<p>Wow, I was really surprised to see this thread. I am not sure why Xiggi decided to post a warning about vocabulary lists. With the huge number of threads and posts about vocabulary and what works and doesn’t work, anyone can make an informed decision about what to buy and/or study with minimal effort. </p>
<p>I have found the analysis done by Dark Knight (as well as the responses generated from each thread) to be very helpful in making the best use of our time and resources. </p>
<p>I agree with swans004 that most test prep companies and unfortunately a number of schools give studying vocabulary short shrift and do not feel it is “futile” to look for the best resources available. I was very surprised at the vocabulary my sons knew and even more surprised at the words they didn’t know when they started preparing for the PSAT and then the SAT. We have found that studying vocabulary has not only helped their critical reading score but also their essay score.</p>