GRE Books 2023: Section-Wise Study Material and Preparation Books

GRE Books 2023: Most graduate programs at competitive universities abroad demand a strong GRE score. Hence, while preparing for the exam, it is essential to build a study plan, develop helpful exam strategies, and of course choose the right GRE books and prep materials. Doing so can help candidates acquire a score that can secure admission to their dream schools. Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, is a widely recognized test used for admissions into highly competitive graduate colleges worldwide.

Due to excessive competition, it is important to get a score above 300, which can be obtained by preparing a suitable set of study materials. With so many sources and options available in the market, choosing the right GRE books can be a tedious and confusing process. Candidates may question the credibility and reliability of the abundance of prep materials while picking out books to study from. One of the first steps of GRE preparation is to choose the study material wisely so that acquiring the desired GRE score is easier. 

Also Check: GRE Question Papers

GRE Books 2023

The GRE exam offers two testing options, which are: GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. The difference between the two is that, unlike the general test, the subject test follows a specialized curriculum and targets candidates aspiring to do masters in specified fields. For instance, students wanting to pursue a Master's in Physics or Chemistry will opt for the subject test. The General test is used for admissions in various programs which are not specialized, like MBA and MS. Hence, preparation strategy and study material will be different for both these tests. In this article, we have discussed some of the most beneficial books for these testing options to get the aimed GRE result.

GRE Books 2023: General Test Books

The GRE General Test comprises three sections that applicants need to be well prepared for. These sections are: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. It is essential that students study from books that have useful content for these sections. Students can also opt for purchasing individual books for specific sections. For instance, if a candidate feels he/she lacks quant skills, then buying a detailed quantitative reasoning dedicated book would be wise. Read on to know some of the best books to study from for the GRE General Test. Also Check: GRE Pattern

GRE Books 2023: Official GRE Guide

This is the official pack of study material designed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS,) the exam conducting body and the maker of the GRE general test. Hence, using this while preparing for the exam is likely to bring fruitful results. By studying from the official guide, candidates gain the essential information and practice needed to perform well on the GRE. The official guide package offers four comprehensive guides, actual GRE tests plus sets of practice questions, resources for independent study, and test-taking strategies to help students prepare for the GRE. 

Apart from offering In-depth guides, the pack also provides explanations of each question type, along with helpful tips on how to answer them. Additionally, it offers extensive practice questions for each GRE section. In short, the book set provides:

• Hundreds of official test questions
• Test-taking tips and strategies
• Explanations of various problems
• Quantitative Reasoning problem-solving strategies and steps
• Verbal Reasoning problem-solving strategies and steps
• Sample essay responses
• Reader Commentary

Some books from this series that have proven to be helpful by experts and previous test-takers include: Official Guide To GRE General Test, Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practise Questions, Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practise Questions, Official GRE Super Power Pack, and Official GRE Value Combo.

GRE Books 2023: Kaplan Test Prep

The candidate's complete guide to acing the GRE can be found in Kaplan's GRE Complete 2023. With the help of the three top-selling study guides, a year's worth of online practice tests, and tested test-taking techniques, students can get an advantage on test day. Students can prepare effectively for the GRE by reviewing the content, improving their verbal and math skills, and practising their pace on six sample exams.

The GRE Complete 2023 provides candidates with the knowledge they need to perform well on the GRE. The 2023 test guides series will include: GRE Prep Plus 2023, GRE Math Workbook, and GRE Verbal Workbook. 

GRE Books 2023: Manhattan Prep Guide

The next guide in the series is the Manhattan Prep Guide. Most of the GRE aspirants may have heard about this series and it's possible they may have consulted one of their books. The most bought and the one which has proven to be most beneficial in this series is “Manhattan’s Prep’s 5 Lb” which claims to be a book containing efficient practice problems. This book is recommended for applicants looking to solve a large number of practice papers. It covers over 2000 problems for candidates to tackle and solve. Moreover, the book includes interactive exercises, lessons, and modules. 

