Book Description
From the creators of the #1 GMAT course... Kaplan's
GMAT Premier Program: 2007 Edition comes complete with a comprehensive review of all the material on the exam, and Kaplan's proven test-taking strategies to help maximize your score. This powerful combination is a highly effective way for you to score higher on the GMAT and make yourself competitive for business school admissions. Plus, we provide additional online features to help you practice with even more GMAT questions. You will score higher. We guarantee it.*
Features:
#1 best-selling GMAT book according to Nielsen BookScan USFREE online features to help you improve your score even more!The latest GMAT information and new practice questions online every month.6 full-length practice GMAT tests—1 in the book, 1 online, 4 on the CD-ROM.Quizzes for Problem-Solving, Critical Reasoning, Data Sufficiency, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction, and a new, expanded GMAT Math Reference section.Effective test-taking strategies to help you maximize your score on every section of the test.Mobile prep for your PDA or cell phone.Strategic approaches for every question type, including math, verbal, analytical and writing sections, and tips for mental conditioning.Expert advice on succeeding on the Analytical Writing Assessment and approaching the computerized essay grader.
System Requirements
Windows OnlyWindows 98, 98SE, NT 4.0, 2000, ME, XPPentium 266MHz or higher15MB hard drive space16MB RAM640 × 480 thousands of colors (millions recommended)4x CD-ROM speed or higherSoundcard Note: Internet Connection is required for the web features of the Program.
Customer Reviews:
Good appendices, general overview.......2007-08-26
Got this book a while back and finally got around to working through it as I studied for the GMAT. I found the text easy to read, quick to move through the practice problems and explanations. The book gives a very good overview of the GMAT format, question types and general strategies for answering each type of question. The AWA writing/essay section is fantastic - read the strategies, example essays and tips on how the computer grades your essays, all you need to get a 6.0/6.0 on the writing. The appendix for math (Quantitative) is worth the price of the entire book. Great quick reference while practicing and in the final week before taking the test, to help remind you of the formulas you'll need to memorize for the actual GMAT. BE VERY WARY, though, that even if you answer almost all of the practice questions correctly, you will not get anywhere near an 800 score on the GMAT. The practice tests simply are not hard enough, bottom line. I thought I would breeze through the Quant section seeing as how I answered 96% of the questions correctly on the practice Quant exam. However, I got to the real exam and the most difficult 10-20% of the practice test was the easiest 10-20% of the real test. So I scored 630 overall (78th percentile), mostly due to a low Quant score. So I was pretty disappointed. I bought the Kaplan GMAT 800 (see my separate review there) and it really gives you great practice questions, explanations and the toughest questions. I took the GMAT again 6 weeks later, after having used the other book as my sole study guide and only for a week or so, and scored 750 (98th percentile)!!! I'd still recommend this book or one of the similar guides (everyone seems to like the Official Guide to the GMAT published by the test writers themselves) to get you started, but don't stop there if you're serious about a 700+ score. The only other comment I'll make, is that I used the online companion to take a practice quiz and that was ok - never did the full online practice exam. Didn't use the CD because it won't work on a Mac, and gave me some error on my Windows laptop about not having the right video player so I gave up on the CD. I found the GMAT 800 book far more valuable than either the CD or online companion.
good book.......2007-08-13
Tips given in all sections are very useful. Match appendix is very useful. Got 780 in real exam today. Big draw back is that its tests are not even close to real GMAT. scoring is not similar.
Only Ideal for Anxiety Attacks..........2007-08-13
I purchased this last year with the assumption that the Kaplan name means quality test preparation...boy, I was wrong! For one thing, the sample question sections are terribly skimpy that you can fly through them in no time. The only "content" worth looking at are the math review concepts. Nothing else is useful. As for the CD, not terribly user-friendly but comes with a passable amount of sample sections. Of course, that brings us to the best part of this 'product'...that it serves to crack all your self-confidence. The questions are unrealistic and the concepts behind many of them in no way related to anything on the GMAT. Actually kept me from signing up for the GMAT because of my poor scores. Do yourself a favor and get the official GMAT guide - tons of sample questions that are a realistic idea of the GMAT and won't kill your confidence...I really regret buying this book...
You get what you need.......2007-07-22
This review is being useful and make study a lot easier. Let's see how will be my grades.
Don't waste your money.......2007-06-13
This book is by far the worst I've ever seen in terms of editing. The book is filled with paragraph duplications and missing information. With errors like these, how can they expect you to trust their advice on how to achieve a good score?!
