The SAT is one of two standardized tests high school students can take to bolster their college application. Even if your dream college is test-optional, submitting impressive scores can help you stand out and potentially land some additional scholarships.
Studying for the SAT is quite different from preparing for any other exam. Having the proper SAT prep materials at your disposal can have a massive impact on your journey, and ultimately, your scores.
With so many books, flashcards, and classes to choose from, it’s not easy to find the best fit for your SAT study prep. We did the research and created this guide to save you time including what to look for and the best paid and free options available.
What To Look For in SAT Prep Material
It’s easy to pick up the first SAT prep material you find, but that might not be ideal. There are a few key elements to look for in any book or course you take.
- Are there practice tests with answer keys explaining the correct answers?
- Do you get more than one practice test to try?
- Does the material address strategies to help you succeed on test day?
Don’t forget to consider your strengths, the time you have to prepare, and how you learn. For example, say you took a practice exam and did well on the reading and writing sections but struggled with math. You might look for a book that focuses on math problems and strategies more than reading and writing.
The Best SAT Prep Resources You Can Buy
Whether you head to a local bookstore or your favorite online retailer, these SAT prep materials should be easy to find.
College Board’s Official SAT Study Guide
It’s not easy to outdo the College Board’s SAT prep materials since they wrote the book, or rather, the test. The platform does the best job explaining how to approach SAT questions and the test as a whole.
College Board’s paperback guide features loads of tips for succeeding on the exam and practice questions that address every type you could face on test day. Perhaps the biggest reason to choose this book is that you can take eight full-length practice tests. Each test has real questions that appeared on past exams.
That said, there are some things to be aware of before you invest. First, you have to go online to figure out your scores on each practice test.
It also doesn’t dive deep into complex issues, especially in the math sections. If you struggle with higher-level math, this isn’t going to help you dig deep and understand where you went wrong.
Finally, you need to remember that College Board writes the SAT, so they aren’t going to provide you with high-level strategies to perform well. This guide serves as a baseline indicator that can help you gauge your strengths and weaknesses with real questions.
SAT Prep Black Book
This book fills in some of the gaps found in the College Board guide. SAT Prep Black Book focuses less on practice questions and more on practical strategies that you can apply to the test.
The authors walk through in-depth explanations, break down structure and format, and introduce some key tricks. They break down every question on four of College Board’s posted practice tests to walk through each question, explaining why answers are right and wrong.
Students who need help figuring out how to choose which of two answers is the best option can find their answer here. The only drawback is that this book doesn’t include any original practice questions or tests.
SAT Elite by McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill is a staple in the world of educational textbooks, so it should come as no surprise that they deliver solid SAT prep material. This book dissects the SAT to fully prepare you for test day, including time limits for each section.
SAT Elite features a diagnostic test and four additional practice tests in the book. You can also access three more tests through the company’s website.
Students struggling with math might prefer the McGraw-Hill version to others. The math sections are thorough and well-explained across the board, including high math, like complex numbers and geometry.
The only disappointing aspect is the limited Reading and Writing support. SAT Elite offers some slightly odd approaches to the reading and writing portions of the exam. They might be too abstract for some learners and may lack sufficient breadth to fully prepare you.
Kaplan SAT Prep
Kaplan was one of the first groups to create test prep books, and they constantly update the copy to keep up with trends. For the 2023 testing season, students can choose between Kaplan’s SAT Prep Plus and SAT Total Prep. You can also add on Kaplan’s 8 Practice Tests for the SAT book for more practice.
The Prep Plus and Total Prep books each feature five tests with explanations detailing the correct answer for each question. Purchasing these books earns you access to additional online SAT prep resources.
Despite the constant work and refining, Kaplan’s books target the middle group of learners who want to gain insight into the test but don’t need additional support. It might be too overwhelming for some and disappointing for those who want more thorough high-level explanations.
Barron’s SAT Prep
Barron’s is another popular choice for test prep materials. The Premium SAT Study Guide is a viable option for those seeking more practice questions and tests. You can also access a diagnostic test to get an idea of your strengths and weaknesses from the start.
The Barron’s SAT Prep book offers four tests in the paperback edition with two additional online. Unfortunately, the online version can be problematic since you can’t go back to review anything once you complete a section.
It’s obvious that a lot of thought went into preparing this book, but you will encounter some confusing answers and explanations throughout the book. Another key issue with Barron test materials is that the company frequently reuses questions from old books, meaning you may miss some key topics.
Princeton Review SAT Prep
The Princeton Review SAT Prep book includes four full-length tests in the book, and you can access two more on the website. Upgrading to the Premium Prep Book gets you three additional practice tests.
You get detailed answers to each question, but some seem a little convoluted. Further, the question difficulty doesn’t match up well with the actual SAT. There’s a healthy number of questions that are substantially easier than what you see on the exam. Plus, the delivery is lacking and may put off some learners.
