Please do not practice "tough" for the sake of tough. That is like practicing soccer but using a bowling ball, which may be tough but is rather obviously a bad idea. Practice realistic to get the right content, the right pacing, and the right thought process when you are testing.

​

McGraw-Hill is a bad fit for anyone. It does not do a good job of matching the question style or content of the real SAT, and it is rated by this Reddit as the worst prep book in existence.

Kaplan is adequate but not great. I would recommend redoing one of the better books rather than doing Kaplan, but at least it helps you to prepare. The College Board Guide is one of the many excellent books that I do recommend. Other recommendations are listed in the sidebar, quoted below:

​



The resources provided in these lists are ones that are highly and regularly recommended by the community. Refer to the survey link below for more information on resources

Free

>Large-scale data analysis of the community including average test and practice test scores, recommended resources, hours studied and improvement, etc.
8 official practice tests + 11 additional real tests from QAS dates. This link contains every SAT practice test that can be found on this subreddit
Khan Academy's SAT page
Official SAT discord
CollegeBoard's Daily Practice for the New SAT available on the App Store or Google Play

Paid

>UWorld question bank with 1900+ questions and explanations
1600.io has video explanations to each question on the 8 official practice tests and 11 QAS tests. The first 4 practice tests and a strategy course are free.
Reading and Writing books from Erica Meltzer (author)
Math, writing, and essay books from College Panda (author Nielson Phu)


Textbook companies with a large number of prep products (such as Princeton Review and Kaplan) are not highly recommended

Forget about the practice tests. Try reading these 3 books and they're different from those traditional Kaplan/Princeton books cuz this is more effective and to the point. Look at the reviews if you don't believe me.

Reading - The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading https://www.amazon.com/dp/0997517875/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CocTCbC509HKK

Writing- The College Panda's SAT Writing: Advanced Guide and Workbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/098949649X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jncTCb8VQQDG7

Math - The College Panda's SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook for the New SAT https://www.amazon.com/dp/0989496422/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-ncTCb0K4SM2Y

There's also a dude on this website called 1600.io and he spends a ton of time going over every question on those practice tests you took so he'll tell you the right way to do it. It's free for practice tests 1-4

I really respect the time and effort you are putting into studying for the SAT. That is quite a number of practice tests you have completed.

To bump up that reading, I highly recommend Erica Meltzer's SAT Critical Reading (2nd Edition). It's been an outstanding book for many to bump up that score. I find her to be a very outstanding author.

If grammar/writing seems to be the issue, fortunately, Erica Meltzer offers a book covering this topic! Link to her 3rd edition grammar. To reiterate, Erica Meltzer is an outstanding author who really uncovers tips to score high for SAT.

As for math, your best option is College Panda's SAT Math Workbook. I have heard great reviews about this book and I am looking to purchase this book, too. This book should really help you for the math section.

I hope you find these options helpful. You should continue to use Khan Academy daily for general practice on the three categories.
Always remember, quality over quantity. A person that practiced with 4 tests could outperform a person that practiced with 21 tests. I appreciate your studying and wish you the best luck to improve your great score!

I think the general consensus is:



Reading | Writing | Math
-------|-------|----
Erica Meltzer Critical Reader | Erica Meltzer Grammar | College Panda Math
| |College Panda Writing | Steve Warner 28 New Lessons - Advanced
| | |College Panda 10 SAT Practice Tests

For Reading, Erica Meltzer is recommended, but I would suggest sticking to practice tests and doing deep analyses of your mistakes and all the answer choices (know WHY every wrong answer is incorrect). Reading is a lot less concept-heavy than Writing or Math, so you'll benefit more from exposure to the way the CollegeBoard asks questions. Train yourself from the beginning to look for an answer 100% supported by the text; you MUST NOT introduce outside assumptions EVEN when a question is asking about an "inference" or "suggestion." If you're afraid of running out of the tests in the long run, and given what you are currently aiming to prep for, maybe use released PSATs in the beginning.

For Writing, you've got Erica Meltzer (if you prefer a very dense writing style) or College Panda (if you prefer something more to the point). Meltzer also has a separate workbook of practice tests for after you're done drilling concepts. Know your grammar concepts cold but also realize that this section tests some reading too; you'll need to draw from context to determine the best place to put a sentence, identify the most relevant details, or even determine what word is most appropriate. As with Reading, analyze your errors thoroughly; take particular care in trying to tie back errors to concepts.