The sample questions are confusing, and the answer explainations left me scratching my head even more. They're vague at best, and sometimes down-right WRONG!
This book is a real confidence buster. It really freaked me out to see how poorly I did on the sample tests. I know I'm not half the idiot they made me out to be!
What a waste of time and money! I don't recommend this book to anyone. The Princeton Review book and the Official GMAT study book are by far superior to this one.
Book Description
GMAT 800 offers high-achieving students the toughest practice questions, hardest concepts, and strongest strategies to help them prepare for the GMAT. The guide includes:
Hundreds of the toughest practice questions with strategic explanationsTips for getting the questions right on test dayFocused guidelines for tackling each question typeProven strategies for getting a perfect scoreSpecial step-by-step methods for special question types
Customer Reviews:
Very Helpful.......2007-10-15
I think that this book is very helpful with the GMAT preparation. If what you really need is a reminder of the mathematical and verbal concepts needed (which you studied in high school), and ofcourse, the type of questions you can expect on the GMAT, then this is the book for you.
good stuff.......2007-10-08
a little tougher than the actual test, my exercise is much lower than my real score, good for your brain and mind expedition....
Excellent Advanced GMAT Preparation material........2007-09-24
If you want a serious preparation, this book is the best in the market. I suggest you buy the Kaplan premier program first, do the practice tests and then feel the need for some advanced material and then look out for this one.
The key is, after going through the initial preparation material say, Kaplan's Premier program for around 2/3 weeks, you will feel that something more is required to take you towards the advanced stage that can give you a boost, an edge, some extra climb in the GMAT score. Then comes this book. It requires 2 weeks of rigorous preparation time. The verbal section of this book (more so for Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction) is simply superb.
However, do not forget that the last 2 weeks of your preparation should be solely focussed with the OG and other OG supplements (e.g. Verbal OG etc).
If I would not have had this book, my score would have been 20-40 points lower than my actual 700.
Fantastic practice and tips.......2007-08-26
I first bought the regular Kaplan GMAT 2007 study guide and it helped me get a general overview of the GMAT questions, format, and some basic practice. But I found that it lacked the most difficult questions (especially in the Quantitative section), and although I got 96% of those right on the practice exams they were far easier than the ones I faced on the real GMAT. So I ended up with a 630 (78th percentile) and was disappointed. I then went out and bought this GMAT 800 book for more practice and "the toughest questions," and found it really very useful. It does away with the lengthy text about strategies and gets down to the questions themselves, focusing on different types of tricky questions that the GMAT test makers love to pose. I suppose it worked, since I just took the GMAT again (about 6 weeks later, having only used this book to study for about a week) and scored 750 (98th percentile)!! I highly recommend this, although you need to at least skim through the other one (or a similar guide) first to get the hang of the GMAT format and different question types before using this book.
Useful supplement to official GMAT guides.......2007-08-11
Now that the GMAT has issued a revised 11th edition of the Official Guide for GMAT Review, plus new supplementary official guides for both the verbal and quantitative sections of the test, the case for spending additional hard-earned money and scarce study time on the Kaplan review prep book is not as strong as it used to be. On the other hand, a case can be made. While the questions in the official GMAT books have the advantage of being actual test questions rather than Kaplan attempts to emulate the well vetted questions written by ETS (and recently Pearson Vue), most of the official guides' questions have already appeared in the 10th edition of the official GMAT guide, which means that if you have the previous edition, you won't get much additional questions by buying the newer official GMAT books. Although the new GMAT books offer what the publisher calls "improved" explanations, many of the explanations for the reading passages and analytic reasoning sections are still useless and circular -- like answer D is correct because answer D is, uhm, correct. (I find the math explanations to be adequate, however.) In addition, because the computer administered test is adaptive, offering harder questions as you continue to get right answers, the Official Guide GMAT book questions won't be representative of the actual mix you will get when you actually take the test, particularly if you are likely to be a high scorer, in which case the hardest 20% in the GMAT book will be more likely to represent the actual questions you will be answering.
Kaplan, on the other hand, makes more of an attempt to offer insightful explanations to test questions, even if their answers are at times deficient. Kaplan also offers advice on test strategy with regard to timing, using process of elimination, and ways of coping with particularly difficult questions or reading passages, which GMAT seems to be reluctant to do. In other words, the Kaplan approach is more like true coaching, as opposed to offering just a bunch of practice test questions. In summary, I would say that this is a useful addition to the preparation arsenal, although the main focus should still be on the official GMAT preparation materials.
