Official (and Unofficial) Resources

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❖ = Official Resource

• GRE (overall)

  • ❖ ETS Official POWERPREP Practice Tests

  • Manhattan Prep: 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems

  • Kaplan GRE Practice Tests*

  • Apps: Ready4GRE, ManhattanPrep

• GRE Verbal

  • ❖ ETS GRE Verbal Reasoning

  • Kaplan’s GRE Verbal Workbook

  • Apps (Vocabulary Building Flashcards): Pixnary, Magoosh, Quizlet

  • Reading Comprehension: Scientific American (Science), The Economist (Business), Arts & Letters Daily (Op-ed)

• GRE Quant

  • ❖ ETS GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice

  • ❖ ETS Math Review*

  • ❖ ETS Mathematical Conventions*

  • Kaplan’s GRE Math Workbook

  • Khan Academy Videos (recommended by ETS)*

  • App: GRE Prep by Varsity Tutors*

• GRE AWA

  • ❖ ETS List of Issue and Argument Questions**

  • ❖ ETS Sample Essay Responses for Issue and Argument Task**

  • Analytical Writing Module by Greenlight*

• TOEFL

  • ❖ ETS The Official Guide To The TOEFL Test (book)

  • ❖ TOEFL iBT Interactive Sampler*

  • ❖ TOEFL iBT Free Practice Test*

  • ❖ ETS Official TOEFL iBT Tests (ebook)

  • ❖ TOEFL Go! Official App

  • ❖ TOEFL Practice Online (TPO) Test*

  • NoteFull: Self-study training*

  • YouTube channel: NoteFull TOEFL mastery*

  • Language learning groups on Meetup*

  • App: Duolingo (language learning)

  • Conversations with native English speakers

  • YouTube videos on various accents*

Note that the above resources are only to help you think on the right track. In most cases, the official resources, along with a lot of practice (and a few unofficial resources), are enough.

We recommend taking the GRE before the TOEFL, since the latter involves a lot of the concepts you will learn in the former, and is considered a considerably easier exam. As exhausting as the exam day might be for both of them, the preparation for these tests can be fun, if you want them to be.

Ah, that might have to wait just a little longer. Before you begin your preparation for either of the exams, it’s important for you to take a test first and see where you stand.

Before you decide to summit that mountain peak you see in the distance, you first need to know where you stand and how prepared you are, so you know what to expect.

Consider these exams to be your summit. Websites like Princeton Review and Manhattan offer the ability for you to take a free test, also known as a diagnostic test (or more colloquially, mock test) so you can first assess where you stand today.

We also recommend utilizing one out of the two free tests offered by ETS for GRE.* ETS also offers one free practice test for TOEFL, but you won’t get your scores for the speaking and writing sections, since that requires a human to evaluate. You will still get to see the sample responses.

Once you are done taking the test, let the scores sink in. If you feel like you did not meet your expectations, that’s completely OK! In fact, you are not supposed to. If you did, you wouldn’t be motivated to practice, and we would be sad that the rest of this chapter won’t be of use to you.