The Best PSAT Prep Books:
- Best Overall PSAT Prep: The Princeton Review PSAT Prep
- Best Comprehensive PSAT Prep: Kaplan
- Best for Strategies PSAT Prep: Barron’s PSAT/NMSQT
- Best for Practice Questions PSAT Prep: PSAT Full Study Guide
- Best Value PSAT Prep: Mometrix
Through my experiments with various PSAT prep books, I’ve found The Princeton Review PSAT Prep to be the most comprehensive. In my experience, its effective techniques, ample information, and sufficient test practices set it apart. The personalized study plans make learning at my own pace accessible.
Kaplan’s PSAT Prep Plus, from my tests, offers high-quality content, adaptive studying systems, and expert guidance. Barron’s PSAT/NMSQT, based on my experience, excels in subject reviews and efficient test practices.
The PSAT Full Study Guide, in my opinion, provides substantial practice tests and valuable online video lessons. My experience with Mometrix revealed its detailed content and sufficient test practice.
The Princeton Review PSAT Prep
This is a comprehensive guide compiled by the experts and professionals at Princeton Review. Over the years, Princeton Review has provided proven methodologies, resulting in better student grades. After conducting a thorough analysis of their services, I discovered the following insights:
Unique Selling Points
- Effective Techniques: There are techniques in the material for tackling the PSAT test.
- Adequate Information: Everything you need to know to succeed in the test is available in the book.
- Sufficient Test Practice: The book contains two full-length practice tests and adequate answers to these questions.
Features of Princeton Review PSAT Prep
Through my research about this review, I sighted some amazing attributes that come with the production of this book. There is provision for the necessary tools to enhance the overall development of the candidates and make them suitable applicants for the PSAT examination. They included practice tests, reviews, and online tools ideal for the various learning skill levels.
Apart from this, Princeton Review provides comprehensive content coverage for each section of the PSAT Exam. In this preparation material, applicants will have access to a step-by-step explanation of the provided content under each section. The sections include math, language, critical reading, and writing.
Moreover, this prep material offers personalized study plans for easy comprehension of all the contents presented in the materials. Through the comprehensive analysis, learners can learn at their own pace with a more accessible approach.
This is part of the reviews from users based on their personalized experiences. However, I learned that strategies like time-management tips are implemented in the book and have helped PSAT applicants effectively prepare for the test. Other strategies, like how to deal with selecting the correct answers and problem-solving tactics, are included in this preparation book. Read more about these in our Princeton Review PSAT Prep.
Pros:
- Comprehensive Content: Princeton experts give detailed content on the subject in alignment with the updates of the current exam format.
- Learning Techniques: There is a provision for useful studying tools and techniques to help PSAT applicants navigate their way. Problem-solving tactics, methods for choosing correct answers among multiple-choice questions, and tactics for effectively managing time to answer questions.
- Practice Test: The content for each exam section includes quick questions to assess learners’ understanding of that section. In addition to this, there are 2-full length practice tests with detailed answer explanations.
Cons:
- Cost: Students with low budgets might be unable to afford the Princeton Review’s PSAT because of the expense of their materials and courses.
- Limited Flexibility: The structured study plans might not seem flexible, thus making them incommensurable for students saddled with other responsibilities.
- Overload Of Content: The availability of comprehensive content might lead to an overload of information. This makes it difficult for learners to remember and assimilate certain things effectively.
Kaplan’s PSAT Prep Plus
Kaplan is another of the best PSAT preparation materials recommended for interested applicants. This prep book is designed to give the student the confidence to take the test. The Kaplan books and the practice questions are compiled by veterans with much experience with student preferences.
Key Selling Points of Kaplan’s PSAT Book
- High-quality and Detailed Content: Kaplan books are produced with high quality and a high volume of detailed explanations of contents in preparation for the test. With these, students will have a large volume of quality information to use as a study case for their test.
- Adaptive Studying System: I discovered that Kaplan offers unique adaptive studying methods to suit learner preferences. In other words, Kaplan SmartReport and kaptest.com were invented to help students maximize their study time effectively and identify areas of weakness.
- Expert Guidance: Through my research, the contents provided in the books are based on the in-depth knowledge of the expert. The contents of these books come with detailed explanations and adequate guidelines from experts.
Kaplan’s PSAT Book Features And Feedback
There are several reasons why the Kaplan Test Prep is considered one of the best PSAT prep books: The materials are prepared with over eighty standardized tests and detailed explanations from expert psychometricians. With the full-length practice test that reflects the nature of the Online PSAT exam, Kaplan has found a place in the recommended list.
Online reviews emphasize the importance of purchasing Kaplan books, and other reviews have different opinions on this. And some verified purchasers commented on the provision of ample examples. Although there are specific negative reviews, the method and strategies supplied by Kaplan‘s PSAT experts have contributed to fulfilling the dreams of many PSAT applicants.
Pros:
- Detailed Content: There is an in-depth review covering all the sections of the PSAT test format.
- Expert Guidance: Provision is made for sufficient step-to-step guidelines for learners at any skill level by experienced teachers. The sections have detailed explanations and breakdowns about what to expect on the Test day.
- Adequate Strategies: Certain methods and techniques for getting the best score on the PSAT are neatly analyzed by Kaplan experts.