Previous test-takers have revealed that this specific book is quite similar to the actual GRE questions as it follows a similar pattern. It has around 33 chapters all of which include exercises and drill sets. It basically helps students to know what to expect on the day of the exam while also providing them with a medium to consistently practice for the GRE exam. The book contains diagnostic questions for both Quant and Verbal, Practice Questions based on every topic, Practice Sets for Quant and Verbal, and well-versed Math Drill sets. It also includes GRE AWA essay questions and topics. Manhattan’s GRE Strategy Guides is also proven to be useful for building strategies on how to ace the exam.

GRE Books 2023: GRE Magoosh Prep Series

The GRE Magoosh series includes over 100 practice questions that are backed up by comprehensive explanations and solutions. Each question and solution has been re-checked by industry experts in order to provide applicants with helpful prep materials. One of the most recognized benefits of preparing with Magoosh is that it includes well-built strategies to ace the exam. Hence, apart from practice papers applicants will also get a study schedule. 

It has especially proven to be helpful for the Quantitative Reasoning section. Many applicants who have used the Magoosh series for GRE preparation have stated how the question pattern here is even more challenging than the actual questions designed by the test-makers, ETS Each question would be marked with a difficulty rating so students know how tough the problem is. That is why candidates will be well prepared by studying through this prep series, and it will be easier for them to solve the real-test questions. Some of the most-bought books in this series include: GRE Prep by Magoosh and GRE Complete Guide to the GRE.

GRE Books 2023: Princeton Review Guide

The Princeton Review Guide is famous for its lessons and tips on managing time on the day of the exam. That is an essential skill that candidates should practice as GRE is a time-constrained test. The Premium Prep book, often considered to be one of its best-selling books, is another tool that covers all the sections of the GRE and offers seven practice tests. Two of these tests are available in the book and the remaining five can be accessed online. Apart from this, the book includes detailed information on the process of college admissions and how to strategically structure one’s admission process. Moreover, the book offers in-depth score reports based on students’ performance so they are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. 

It is known to be helpful, especially for the GRE Verbal Reasoning section. Some of the books that can be effectively used while preparing for the exam include: Princeton Review GRE’s Premium Prep, Princeton Review GRE Prep, and Princeton Review GRE Practice Questions, amongst others.

GRE Books 2023: Test Prep Books Series

GRE Prep latest edition by Test Prep is a prominent book with well-structured content for interested candidates. It is known to be a comprehensive book that breaks down the three sections of the test and provides individual and detailed content for them. Additionally, the book provides applicants with explanations of the asked questions. By studying from this specific book, students can easily brush up on various topics while also learning about strategies. This book is especially recommended for students with weak basic skills and knowledge as it will provide them with tricks on how to tackle difficult questions in an easy format.

GRE Books 2023: Barron’s GRE Test Prep

Barron's GRE Prep Course is a GRE practice book that attempts to enhance students' exam preparation with updated sources and material. Barron's comprehensive study guide is divided into different sections that offer practice GRE questions and the answers, justifications, and study guides that go with them. An introduction to the GRE and the subject matter open this the most recent edition of the Barron review book. It enables students to discover the study schedule they must adhere to for each GRE section.

The Barron team is known for employing the most recent and accurate list of GRE topics that they have obtained from numerous renowned universities. Barron also offers a comprehensive section on analytical reasoning with practice questions that should help applicants strengthen their analytical reasoning abilities. Moreover, the book includes a separate section for over a hundred vocabulary words and their definitions which is of great importance to score well in the GRE Vocabulary Reasoning section. 

GRE Books 2023: Subject Test Books

Just like the general test’s study materials and resources, the GRE subject test has its own dedicated books and study tools. Preparing for the subject test with relevant and updated books can help with maximizing the overall result of the exam. Although, unlike the general test, the subject tests are not as common and hence have limited resources. Continue reading to learn about some of the beneficial subject-wise GRE books for the subject test.

GRE Books 2023: Psychology Subject Test Books

The fundamental topics in the field of psychology will be covered on this test. Many of the questions that will be posed may be based on various areas of psychology. The GRE psychology subject test may require students to provide answers by recalling factual knowledge, comprehending relationships, applying concepts, drawing inferences from data, and/or evaluating a research design.

