of the questions provided in this section is similar to that of the official tests making the preparation worthwhile. They provide a free trial of their online study guide that can provide information regarding the course before paying for it.
Pros-

• The book contains a comprehensive manual containing information regarding all the 3 sections of the test.
• It has 3 Full-Length Practice tests where one of which is available online.
• The book offers over 500+ practice questions for the Verbal Reasoning & Quantitative section of the exam.

Few More Books to Consider

5

The Princeton Review GRE Premium Prep, 2021

Cost-$32.30
The Princeton Review is one of the most sought-after competitive exam prep organizations that provide both courses and prep materials to candidates. The GRE prep book provides both practice questions and exam strategies that one can use for clearing the examination. The book contains extensively written content reviews for all sections of the examination and it also has links to online tools for exam prep that candidates can make use of.

Pros-

• The book contains content reviews and strategies that one can use to tackle the examination better. The strategies provide candidates with a foundation in understanding the examination and dealing with the questions easily.
• The book provides candidates with 6 full-length practice tests that they can use along with detailed explanations for answers.
• The online content provided for the test prep can also aid candidates in prepping wherever they go.

Cons-

• The practice questions provided are not as difficult as the ones that appear for the official GRE test. This can make the candidate remain unprepared for the actual test unless they prep using other materials as well.
• The mathematical questions provided in the book are less wordy and more straightforward, unlike the GRE questions that lean toward having logical shortcuts based on wordy problems.

6

Kaplan's GRE Premier Integrated with your Course

Cost: $13.86
This edition was published in the year 2014 and is still considered to be one of the best prep books for the GRE. The book contains over 2,200 questions along with 6 practice tests. This comprehensive new package includes strategies, test-taking instructions, and practice questions to help candidates tackle the exam. This book also includes a digital iPad download and DVD and online access to 22,00+ questions. It offers 6 Online Practice Tests and candidates can also get free DVDs and mobile applications to study. This book is stocked with a wealth of test-taking strategies to ensure that one is successful. Kaplan also provides academic support from expert faculties on their Facebook page and a guarantee that using their resources and strategies will make one score higher.

Pros-

• The book contains test-taking instructions, practice questions, and strategies for solving problems in a short period.
• Purchasing the book will provide candidates with access to the digital iPad, DVD, and online versions of all extra questions.

Cons-

• The test-taking tips provided are most often common sensical.
• Students will be able to find content similar to the questions provided as online prep content for GRE.

7

Barron's GRE with Online Tests

Cost: $22.99
Barron is a name that is well-known in the testing industry, and their GRE preparation book stands up to the name. This 688-page book comes with one diagnostic test and two full-length models of the actual test structure reflected in the GRE. Additionally, not only are all answers provided for the sample tests, but Barron provides explanations for the answers as well to help one fully prepare for what they will encounter on the GRE. With the purchase of this book, candidates can access Barron's online GRE Course and iPad app for essay preparation.

In short, the book contains a diagnostic test, separate section reviews, and two full-length model tests. Reviewers claim that perusing the text chapter by chapter for the test can increase a person’s score by 5 points in each section. The book comes at an affordable price and provides enough more content and practice questions.

Pros-

• The book contains 1 diagnostic test and 2 full-length tests all of which are based on the format adopted by the official GRE test.
• The book also has reviews for different sections of the examination along with detailed explanations for the answers to questions provided.
• The book provides answers for all the sample tests provided along with explanations for the same. Candidates will also be able to use the online course offered by Barron upon purchasing the book.

Cons-

• Some candidates have found the Mathematical section of the book confusing in its approach to solving problems. They state that important concepts have not been explained in detail.
• The explanations provided as part of the content review section can be construed to be over-explanatory. The addition of unnecessary steps in solving problems can result in candidates taking a longer time to finish the original test.

8

GRE Prep by Magoosh

Cost-$19.45
Magoosh is a leading test-prep company that provides its services at a relatively lower cost than other similar companies. Candidates who buy this book will be able to find content reviews that have been written based on each separate section of the GRE examination. The book will also provide candidates with an idea of the difficulty level they will face during the official examination based on the statistics of how many students can answer similar problems correctly. Candidates who purchase this book will automatically get a 20% discount on their online GRE prep course if they wish to enroll in a prep program.

Pros-

• The book contains hundreds of exam strategies and exam tips that will help candidates to utilize their knowledge better while tackling difficult questions.
• Candidates will be able to get a study schedule as part of the book based on which they will be able to study for the official test.
• The book also provides a full-length GRE test that candidates can use to practice upon completing their content review.

Cons-

• Reviewers state that the book is not the best option for those who are preparing from scratch for the examination. For such people, the content can seem confusing and time-consuming to comprehend.
• The chapters for each question have extensive content reviews which can seem overwhelming to some candidates.
• The book has content that is similar to their online service and hence candidates who have already subscribed to the online services of Magoosh will find it a waste of money if they purchase the book.

Some Other Resources

GRE Vocabulary flashcards
Choose between Manhattan or Magoosh Prep