Customer Reviews:
My favorite GMAT book.......2007-04-11
I love this book, very transparent and organized by topic sections. First, you have to answer three to four questions, and the solution with detailed explanation is just two pages ahead. I really like it, it's a lot easier to begin to study with, than for example official guide or Princeton review which I consider more as a drill where questions are not as neatly organized as here(it's more test like)...Hope this helps!
good material.......2007-03-20
if you haven't started studying for the gmat this book isn't for you. you should start w/the kaplan 2007 gmat book then move to this after you're done with that. the explanations are pretty good in this book. my only gripe is that some of the same exact questions that appear in their course book for the class ( i actually took a class) so i was doing the ssame questions twice. i don't mind the review but now i'm wondering where i can get some difficult questions that i haven't had exposure to. i'm going to move onto the official guide gmat book next.
Just to Practice .......2006-11-09
I used this book to practice some more to the GMAT test. My especific problems for the GMAT test lies on the reading, vocabulary and structure of it, on spot that english is not my first language. The book improve my skills on it, and seems to satisfy the objectives above. I agree that the title is too optimist for the book (GMAT 800), but think of it as a complementary self-study course. To use the official guide is a must.
Superb!.......2006-11-08
Do not take the GMAT without reading this book, i.e if u want an 800 score
Kaplan is Horrible!.......2006-09-16
I got the book. Signed up for the website. Then didn't have time to study for a while because of work. When I finally had time to use the book and study, my internet access (where a lot of important suppliments are) was cut off because it was passed the assumed amount of time. I tried getting it restored, but Kaplan was no help.
1st-They kept connecting me to the wrong departments who were too busy to talk, so took messages and never returned your calls.
2nd-Didn't respond to emails
3rd-After 4 days of trying to get in contact with the right department, I found out at Friday at 6pm that the people who could help me are closed from 5pm and the whole weekend. So now I have to lose another 3 days. This is very frustrating for someone who has to work and is limited with time. The phone opperator said this is a common problem but Kaplan does not care to spend the money to have employees over the weekend.
DO NOT USE THIS BOOK, THE SERVICE THAT COMES WITH IT IS TERRIBLE!
Book Description
Features:
*Targeted review of all the tested materials on the Verbal section of the GMAT
*Practice sets for every question type
*Special section on the Analytical Writing Assessment
*Effective strategies
*Practice test for GMAT Verbal section
Customer Reviews:
I feel cheated. Repeated questions. Do not buy........2007-10-20
DO NOT BUY! All the questions are from the CD-ROM/DVD of their Premier book. I feel cheated.
Didnt Recv the book so far.......2007-09-10
I have logged a complaint to the vendor, but no response from him. I havent received the book so far. Its been a month now.
Generally a good guide, but still has room for improvement.......2007-02-12
This is generally a good guide, as most people have pointed out. At less than $13, it's definitely worth your money. My only complaint so far is that the solutions for the practice sets, at least the sentence correction part (because that's how far got now), are vague and useless.
BEST verbal prep out there.......2005-05-24
the book was great. verbal is hard to prep for, you've been speaking english your whole life and reading it almost as long, so it's a bit foreign to test on it like they want you to.
granted, my verbal skills far exceed my math skills, but i just went through this book once, took a low stress approach, just to brush up and the strategy they suggest and the hints and tips are invaluable! i scored in the 90th percentile and i know it's due to this book. my friend used it upon my recommendation and english is his 2nd or 3rd language and he said it really helped him too. good luck on the gmat, i hope you do well:)
BUY THIS BOOK AND USE IT!
Very good book with great examples and test material.......2004-07-08
This book is a great place to start for reviewing for the verbal sections of the GMAT. The strategies covered are very helpful and the examples are first rate. After getting through it, I was able to get a better score on the GMAT and felt more confident going into the test. If it's been a while since you looked at grammar in detail, get a copy of Warriner's "English Composition and Grammar." Not that Kaplan's book was lacking, but I found using it in conjunction with Warriner's book helped to fill in any gaps in grammar that Kaplan did not fully explore. In short the best verbal workbook I found for the GMAT.
Book Description
Thinking about going back to grad school but your math skills are a little rusty? Kaplan's
GMAT Math Workbook includes the proven test-taking strategies and the targeted math training you need to sharpen your skills and improve your GMAT math scores. You will score higher. In fact, we guarantee it.*
Features:Hundreds of realistic practice questions with detailed explanations for every answer.Targeted review of graduate math, including algebra, geometry, word problems, and more.Exclusive test-taking strategies to help you maximize your time, effort, and score.Detailed review of special format questions, including problem solving and data sufficiency.
