(Part 2) Top products from r/Sat

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.

Math: if you want to review basics = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBCAv_NzzPQ&t=2s - this for algebra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8wdKOsUD-4 - this for geometry. If you watched those or didn't, I'd do Khan or Uworld, whichever you prefer, and then take some sat practice tests after you feel sick of those two programs. Writing = Math, you either know what you're doing or don't.

Reading: I would read a ton to get more used to the test and increase focus and speed. Read scholarly readings - here are a few websites with lists https://www.albert.io/blog/ultimate-ap-english-literature-reading-list/ and https://blog.prepscholar.com/ap-literature-reading-list . start off light, like The Stranger by Albert Camus; don't try to read Hamlet your first run or you're going to get confused and don't know what the hell is going on. You'll increase your focus and improve. Be sure to actively read and if you don't understand a point, go back and analysis it. And when you get to harder readings, it's okay to slow down so you can soak everything in (i.e. Heart of Darkness). Try to read 30 to 60 minutes a day and you'll crush the reading passages. Just make sure you aren't tired when reading because it isn't as useful and read books you like, don't force it. Reading is something our generation isn't accustomed to and we get distracted by technology, but trust me, it will be worth. Just keep reading. And again, after you feel like you mastered it, do some passages.

Writing - https://www.amazon.com/College-Pandas-SAT-Writing-Advanced/dp/0989496430 and https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-ACT-English-3rd/dp/0997517883/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1540762075&sr=1-1&keywords=act+english . Writing is more of a formula, just like math, you either know the concepts or don't. Buy either one. I've tried the second link but heard the first one is better and cheaper.

​

There have been multiple books on math, reading and writing; I'd buy only math and writing books from the web (Amazon) if you would like to. They aren't NECESSARY, but can help. An approach to the reading passages was created by George from 1600.io . George is smart, so use George. Don't buy sat reading books from the web, George is free. For math, Khan Academy attacks on one point heavily, while Uworld gives harder, but more variety in their programs (you can also chose specific categories too). GOOD LUCK AND TELL ME WHAT YOU GET!

PSAT 8/9 score: 1250 (RW 640 + Math 610)
May 4 SAT score: 1490 (RW 730 + Math 760)

I got 1190 on the first practice test I took. I was a terrible test taker! I fell asleep, didn't focus, and didn't answer half the math questions.

Then I took a cheap SAT class offered by an English teacher at my school. The class itself wasn't mind-blowing, but it did give me the structure I needed to put my mind to studying. I started grinding about an hour a day, using Barron's practice tests. I took official practice tests every week and watched my score improve. To prevent falling asleep while taking the tests, I started drinking a 5 hour energy before each one, but I do warn that this isn't for everyone.

I got a 1490 on the May 4th SAT test! I was so happy, but being 10 points away from 1500 made me resolved to get 1500 or above on my next exam.

To be honest, I didn't grind that hard during the summer. I got serious about studying about two weeks before the test. I spent about two hours every day on Khan Academy, finding my weak spots (mostly reading) and stomping out any errors. I hear that UWorld and 1600.io are also good resources!

By the time the test came, I felt pretty good about myself. I was able to finish all the questions, even though the reading was pretty confusing (I hate butterflies now). I exited the test room feeling good, and celebrated with my family. The next 11 days were nerve-wracking, especially with all the controversy and scandal surrounding the test. This was the last SAT I was planning on taking since I'm in my senior year now, and it would have been a major bummer if I had to take it again. Thankfully, the scores didn't get cancelled, even though it's unfortunate that some people cheated.

Overall, I'm happy with my score. Upon my 100th page refresh in AP Lit class on Friday, my score popped up and I gasped. I could barely wait until the end of class to run up to my English teacher (the one who taught the SAT class I took) and show him my score. We high fived and he told me he was proud of me :)

TL;DR: I improved my score from 1490 to 1560 with the help of an SAT class, Baron's, and the free official practice tests. Hope this helped!

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!

Make sure first that the resources you are working with are top-notch. According to the sub, the best online resource to learn concepts (across all the sections) is Khan Academy. In terms of Reading, this means doing the practice with the various passage types (fiction, social studies, and science). In terms of Writing, this means learning the various conventions of the English language. Feel free to also download the free official SAT Question of the Day App for daily questions (every other day will have an English question).

