GRE Practice Tests---Best and Worst Predictors?

<p>PowerPrep was the best indicator; my actual score was about 120 points higher, but that’s because I studied in between PP and the test. I can’t remember exactly, but I think my predicted PP scores were 700q/710v, and I got a 740q/790v on the real thing.</p>

<p>I’ve discussed with other test prep tutors (I was one for Kaplan) that we suspect the big test prep companies deliberately make their tests more difficult than the actual GRE. There are two reasons that this would work in their favor. Number one, if you think you aren’t doing well, you are more likely to buy more test prep materials and/or pay for classes. And number two, many test prep companies (like Kaplan) have a Higher Score Guarantee. If you don’t score higher on the SAT/GRE/whatever than your original diagnostic with them, you can retake your course for free. That would lose the money. This is all speculation though.</p>

<p>And I agree with the assessment that Kaplan’s practice math sections are horrible. I bought a Kaplan book and a Barron’s book for SAT prep, and Kaplan’s graphs were bad AND they had some symbols that are not standard math symbols and never showed up on the actual test. They never explained what they meant.</p>