Customer Reviews:
useful, but not for GMAT.......2007-05-01
For anyone who wants to refresh their basic maths ability this workbook is a worthwhile buy. However, the many questions in the book have very little relevance to the questions you will face on the actual GMAT exam. However, this is true of most of the other GMAT preps book too.
GMAT study guide.......2007-03-26
The book walks you through all the problems which I find very helpful. I definitely recommend!
Helpful, but confounded with egregious math typos.......2007-03-26
I'm currently halfway through this book and have already found three signficant math typos in the questions. These aren't simple grammatical errors - they are mistakes in the formulas that yield a different answer than the back of the book! The answer explanations make sense if you can infer what the problem should be, but these problems will leave the reader confused more than anything else.
And this is the FIFTH edition!
good but... .......2006-11-18
this is a good book for reviewing and practicing math skills.
but be aware: it is EXACTLY -- chapter by chapter, problem by problem -- the same as Kaplan's GRE Math Workbook.
Surprisingly useful.......2006-08-24
For years, Kaplan produced a math workbook that covered both GRE and GMAT material, which was an endless source of confusion for students. While those two tests have a lot of similarities, the question types and difficulty levels merited separate books, and Kaplan has finally provided that.
I hadn't seen this book before this week (it was published just this month) and I was impressed. It's not designed for the very high scorer, though I've worked with very few students who wouldn't benefit from it. The best aspects of this book are the content drills--problem sets that aren't GMAT-style questions, but ensure that you know the basics, such as dividing fractions and manipulating exponents.
There isn't a great deal of helpful explanatory material, but the math tutorials are quite a bit better than the equivalent chapters in The Official Guide for GMAT Math Review. If you're at a very remedial level in math, you probably need a tutor and/or a couple friendly algebra and geometry books, but if you remember the basics, this volume should be enough to get you up to speed.
Best of all, there's more practice in this book than just about any other GMAT resource. With about 600 questions, it'll quickly show you where your strengths and weaknesses lie. I strongly recommend this book for anyone currently scoring a 550 or less, or anyone just starting out who is uncomfortable with the GMAT Math they've seen so far.
Book Description
Features:
*Hundreds of practice questions with complete answer explanations
Customer Reviews:
KAPLAN-Optometry Admissions Test, 2007-2008 Edition.......2007-09-16
The item it a used book, but in very good condition. Very little, if any, noticeable damage. Still as good as new.
Try something else for Organic practice and study advice.......2007-01-05
As far as the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics practice questions go this book is very helpful. The Organic Chemistry review questions are another story.
The actual exam uses Organic Chemistry abbreviations and terms that are not mentioned, explained or reviewed. If you want to improve your Organic score I would not rely on this study guide. It is also 'thin' on study advice.
The only thing that you will learn about studying for and taking the test is that you can go back and forth between the questions in a section, and there is no penalty for getting a wrong answer. The test is not a computer adaptive tests, so the difficulty of later questions does not depend on getting earlier questions correct. Unlike other Kaplan books I have used to help with standardized exams, this one has no advice or help; in fact the book gives bad advice.
The quantitative reasoning section of the test includes 50 questions that need to be answered in 40 minutes. Which is 48 seconds per question. The book mentions a rule that will get a question answered fast, but instead of explaining the rule, tells you to work through the problem 'the long way'. Kaplan has missed the mark on this one.
I get the feeling that Kaplan didn't do any research, or put any thought into this test. It seems as if they just cut and pasted sections from other study guides together so they could sell more books. All this one is good for is the practice tests, and if that is how you study best, get a book with more than two tests.
THE EDITORAL SUMMARY IS MISLEADING.......2006-09-16
The review above says it contains "review of all the subjects" included in the OAT. THAT IS NOT TRUE. I REPEAT:
THERE ARE NO REVIEW SECTIONS IN THIS BOOK.
The Kaplan OAT, 2007-2008 version is no different than the previous ones. It only contains practice questions / tests. THAT IS ALL.
If you want to actually have a study guide type book don't waste your money here. I guess your best best is to buy the MCAT comprehensive review.
Oh well, I guess I have yet ANOTHER OAT book full of practice questions and no real guided method of review.
Excellent Kaplan Book.......2006-08-12
Must buy for Optometry Admission Test(OAT).