If you are a book person and willing to spend some money ...

The best Reading resource, according to the sub, is Erica Meltzer. My personal recommendation is that you stick with official practice sections for this one because, quite simply, no one makes questions like the CollegeBoard. Mark off select practice tests for use as full-length exams ... the other tests' sections can be used individually. In the case of Reading, use those for practice. If you're afraid of running out of official material, maybe start with PSATs, which are also easier and can ease you in. Make sure you do deep analyses of your errors (know HOW you picked the wrong answer, HOW to avoid doing that again, WHY the correct answer is right, and WHY the incorrect answers are wrong ... you must do all of those things to really obtain value from your practice) and also examine the questions you were not super confident in. Even take a second look at questions you got right to see if you could find a faster way of arriving at the answer. Note down any vocabulary that might have impeded your ability to understand the passages/questions/answers. Make sure to keep a log of all your analyses.

For Writing, the best resources are 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. Work through either of these by chapter. After every couple of chapters, do a practice section for a mixed review to see if you can handle dealing with the concepts when you no longer have the benefit of being told what to look for. Keep in mind that Writing isn't all just grammar ... there is a reading component to it in which you must think about adding a relevant detail, shifting a sentence, or replacing a word in context ... this is where your Reading skills should blend in as well.

For explanations to the official tests, use 1600.io. Only the first four tests are free, but the site is quite highly regarded. Give that free trial a go, and see if you think it's worth the money.

Be aware that you'll likely see quick gains with Writing, but I promise that once you get the hang of Reading, that score will also see similar improvement. It just takes some time for most people to grasp it. The main thing is accepting that the correct answer is always supported by something in the passage ... you cannot rely on outside assumptions.

Good luck!

Alright, since you're not going for any electronic resources, I'll list a couple of books. Your main problem seems to be English in general. While the books might help you, I recommend reading a lot. Try historical and scientific articles online or even in a book. Read a couple of classics by Charles Dickens or Victor Hugo.


1- Kaplan https://www.amazon.com/SAT-Prep-Plus-2018-Strategies/dp/1506221300
This book has exceptional EBRW practice and thorough explanation with multiple methods of approaches. The math section is alright, but I feel that it is a little easier than the actual test.


2- Dr. John Chung's SAT math book. https://www.amazon.com/Dr-John-Chungs-SAT-Math/dp/1481959794
A phenomenal book. It has challenging question in the math section that will over prepare you. If you can get a 700 on his tests, you're set up on getting an 800 for the math section.


3- Barron's New SAT 28th edition https://www.amazon.com/Barrons-NEW-SAT-28th-Sat/dp/1438006497
Great book for learning the entirety of standard English convention and reading strategies. The EBRW questions might be a little easier than the actual thing, but the information it provides is meritorious. The math section also has some challenging problems that will over prepare you.

The official SAT study guide (alias blue book.) https://www.amazon.com/Official-SAT-Study-Guide-2018/dp/1457309289
This is the best book to test all you've practiced for. After you complete all other books, take all 8 practice tests. This will prepare you well.


Now for some tips:
1- Focus on your writing section more at the begining. Getting 44/44 in this section while missing 10 on the reading puts your score at 740-760. It weighs more.

2-Write some essays and have someone check them. It'll help you spot mistakes easier.

3-Calm down, you can always take it again.


Good luck!

Compared to algebra, there are very little geometry questions on the SAT. And of course there are no proofs or proving with theorems so you don't have to worry about that. Make sure your algebra-game is strong.

For resources, I say your first step is to head over to Khan Academy. Since they partnered with College Board, you will get 100% accurate practice tests and questions that will be reflected on the actual test so this is a great site to develop and solidify your skills.

If you prefer books, check out this post of common books used by category.

The general favorite to help with Reading and Writing is Erica Meltzer's Series.

As for math, College Panda's SAT Math has been a fantastic resource that accurately depicts the math that will be on the test. In fact, there's even a separate book that features 10 practice tests if you really want to reinforce your math skills!

If you desire more practice tests after completing all of the ones on Khan Academy, Ivy Global's 4 Practice Tests are pretty accurate to the actual test. Their explanations are helpful as well.

Enjoy these resources! Of course you do not need all of these resources listed but I wanted to provide a range because you didn't quite specify what you need to improve on.

