Students often ask me which guides to buy for particular exams. While there are a plethora of books out there claiming to be THE ideal guide for each exam, I personally prefer the ones written by popular developers such as Barron's, Princeton Review, Kaplan and McGraw-Hill.
The following is my list of best prep guides:
The following is my list of best prep guides:
SAT (College Board)
ACT (ACT)
GRE (ETS)
GMAT (GMAC)
TOEFL iBT (ETS)
IELTS (Cambridge English Language Assessment, the British Council and IDP Education)
The prep books put together by the developers and administrators of the exams tend to contain real test questions from past tests, so they feature at the top of each of the lists. Usually, all books are offered in multiple formats – standalone, with CD / DVD, and online resources. The prices increase for each option, so go for the version that fits your budget. It is also better to buy the newest editions since they contain the latest questions and strategies, but they also tend to be more expensive than the older editions.
- The Official SAT Study Guide 2nd Edition – College Board
- Barron’s SAT 2400 – Barron’s
- Cracking the SAT with 5 Practice Tests, 2015 Edition – Princeton Review
- 11 Practice Tests for the SAT and PSAT, 2015 Edition – Princeton Review
ACT (ACT)
- The Real ACT Prep Guide – ACT
- Cracking the ACT Premium Edition – Princeton Review
- McGraw-Hill Education ACT with DVD-ROM, 2015 Edition – McGraw-Hill
GRE (ETS)
- The Official Guide to the GRE® revised General Test, 2nd Edition – ETS
- Barron’s GRE – Barron’s
- 5 lb. Book of GRE® Practice Problems – Manhattan Prep
- GRE Premier 2015 – Kaplan
GMAT (GMAC)
- The Official Guide for GMAT® Review, 2015 – GMAC
- Complete Prep Set, 6th Edition – Manhattan Prep
- Cracking the GMAT Premium Edition, 2015 – Princeton Review
TOEFL iBT (ETS)
- The Official Guide to the TOEFL Test, 4th Edition – ETS
- Official TOEFL iBT Tests with Audio, Volume 1 – ETS
- Cracking the TOEFL iBT with Audio CD, 2015 Edition – Princeton Review
- Barron’s TOEFL iBT – Barron’s
IELTS (Cambridge English Language Assessment, the British Council and IDP Education)
- The Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS – Cambridge University
- Barron’s IELTS Superpack – Barron’s
The prep books put together by the developers and administrators of the exams tend to contain real test questions from past tests, so they feature at the top of each of the lists. Usually, all books are offered in multiple formats – standalone, with CD / DVD, and online resources. The prices increase for each option, so go for the version that fits your budget. It is also better to buy the newest editions since they contain the latest questions and strategies, but they also tend to be more expensive than the older editions.