For Math, you've also got College Panda ... he also has a book of 10 practice tests. Like Writing, try to tie mistakes back to concepts.

For something general that covers all three sections, the SAT Prep Black book is thrown around every now and then as having good information on how to approach the test as a whole.

On the online resource front, you can use Khan Academy (free) for different types of reading passages and grammar and math concepts. Use UWorld (requires subscription) solely as a question bank. Feel free to also download the free official SAT Question of the Day App for daily questions from the test-maker.

Give yourself official test sections every few concepts to see how adept your are at handling the material when forced to deal with the concepts all together without the benefit of being told what you are working on.

You can obtain good explanations of practice tests with 1600.io (only the first 4 tests are free). Dr. Roger's Math Neighborhood has you covered on the math front (all free, but math only).

Good luck!

For Reading: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875

For Writing: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/098949649X/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+panda+sat+writing&qid=1563901164&s=gateway&sprefix=college+panda&sr=8-3 or https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2/133-6279214-8476330?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0997517867&pd_rd_r=b1b3ba1b-4d03-4aef-8534-fb724df88793&pd_rd_w=tVeGd&pd_rd_wg=AG0DL&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=S0E4J8G00TRD6F0ZY1ZK&psc=1&refRID=S0E4J8G00TRD6F0ZY1ZK

For Math: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=pd_aw_fbt_14_img_2/133-6279214-8476330?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0989496422&pd_rd_r=6bc275dd-8dee-497b-aa49-17576266463e&pd_rd_w=YjIig&pd_rd_wg=Pc71l&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=P3X7H8SAQZT59M5F6FNV&psc=1&refRID=P3X7H8SAQZT59M5F6FNV or https://www.amazon.com/PWN-SAT-Guide-Mike-McClenathan/dp/1523963573/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=pwn+sat+math&qid=1563901232&s=gateway&sprefix=pwn+sa&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

For Essay (if you’re taking it): https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Essay-Battle-tested/dp/0989496465/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+panda+essay&qid=1563901277&s=gateway&sr=8-3

For General Strategy: https://www.amazon.com/SAT-Prep-Black-Book-Strategies/dp/0692916164/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=sat+black+book&qid=1563901330&s=gateway&sprefix=sat+bla&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

For Practice Tests: https://www.amazon.com/Official-SAT-Study-Guide-2020/dp/1457312190/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=college+board+sat+2020&qid=1563901505&s=gateway&sprefix=college+board+&sr=8-3 (NOTE: These practice tests are available online but I prefer having them on paper, which is why I bought this book.) and https://amp.reddit.com/r/Sat/comments/9544rw/all_qas_tests_and_scoring_in_pdf_form/

Good online resources include Khan Academy, UWorld, and 1600.io. Also, I recommend taking a timed practice test often to follow along with your progress and see what you need to work on. Make sure to do the practice test all at once (don’t break it up into section) and try to do it in the morning like you would in the real SAT. Then, go over your mistakes very carefully (this is VERY IMPORTANT) until you truly understand the mistake so that you won’t make it again in the future. This is the most important step. If you skip this, it’s unlikely that you see any meaningful score improvement. Also, It’s up to you which resources you buy/use based on what sections you need help with. Good luck!

hmm so you’re pretty evenly split there. 41 days may not seem like a lot, but it is plenty of time for a large improvement if you study well and consistently. i can’t truly predict any one number since i don’t know you or your work ethic/capabilities but i’ll try and give u some tips for each section to maximize ur time before the august test :)

math: if you haven’t already, purchase the college panda SAT math book ( The College Panda's SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook for the New SAT https://www.amazon.com/dp/0989496422/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ze.kDb1QDZA61 ). it’s truly a godsend. work through this entire book over the course of around two weeks, highlighting, taking notes in the margins, and doing EVERY PRACTICE PROBLEM. you’ll see significant results right away. use khan academy to practice individual problem types if you still have trouble after using this book (i swear this book & uworld — which is sadly no longer free but if you can afford it it’s a great resource — got me -0M)

Writing: you really need to get a strong foundation in “standard” american english grammar. i put standard in quotes cuz college board keeps its own grammar rules and likes them a distinct way. all of the rules you need to know (as well as helpful tips for the other section) i learned from the SAT black book ( SAT Prep Black Book: The Most Effective SAT Strategies Ever Published https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692916164/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.i.kDbWGRK8W2 ). again, highlight and take notes in the margins and read through a couple of the walkthroughs this book provides