As I've said before, quality over quantity. A person that took 4 practice tests could outperform a person that took 21 practice tests. Best of luck!

I'd say focus almost exclusively on the MC for the writing section, since the essay isn't nearly as important as people think. I was actually thinking of starting an SAT essay subreddit to practice critiquing essays because that is something I could use practice with to get better at.

Reading is the hardest section to raise your score in, and you're already in the 92nd percentile. Therefore, the return on investment for any studying that you would do for the reading section is quite low. But if you're trying to get in a top 20 college, it might be worth a little studying with these:

• The Direct Hits series is quite good for vocab
  
• The author of the Ultimate Guide just released a book for the critical reading section literally today. It's probably excellent, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it yet
  
  For math, it's a similar problem; you're in the 96th percentile, so you don't have much room to improve. That said here are some resources:
  
  
• I'm a huge fan of PWN the SAT, and here's his book
  
• Much of the information in the book is available for free on his website
  
• I've heard good things about this book, and the kindle version is on sale for $3 today
  
• Dr. Chung's book is great if you need to drill exercises
  
  75% of your studying time should be devoted to the writing section.

I have taken free PR administered PSAT/SAT tests and ~10 hrs of tutoring because of a canceled class (Due to low enrollment, Midwest though) that I had previously signed up for. For PR, there different levels of tutors, depending on experience. The rates range anywhere from 100-200ish/hr to 400 or so for the higher ranked. From my expierence, however, I found the experience to be of minimal help. Though they do force you to study the material and keep you on track. If your daughter is the type that needs to be "watched over" a tutor/class would certainly help. However, if she is the mature and determined, I would recommend you guys to forgo spending $1000+ and instead buy a couple of books, practice tests and spend 1-2 hours/day. Below are a few useful links to get started. Also, I'd HIGHLY recommend Eric Meltzer's ultimate grammar guide (did absolute wonders for me, 56 PSAT Writing-> 70 PSAT ->720 -> 800).

Erica meltzer's SAT grammar guide:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/1463599889

College Confidential SAT/ACT Prep Forum:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation

PR's SAT test prep services:
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/sat-test-preparation.aspx

PS: If you decide to go down the tutoring route, look around there are often many local companies and tutors available as well. Compare prices.

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
  

Get yourself some books, if you haven't already. The two easiest scores to improve are writing and math, because those are the ones that have concrete techniques for you to study, unlike critical reading which is more conceptual. (But you could probably boost it by studying vocab.)

I recommend PWN the SAT (I know what the name sounds like but it's really helpful) particularly for the math guide.

For writing, Erica Meltzer's ultimate guide to SAT grammar is a good choice, although it's a bit more involved than the math guide.

You should note that something as small as 10 points honestly comes down to luck. You could try again without any prep and have a decent chance at getting those points- and sadly, there is no preparation technique on earth that will allow you to score exactly 10 points higher. But hey- instead of taking the chance, you might as well prep a lot while you have the time and get your score higher by even more than 10 points. It can't hurt.

Do not take the actual SAT just to see how you do. Many colleges request the full testing history and will see your first score.

Instead, do one of these official practice tests from the College Board:

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/full-length-practice-tests

My recommendation is to print it out and do it on paper. However, the most cost-efficient option is to purchase the Official SAT Study Guide, which includes the 8 practice tests (it's $19 with ~1000 pages, and you save a lot on printing costs). It can be found here:

https://www.amazon.com/Official-SAT-Study-Guide-2018/dp/1457309289/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524454802&sr=8-1&keywords=official+sat+study+guide+2018+edition

I highly suggest skipping the CollegeBoard's "study guide" (the first ~200 pages or so), as most of it is fluff that won't help you. Instead, take practice test 1 as a diagnostic.

Then, sign up for Khan Academy practice. Khan Academy will help you tremendously considering the position you're at now. They have skill levels from 1-4 for all math concepts. If you have the time and dedication, level up for the math as much as you can. However, KA math is best used as content review/practice and not as practice for the actual math questions. The questions tend to be phrased awkwardly and are not identical to those you will encounter on the SAT.

Instead, once you have a solid grasp and conceptual understanding of the Algebra II topics, sign up for UWorld (free code on the sidebar) and complete as many math problems as possible. Reading and writing are phenomenal on KA and much better than UWorld, though, so I recommend KA for that.

