2010-07-26 Good prep tool (4 of 5)
This book is a pretty good prep tool for the GMAT. The math review was probably the most helpful section in the book.

2010-06-24 Review for the GMAT book, (4 of 5)
The book is very good, reason why i am very happy with my purchase. It's very useful because there are a lot of information about the GMAT test, what is good for international people who don't know anything about the test. In addition there is more information about web sites etc, to practise, get information and know more about it, get contact to talk to, apart of this book.
The amazon service is wonderful. I really like it, and i am very happy with them. They offer any kind of product and facilities to buy or cancel the purchase, and to change your information needed to buy.

2010-05-22 A Waste of Time and Money (1 of 5)
I'm currently preparing for a Sept 2010 GMAT test date and planning to apply to several overseas MBA programs with a Fall 2011 target start date. I've been away from academia since completing an MS in Applied Physics in 2001, so I loaded up on GMAT prep books including:

- The Princeton Review 'Cracking the GMAT - 2010 Edition'
- Barron's 'GMAT - 15th Edition'
- 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review'

I haven't gone through the Barron's 'GMAT' yet, but I've forced myself to go through over two-thirds of Princeton Review's 'Cracking the GMAT - 2010 Edition' while concurrently applying the "techniques" towards actual, real past GMAT test questions from 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review'. I've just about given up on the Princeton Review "techniques". They really aren't "techniques" at all - I can tell you in this sentence what they are: POE (Process of Elimination), "really" reading the questions and taking quick notes about each question - and if you still can't find the correct answer choice using these "techniques", then to read the answer choices - and by then, the answer will have magically jumped out at you. I didn't need to pay whatever this book cost (~ $20) was (and waste weeks of time reading it) to have some idiots pass along these "secrets" to "cracking the GMAT." For anyone who has ever taken the SAT or ACT or any other sort of standardized test, these "techniques" are not novel and it's a little condescending and painful to force yourself through 2/3 of the book only to realize that these Princeton Review "secret techniques" are worthless and already painfully obvious. Furthermore, the Princeton Review has simply copied its content straight from 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review' and just re-phrased it and put it in different order. Finally, Princeton Review (and any other company) isn't allowed to use actual, past GMAT questions, so their examples are usually poor and aren't as close to what the real GMAT questions are and sometimes are so poorly worded, they don't even make sense.

That being said, the book does help strip away some of the mystery and uncertainty behind the GMAT and helps you understand the background and purpose of the GMAT, how your score is calculated and what it means, its shortcomings, about the GMAT test creators and writers and a little about the GMAC (Graduate Management Administration Council), who are responsible for designing and administrating the test. The book also walks through how the GMAT computer-adaptive test calculates your score with each answer you choose and how the computer then uses your answers to give you more difficult questions for the ones you answer correctly (i.e. the path to a higher GMAT score) or to give you easier subsequent questions (and a lower GMAT score) for the ones you answer incorrectly - and how important the first (10) or so questions towards getting a higher score. 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review' denies this and states each question is important and will eventually lead you to the score you deserve, but I certainly see the Princeton Review's logic behind this. However, there is no need to pay $20 to $25 to learn all this that's already been stated here and the Princeton Review certainly doesn't have any mind-blowing "secret techniques" to help you correctly answer these first ten questions and achieve the higher GMAT scores you are seeking.

I doubt the Barron's 'GMAT' will be much better than the Princeton Review guide. The GMAC says you can't really improve your GMAT score - it's an innate, already predetermined number based on your background, upbringing, and innate cognitive skills you received at birth. To an extent I agree, but I believe if you work extremely hard over several years, you can significantly improve your GMAT scores by devoting all your free time to basic arithmetic, elementary algebra, basic geometry, English grammar and critical reasoning (logic). While this may be a little extreme, certainly the earlier you begin preparing for the GMAT, the better. Your GMAT scores are good for five years, so my advice is starting preparing for the GMAT before anything else and try to give yourself at least a year to devote to it. Skip the Princeton Review (you can read about the GMAT background on Wikipedia or Google it), but do buy 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review' and/or any other text with real, actual past GMAT questions that you can practice on. Then either dig up or purchase textbooks that focus on the skills listed above: basic arithmetic, elementary algebra, basic geometry, English grammar and critical reasoning (logic) and carefully and methodically review them and use the 'The Official Guide - 12th Edition GMAT Review' practice questions to test yourself and chart your progress. Even if you haven't given yourself much time, try to immerse yourself and become comfortable with the GMAT format and types of questions before you take the exam. The more you can immerse yourself in the GMAT and the greater preparation time you give yourself (and the harder you focus during that time), the better your scores will be. Like life, there are no secrets; those who work harder and are better prepared, will always beat those unwilling or unable to do so. I'm sorry for the length, but I've received some great help from others in the past and hope I can pass that on now myself. Bonne chance!

2010-04-08 Cracking the GMAT 2010 (1 of 5)
I was disappointed with the quality of the printing (and not the content of the book). Book has lot of pages with blob of ink all over it so apparently you cannot read these pages; half the book has very lightly printed pages. This book should have been rejected for the quality of its print, I expect Amazon to do a better job and would appreciate a refund!

Thanks

2009-12-10 Great Study Tool for the GMAT (4 of 5)
The book has been very helpful in studying for the GMAT and I would recommend it for people who need to review for the test. It has examples and practices tests that will help you prepare for the GMAT.