PSAT - best test prep book?

[regentrude]

Title says it all... what did you find the best test prep book for the PSAT?

Creekland (and everybody else of course)???

 

Do I understand it correctly that the official booklet will only be available through the school, but not online?

 

Does the College Board have a designated PSAT book? I can only find the blue SAT prep book.

 

Thanks for your help.

[MommyThrice]

My son's PSAT prep class gave them the College Board blue SAT book to prep. They don't recommend any PSAT books. They have also passed out old PSAT tests, but I have no idea where to get those.

[Frances]

My son was a National Merit Scholar and he primarily used the Blue SAT prep book from the College Board. We also bought some old copies of the PSAT from the College Board and he went through the Direct Hits vocabulary books. He took the SAT a couple of weeks after the PSAT and was done with testing.

Edited August 18, 2012 by Frances

[creekland]

Over the years the books I've come to rely on as "our" best for pretty much any test (PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP) are Barrons and Princeton Review. Barrons is particularly good with the harder questions as it focuses on them more. Princeton Review seems to be the most accurate at being "test-like." In a couple of cases, each has had something that prepped well for a specific test my guys have taken that none of the other books we used covered. Therefore, I can't get it down to just one publisher. We use both.

 

We also use "Real Tests" from associated books. I've never bought any real tests directly.

 

Books I'm far less fond of that we've used include Kaplans. I NEVER recommend this one - it aims for mediocre and only tricks - plus - their DVD that came with one book had oodles of obvious errors. I'm not meaning "I disagree with their answer" errors, but errors where questions don't match answers and errors where the correct answer was marked wrong, but then explained correctly. It drove middle son bonkers. There was one other SAT Prep book - supposedly a Christian one - that a friend had and let me look over. It was horrid (not the Christian part, but the actual test prep). Questions/answers were unclear and they really didn't offer anything IMO for actual test prep. It's been 3 - 4 years since I looked at it and I'm just not remembering the name, but it advertised itself as Christian test prep. Maybe they included prayer for advice? ;)

 

I'm also not as fond of McGraw Hill as their practices tend to be far too easy. They do, however, have the redeeming factor that they explain the actual math/English well for those who need that (many do). If this is one's need, use McGraw Hill to start, but then move up to either Princeton Review or Barrons.

 

With the PSAT it is important to look at actual tests a little more as they stress more geometry and lower math problems (lower but tougher and lower) than the SAT. Supposedly they don't go into Alg 2 problems like the SAT does (though a couple of math questions might go there - it's arguable). Many students have gone way past Alg 1 and Geometry by 11th grade and have forgotten some of the nuances. I like specific PSAT Prep books and PSAT tests to dust off brain neurons. I didn't have middle son use them and I'm kicking myself as I suspect he'd have made NMSF if he had. He lost out on the math portion due to a watch/clock issue and not having time to finish 3 math problems any one of which would have given him a high enough score. IF he'd been more up on some of the math and had to think less, he might have progressed more quickly. He had absolutely no problem with the ACT math - easily well into the 99th percentile (that goes up to beginning trig).

 

So, for youngest (not likely to hit NMSF, but...) I bought Princeton Review's specific PSAT book to go with our menagerie of books. He hasn't touched it yet, but will in Sept. He's been working on Barron's SAT when I get him to do sections - scoring in the 600's verbal/writing and 500's math. Since Barrons is tougher his actual score will hopefully be a little higher. The PSAT book (closer to the test) ought to help remind him of some of the math he may have forgotten that's more specific to the PSAT test.

[regentrude]

Thanks for all your suggestions!

[Kathy in Richmond]

I have a slightly different method of PSAT study that I recommend whenever I work with kids like your daughter who have the potential to do really well.

 

Instead of PSAT-specific prep, I like using the Barron's SAT 2400 review book. After studying the hardest types of SAT problems, the more routine problems she's likely to encounter on the PSAT will seem very easy by comparison. A side benefit is that this would also prep her for junior year SAT testing.

 

Just an idea that worked here.:001_smile:

 

ETA: We also did a couple of run-throughs with released PSATs to practice timing. I believe that the college board quit selling these -a shame since they were only a few dollars each. Maybe you could find some copies somewhere (I already sold mine last year!)

Edited August 20, 2012 by Kathy in Richmond

[Sandra in FL]

You may purchase past PSAT tests from CollegeBoard. They have the Wednesday and Saturday tests available for $3 each going back to 2005(?). Ask for the answer key.

[hsbeth]

We're using Princeton Review's newest edition of cracking the PSAT. I've created a 10 weekish lesson plan and study schedule with vocab. quizzes based on the terms used in the book.

 

If anyone would like the plans/quizzes drop me a PM.

[Kathy in Richmond]

You may purchase past PSAT tests from CollegeBoard. They have the Wednesday and Saturday tests available for $3 each going back to 2005(?). Ask for the answer key.

 

Do you have a link for that? I'd love to find out that I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that CB quit selling them around 2010 or so. I did buy my copies from them (and requested the answer key like you suggested), but that was back in 2004. I just searched their online store site again and came up empty.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Title says it all... what did you find the best test prep book for the PSAT?

Creekland (and everybody else of course)???

 

Do I understand it correctly that the official booklet will only be available through the school, but not online?

 

Does the College Board have a designated PSAT book? I can only find the blue SAT prep book.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

I think this might be the official booklet. I found it in the downloads section for PSAT.

[Sandra in FL]

Do you have a link for that? I'd love to find out that I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that CB quit selling them around 2010 or so. I did buy my copies from them (and requested the answer key like you suggested), but that was back in 2004. I just searched their online store site again and came up empty.

 

You're correct. Should check before mentioning on the board. Good thing I bought 3 copies of each for my kids before then. Wonder why they did that. Must not have been making them money or they're coming up with a book.