Reading: this is the toughest to improve in, but not impossible. really work on math and writing before attempting to tackle this section. if you don’t know this already, the best advice any person on this sub can give you for this section is that THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS IN THE PASSAGE, AND IS 100% SUPPORTED BY THE PASSAGE AND CAN BE BACKED UP WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE PASSAGE. that being said, CB is a nasty bitch that excels at making tricky answers that readers with poor comprehension skills tend to choose. this is best remedied by reading a lot in your free time, specifically high level texts

I have personally only used Meltzer's english book, CP's english book, and CP's math book and can vouch that all of these are amazing, but others on this sub also recommend other books. Here is a list of many of them. I hope they serve you well :] (Edit: I apologize for how huge this post is, lol)


English

• The Ulimate Guide to SAT Grammar by Erica Meltzer
  https://www.amazon.com/4th-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/0997517867/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610454&sr=1-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+writing
  
  
• SAT Writing: Advanced Guide and Workbook by College Panda
  https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610514&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+writing&dpID=41iRh%252BJb19L&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  
  
  
  Reading
  
  
• The Critical Reader by Erica Meltzer
  https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519610443&sr=8-1&keywords=erica+meltzer+sat+reading&dpID=51cR4Uh0YBL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  
  
  
  Math
  
  
• SAT Math Advanced Guide and Workbook by College Panda
  https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610506&sr=1-1&keywords=college+panda+math
  
  
• Dr. John Chung's SAT Math
  https://www.amazon.com/Dr-John-Chungs-Math-Fourth/dp/197452602X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519610536&sr=1-1&keywords=dr+chungs+sat+math&dpID=51gqq9mu0XL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
  

https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511585847&sr=8-1&keywords=college+panda

a must have

Hey you can use any or all of the below mentioned resources:

WEBSITES:

1. Khan Academy; Official partner of the College Board. It consists of videos & questions related to each & every section of the SAT Test with detailed explanations & performance tracking. And it's totally free!
   
2. UWorld; This websites boasts of having a collection of more than 1800+ questions. with detailed explanation, detailed rationales for incorrect answers, performance tracking, vivid illustrations, track time to improve your speed, compare your results to peers and a lot more. PAID.
   
3. 1600.io; Offers multidimensional online instruction for the SAT. In addition to it also offers course-by-course basis preparation. It covers about 3,000 real SAT questions in 200 hours of video instruction. Although I don't have an experience with this site but it's highly appreciated by other test takers. PAID.
   
   BOOKS:
   
   

• Mathematics: Personally I don't fine this section on SAT abstruse so I think following books are more than enough to ace the SAT-Maths section;
  
  

1. The College Panda's SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook for the New SAT; The best thing about this book is that it focuses on every particular section of SAT making it easy to comprehend & more helpful than the books that randomly talks about all the topics at once. Practice questions are incredible and are backed-up with Nielson's very simple & easy to understand answers & explanations. Also, there is a Website and any errors made in printing are mentioned on it.
   
2. The College Panda's 10 Practice Test For The SAT Math; Running out of Practice test? Want something more? Well this book has some relatively realistic versions of the SAT's mathematics sections (both calculator and no-calculator).
   
3. PWN The SAT: Math Guide; Still not satisfied with your SAT preparation? Longing for something more? When you're done with this book you'll be able to approach the SAT with confidence - very few questions will surprise you, and even fewer will be able to withstand your withering attacks.
   
   

• Writing:
  
  

1. The Ultimate Guide To SAT Grammar, 4th Ed; It isn't about drilling as most of them (books) are. It's about the philosophy of the SAT. Author backs up her advice with relevant questions from Khan Academy in each chapter & provides comprehensive coverage of all the grammar & rhetoric tested on the redesigned SAT Writing & Language Test. Two things that you'd miss - lack of enough practice questions & its overpricing (Especially for International Students). She had a Website where you can look-up for Errata & other college related information. You'll also get a practice question each day prepared by Erica herself!
   
2. The Ultimate Guide To SAT Grammar WB, 4th Ed; Fall short on practice questions? Need something to execute what you've learned so far? This accompanying workbook to The Ultimate Guide to SAT® Grammar contains six full-length tests in redesigned SAT format, each accompanied by thorough explanations designed to reinforce the concepts and strategies covered in the main grammar book.
   
