1 – Real Practice Tests from The College Board
First, you should download the SAT practice tests for free from the College Board website. These eight authentic practice tests are the single most important tool for studying.
If you prefer to have the tests printed in a book, all in one place, you can order the book from from Amazon.
2 – Recommended Books and Resources for Strategy and Content
Once you’ve taken a look at the real practice tests and gone over your mistakes, you’ll want to dive deeper into the content and strategy needed to perform well on the SAT. Theres a lot of trash published in the test prep realm. I can help you stay clear of those publications and point you to the best material.
Best SAT Math Resources
- Quantum SAT – Excellent answer explanations to the College Board’s real practice problems
- PWN the SAT: Math Guide 4th Edition – Excellent overview of the math content (with some strategy). Best for those scoring above 600 already.
- 28 SAT Math Lessons to Improve Your Score in One Month – Also an excellent overview of math found on the SAT. Very realistic practice questions. Best for those scoring above a 600 already.
- The College Panda’s SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook for the New SAT. This book serves more as a primer and introduction to the math section. I feel that it doesn’t dive as deep as the other books on this list but can serve as an essential stepping stone to the harder books.
Best SAT Grammar Resources
- The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar. Erica Metzler’s material is the most thorough out there. Her philosophy mirrors mine and I can recommend both her reading and grammar workbooks. The one downside is that her material can be a little dry and dense – you’ll need some time to finish these books. As a tutor, I help students work through the material thats most relevant to them.
- Tutor Ted’s Guide to the SAT. This particular book is underestimated on other resource lists. The Grammar section can serve as a fantastic primer to the subject and has very intuitive explanations for what you need to understand on the SAT.
Best SAT Reading Resources
- The Complete Guide to SAT Reading. Again, Erica Metzler’s books are a fantastic resource for the Reading Section. The downsides can be the dry presentation and dense chapters (a little longer than some students can handle).