MyPrivateTutor Recommends 5 of the Best Books For SAT Preparation

As far as the SAT examination is concerned, you will most likely need an extra supplemental help in certain sections to up your game, on the whole. The following books may come in handy for you.

1. Best SAT Reading Prep Book: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading by Erica L. Meltzer

This book dissects the reading section of SAT by the type of questions and skill.

Pros:

•    Excellent breakdown of the reading section in an ascending level of difficulty. Helpful strategies are provided for each and every question.
•    Lots and lots of realistic questions and passages similar to the ones found in the exam.
•    Useful guide listing questions on the basis of skill-set so the candidate can focus more on practice.
•    Fully updated for the new SAT.

Cons:

•    Too pricey for a book that covers only one section.
•    Dry and clinical style of writing similar to that of an academic textbook. No images; nothing!
•    A clear lack of creative layout.

2. Best SAT Writing preparation book: The Ultimate guide to SAT Grammar by Erica L. Meltzer

The best way to excel in the SAT writing section is to know and understand the rules of grammar well. This book focuses exactly on that.

Pros:

•    Clear writing and grammar rules.
•    Cuts out extraneous, out-of-the-syllabus materials.
•    Realistic practice questions.

Cons:

•    No guidance on study strategy.
•    Overpriced, considering it covers only one section.

3. Best SAT Math Prep Book: 28 New SAT Math Lessons to Improve Your Score in One Month by Dr. Steve Warner

The best way of improving your SAT math score is to know and understand the underlying concepts as good as the back of your palms. This book may come in handy for your purpose.

Pros:

•    Included lessons are clear, helpful, and right to the point. They suggest ways of speeding up your calculations by arming you with various tips and tricks right up your sleeve.
•    Realistic practice questions with excellent explanations.
•    Tactical approach on an increasing level of difficulty.

Cons:

•    Broad division of topics: Problem-solving and data analysis, Heart of Algebra, Geometry, and trigonometry, Passport to advanced mathematics. This makes it very difficult for the candidate to keep a careful tab over his/her performance.
•    Too pricey.
•    Repetitive questions.
•    You will need additional books to improve your performance in other sectors of the subject.

4. Additional book: Barron's SAT, 29th Edition

The Barron’s SAT book can be an excellent backup choice once you have gone through the ones highlighted up above.

Pros:

•    A huge amount of content. Thousands of questions with detailed explanations and examples.
•    Through coverage of almost every topics included in the SAT examination.

Cons:

•    The topics can get too difficult and too repetitive after a certain amount of time. There are also a few questions that are too hard in the wrong way.
•    A clear lack of direction on what is important and what is not.  
•    All strategies shown may not be good enough for your preparations.

5. Best all-in-one book for SAT exam preparation: Kaplan’s SAT book

Kaplan’s SAT book is a comprehensive all-in-one book covering the 3 sections of SAT with thousands of practice questions and practice tests.

Pros:

•    All three sections covered with thousands of questions and practice tests.
•    Affordable price for the range of subjects covered.
•    Contains a host of fundamental strategies that can help you score easily in strategic areas of the exam.

Cons:

•    Unrealistic practice questions.
•    Lots of errors in answers.
•    Unhelpful strategies once you move beyond the 600 level of scores.

A few notable mentions:

•    SAT Prep Black Book: The Most Effective SAT Strategies Ever Published 2nd Edition (by Mike Barrett and‎ Patrick Barrett.
•    The Official SAT Study Guide (Official Study Guide for the New SAT)

All the best!

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