3. The College Panda's SAT Writing: Advanced Guide & WB, 2nd Ed; This one is truly geared towards the student aiming for the perfect score. It leaves no stones unturned. It has clear explanations of all the tested SAT grammar rules, from the simplest to the most obscure, tons of examples to illustrate each question type and the different ways it can show up, hundreds of drills and practice questions to help you master the concepts and a lot more. AND, THREE PRACTICE TESTS.
   
   

• Reading: Probably the "hardest-to-score" section on the SAT test.
  
  

1. The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition; Intended to clearly and systematically demystify what is often considered the most challenging section of the SAT, this book provides a comprehensive review of the reading skills tested on the redesigned exam for students who are serious about raising their scores. Meltzer's explanations and tricks are very descriptive and include hints to easily discern the correct answer through process of elimination. Major drawback? Well, it lacks enough practice questions & is highly overpriced!
   
   

• ESSAY: For this section I'd say Khan Academy + these 2 books are more than enough. If you work with these modestly I guarantee you can easily achieve a perfect score on SAT Essay;
  
  

1. The College Panda's SAT Essay; The writer covers all of the main facets of the new SAT Essay, including the scoring, structure and key elements of a rhetorical analysis, combined with more strategic advice regarding such topics as paragraph structure, transitions, vocabulary usage, length, writing speed, quotations, examples, and the elements of persuasion. Author's high-scoring essay from the May 2016 exam is included where he shares everything from what he did right as well as the subtle things he initially missed.
   
2. SAT Vocabulary: A New Approach; Covers key vocabulary for the Reading Test, Writing and Language Test, and Essay. This book offers an approach that is aligned with the new SAT’s focus on vocabulary in context. The concluding chapter on the Essay is short but outstanding. The chapter features a particularly helpful presentation on 6 persuasive devices, a list of 25 top Essay vocabulary words, and best of all a real Level 24 essay written by a real student on the November 2016 SAT.
   
   Hope this helps. If liked, please don't forget to up-vote. And all the best for your preparation and test.

Should I buy both?
https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-Practice-Tests-Math/dp/0989496449/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1500679237&sr=8-4&keywords=college+panda

https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500679237&sr=8-1&keywords=college+panda

https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0989496422/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_4Vw-BbXM6XWWV

Unfortunately right now it’s $28 but this is a really good review book that covers every math topic that could be on the test. If you are going to buy review books this is a good one to get but it’s also possible to improve at math for free using khan academy so don’t feel like you have to spend that money

By one sitting do you mean one test or one practice test? because my goal is to get a 1300 overall on the actual SAT when I take it, not on my next practice test.

Thanks for the resources! This is what I gathered from your response.

-College Panda Math Books for a higher math score. Complete parts I'm weak on for 650+ and whole book for 700+

-Uworld for more Math prep.

-QAS' for more practice and study mainly tests 5-8 in the Blue Book.

-1600.io for Reading.

Would you recommend any reading strategies? I've used RUNNERS in the past when attempting to dissect passages but I'm starting to feel like it takes too long.

I've also heard that the practice tests are easier than the actual tests. Is this true or is it just a myth used to ease test anxiety?

EDIT: By The College Panda do you mean books like this?, If so is there a certain website where I can find the latest editions?

Reading: https://www.amazon.com/Critical-Reader-3rd-Complete-Reading/dp/0997517875/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1523859178&sr=8-3&keywords=sat+reading

Math: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523859257&sr=8-1&keywords=math+college+panda

Those are both great.

I bought this Panda math book, read all of it, and worked 75% of it.

For the English, I just did a little online Khan Academy practice because my English score was already pretty high. I definitely concentrated a lot more on math.

I also used the normal SAT book, which is pretty helpful too.

If your practice or PSAT scores are really low (like below 1200), I'd suggest you get tutoring instead.

But I don't think the SAT is very difficult. It's very repetitive, so the more practice tests you take and questions you study, the more you'll be prepared for the actual test because it's just regurgitating concepts.

Get this book: https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503845896&sr=8-1&keywords=college+panda

Study that book extensively for a month.
Then use the SAT Blue Book and do all the 8 practice exams for the math section.

Using the strategy can get you an 800 if you study well.

Here is the updated one (I think). Also, I highly recommend using uWorld for the math. Brought me from ~670 to ~780/800 on practice tests. Best of luck!

https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422

https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Math-Advanced/dp/0989496422 and http://thecriticalreader.com/books/ what books from Meltzer?