Resources
Recommended SAT prep resources
You do not need an expensive prep course or a long list of subscriptions. Start with official College Board material, then add one or two focused resources when you need more explanation, structure, or practice.
This list is intentionally short. The goal is to recommend resources that add something useful without requiring an expensive prep program.
Resource and book links open in a new tab. Check the edition and shipping options before buying.
Official and free
Start here. Official material is the best reference for what the SAT actually looks and feels like.
Start here · Official · FreeCollege Board: Bluebook and Educator Question Bank
Best for: Realistic full-length practice and official SAT questions.
Bluebook has full-length digital practice tests that use the SAT testing app. The Educator Question Bank lets you filter official questions by assessment, section, domain, skill and difficulty, then export them with answers and explanations. It requires no account or sign-in. The Student Question Bank also offers official questions through College Board’s My Practice. Select Exclude Active Questions in the Educator Question Bank to keep questions from current Bluebook practice tests out of your practice sets.
Official SAT Prep · FreeKhan Academy Official SAT Prep
Best for: Learning or reviewing a skill before doing more official questions.
Free lessons, videos, hints, and practice for SAT Math and Reading and Writing. It is especially useful after a practice test shows a skill you need to strengthen or relearn.
Live tutoring · FreeSchoolhouse.world SAT Bootcamps
Best for: Students who benefit from live explanations, structure, and accountability.
Free small-group SAT tutoring led by trained peer tutors in partnership with College Board. Students can focus on Math or Reading and Writing while working through official SAT practice material.
Books worth considering
A good book can be valuable when you want a more systematic explanation of a subject. Use these for learning and targeted practice, then return to official College Board questions to check your progress.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Reading & Writing · Paid bookErica Meltzer / The Critical Reader
Best for: A thorough, rules-and-patterns approach to SAT Reading and Writing.
Erica Meltzer's SAT Reading and Grammar guides provide detailed, systematic instruction for the digital SAT. They are useful when you want deeper explanations and organized practice rather than short tips. If buying used, make sure you are getting a current digital-SAT edition.
- The Complete Guide to SAT Reading, 6th edition
- The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar, 6th edition
Math · Paid bookThe College Panda SAT Math
Best for: Deep, topic-by-topic Math review with lots of practice.
The SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook, third edition, is updated for the digital SAT, with concept review, worked examples and more than 500 practice questions. Use it for topic-by-topic review and targeted Math practice.
- SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook, 3rd edition
Free video instruction
Videos are most useful as a targeted supplement: find a concept or question type you are struggling with, learn the approach, then practice it yourself.
Video · FreeJames Lu SAT
Best for: Strategy lessons, worked examples, Desmos, grammar, and difficult questions.
A practical Digital SAT video resource when you want to watch a problem-solving process worked through on screen. The channel covers both Math and Reading and Writing, including test walkthroughs and focused strategy lessons.
Video · FreeTutorllini Test Prep
Best for: SAT Math, especially learning the built-in Desmos calculator step by step.
A large free Digital SAT video library with Math lessons, Desmos tutorials, and practice-test walkthroughs. It is particularly useful when calculator fluency or Math process is slowing you down.
A simple way to use these resources
- Diagnose with official practice. Take a Bluebook practice test and review the questions you missed or took too long to solve.
- Fix one weakness at a time. Use Khan Academy, Schoolhouse, one of the books, or a focused video lesson to understand the underlying skill.
- Check your progress with official questions. Export a PDF with answers and explanations from the Educator Question Bank, then use our SAT test builder to create practice tests you can download and take offline. Return to Bluebook regularly to measure your progress in the official test format.
You do not need to use all seven resources. Pick the smallest set that addresses your current weaknesses, and spend most of your time actively solving and reviewing questions.
For more free practice, use the Open Practice Tests Math study guides, Reading and Writing study guides, and practice tests.
Trademarks and affiliation
Open Practice Tests is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the organizations that administer the exams referenced on this site. SAT® is a registered trademark of the College Board. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.