Book has excellent sections on chemistry, organic chemistry, and biology. I also would study a good biology textbook like Campbell's biology and a good study guide like The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations by Patrick Leonardi..Volume1, Volume 2 & Volume 3.
These study guides had fantastic questions that were helpful for studying for the biology segment of the OAT.
Book Description
Are you ready for the GMAT? You will be.
Kaplan's GMAT 2005 Edition comes complete with a comprehensive review of all the material on the exam, plus Kaplan's proven test-taking strategies to help maximize your score. This powerful combination is a highly effective way for you to score higher on the GMAT and make yourself competitive for business school admissions.
Succeed on the Analytical Writing Assessment with Kaplan's expert strategies for approaching the computerized essay grader.
Prepare with quizzes for Problem Solving, Critical Reasoning, Data Sufficiency, Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction, and a new, expanded GMAT Math Reference section.
Practice with a full-length GMAT, complete with explanations for every answer and detailed score analysis.
Score Higher with effective strategies and advice from Kaplan's expert instructors.
Even more practice online!
Customer Reviews:
Kaplan is Horrible!.......2006-09-16
I got the book. Signed up for the website. Then didn't have time to study for a while because of work. When I finally had time to use the book and study, my internet access (where a lot of important suppliments are) was cut off because it was passed the assumed amount of time. I tried getting it restored, but Kaplan was no help.
1st-They kept connecting me to the wrong departments who were too busy to talk, so took messages and never returned your calls.
2nd-Didn't respond to emails
3rd-After 4 days of trying to get in contact with the right department, I found out at Friday at 6pm that the people who could help me are closed from 5pm and the whole weekend. So now I have to lose another 3 days. This is very frustrating for someone who has to work and is limited with time. The phone opperator said this is a common problem but Kaplan does not care to spend the money to have employees over the weekend.
DO NOT USE THIS BOOK, THE SERVICE THAT COMES WITH IT IS TERRIBLE!
Helpful, but you'll have to do the heavy lifting yourself.......2006-08-14
This is a decent GMAT prep book. It's worth the money, and will help you get in gear for the GMAT. However, the GMAT is computer-based now, so relying on the books too much is of limited value. It will help you brush up on math and grammar a bit, and get a feel for the questions on the exam. If you are serious about doing well on the GMAT, you need to do some practice tests on the computer.
If it means anything to you, I got a 720 on the GMAT. This book definitely helped, because I hadn't done any math for a few years.
It's helpful.......2006-03-13
I'm in agreement with what most people have said. The Kaplan review is definitely harder than the real GMAT, they work you harder on the practice tests and score you lower. This will most likely be a discouraging experience, but if you work at it and really put in the effort then it will lead to a good score.
My Kaplan scores were as follows:
550, 550, 620
I just took the GMAT and scored 710. The three materials I used were Kaplan, GMAC's Quantitative Review book, and the 2 free downloadable practice tests from MBA.com (which I scored 620 & 720 on). Bottom line, use Kaplan to prepare, then use the MBA.com practice tests as an accurate indicator of how you will really score.
Kaplan = Best GMAT prep. material out there!.......2006-02-05
After studying GMAT material (Princeton Review 2005, the Official Guide books, the Arco books, etc.) regularly for about 12 weeks, I cracked open the Kaplan GMAT 2005 book during the final push (the last 6 days before the exam). This book is an excellent resource for anyone that wants to earn a top GMAT score. The most valuable portion of this book, in my opinion, isthe math review in the way back. This section contains 100 pointers on how to solve common GMAT problems. Make sure to note the pointer on solving Venn Diagram problems! Below are my CAT score results and my real GMAT score for reference.
Here are my CAT results for reference:
Brand Score Math Verbal
Arco- CAT 1 670 56 41
Princeton Review- CAT 1 660 42 40
Kaplan- CAT 1 630 44 33
Arco- CAT 2 670 46 35
Princeton Review- CAT 2 640
Arco- CAT 3 750 60 40
Kaplan- CAT 2 640 40 37
Kaplan- CAT 3 590 37 35
Kaplan- CAT 4 610 48 30
Princeton Review- CAT 3 690 45 40
Princeton Review- CAT 4 650 47 34
REAL EXAM MUCH better than expected
still a skeptic if it really helped or not.......2005-08-24
I am an undergraduate whose trying to go directly for his MBA.
So far the preparation was horrible
Diagnostic: 570
CAT 1: 400 Scaled scores: Q- 22 V-21
CAT 2: 420 Q- 25 V-16
CAT 3: 500 Q- 28 V-22
Ok, I have to say that at the third CAT I concetrated as if it were the real deal. My GMAT is tomorrow so I feel like I will do terrible to miserable.