If you have the time and dedication, you can easily achieve your target score of 1450. You still have several months left, and you will be shocked on how quickly your score will go up. Don't waste your money on tutoring services; you'll be able to increase your score far more on your own.

Space out the official practice tests by about 2 weeks. They should be completed under real timed conditions and serve best as diagnostics for how your studying has been paying off. If you don't see an improvement on subsequent practice tests, then something is wrong with the way you're studying. Do not use the practice tests as merely practice questions, because there are a plethora of practice questions available to you on UWorld.

Once you feel confident with your score on the official practice tests, then take the real SAT.

Good luck!

I'm an avid reader who breezed through AP Literature and AP Language Arts. I thought I'd breeze through the reading portion of the SAT test when I took my first practice test, instead I missed at least 1/3 of the questions. The SAT is not like tests you take in school which are pretty black and white. The SAT wants to "trick" you and they do so by making the questions obscure and the answers written such that it seems more than one could be correct. The turn around point for me was when I heard the tip that the SAT takes great care in writing the questions and answers in such a way that there can only be one answer that is 100% correct. That means the other 3 answers have to include something which makes them wrong. When I came across a question that confused me I started trying to figure out what made an answer(s) wrong versus what made an answer correct. As I took more and more practice tests I started learning the SAT tricks and how to spot them. I ended up getting almost 100% correct on the reading sections, at the most I would miss maybe 1 out of the 52 questions. So how did I get from getting 30% wrong to 0% wrong? Did I suddenly get smarter in my reading? (no). I did it by studying the test itself, taking a TON of practice tests, and understanding what I got wrong and why.

For example, there was a fictional passage that described a character and her father. The main character was patronizing of her father and she was also scornful of him but not outwardly. There was a question along the lines of "the narrator's view of her father can best be summarized as:". One answer was something like "disdainful but outwardly pleasant" another answer choice "wholly patronizing". Well, she was both disdainful and patronizing, so which answer was right?. It was the word "wholly" that disqualified that answer. Wholly means "completely", "absolutely", etc. The narrator wasn't always patronizing of her father, only occassionally. This is a common trick of the SAT, using absolutes like "totally", "never", "always". Things like this you'll start to recognize the more practice tests you take.

Khan academy is good practice since it's free and it closely resembles the real SAT. The problem with Khan academy is that the explanations aren't that great. Some have mentioned 1600.io which is a website with explanations from a perfect tester. You could try that. I used "www.reasonprep.com", but it's not free. (1600.io is).

The most important advice I can give is to study the test itself. Take a ton of practice tests, over and over and over, and understand how to eliminate wrong answers. Figure out the SAT and how it tries to trick you. If you run out of reading passages the closest I've found to SAT type reading passages are the books by Khalid Khashoggi.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Reading-Workbook-Khalid-Khashoggi/dp/0996406409/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1522883434&sr=8-7&keywords=Khalid+Khashoggi

Sorry for the long answer. Basically practice a lot, understand why your answers are wrong, get used to the tricks the SAT uses to help you eliminate answers.

The short answer is yes, but not the kind of vocabulary that was studied for the pre-2016 SAT.

You don't need to study vocabulary lists in order to answer specific questions, but you do need a college level vocabulary in order to comprehend the passages and questions.

Let's look at some higher level (not uncommon though) words from Test #1. If you are unsure about the following words, then you need to do some vocabulary work to increase your comprehension. The following is just a quick list from a scan of the test and the words you find difficult might be different from the ones I listed.

• Scuttling
  
• Glistening
  
• Drenched
  
• Urgency
  
• Maternal
  
• Unseemliness
  
• Frequent
  
• Peer
  
• Recipient
  
• Dead-weight
  
• Intuitive
  
• Notion
  
• Complementary
  
• Expenditures
  
• Utilize
  
• Ambivalent
  
• Deduced
  
• Axis
  
• Permutation
  
• Consistent
  
• Vantage
  
• Procession
  
• Caravan
  
• Pulpit
  
• Mouthpiece
  
• Plume
  
• Bazaar
  
• Sixpence
  
• Convened
  
• Lunar
  
• Prospecting
  
• Scenario
  
• Interplanetary
  
• Celestial
  
• Sidestep
  
• Desolation
  
• Merit
  
• Barren
  
• Stewardship
  
  It is not absolutely necessary that you know all of these words to comprehend the test and answer the questions correctly, BUT it will take you longer if you have to work around these words. Because the the SAT is a timed test, faster is better. And so having a robust and agile vocabulary (you can adjust your mental definition to fit the context) will enable you to complete the reading section more efficiently.
  
