- Recommended Books</p>
<p>SAT preparation is a very lucrative business, and there is a whole host of companies that have created a dizzying assortment of workbooks, complete guides, and practice tests. Below I’ll give my advice on which books to use for each section and the test as a whole, along with other resources you’ll want to tap. Asterisks denote resources that I personally have used. Keep in mind that some books work better than others for different people; like with anything else, people will have personal preferences for prep books. Be sure to look through a book at a bookstore or library before deciding to use it. Prices were found off of Amazon.</p>
<p>The Whole Test</p>
<p>The Official SAT Study Guide* by College Board - $21.99</p>
<p>See my above blurb about this. I’d say that this book is absolutely essential, required reading for the SAT. Like I said above, its advice is nothing special, but its practice tests are priceless. Recently, College Board released the third version of this book. It is expected to be a bit pricier than the second edition one that most people have used, and includes a DVD. I am unsure if the new version will be worth the extra price; likely, the cheaper, second edition will be sufficient. </p>
<p>Hack the SAT: Strategies and Sneaky Shortcuts That Can Raise Your Score Hundreds of Points* by Eliot Schrefer - $15.00 </p>
<p>An entertaining guide to the SAT. This book helps you get a sense of the test and understand more about it. It also provides you with lots of helpful tips and tricks. However, I wouldn’t call it a complete guide. It’s best used with other SAT prep books.</p>
<p>Reading</p>
<p>Direct Hits Volumes 1&2 by Larry Krieger and Ted Griffith - $14.95 each</p>
<p>I’ve never used these books before, but from what I hear they are the most effective vocabulary lists by far for the SAT. The lists consistently perform very well in identifying words that commonly appear on the SAT.</p>
<p>Sparknotes Top 250 Most Difficult SAT Words* by Sparknotes – Free
Not exactly a book, but definitely a helpful resource. This list is another great place to find words to study and memorize. Available online at sparknotes.com</p>
<p>Writing</p>
<p>Barron’s SAT Writing Workbook* by George Ehrenhaft - $14.99</p>
<p>This guide thoroughly goes through all of the rules of grammar that you will need to become acquainted with. It does a good job of covering all the material necessary, and also includes several practice tests. The advice on the essay, however, isn’t particularly helpful. Nonetheless, I would consider it one of the best guides to the multiple choice writing section.</p>
<p>How to Write a 12 Essay in just 10 days* by AcademicHacker - Free</p>
<p>Hands down, this is the most helpful guide to the SAT essay. It can be found online at College Confidential, and is definitely worth printing off. This thread lays out exactly what is needed for the essay. Following the advice given will almost certainly yield a high essay score.</p>
<p>Math</p>
<p>Dr. John Chung’s SAT Math by John Chung - $27.99</p>
<p>This is one of the most highly recommended math prep books. It has a large number of practice tests and tips to help you get a high score. Generally, it is regarded as being more difficult than the real test.</p>
<p>Gruber’s Complete SAT Math Workbook by Gary R. Gruber - $14.99</p>
<p>Another good book for the math section. I can’t say much about it since I’ve never used it, but I hear that it is helpful for teaching all of the concepts.