The other comments make me feel a little bit better but since I did not do as tarrific as the other reviewers I feel panicked.
I would like to score above 550+ and best outcome would be around the 620 areas.
I hope that the other reviewers are right saying that the Kaplan is more difficult than the real deal.
I had only a ten days time to study for the test.
Book Description
Includes:
*Focused review for the fundamental content on the test
*Score-raising strategies
*An online study plan to help guide students chapter-by-chapter
*Email communication at key points during the program, providing extra tips and guidance, as well as motivation to keep improving
*A progress report, so students can keep track of and analyze their performance as they make their way through the program
*Additional practice and review online to reinforce basic concepts and strategies
*1 full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations
Customer Reviews:
Not too good.......2007-02-12
This book does give some useful techniques for preparing for the GMAT but be aware that the questions on the actual GMAT test are a lot harder than the ones in the book or the ones on their test online. I thought the verbal part was pretty similar to the questions in the book, but the quantitative part was quite different. I recommend getting an additional book on the math part of the GMAT.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book, got me a 760.......2006-08-03
I saw this book at the bookshop *3 days* before my GMAT and spent the entire weekend with it. The book helped polish my analytical as well as passage reading skills. My final score is 760; I would guess that without this book I would not have gone beyond 720 and might have stalled at 700. It is also a little wistful to think of what I could have scored had I got it two weeks earlier. But enough about me; the book is meant as additional preparation for someone who has already read a "normal" preparatory book. In my case I read Barron's, it does not really matter which you have. All problems except essay questions are tackled here. The problems are a bit tougher than the ones you get on a typical GMAT and you may be surprised at frequently getting the answers wrong initially (this is not good 3 days before the exam!). But going through them will give you a solid preparation for whatever ETS throws at you. Everything - logic problems, passage reading, sentence correction and mathematical questions - are quality material. If you are serious about getting a high score I would recommend checking this out at your local bookstore. Again, do not read this before having already finished an initial preparatory book (and doing well with its problems).
A little silly, but worth it and easy to power through it quickly.......2006-03-22
I had done a bunch of studying before this book (beginning with Princeton Review, then "math workout" books by Princeton Review and GMAC, methodical plowing through the official guide, and even some surreal time spent with crazy Barron's GMAT prep). This was just what I needed to regain some humility a few weeks before taking the test. The questions are indeed hard and I got a lot of them wrong. To me, that was a really good thing. You can lull yourself into a false sense of security with the other books because they are geared for 600-650 scores. Don't get me wrong - those are good scores - but if you are determined to break through 700 then you need a book that will light a fire under your rear. The reason I say this book is silly is because throughout the book it has these tips that use the language: "An 800 test taker recognizes..." or "An 800 test take is able to..." To me, that's a little corny and insane. But after you start to feel a little bored by the other books, give this one a try. You can get through it in very little time (the type is big and the margins are wide) - even though it's thick, it goes very quickly.
Very good tool if you need a high score.......2006-03-18
I agree that the questions in this book are harder than average. It's quite useful understanding all of the questions and solutions in this book if you need a good score (700+). If you aim for 600 then Princeton review or something equivalent might be sufficient for you.
I took the test 5 years ago and got 600 (75th) so I knew what I was up against and had done all the OG 10th edition questions before. This time around my goal was 90th+ percentile (690), but I had very little time to practise, about a month and max 10 hours pr week, as I was busy studying Mandarin at an intensive program in Beijing. My strategy for achieving the score I needed:
- Study with the hardest questions.
- Understand why you fail. Do the questions that you got wrong again in the following week to make sure you know why you did them wrong and how to do them right.
- Try to find more than one methodology to solve each question. After each practise-test, go through all the exercises again, this time with no time-limit. The purpose is to find better methods of solving the q's you got right, to understand why you got some wrong and how best to solve these questions. You especially need to focus on remembering the correct/smartest methodology (perhaps do a couple of questions of each type), but I'd say it's best having a repertoaire of 3 or more methods for each type of question.
- Multiple choice is a game of odds, so you need to perfect your techniques for guessing in case you get questions you cannot solve easily and quickly, or if get stuck. 1) Use POE/process of elimination (I did it on a piece of paper during the test - very useful), especially on CR and SC. 2) Plug in on PS questions where it can save you time. These two methods definitly helped me increase my score.