Of course, some people found success by pairing the book with one of Princeton Review’s online classes. It can get expensive to tack on the courses or tutoring sessions, though some people do better with that level of support.
Kallis’ SAT Pattern Strategy
SAT Pattern Strategy is shorter but more expensive than the other options, which lands it in the last spot on the list. This book details more than 100 potential SAT topics but it might not provide enough depth if you are struggling with something specific.
You get six practice tests for over 1000 practice questions with in-depth explanations about each correct answer. While the book offers more realistic questions than some of the others on the list, some are much tougher than you’ll see on the actual SAT.
It’s also important to note that Kallis’ SAT book doesn’t address tricks and tips. You’ll have to go elsewhere to learn how much time to spend on each question and how to quickly eliminate wrong answers.
Free SAT Prep Materials
You don’t have to pay to access new SAT prep material. Head over to your local library to borrow some of the above books or check out some of these free resources you can find online.
CollegeBoard.org and Khan Academy
When College Board opted to make its test materials free, it tapped Khan Academy for help. Students who want to access the official SAT prep materials can do so through Khan Academy. You might want to bookmark both websites to access everything you need to succeed because the offerings differ.
This partnership could be instrumental for many students hoping to improve their scores.
Using both sites together means you can link past PSAT and SAT scores for diagnostic purposes. Based on your past performances, Khan Academy can help you fill in the gaps and ultimately perform better.
Additionally, College Board offers the option to join a study group and provides a sample study plan for those who need it.
Test Prep Review
The Test Prep Review site features more than a dozen practice tests for some of the top educational tests, including the SAT. You can access one SAT practice test
The Princeton Review Online SAT Prep
The Princeton Review offers some free SAT resources to support students preparing for the SAT. It’s possible to take a free test and access a free fourteen-day trial of the self-paced prep course. Additionally, the site hosts webinars, seminars, and study events.
Kaplan
Sign up on the Kaplan website to access one free SAT practice test. You can take it whenever you like and get a baseline score. The website also features a question of the day and 20-minute workouts for free.
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors offers one free online SAT class. The session covers techniques and strategies to help you succeed on the exam. While it’s helpful to sample the class, you can’t access any of the paid materials, including practice tests and the mobile app.
Magoosh
Magoosh is another study platform hoping to persuade you to purchase their resources by offering a free SAT practice test. Provide your email to access a PDF of the test with correct answers and explanations.
Subject-Specific SAT Prep Resources
It’s no secret that most students have particular strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to standardized tests. If you struggle with figuring out when to use “there” and “their” or how to solve for y, these resources might help you hone those skills.
The Critical Reader
Do you prefer to study a little every day? Need to learn more about grammar rules? The Critical Reader’s free offering might be up your alley with daily emails posing a grammar question of the day and a basic grammar guide.
You can also purchase one of The Critical Reader’s SAT study books. The Reading and Grammar versions are exceedingly helpful for providing realistic questions and offering detailed but clear explanations for the correct answers.
New SAT Reading Practice Book
The SAT reading section can be as challenging as any other, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a question. The New SAT Reading Practice Book analyzes questions, provides tips and tricks, and includes a self-evaluation tool. You get 10 reading practice tests with over 2000 practice questions.
500 New SAT Math Problems
The author breaks down the key SAT math topics and problems with clear, concise explanations. This book is divided into sections based on difficulty so that students can progress through the sections or bypass levels they already mastered. Unfortunately, 500 New SAT Math Problems is rather expensive.
PWN the SAT: Math Guide
Students who already have strong math knowledge and want to crush the math sections can get the extra practice they need with PWN the SAT: Math Guide. The writing is engaging and prepares for calculator and no-calculator problems. Plus, you can access bonus content on the website.
Note that this book is not suitable for those without a strong math foundation because its explanations assume you already have basic knowledge.
Erik the Red
This math-focused website is a gold mine of information for more than the SAT, but it features several sections dedicated to this test. You can certainly pay for tutoring from Erik the Red, or you can access some of the free math guides to help you fill in knowledge gaps.
Bookmark the Math Vocabulary page and the Facts and Formulas pages for quick reference to some crucial information. The facts and formula include everything you need to know, from the order of operations to compound and inverse functions.
Final Thoughts on SAT Prep Resources
The SAT is a rite of passage for many students, and a high score can translate to more money for college. Choosing the right SAT prep materials can have a massive impact on your score.
It’s a good idea to pick materials based on your skill level, which means looking at past attempts or taking a diagnostic test. If this is your first attempt, you might want to check out one of the free tests through Khan Academy or Kaplan to get an idea of your strengths and weaknesses.
Once you know where you stand, you can dial in on your weakest areas. Most of these resources break topics down so that you can bypass things you’ve mastered and drill into topics that need work.
Most importantly, you don’t have to pay for SAT prep materials. There are plenty of resources available to help you prepare. Using College Board and Khan Academy can be sufficient to help you land the score you desire. Remember, there’s no substitute for hard work and consistent studying.
