Kaplan GRE Exam Vocabulary Flashcards Flip-O-Matic (Flip-O-Matic)

Rating:
Summary: This is a massive waste of your money.
Review: Do you know words like "apathy," "cacaphony, "discern," "wanton" and "homogenous?" When you see the word "flashcards" do you think of individual cards that are about 3"x5" that you can comfortably carry around to study in free moments? If so, then this book is not for you. It's about 8"x4"x2" and quite heavy. The "cards" are actually regular thin paperback paper, printed with two words per page divided horizontally. Most of the words are so easy that I'm sure that anyone who is at the point in their academic career that they're thinking about taking the GRE would most likely have known them since junior high. If it wouldn't cost me nearly as much as I would get credited, I would send it back.

Rating:
Summary: study to go-go
Review: I found this book extremely helpful. Flashcards are boring, but this flip book perked up my GRE study. I used it as a supplement to my regular test-prep study sessions by using it on my commute. I liked the small size, and on the subway, I found this format easier to handle than traditional flashcards. and, I definitely super-sized my vocabulary!

Rating:
Summary: Ok vocabulary quiz for some, but too easy for the logophile
Review: I was surprised that the 500 words in this book are some of the "toughest" words found on the GRE. I would expect college graduates to know many (if not most) of these words. And wordsmiths will probably recognize all but one or two of the terms. I think the GRE exam that I took over 10 years ago had more challenging vocabulary.

The usefulness of this title, however, comes in its format. The flash card pages enable the reader to review/learn vocabulary in a quick and easy manner. Sample sentences and phonetic spellings are provided as well. While the author's phonetic system is a bit inconsistent, it's probably easier for the average reader to understand than the more scientific IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet).

If you regard words such as augur, engender, vociferate, and stultify to be outside your recognition vocabulary, then this title might be just the right one for you. I also recommend any book that uses mnemonics to facilitate word/definition recall.


Rating:
Summary: good review of words commonly found on the GRE
Review: This book really helped me brush up on the GRE's favorite vocab words. Plus the flashcards are bound so I didn't have to worry about losing any of them. Together with the Kaplan GRE Exam 2005 Edition, I felt that I was prepared for the exam and did score well on the verbal section.