- Practicalities: Check out the center before test-day to reduce stress come test-day. On the test day: take the breaks and try to clear your mind before commencing the next part.
My practise test results (after I had done all the exercises in the Kaplan 800):
- Princeton 1: 670 Q43 V40 (a year and a half before the test)
- Kaplan Diagnostic: 650 (2 weeks before the test)
- Kaplan 1: 550 Q33 V31 (1 week before the test)
- Kaplan 2: 570 Q31 V36 (1 week before the test)
- Powerprep 1: 680 Q46 V38 (1 week before the test)
- Kaplan 3: 560 Q32 V35 (5 days before the test)
- Kaplan 4: 550 Q32 V33 (3 days before the test)
- Princeton 2: 640 Q34 V44 (3 days before the test)
Notice that my scores were not improving. I got 710 on the test, perhaps I was lucky given that my practise test results were not on that level. But I still think it should be possible getting 750 with more practise. Overall I'd say I couldn't have gotten the score I got without using the Kaplan 800 or a similar tool, not sure whether other alternatives exist on this level of difficulty though.
The Best!.......2006-03-03
If you know you are a high scorer - look no further!
I am an engineer, and I had very limited time to study (2-3 weeks). I worked only on verbal as I figured I had the math covered.
I almost cancelled the test because I thought I screwed up the verbal. I finished with 5 minutes to spare, and I had only easy questions the whole way through the test, so I figured the CAT was not giving me hard questions because I had gotten so many wrong.
I wound up with a raw score of 47 on the verbal - where a 44 is the 99th percentile! The questions in this book were so much harder than the actual test that I couldn't believe it!
My best piece of advice is to stay loose. I was so focused on getting every question right on the math that I got hung up on several questions and ran out of time at the end. I wound up getting 49 score/90 percentile on the math, which I thought was my strong suit! If I had cut my losses and guessed on the hard question on the math, I would have done much better. On the verbal, I 50/50 guessed on many answers since I wasn't so focused on getting everything right. YOU DON'T NEED TO GET ALL THE ANSWERS RIGHT TO DO WELL!
My final score was a 760. I'm sure I would've gotten 790-800 if I had not wasted time on hard questions on the math.
If you bought the regular Kaplan book, DON'T BUY THIS.......2006-02-25
This book is not good. It repeats many of the questions from the regular Kaplan GMAT prep book. I bought both books together to study for the GMAT but I found neither of them very good. The official GMAC book is extremely good ....the questions are tough and thorough....if I had more study time I would have bought all three of the regular GMAC books.
I ended up getting a 740 on the GMAT but it wasn't due to Kaplan, my score was great because I bought the real test-takers study guide.
Book Description
Includes:
*Fully integrated book, CD-ROM, and online program
*A rich online study plan that guides students through all of the integrated assets of the comprehensive program, including the book, online, and software
*Guidance throughout the program, directing students to additional resources within the program if they need it
*A diagnostic experience to help students concentrate on the areas in which they need the most help
*A progress report, so students can keep track of and analyze their performance as they make their way through the program
*Email communication at key points during the program, providing extra tips and guidance, as well as motivation to keep improving
*Monthly online additions to ensure that the student has the latest content and information about the exam
*Remedial content to ensure students are up-to-speed on the basic concepts before attacking higher-level content
*Downloadable strategy and reference guides for easy prep on the go
*Realistic practice experiences
*Online question banks
*6 full-length practice tests with detailed answer explanations
Customer Reviews:
most important resource for gmat candidates.......2007-09-12
if you wish to prepare for GMAT you need only two books official guide to GMAT and this kaplan gmat book .
The next step for serious GMAT review.......2007-09-07
As most have stated, princeton review is the easier book, and the kaplan series are more difficult.
For someone shooting for a top ten, I would recommend using all of the books. I would start with princeton review to break you in and set the basics, take their practice tests to warm you up, they are a bit easier than the others. I would then move to the Kaplan series. Take ALL of the tests you can get a hold of... they are the best prep and ia good ndicator of your progress.
That said, you can have a bad score one day and a good score the next, but the practice will help prepare you for the real deal.
Finally do the problems in the official GMAT books! Make sure to do all of those problems. The problems in those books are the best.
Take the tests, ignore the scores.......2007-07-07
I took the Kaplan practice tests before taking the GMAT. Like most people, I think the Kaplan tests differ significantly from what you'll see on the real GMAT. The Kaplan math questions were just as difficult as what I saw on the real test, while the verbal questions on the real GMAT were much easier than questions on Kaplan's practice tests.