  I would suggest using the tests you have completed and making lists of unfamiliar words to start and then using SAT level articles do the same. Create your own mini-dictionary and review it to beef-up your vocabulary. There is no definitive list that any company can give you (although Erica Meltzer's vocabulary book is a good start) because English has a vast vocabulary and just about any of about 50,000 words could show up in a passage.

In my complete honest opinion, I do not associate Khan Academy as the "Bible" in preparing for SAT. While it is very helpful and provides accurate questions that resemble what you would see on test day, it's all just practice.

In other words, Khan Academy doesn't really explain the concepts well, it just hosts a bunch of practice questions (and tests) that you can repeatedly go over. Yes, I'm aware they provide step-by-step solutions, but some may not be sufficient enough. There are about 1-2 videos per math topic, for example, but they are all focusing on one type of concept (e.g. one particular way to solving a proportion problem).

I think KA is great for Reading, a less conceptual and needing to memorize facts subject. Math and Reading though, I think you're going to have to hit the books.

Now you might be wondering, what books?

Well here's the general consensus, brought to you by /r/SAT:


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

So I got a 1550 MC/21 E on my first try while barely studying as a sophomore, so I think I can help. I'm currently a sophomore and I didnt really have that much time to study. Instead, I devoted all my time to taking practice tests, which really helped. My strategy was to use Barron's book, which was very difficult (I would get 1300-1400 on those tests). Here's the link to that book: https://www.amazon.com/Barrons-SAT-29th-Bonus-Online/dp/1438009984/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526728611&sr=8-1&keywords=barron%27s

I think the key thing in reading is to just get accustomed to reading a lot. And not just novels or teen books, actual cold hard dry texts and literature. I think the key thing that pushed me into a good score in reading w/out too much studying was that I like to read a lot, especially things like philosophy, political science, literature, and articles. I rarely read teen novels or simple fiction, both of which do not come out on the SAT. My advice is to just read a lot of harder texts, and although it might be harder to do so, try to enjoy it (I actually do not enjoy teen fiction so I was naturally "assimilated" into this SAT style reading).

Otherwise, always look for the most obvious answer in reading and writing/language. Although in math you should watch out for some tricks, the reading section is often comprised of questions in which you do not need to look for implications or a deeper meaning. Only look for a deeper meaning when you have to.

Hope this helps, reply for any questions :))

All the real CB exams you'll have a very hard time finding online but they are available in CB books.

US History:

There are 4 released exams here https://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-History-Study-Guide/dp/1457309319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539652156&sr=8-1&keywords=9781457309311&dpID=51IAsh0C6OL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

French:

The most recently released exam is in here https://www.amazon.com/Official-Study-Guide-Subject-Tests/dp/0874479754/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539652341&sr=8-2&keywords=the+official+study+guide+for+all+sat+subject+tests&dpID=516QUs3wKRL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch

For simulation exams use Barron's. The PR book is way too easy.

Literature:

Same situation as French. For simulation exams I recommend Kaplan (8 practice tests) and Princeton Review (4 practice tests).

Kaplan tests aren't that great. I, in fact, own one of them and they contained several errors and questions you would never see on the SAT. For example, a reading question was, "what's the best title for this passage?" You won't see that on the SAT.

If you want practice tests pretty similar to the SAT, check out Ivy Global's. Well made and accurate.

For just math only, College Panda's 10 Practice Tests are very accurate to the real test. Good explanations in there and of course you get plenty of problems to work with.

See you later!

I actually didn't start seeing results till like late February (Post- 1 month) because I switched up how I study. I focuses more on why I chose the answers to those certain questions this way I developed more of a thinking process.

Books I used:

• Princeton Review: https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Tests-2017-College-Preparation/dp/1101919795 Not the best, its just what I had at the time, focus more on khan academy
  
  
• Ivy Global: https://www.amazon.com/Ivy-Globals-SAT-Practice-Tests/dp/194232104X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1496962552&sr=1-1&keywords=ivy+global+6+practice+test Ivy global actually did a giveaway on this sub and I was one of the first to complete the form so I got it for free.

