GRE Course Syllabus

Key:
ESSENTIAL. For upcoming class. The math reading prepares you to participate in class. All of the vocab lists are
listed as essential because “cramming” doesn’t work. Work on vocab every week (and nearly every day) to be
best prepared.

IMPORTANT. You should do these assignments before taking the GRE, ideally during the week listed on the syl-
labus. But if you don’t have time for everything, these assignments could be completed later.

OPTIONAL. Great to do if you have the time.

Reference Material:
A list of math conventions (math vocabulary and GRE “ground rules”) is located in the Official Guide, pp. 133–
142. This may be especially helpful for those who learned math in another language or who are less familiar
with American standardized tests.

Tips:
• While every student works at his or her own pace, the Essential problems are designed to take 5 or
fewer hours of work outside of class. Most Essential difficulty problem sets are composed of a weekly
vocab list of 50 words, 2–3 chapters from the quantitative strategy guides, and drill sets to help you lock
in the concepts on quant.
• The essential material comes up on the GRE more often than the important material, and the important
material is more common than the optional material. If your class skips a week, or you have extra time,
you should try to finish all previous essential material before working ahead.
• If you miss a class, it is not necessary to “catch up” on that class before attending the next one. The
classes function independently, so your main priority should be preparing for the upcoming class
session.
• Homework questions? Post them in our instructor-staffed Forums, located at
www.manhattanprep.com/gre/forums

December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)
 GRE Course Syllabus
HOMEWORK DUE by Session 1
ESSENTIAL Manhattan Prep GRE Online Practice Exam #1: Take one full-length practice exam on our
website. Instructions for how to access these exams are included in the Welcome Guide.

Session 1 Agenda
• Introductions and Overview of the GRE
• Intro to Vocab Question Types
• Breaking the GRE Code (Math)
• Quant Comparisons Intro

HOMEWORK DUE by Session 2

Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL
IMPORTANT
OPTIONAL
Session 2 Agenda
• Text Completions
• Basic Math Refresher
• Calculator Drill
Handout Booklet Memorize Week 1 Vocabulary List (pp. 16 – 20)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 1 – 2 (pp. 11 – 37)
Official Guide GRE Math Review 1.1 – 1.3, 1.6, 1.7, 2.5, 3.3, 3.5 (pp. 208 – 212, 215 – 219,
227 – 228, 250 – 253)
Text Completion & Sentence Equivalence GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2 through only the Easy Drill
Set (pp. 29 – 59, answers pp. 116 – 119)
Official Guide GRE Math Review 1.4, 1.5, 2.1-2.4, 3.1 (pp. 212 – 215, 219 – 227)
Text Completion & Sentence Equivalence GRE Strategy Guide Ch 4 (pp. 129 – 140)
Official Guide GRE Math Review 2.6-2.9, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6 (pp. 228 – 247, 250, 253 – 254)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Appendix A: GRE Math
Glossary (pp. 171 – 179)
Official Guide Verbal questions (pp. 47 – 52), Math questions (pp. 110 – 132)

December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)
 GRE Course Syllabus
HOMEWORK DUE by Session 3
Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 2 Vocabulary List (pp. 37 – 41)
Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2, 4 (pp. 29 – 70, 93 – 114)
Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6, Drill Sets 1 – 3, 6 (pp. 139 – 140)
IMPORTANT Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3, 5 (pp. 71 – 92, 115 – 138)
Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6, Drill Sets 4 – 5 (pp. 141 – 144)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 4 (pp. 63 – 78)
Text Completion & Sentence Equivalence GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3 through only the Easy Drill
Set (pp. 83 – 105, drill set answers pp. 116 – 119)
OPTIONAL Fractions, Decimals, & Percents GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 Problem Sets (pp. 155 – 197)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Math Practice Section 1: Easy Difficulty (pp. 1157 – 1162,
answers pp. 1163 – 1168)
Session 3 Agenda
• Sentence Equivalence
• Fractions, Decimals, and Percents

HOMEWORK DUE by Session 4

Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 3 Vocabulary List (pp. 52 – 56)
Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2 (pp. 29 – 54)
Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3 (p. 70 only)
Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6, Drill Sets 1 – 3 (pp. 129 – 130)
IMPORTANT Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3 – 4 (pp. 55 – 106)
Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6, Drill Sets 4 – 5 (pp. 131 – 135)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3 (pp. 39 – 63)
Text Completion & Sentence Equivalence GRE Strategy Guide Ch 5 (pp. 141 – 162)
OPTIONAL Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 5 (pp. 107 – 128)
Algebra GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 Problem Sets (pp. 151 – 183)
Official Guide Vocabulary Problem Set: Easy (pp. 54 – 55, answers pp. 77 – 80)
Session 4 Agenda
• Vocab Mixed Drill
• Intro to Idioms
• Algebra