It can be disappointing to see low scores on Kaplan practice tests after doing a lot of hard work. Keep in mind, though, that it's in Kaplan's best interests for you to improve on test day, rather than see your scores go down. Also, when you score poorly on practice tests after going through their book, you might be more likely to sign up for one of Kaplan's courses. However, I think the most reasonable explanation for test taker's consistently underperforming on Kaplan practice tests is simply that the scoring system is poorly calibrated.
I prepared for the GMAT by going through the Kaplan 800 book. For the sections I found most difficult, I went through the practice questions in the three "Official Guide for GMAT Review" books. I think the key to a good score is doing as many practice problems and practice tests as you can get your hands on.
My practice test scores were:
Kaplan Practice Test 1: 640 (14 days before the exam)
Kaplan Practice Test 2: 640 (10 days before the exam)
Kaplan Practice Test 3: 580 (5 days before the exam)
Kaplan Practice Test 4: 540 (3 days before the exam)
GMATPrep Test 1: 740 (2 days before the exam)
GMATPrep Test 2: 740 (1 day before the exam)
Actual GMAT: 760
The Kaplan tests helped me gain a sense of how much time I had to spend on each question. It was useful for me to see how rushed I would be at the end of a section as a result of spending just five minutes too long on the first 20-25 questions. On test day, I benefited from being disciplined enough to move on before getting bogged down on a question.
I thought the GMATPrep practice tests that you get when you sign up for the exam were the closest to what I saw on the real test. To me, the verbal section on test day was easy, while the math section had more tough questions than I had seen on any other exam. There were at least 3-4 math questions where I just guessed and moved on rather than waste time trying to come up with a solution. Just beware on test day that this won't ruin your chances of getting a solid score.
Kind of bad.......2007-01-04
I have not yet taken the GMAT, but am so far NOT satisfied with this book. I also have the PR (2007) and the latest edition(s) of the 3 GMAC books, and the main difference(s) that I have found between them and this one are the following....
1) The explanantions to the answers are very concise, and you have to keep flipping back to the question pages in several instances to read the question - the other books have the questions also printed along-with the answer explanations, and are more explantory.
2) In a lot of instances in the verbal section(s), I have, even after reading the explanation, felt that the answer/explanation to be very vague, and in some instances, I have actually felt that the answer is actually wrong.
3) In the verbal section, in the "inference" questions, in several instances, it is mentioned that an inference cannot be something that is factually stated in the passage, but in some instances, those (that had been factually stated) have been chosen as the answers.
But contrary to some of the opinions that I have read, I have not found the quant. questions (in the book, not the CD) to be too hard.
UPDATE:
Took the GMAT : Actual Score 730 (97th percentile).
Kaplan Scores : 560 - 630.
Kaplan is Horrible!.......2006-09-16
I got the book. Signed up for the website. Then didn't have time to study for a while because of work. When I finally had time to use the book and study, my internet access (where a lot of important suppliments are) was cut off because it was passed the assumed amount of time. I tried getting it restored, but Kaplan was no help.
1st-They kept connecting me to the wrong departments who were too busy to talk, so took messages and never returned your calls.
2nd-Didn't respond to emails
3rd-After 4 days of trying to get in contact with the right department, I found out at Friday at 6pm that the people who could help me are closed from 5pm and the whole weekend. So now I have to lose another 3 days. This is very frustrating for someone who has to work and is limited with time. The phone opperator said this is a common problem but Kaplan does not care to spend the money to have employees over the weekend.
DO NOT USE THIS BOOK, THE SERVICE THAT COMES WITH IT IS TERRIBLE!
Books:
- Kaplan GMAT 800, 2007-2008 Edition (Kaplan Gmat 800)
- Kaplan LSAT 180, 2006-2007 (Kaplan Lsat 180)
- Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining: Cases, Practice, and Law (8th Edition)
- Learning By Heart (Jossey-Bass Education)
- Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, Graphics, and Beyond
- Legal Environment of Business: A Critical Thinking Approach (4th Edition)
- Legal Environment of Business: A Critical Thinking Approach (4th Edition)
- Legal Research and Writing (West Legal Studies)
- Magic Item Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
- Managerial Communication: Strategies and Applications
Books Index
Books Home
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General
| Education
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 11th Edition
The Official Guide for GMAT Verbal Review
The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review
Kaplan GMAT 800, 2006-2007 (Kaplan Gmat 800)
Kaplan GMAT 800, 2007-2008 Edition (Kaplan Gmat 800)