No Bull Review: https://www.amazon.com/No-Bull-Review-History-Subject/dp/1974103196/ref=sr_1_3?crid=31WJ9QB9AYSZM&keywords=no+bull+review+united+states+history&qid=1557026481&s=gateway&sprefix=no+bull+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-3

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No Bull makes this APUSH/SAT USH book, and gov, geography and world history books. idk how the other No Bull books are, and if the gov is for AP or not, but I really liked the USH one. You can consider accompanying it with your class notes or maybe another prep book (i.e. the PR one if you are taking APUSH). Even though it is a bit shorter than most, it covers most of the small things you need, without putting essentially a whole textbook as your prep book like Barron's SAT USH. It is way more digestible than most prep books, using acronyms, charts etc. Do take my review with a grain of salt, especially if I seem overly endorsing of it, as I am just someone random on the internet, who hasn't even gotten their score back yet. I did take APUSH in school this year and do pretty well in it, so that's why No Bull, a shorter review book than most, was better for me by not being so long and exhausting, but still refreshing my memory.

​

I found the No Bull questions at the end fairly easy, probably because they only ask from stuff in the contents of the book, but they also seemed easier than the real one today. Still good questions to go over though.

​

Official College Board SAT US History (only has practice tests+explanations, no review section): https://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-History-Study-Guide/dp/1457309319/ref=sr_1_4?crid=QZMDIMIQKLRH&keywords=sat+us+history+subject+test+2019&qid=1557026528&s=gateway&sprefix=sat+us+%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-4

​

This one is pretty much the only source to get official practice tests. There isn't even a review section. I really dislike that these tests aren't available for free online but what are you going to do its CB :(. Anyways, this is the only book with accurate practice tests AFAIK. Save these tests for once you are done studying. I regret wasting one before I was ready, since all the other tests were so off.

​

I also had PR for APUSH which was good but probably not necessary for sat USH if you have a textbook or something else. I also had Barron's SAT USH which had an ok-ish review section but the practice tests were really bad (waaaaaay too hard). Also, practice tests in Barron's and most on crackSAT, I wouldn't use to actually gauge your score, just as a review.

I don't have digital copies, and I don't know of anywhere that does. If you're in the US, the official book is only $12 from amazon, and it's well worth it:

http://amzn.com/0874477727

I haven't used that book in particular, but I've used IES books for reading (this one in particular) and I would say they're comparable to the real test if not a bit easier.
I think they're good for familiarizing yourself with the passages/question types, but for getting total accuracy on the real test I would stick with the officially released tests.

The Barron's Biology E/M book really helped me. I gone through every chapter and did some of practice tests inside. After each practice test, I noted what I got wrong.

Take the section you're best at as well. I noticed I got higher on Ecological so I did that section.

Also since there's a curve, note that 800 doesn't mean that you got every question right. I remember there were like 3 questions I'm sure I got wrong on, but I still got a 800 anyway.

PWN the SAT Math You might be able to find it cheaper used, but it's worth every penny. I taking AP Calc and was in a similar situation. I got this book and the math section was a breeze.

https://www.amazon.com/Official-Study-Guide-Subject-Tests/dp/0874477565 It's $18.77 US dollars online from Amazon. There are disappointingly few other resources available, and I have read a number of comments critical of Barron's and Princeton Review resources for those tests. Use the official tests wisely - there are not many for each subject. They are an evaluation tool for once you have prepared elsewhere, not a teaching tool.

I'm using barrons for math 2. https://www.amazon.com/Barrons-SAT-Subject-Test-Level/dp/1438007914

I think this is the book I used: http://www.amazon.com/2nd-Edition-Ultimate-Guide-Grammar/dp/1492353299

I'm buying http://www.amazon.com/2nd-Ultimate-Guide-SAT-Grammar/dp/1492353299/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450764216&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=erica+meltzre
and http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Grammar-Workbook-Volume/dp/1499203411/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1MEXA95M786Z8B8RY66K for the January Exam.

idk about past exams, but you could always try collegeboard books which have 2 practice exams for each test.
Math (for both level 1 and 2) : https://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-Tests-Mathematics-Levels/dp/0874477727

PHysics: https://www.amazon.com/Official-Subject-Physics-Study-College/dp/1457309211/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502221552&sr=1-1&keywords=official+physics+sat