- Efficient Practice Tests: There is a sufficient number of practice questions for self-assessment after every lesson.
Cons:
- Expensive Cost: Kaplan material can be quite unaffordable for students with low budgets.
- Technical Issues: Certain users have reported the technical glitches they experienced while trying to access their materials on their online platform.
- Poor Physical Page Cover: The reviews show a user’s complaint regarding the poor quality of the physical cover of their book.
Is Kaplan worth it this year? Our new Kaplan’s review is now ready to read.
Barron’s PSAT/NMSQT
This is another recommended preparation book for the PSAT. Barron PSAT is a prep book with a full-length digital PSAT practice test with three books and one online practice diagnostic test to assess students’ skills and target their studying process. Furthermore, based on my research, the publisher invested much knowledge in this study guide to help students achieve academic success.
Barron’s PSAT/NMSQT Unique Selling Points
- Adequate Review: The book was compiled with in-depth subject reviews from experts covering the sections of the test.
- Online Practices: There are full-length online practice test questions covering the sections of the test. These online practice tests come with detailed explanations of answers to aid effective understanding.
- Efficient Test Practice: Providing advanced practice drills with more rigorous passages of extra tricky questions will help aid learners’ studying process effectively.
Online User Reviews of Barron’s PSAT/NMSQT
Barron’s prep book for PSAT has unique features that have led to many reactions regarding their services. I found efficient content coverage, sufficient digital test practice, and expert detailed explanations with copious examples from my research about this book.
Checking through the various online reviews about Barron prep books, there are mixed reactions from users based on their personalized experiences with the material. Read more about this in Barron’s prep book for PSAT review.
Pros:
- Detailed Coverage: The book has an in-depth subject review covering the revised sections of the test. They included in-depth explanations of these revised sections.
- Efficient Test Practices: The book is designed with efficient practice tests. This is to monitor the student’s understanding of the test.
- Expert Explanations: Another fantastic fact about this book is the provision of detailed explanations of answers. Explanations from their expert accompany each of the questions asked in the book.
- Learning Strategies: The book has an array of strategies that comply with the latest methods of digital PSAT questions, such as rhetorical synthesis, transitions, words in context, and command of evidence.
Cons:
- Not up-to-date: Their online study guide does not seem to align with the new PSAT prep book. Therefore, their review is not up-to-date.
- Pencil Format: Most of the questions are said to be in pencil format, not digital format. Coupled with that fact, their questions resemble previous editions of the book.
PSAT Full Study Guide
With over twenty years of experience publishing test study guides, the PSAT Full Study Guide has excellent mastery of effectively preparing students for the PSAT test. Through the list of prep books for the PSAT test, the PSAT Full Study Guide has proven to be sufficiently capable of helping to win the game of the PSAT test.
Unique Benefits of the Complete PSAT Study Guide
- Sufficient Practice Test: This book has four practice tests with over 900 questions with detailed explanations from their expert.
- 400 Flashcards: The book comes with 400 online flashcards to complement studies.
- Video Lessons: In this prep book, an online video of the lessons that might be included in the test is inserted.
Features and Feedback about PSAT Full Study Guide
One of the unique features of the PSAT Full Study Guide is the availability of over 400 online flashcards to reinforce what you have learned. The inclusion of 900 realistic questions and explanations has rendered this book valuable to be purchased for PSAT preparation.
This is feedback from online users based on their experience with the book.
Pros:
- Online Video Lessons: The publisher of the book makes provision for online lessons in a bid to support the lessons that are in printed material.
- Flashcards: The publishers introduced flashcards as another means of helping learners to study effectively.
- Sufficient Practice Tests: There are enough practice tests tailored to be answered at the end of any revised test section.
Cons:
- Expensive: The means of getting this book might be very tough for students with limited budgets. Thus, this book is costly.
Mometrix PSAT Prep Book
This is another ideal preparation book for PSAT applicants that contains in-depth academic language suitable for all skill levels. The book has procedures, concepts, principles, and vocabulary that you must know before taking the test. Not familiar with Mometrix yet? Find out in our Mometrix review.
Mometrix Unique Selling Points
- Abundant Practice Test: The Mometrix prep book emphasizes more practicing of questions with the supplement of adequate answers.
- Provision of Adequate Concepts: The book enhances students’ attention to specific concepts that are useful in preparation for the test.
Features and Feedback about Mometrix Prep Book
Mometrix prep book offers many distinctive features that make it recommendable for compelling study for PSAT applicants:
- Online practices and detailed explanations of answers
- Provision of concept and principles
- Online review videos
A review from the USA discussed that each unit is being broken down into bite-sized information for easy comprehension.
Pros:
- Detailed Contents: The study guide is compiled with detailed information for easy comprehension.
- Sufficient Test Practice: The book is backed with sufficient test practices and an in-depth analysis of answers to these questions.
- Online Review: In the material, there are specific insertions of links to online videos by their instructors for further explanations.
Cons:
- Limited Content Coverage: The content in the book does not cover all the topics sections tested on the PSAT Exam.
- No additional resource: Unlike every other prep book, the Mometrix prep book has no other additional materials or resources to supplement the students’ learning.
- Limit Availability: This prep book is limited in availability. It is not widely available to purchase, which makes it different from other prep books for PSAT.