best general preparation book and best value for money
kallis redesigned sat pattern strategy review
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kallis redesigned satellite pattern strategy is bar none the best value and overall satellite preparation study guide for 2017.
It’s quite rare that the best general prep book is also the best value, making this guide a must-have for anyone planning to take this exam.
what makes it the best overall? First, the practice questions are very similar in difficulty to the actual exam. This really eases your nerves on test day knowing you won’t be surprised by questions that are out of your hands.
Speaking of practice questions and quizzes: there’s a metric ton. this ensures that you never run out of sample problems or multiple choice questions to work on, improving your score. you will never have to buy another guide again because you run out of problems.
kallis’ also has a very comprehensive overview of the topics. Along with all the questions, you get detailed explanations of the answers and a review of the topic. Like I said before, this will be the only preparation book you’ll ever need.
this single book has:
1) 1000+ practice questions
2) 6 full tests
3) a laser-like focus on each of the 101 question topics
and although the study guide has fewer pages than others mentioned in this list, the chapters are more focused and get to the point faster. This allows you to save time while still getting the same amount of study.
the best value for your money and your time. this is why kallis’s redesigned pattern strategy gets our best overall and best value prep book awards.
advantages
– the study guide is very complete
– most questions are very close to the difficulty of the actual test
– very good organization and content structure
– content is not reused or repeated like many of the other big name providers
cons
– some questions, especially the reading parts, may be more difficult than the actual test
#2 Best Overall Sat Prep Book
kaplan sat prep plus review 2017
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kaplan sat prep plus is our choice for the second overall sat test prep book.
At 960 pages, kaplan is also the largest prep book on this list. This means that this study guide is complete and detailed, allowing you to be sure that you will know everything you need to know on test day.
although, as with most study guides, kaplan goes a long way into the math parts of the exam, leaving the verbal parts a little lacking. Because of this, Kaplan’s is more suitable for those who want to increase their scores on the math section.
The answer explanations for the math section are also top-notch, meaning you won’t be pulling your hair out in frustration because you’re not sure why you answered a question incorrectly.
with its study guide, kaplan also includes:
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1) 5 complete and realistic practice tests
2) online center with one year access to additional practice questions and preparation resources
3) 1400+ practice questions with detailed explanations
The online material is very useful and comes in handy if you don’t feel like taking your book with you. however, the exam is still a paper test, and taking practice tests online doesn’t compare to what it will feel like on test day.
if for some reason you can’t get kalis’, or if it’s out of your budget, kaplan sat prep plus should be your second bet.
advantages
– very good math sections and review
– full and detailed answer explanations
– lots of useful material online
cons
– most of the practice tests are online, unlike the real test
– missing verbal review
#3 Best Overall Sat Prep Book
the official satellite study guide, 2018 edition revision
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Even though the Official Satellite Study Guide is the only test prep book produced by the official test writers, it sadly falls short of the example set by the first two books on our list.
This study guide has great sample quizzes and questions, but really falls short of explaining the answers to those questions. How else are you supposed to learn from your mistakes? The questions are similar in difficulty to the ones you’ll see on test day, but it’s hard to get a good score if you can’t easily learn from your mistakes. although some of the explanations are missing, this study guide is still the only place for official questions.
This study guide also includes:
1) 4 official practice tests, written by the same team of authors as the actual exam
2) orientation on the new optional essay, including practice essay questions with sample answers
3) Approaches and tips for taking tests that highlight important points
This prep book also focuses much more on test-taking strategies and approaches than actual topic review. If you’re strong on the fundamentals, but perform poorly on test day, this study guide will help you a lot with many of those minor slip-ups that can add up over the course of the test.
The official study guide is a good alternative to the prep book if you’re looking for official questions, but you may be able to get by with less comprehensive example question explanations.
advantages
– the only guide that is official
– real questions asked by the creators of the quiz
cons
– some answer explanations are vague
– missing a bit in review topics
#4 Best Overall Sat Prep Book
princeton review cracking sat premium edition 2018 review
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The Princeton Cracking The New SAT Review is another one-book study guide that covers all sections of the exam.
Compared to other test prep books on this list, the princeton review is severely lacking in the math review parts of the exam and some of the math questions are confusing and poorly worded. These questions can really leave you tearing your hair out in frustration as you study.
Some of the questions are also less exam-like compared to other guides on this list. It’s not an easy feeling on the exam to see questions you haven’t seen or feel unprepared for.
Although Princeton’s revision is lax in the math sections, they make up for it in their verbal sections. This study guide is best suited for people who are already proficient in math and are looking for help with the verbal sections of the test.
This preparation book also includes:
1) 6 full practice tests (4 in the book, 2 online)
2) access to the exclusive princeton review “premium portal”
3) special section with expert advice
The review sections of the book are also very simple and to the point, making it very easy to learn. These properties make this book very easy to study and work with, increasing your score on test day.
cracking the new sat is a good test prep alternative if you’re looking for a concise overview that focuses more on the verbal sections of the test and includes plenty of online resources.
advantages
– the review is simple and concrete, very easy to learn
– clear explanations of the answers
cons
– some of the math questions are poorly worded
– some questions are not very exam-like
preparation book for budget selection Saturday
review of the 2018 edition of mcgraw-hill education sat 2018
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mcgraw-hill education sat 2017 edition is our final pick for our list of top rated sat prep books for 2017.
This study guide is the cheapest option of the books on this list, but not by much. Compared to other prep books, this guide is less comprehensive and offers fewer resources, but that’s offset by its lower price (hopefully saving you money for that post-test celebration dinner).
The answer explanations for math questions, especially algebra and geometry, are very accurate, but some of the questions and answers also have errors. some of the questions and explanations are helpful, but others will leave you frustrated and confused. this can leave you mentally prepared for the ups and downs of test day, but you may be lacking in knowledge about the questions that had errors.
mcgraw-hill’s also includes:
1) 4 comprehensive and realistic practice exams
2) Hundreds of sample questions with detailed explanations
3) “test planner” app to help you organize your time and set your own study goals
another strength of this study guide is that all the practice tests are printed in the book. the exam is still a paper test and taking paper practice tests really helps to simulate the feeling you will have on exam day, easing your nerves.
mcgraw-hill education sat is a good affordable test preparation alternative if you are on a student budget. if you’re looking for a decent and frugal option, this is your best bet.
advantages
– very good explanations for math questions
– all practice tests are printed in the book
cons
– some math errors on practice tests
our suggestions
Our suggestions offer the most cost-effective way to study for the exam without breaking the bank. Unlike many graduate exams, the prep books on our list are individual study guides, rather than guide packs that cover the entire exam. therefore, we suggest:
simply buy the kallis redesigned sat pattern strategy. this is our overall best pick on this list, and it doesn’t cost much more than the other options, so it’s a no-brainer. and also being more concise than the other guides, it will save you time while you study. last hit 1, 2.
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