Is the REA Book Effective for Physics GRE Prep?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the effectiveness of the REA book for preparing for the Physics GRE. Participants share their experiences, opinions on the quality of the book, and alternative preparation resources.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants report finding errors in the REA book and seek verification from others regarding these mistakes.
  • One participant expresses skepticism about the book's representation of the actual exam content, describing it as "crap" and unhelpful.
  • Another participant notes that many problems in the REA book require a calculator for solutions, which they find problematic.
  • Alternatives to the REA book are suggested, including "A Guide to Physics Problems," although it is noted that this resource may be more challenging than typical GRE problems.
  • One participant advises against using any REA materials and suggests studying actual past tests instead.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express dissatisfaction with the REA book, indicating a consensus on its ineffectiveness. However, there is no agreement on the best alternative preparation resources, as suggestions vary.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention specific issues with the REA book, such as potential errors and the nature of the problems presented, but do not provide detailed examples or resolutions to these concerns.

Who May Find This Useful

Students preparing for the Physics GRE, particularly those considering different study materials and seeking peer feedback on resources.

LHarriger
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Is anyone out there also using (or has used) the REA book to prepare for the physics GRE. I keep finding what I think are errors and it would be nice if someone could verify they are finding the same mistakes. Also, in general, how useful did you find this book and what other preparations do you recommend.
 
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LHarriger said:
Is anyone out there also using (or has used) the REA book to prepare for the physics GRE. I keep finding what I think are errors and it would be nice if someone could verify they are finding the same mistakes. Also, in general, how useful did you find this book and what other preparations do you recommend.

i've heard that that book is crap and completely unrepresentative of what is actually on the exam.
 
Thanks for reinforcing what I was beginning to suspect. Since my last post I have found extremely obvious errors. Many of the problems are also set up so that you can only solve them using a calculator. Does anyone else have an opinion on this book or know a better one to use? I have only one month of prep time left.
 
The purple book is indeed crap. Just something slapped together and labeled with "GRE" to get your money. I found it worthless.

Perhaps A Guide to Physics Problems (2 parts) might be better, but it's not specific to the GRE. AGtPP is designed to prepare you for qualifying exams, though, so many of the problems are probably a lot harder than GRE problems.
 
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i'm also finding REA's guide for the general GRE to be crap-tacular.
 
Avoid anything by REA. The only way to go is to study actual tests. Scans of them are floating around the net; you can find them on http://www.physicsgre.com" .
 
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