Even though a good SAT score doesn’t guarantee that you will get into a good school, it’s still a pretty big part of it. And, if you’re planning to score a high number on the test, you’ll need to start preparing months in advance.
But all those months of hard work won’t mean much if you’ve been using the wrong book to study. In this guide, you’re sure to find the best SAT prep book for you. All of the eight books mentioned here are challenging, thorough, and can definitely help you get into the school of your dreams.
1. The New SAT: 1,500+ Questions (The Tutorverse)
If you feel like you have all of the subjects down and just want to practice, you should consider getting The New SAT from The Tutorverse. The book features over 1,500 practice questions and answers. You’ll also get some helpful hints and suggestions next to the answers so that you can better understand them.
With The New SAT, you can practice your reading, writing, and grammar. Of course, the questions will progress in difficulty, so you won’t feel like you’re in over your head right at the beginning. Also, once you go through all of the questions, you’ll get a full-length practice test at the end of the book.
You can get a new or a used version of the book on Amazon in paperback.
2. SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook (The College Panda)
Now, if you’re worried about doing the math part of your SAT, you should get the Advanced Guide and Workbook by The College Panda. It is one of the most comprehensive and possibly the best SAT prep book for math on the market right now. And, if used right, it is guaranteed to get you a high score.
In the book, you’ll first see explanations of every single math concept you’ll need for the SAT. Also, The Advanced Guide features over a hundred different examples to help you better understand the topic at hand.
Once you’re done reading the examples and explanations, you’ll get to do over 500 practice questions. At the end of the prep book, you’ll find the most common mistakes test takers make and how to avoid them.
3. New SAT Essay Practice Book (IES)
If you need some help learning how to write the perfect essay, the SAT Essay Practice Book from IES is going to be the best SAT prep book for you. Its 388 pages are chock-full of information on how to pass your essay with flying colors.
In this prep guide, you’ll find 100 practice, as well as 105 essay mastery exercises. Additionally, you’ll get 70 essential writing terms to use in almost every essay you write. You will even learn how to read and analyze all of the SAT prompts.
The book also covers how to brainstorm ideas for your essay and organize your thoughts. What’s more, the SAT Essay Practice Book will show you how to make coherent paragraphs and use classical rhetoric.
4. The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading by Erica L. Meltzer
If you’ve mastered the math and the essay part, but need help with reading, Meltzer’s Complete Guide to SAT Reading is the best SAT prep book for you. The book is in its third edition and features a complete breakdown of every reading question you’ll see on the SAT.
You’ll get in-depth explanations and countless examples so that you can see how to work through every type of question. Some of the techniques in the prep guide will help you understand complex passages. They’ll also teach you how to get key information from the passages in the most efficient way possible.
In the Complete Guide, you’ll even find different strategies that will better prepare you for the SAT. On top of that, you’ll get a list of synonyms for some common words and learn how to decipher vocabulary you’re unfamiliar with.
5. The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar by Erica L. Meltzer
The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar is in its fourth edition and features 267 pages of explanations, questions, and tests. In this prep book, each grammar concept gets its own chapter. Additionally, after each chapter, you’ll get to answer test-style questions to see how well you’ve mastered the concept.
The book has numerous different strategies to help improve both speed and accuracy. And, with the in-depth explanations, you’ll learn how to spot mistakes fast and the best ways to fix them.
As a bonus, the fourth edition includes an extensive index of different multiple-choice writing questions. The questions are arranged by both category and test so that you can better understand them.
Of course, you can find the book as a paperback on Amazon, where you can also see a short preview.
6. SAT Advanced Practice: Prep 1600 (Kaplan)
As the name implies, the prep guide from Kaplan is for those aiming to get the perfect scores on their SATs. The book features expert strategies and complex exercises to help you prepare for the toughest questions on the exam.
To start, you’ll get seven different practice sets with more than 700 questions, answers, and explanations. Also, after you’ve finished each section, you’ll get an extensive review that should help you better understand the chapters.
The prep guide has 456 pages, and you can find it on Amazon for Kindle and as a paperback. You can even take advantage of Kaplan’s app and online courses for a more interactive learning experience.
The only downside to Kaplan’s prep guide is that it doesn’t have any practice tests — just the Q&A sections.
7. The Official SAT Study Guide (The College Board)
Unlike Kaplan’s prep guide, the Study Guide from The College Board has eight, full-length, and realistic tests in it. In addition to the tests, you’ll find useful information, as well as targeted questions and answers for every SAT section.
But if all you care about are the tests, you’ll be happy to know that you can find them on The College Board’s official website as well. You can even download the official app to take the tests and get immediate results.
In the book, you’ll find evidence-based writing and reading sections, as well as detailed math explanations. College Board’s prep guide also includes some pointers on how to write the perfect essay. It even has a few practice essay questions and sample answers.
8. SAT Prep Plus 2020 (Kaplan)
Kaplan’s SAT Prep Plus could be the best SAT prep book for you if you’re looking for some fresh strategies to help you get an excellent score. The new and updated version features five full-length practice tests, three of which you can even do online. What’s more, the book has over 1,400 questions and answers to help you better understand each section of the SAT.
You’ll find some old and new quizzes after every chapter that you can use to check what you’ve learned so far. Additionally, the book covers different strategies you should employ before and during the test. You can even rely on the Reflect section of this 927-page guidebook to figure out how well you’ve understood the topic at hand.
You can find the book on Kindle and as a paperback on Amazon.
In Conclusion
Prepping for the SAT can seem like a daunting task — especially if you don’t have the right books. Luckily, any of these eight well-written and extensive guides can help you achieve the high score you need to get into your dream school. If you need more help with grammar and writing, you can go for either of the books written by Erica Meltzer. On the other hand, if you just want to focus on completing quizzes and doing practice tests, the best SAT prep book for you will probably be from Kaplan