That is why it is essential to study from books that cover these areas while also providing practice tests, strategies, test content and structure, instructions, and answering procedures. Some of the psychology subject test books that have proven to be useful to previous test-takers include:

• GRE Psychology Test Practice Book by ETS
• GRE Subject Test Psychology by Kaplan
• GRE Psychology Prep by The Princeton 
• GRE Psychology (Barron’s Test Prep)

GRE Books 2023: Chemistry Subject Test Books

The chemistry subject test focuses on the chem-related topics and courses taught at the undergraduate level. The content of this specific exam lays emphasis on the major fields of chemistry and their interrelationships.  Mainly, the questions will be based on the areas of Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry. It is essential for applicants to study from books that focus on these fields. Although, students can also opt to study from UG-level chemistry books. Some of the books that can help while preparing for the GRE Chemistry Subject Test are-

• GRE Chemistry Test Practice Book by ETS
• Cracking the GRE Chemistry Subject Test by The Princeton Review
• Sterling Test Prep GRE Questions
• GRE Chemistry Test Prep by Test Prep Books
• GRE Chemistry Test Secrets Study Guide by Mometrix

GRE Books 2023: Physics Subject Test Books

In the physics subject test, the sets of questions will be structured into graphs, diagrams, and experimental data, and the majority of the questions will be asked from UG-level topics and courses. The majority of the questions will pertain to the stated content areas which are: Special Relativity, Atomic Physics, Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and other such Specialized Topics. 

That is why it is necessary for applicants to refer to books that cover such topics in-depth while also providing them with practice papers, exam strategies, a complete review of topics, detailed structure and format of tests, and well-built explanations. Read on to know some of such books that have proven helpful by previous test takers.

• Conquering the Physics GRE
• Introduction to Special Relativity by James Smith
• University of Chicago Graduate Problems in Physics with Solutions
• Sterling Test Prep Physics GRE Practice Questions
• Princeton Problems in Physics with Solutions
• GRE Physics Test Practice Book by ETS

GRE Books 2023: Maths Subject Test Books

The exam will be based on courses in mathematics that are often offered at the undergraduate level. Calculus and its applications will make up roughly 50% of the course syllabus. The other 25% of the GRE syllabus will be made up of material from number theory, algebra, abstract algebra, and introductory linear algebra. The study materials while preparing for this particular section should be purchased keeping this in mind. Additionally, applicants should mainly focus on books that provide practice questions, detailed reviews of topics, types of questions, and explanations, strategies, in-depth tips, and the exam structure & format.

Some of the books with these facilities that candidates can use while studying for the exam include:

• GRE Maths Test Practice Book by ETS
• Math Workout for the GRE by The Princeton Review
• Barron’s GRE Math Workbook
• GRE Math Workbook by Kaplan
• GRE Math Strategies by Manhattan Prep

Also Check: GRE Syllabus

What Makes A GRE Prep Book Actually Useful?

A student could feel overwhelmed by the market's abundance of options for GRE study material, both online and offline. It is recommended that students conduct their own research before purchasing any study resources. Candidates must assess themselves to determine their own strengths and weaknesses and purchase a book based on their level of understanding and preparedness. 

Moreover, candidates are advised to conduct in-depth research about the GRE prep books they are planning to purchase in order to analyze whether it aligns with their strengths and weaknesses. For instance, if a candidate feels he/she lacks quant skills, purchasing a book that concentrates more on the quantitative reasoning section would be preferable.

GRE Courses and Online Resources

Students have the choice of picking from a number of online and offline courses in addition to reading from the books listed above. Many applicants also participate in GRE forums, where trained professionals respond to their issues and doubts. Many applicants, especially working professionals in the industry, choose to sign up for GRE online courses since they are much more time efficient. This allows them to balance their work and preparation well. Some such resources include:

• Online Content
• Online Forums
• Coaching Classes
• Online Groups