Studying for the SAT for Free

While you can’t take the SAT in the summer, this time of the year is a great time to study for the test when there are fewer distractions. Perhaps that’s why I am getting more questions about SAT and ACT prep. Consequently, I’m devoting today’s post to test prep. I have these two goals:

No. 1: I want to emphasize that you do not have to pay a fortune for SAT or ACT test prep. The key to any of the method of studying is to actually do the work. Enrolling teenagers in a $2,000 or $3,000 program isn’t going to work if they aren’t motivate enough to study. Just using the resources that the College Board makes available for free and/or for a incredibly cheap price, can be all a kid needs.

No. 2: I want to share some great test-prep blogs that can help prepare your children for these big tests and they are absolutely free. Just as importantly, I want to solicit ideas from you about other free or cheap online test-prep sources that you’d like to share.

Free SAT Resources

Here are some test-prep sites that I particularly like. I know there are many more out there, but here’s a start:

PWN the SAT

Earlier this year I read rave reviews about this test-prep blog on a college-related LinkedIn group. A New York math tutor name Mike McClenathan, who scored a perfect SAT score, and attended Brown University, created the site. Concerned about the high cost of test prep, McClenathan started the blog in 2011 and regularly contributes tons of SAT advice — particularly on the math section – to his site. He shares drills, explains concepts and techniques and answers visitors test-prep questions.

If you don’t want to slog through his blog for all his math advice, you can buy his book, that complies a lot of it in one place. Here it is: PWN the SAT:  Math Guide. On Amazon, all the reviews have been five stars.

Perfect Score Project

It’s hard to believe that a mom would want to do this, but the goal of the mother who created this fantastic test-prep blog was to ace the SAT. That’s right – earn a perfect score. Debbie  took it seven times in one year. You can see all her SAT scores here, but what makes her site so valuable is the advice she gives teenagers (or parents) about how they can score well on the SAT. One of my favorite bits of advice is her following post, where she explains how a teenager can study for the SAT for under $250: SAT Prep on a Budget

The Critical Reader

The Critical Reader is the site of Erica Meltzer, another New York test-prep tutor who provides a great deal of free advice via her test-prep blog on the critical reading and writing portion of the SAT test. You’ll also find free study guides on her site. Including the Complete SAT Grammar Rules and the Complete ACT Punctuation Rules. She also offers free sentence completion and grammar questions for the SAT. If you crave more, you can order her book, The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar.

What Are Your Favorite Test-Prep Sites?

Have a favorite? Please share it with us. Just add your suggestions in the comment box below.

Learn More About the SAT and ACT:

SAT and ACT: Which Test is Better?

Sizing Up Your SAT and ACT Scores

Why You Can’t Take the SAT in the Summer

Lynn O’Shaughnessy is the author of the newly released second edition of The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price.