December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)
 GRE Course Syllabus
HOMEWORK DUE by Session 5
Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 4 Vocabulary List (pp. 73 – 77)
Geometry GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3, 5 (pp. 45 – 75, 101 – 122)
Geometry GRE Strategy Guide Ch 8, Drill Sets 1 – 2 (pp. 175 – 177)
IMPORTANT Geometry GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2, 6 – 7 (pp. 29 – 44, 123 – 175)
Geometry GRE Strategy Guide Ch 8, Drill Sets 3 – 4 (pp. 178 – 182)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 5 (pp. 79 – 105)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 4 – 5 (pp. 65 – 90)
OPTIONAL Geometry GRE Strategy Guide Ch 4, 9 (pp. 75 – 100, 201 – 252)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2 – 3, 6 (pp. 29 – 64, 91 – 98)
Official Guide Vocabulary Problem Set: Medium (pp. 60 – 62, answers pp. 86 – 89)
Session 5 Agenda
• Reading Comprehension: Diagramming, Main Ideas, and Details
• Geometry

HOMEWORK DUE by Session 6

Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 5 Vocabulary List (pp. 90 – 94)
Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2, 4 (pp. 29 – 48, 77 – 91)
Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 9, Drill Sets 1 – 3 (pp. 159 – 161)
IMPORTANT Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3, 5 (pp. 49 – 76, 91 – 110)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 (pp. 121 – 134)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 (pp. 99 – 118)
OPTIONAL Manhattan Prep GRE Online Practice Exam #2
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 10 (pp. 227 – 246)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Questions 1 – 7 in Ch 5 (pp. 147 – 150, answers pp. 231 –
232)
Session 6 Agenda
• Reading Comprehension: Inferences
• Issue Essay
• Word Problems, Part I

December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)
 GRE Course Syllabus
HOMEWORK DUE by Session 7
Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 6 Vocabulary List (pp. 112 – 116)
Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 (pp. 127 – 144)
IMPORTANT Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6, 8 (pp. 111 – 127, 145 – 158)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 9 (pp. 175 – 226)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Questions 8 – 17 in Ch 5 (pp. 151 – 154, answers pp. 232
– 234)
OPTIONAL Word Problems GRE Strategy Guide Ch 10 (pp. 175 – 216)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Issue Essay Guidelines and Sample Responses (pp. 1065
– 1090)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 10 (pp. 247 – 268Z)
Session 7 Agenda
• Reading Comp: Argument Structure
• Argument Essay
• Word Problems, Part II

HOMEWORK DUE by Session 8

Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 7 Vocabulary List (pp. 133 – 138)
Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 3 – 5 (pp. 69 – 116)
Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 9, Drill Set 3 (p. 159)
IMPORTANT Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 2, 6 (pp. 31 – 68, 117 – 131)
Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 9, Drill Sets 1 – 2, 4 (pp. 157 – 161)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 8 (pp. 135 – 170)
OPTIONAL Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 7 – 8, 10 (pp. 131 – 156, 177 – 207)
Number Properties GRE Strategy Guide Ch 9, Drill Set 5 (p. 162)
Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation GRE Strategy Guide Ch 6 (pp. 105 – 121)
Manhattan Prep GRE Online Practice Exam #3
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Questions 1 – 7 in Ch 6 (pp. 263 – 265, answers pp. 296 – 299)
Argument Essay assignment (handout booklet)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Argument Essay Guidelines and Sample Responses (pp.
1093 – 1113)
Session 8 Agenda
• Verbal Mixed Drill
• Number Properties
• Data Interpretation
December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)
 GRE Course Syllabus
HOMEWORK DUE by Session 9
Do all reading and exercises on the pages listed, unless otherwise specified.
ESSENTIAL Handout Booklet Memorize Week 8 Vocabulary List (pp. 151 – 186)
Official Guide Math Drills (pp. 145 – 160, answers pp. 167 – 200)
IMPORTANT Text Completion & Sentence Equivalence GRE Strategy Guide Medium and Hard TC Drills (pp.
59 – 82) and Medium and Hard SE Drills (pp. 105 – 129)
Reading Comprehension & Essays GRE Strategy Guide Ch 8 (pp. 119 – 175)
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Questions 1 – 12 in Ch 24 (pp. 831 – 835, answers pp.
856 – 858)
OPTIONAL Review Practice Test #3
Official Guide Data Analysis section (pp. 263 – 301)
Session 9 Agenda
• Verbal Mixed Drill
• Math Review
• Preparing to Face the GRE 2

POST COURSE
ESSENTIAL Complete all assignments from the syllabus that you didn’t get to during the course
Do two GRE POWERPREP® II Practice Exams (download from ETS.org)
Generate Assessment Reports for your three most recent Manhattan Prep GRE Online Prac-
tice exams. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses.
Keep practicing vocab!
IMPORTANT Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions, Volume 1 Do NOT try to do all the
questions! Instead, do frequent short sets of problems (e.g. 10 or 15 questions in a set,
several times a week).
Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions, Volume 1 Do NOT try to do all the ques-
tions! Instead, do frequent short sets of problems (e.g. 10 or 15 questions in a set, several
times a week).
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems Do NOT try to do all the problems! Instead, do frequent
short sets of problems (e.g. 10 or 15 questions in a set, several times a week).
OPTIONAL Official Guide Practice Test 1 (pp. 303 – 344, answers pp. 345 – 430)
Official Guide Practice Test 2 (pp. 431 – 472, answers pp. 473 – 563)
Practice for Test
• Assess and Attack Your Weaknesses
• Review Previous Practice Exams
• Create and Practice Your Game Plan

December 2014 v1: 4th Ed. Strategy Guides, 2nd Ed. Official Guide, 5lb Book (1.1), Official GRE Quant/Verbal Reasoning (Vol 1)