<p>The book apparently came out in 2006 and hasn't been updated since. I don't have much experience with SAT and don't really know if any large changes has been made to the SAT test since 2006. However, many posts here on CC recommend this book and I plan on buying in. The only problem is I live overseas and shipping from amazon costs a lot, so I'm not sure if I should buy it. Can you please give me some suggestions?</p>
<p>Also since I'll be buying it from amazon I might as well order some other books too. What other prep books do you guys recommend other than the Blue Book?</p>
<p>Check google books for a free preview of Rocket Review. It’s great for understanding test design but not very good for practice questions. It’s really just Princeton Review repackaged.</p>
<p>Is it really? Princeton Review isn’t recommended at all by anyone around here while Rocket Review is sort of like one of those God Tier review books and is included in every advice thread. I heard the reading section is amazing and according to my practice tests(not from the big blue book), reading is my weakest section (550~ while I get like 700 on other sections. Pretty bad compared to most of the scores here but I’ve only just started) </p>
<p>Does anyone else have things to say about Rocket Review?</p>
<p>The RR fame comes from the sole fact that it was one of the earliest “out of the gate” when the SAT was changed in 2005. Accordingly, it did raise the bar over the otherwise abysmal state of prep book that need real improvements. The downfall of RR was that it did miss on several elements as it was written before the “real” SAT came out. To his credit, the author realized he had better things to do that rewrite the book again. </p>
<p>There is nothing really great (nor bad) about the book, and it surely does not include “secrets.” If you can get it for free, by all means peruse it, but the efforts to get it --let alone purchase it at the ridiculous prices asked for-- are futile. </p>
<p>You are better off searching for some of the “guides” posted by people who shared their experience with CR. On a personal level, I still think that, except for designing your OWN methods, the best authors remain Pete Edwards of Maxximum SAT and Mike Barrett of Grammatix or the Black Book fame. </p>
<p>Be aware that most people never develop the ability to increase their CR scores, as many can do with math and writing. Concentration and reasoning abilities are harder to develop.</p>
<p>Well for Rocket Review there’s both a 2005-2006 Edition and a 2006-2007 Edition and you’d think Adam Robinson would have added the required elements to the 2007 Edition. Both editions are sold at ridiculous prices on Amazon: $1200 for a new copy and $150 for used ones ranging between conditions-“Good” to “Very Good”. Who knows what that means. Pretty darn expensive if you ask me especially now that xiggi has said it’s not that good.</p>
<p>My SAT instructor has like a copy of the Rocket Review book, I’m not sure which edition, but he refuses to give it out for free because it’s sold at $700 bucks online or something. I might ask him if I can photocopy parts of that book. xiggi which sections do you think should I photocopy??</p>
<p>@xiggi Maximum SAT by Edwards also came out in 2006. Edwards once wrote in a thread here that he’s making revisions on the book, but no new editions were ever made. </p>
<p>Also you mentioned in your guide Testmasters’ Complete Solutions, but that book came out in 2005, even before the 2nd Blue Book did. Does it have solutions to the 2nd Blue Book? Should I still get that book to aid my use of the Blue Book?</p>
<p>I probably won’t get Rocket Review then. The price is insane. Also does the College Board’s online course include 10 DIFFERENT practice tests from the Blue Book?</p>
<p>Does the College Board’s online course include 10 DIFFERENT practice tests from the Blue Book?
No, to me it is much better. If you are done both, you should get over 2000 or at least very close.
Rocket Review Revolution is too expensive.</p>
<p>A note on the author of RR, Adam Robinson. While he is a pioneer in the test prep industry, his strategies are similar to what you will find in any other prep book. He is good at presenting his teachings in simple, digestible lessons. So that helps. But RR is not a game changer. </p>
<p>Just keep in mind that Cracking the SAT by Princeton Review gives credit to Adam Robinson. And the similarities are striking. RR is Joe Bloggs expanded. </p>
<p>My advice: save your money. Just use Blue Book tests.</p>
<p>I would strongly recommend Michael Barrett’ Grammatix. So, I’m not a native English speaker and my CR was terrible (I got only ~500 in my first practice test). However, lately I’ve read Grammatix and it did contribute a lot to raising my CR score to 720 in the latest practice test (not sure if I will keep up the work but I think the book helps a lot).
I’ve skimmed through a few pages of RR and I think there may be some interesting facts in it, but purchasing the book at such a price is sheer folly.
p/s: Don’t use The Princeton Review. You should use that book ONLY if you have finished the Blue Book and have nothing else to do.</p>
<p>I’m also not a native speaker and had horrible CR scores on my first practice SAT (500~). I was able to attain a copy of Grammatix and I’ve yet to print it out. Hopefully that can save my atrocious reading score.</p>
<p>Ugh the fact that it’s hard to get RR is weirdly making me want that book more!!! It’s impossible to get it in any way other than Amazon. This is bugging me so much more than it should.</p>