Despite these technological advancements, prep books are still popular tools for students who prefer a more hands-on, analog approach to learning. While these lack easy portability and up-to-the-minute updates, they boast a distraction-free interface and physical canvas for easy highlighting, note-taking, and bookmarking.
However, not all books offer the same depth and quality of information, making it challenging to ensure you’re investing in a book that won’t feel like a waste of time or money.
To help you make the most of your study schedule, we’ve hunted down five ACT and SAT prep books that are the cream of the crop, with a cornucopia of impressive features and a history of earning high praise.
What Types of Exam Prep Books Are Available?
There’s an enormous market for exam prep materials, and no two books are alike. Worst yet, online ordering opens the door to accidentally purchasing a book that promises results but lacks information on your highest areas of need.
One strategy for guiding your choice is to reflect honestly on your strengths and weaknesses, then invest in a book that will help you hone the areas you’re struggling with.
Most books fall into some combination of content-driven or strategy-driven and subject-specific or comprehensive. There’s no right or wrong answer for which you should choose, as it all depends on your learning style and study habits.
Before we dive into specific exam prep books, let’s start with a discussion on fundamental formats you’re likely to come across during your search.
Content-Driven
For students who need to brush up on academic concepts like algebra or grammar, choose content-driven SAT and ACT prep books. These focus more on content reviews, practice questions, and tests to familiarize yourself with the information you need to know before the big day.
Strategy-Driven
Test anxiety can be crippling, causing even the most intelligent student to shut down and underperform. One way to those mental blocks is to use strategy-driven resources to get more comfortable with the format and timing of the exams, as well as learn a variety of test-taking strategies.
Subject-Specific Books
Subject-specific books are an excellent option for maximizing your study time if you’re already aware of the sections you’ll struggle with or feel overwhelmed at the thought of reading through hundreds of pages. These prep resources focus on a single test section– like math or reading– rather than covering the entire exam.
Comprehensive Books
First-time testers often prefer comprehensive study books, as they review all test sections. Unfortunately, these resources can be very hit or miss, as the writers might choose to focus more heavily on particular topics or fail to go into enough depth overall due to the wide range of information they have to cover.
Another consideration before settling on your test prep materials is that standardized tests change over time based on updated research, previous years’ results, and stakeholder feedback. You should always choose the most recent editions of study books, as they are more likely to reflect the current reality of the test.
On the other hand, older editions may not review newly-added question types and often include outdated test-taking information like times or section order.
5 Best SAT and ACT Prep Books
Even after you’ve narrowed down your best options for exam prep, there are still a seemingly infinite number of choices available. We’ve rounded up five top-notch resources from publishers who offer both ACT and SAT prep books with similar formats, practice exams, and depth.
Best for Building a Full-Scale Study Plan: Barron’s ACT Premium Study Guide and SAT Premium Study Guide
Barron’s has been in the business of test prep since the 1930s, making it their mission to create comprehensive materials that empower students to take on the daunting task of studying with confidence.
That goal shines through in their ACT Premium Study Guide and SAT Premium Study Guide, both of which are hefty tomes packed to the gills with test-taking strategies, practice tests, section overviews, and answer explanations.
Both books break down the material into sections focused on a specific topic, starting with general information about the tests and helpful information for lowering anxiety. From there, it dovetails into subject-specific material reviews and practice questions before wrapping up with the practice tests.
To help you tackle the massive amount of information, one of the book’s first sections walks you through creating a personalized study schedule based on when you plan to take the test. They encourage you to use the included diagnostic for further customization, as it will highlight the topics you should dedicate the most time to.
While Barron’s ACT and SAT prep books are certainly one of the most well-rounded options available, there are two downsides to be aware of.
First, they often recycle questions from previous editions, which could be frustrating for those seeking new study material.
Secondly, the layout and sheer density of information can be overwhelming for first-timers looking for a more general overview. Still, those familiar with the test will find these books invaluable for increasing their score.
ACT Premium Study Guide Features
- 876 pages
- Six practice tests– Three in the book, including the diagnostic, and two online.
- Reading passages are organized into “Easy,” “Medium,” and “Hard” levels.
- ACT-specific subject reviews
- 1500 practice questions
SAT Premium Study Guide Features
- 1,056 pages.
- Eight practice tests– Five in the book, including the diagnostic, and three online.
- Includes a section dedicated to the upcoming digital SAT format.
- 1500 practice questions.