<h2>The complete guide to SAT US history (Read the whole guide please)</h2>
<h2>Disclaimer: This guide is my opinion and how I feel about these books feel free to leave a review of any book in the comments. I also like broccoli and oreo’s but not together. Never again. </h2>
<h2>My Background</h2>
<h2>We all know the consensus is that you should take the subject test that best correlates with the AP class that you are taking. The logic behind this is simple. The same company makes the AP test and the SAT II. Therefore, you can expect your AP teacher to go over what will be on the SAT II. How I wished I had the AP class for US History but scheduling conflicts have estranged me from any advanced course of history in all my years of high school. 
The classes I took before the SAT II were regular US1 and US2 in sophomore and junior year. My US1 teacher was barely qualified to teach but the US2 teacher was better. However, it was my preparation that got me my score. I started to prep around February for the may test but most prep can be done in about 1-2 months. </h2>
<h2>I will judge these books by three categories: practice tests, review, and effectiveness. I will also give my personal opinion of each book and my personal strategy of tackling the SAT II.</h2>
<h2>AMSCO</h2>
<h2>Review (5/5)</h2>
<h2>Amsco has one of the best reviews of any book. Hands down. Literally, the book is so thick youll have to keep your hands down to keep it open. Seriously, this books review is very thorough and goes all the way to the Obama era. It is the most text-bookish thing to get. Its writing style is also like a textbook so you can learn a lot of fresh material from it. </h2>
<h2>Practice Tests (2/5)</h2>
<h2>AMSCO gives you review questions after each chapter and an 80 question AP test at the end. Its not enough because you do not know time period your bad on and will not let you get a full understanding of your abilities. </h2>
<h2>Effectiveness (3.5/5)</h2>
<h2>This category is the overall quality of the book is assessed. Although the book is immense and will cover everything on the test, the practice questions are lacking and it does not prepare you enough for the test taking part of the test. </h2>
<h2>My opinion (3.9/5)</h2>
<h2>I got through 12 chapters of this book and I felt that I was gouging my eyes out. However, it is the best book for those who need just a book with all the material. There are better options than to shell $33 for this book on Amazon(It might be cheaper elsewhere). However, this book is great for those that have a hard time understanding material. </h2>
<h2>Crash Course </h2>
<h2>Review (2.314/5)</h2>
<h2>Review is short and simple and basically a compiled list of past answers. Your going to find yourself lost with some references but it does have everything categorized perfectly so you can memorize and connect themes and see trends. For example, it has chapters on key terms, women, African-Americans, and Supreme Court cases. </h2>
<h2>Practice Tests (0/5)</h2>
<h2>NO PRACTICE TESTS. </h2>
<h2>Effectiveness (3/5)</h2>
<h2>The book goes through common answers and I found that it alone can get you a 650 but it does not allow you to develop a critical understanding of U.S. history that you will need for the test. </h2>
<h2>My opinion (3.3/5)</h2>
<h2>I used this book to get an entire quick chronological review of US history. It was not detailed as much as I would have liked but it helps establishing a timeline in your head. I would suggest this book to those who want a quick review after a thorough AP class or the equivalent. This book is mainly for those that need it for the AP less so for the SAT II. </h2>
<h2>Barrons</h2>
<h2>Review (3.6/5)</h2>
<h2>Barrons had an extensive review that gets into details. However, the chapters are organized in a way that is unorthodox. Instead of giving chapter that explains like a textbook. It gives you the top 20 things you should remember from a certain theme, time period, etc. This is not helpful if you are trying to learn new things. </h2>
<h2>Practice Tests (3/5) </h2>
<h2>Simply put, these practice tests are hard. It will also not give you a proper scope of how you will do on the test. The main problem is that tests have material that will most likely not be covered. They are UNREALISTIC. </h2>
<h2>Effectiveness (3/5)</h2>
<h2>This book is long, boring, over preppy. I found that if you really want to read this book you will end up blindly learning facts and not learn history properly, which involves developing a lot of reasoning skills and understanding trends and themes. </h2>
<h2>My Opinion (3.2/5)</h2>
<h2>Barrons is extensive but confusing and I found myself learning material that was irrelevant to the SAT II and the AP test I was self studying for. I got around 630-700 on practice tests and the sad thing is the more I read the book the more my score got worse. My diagnostic was a 700. </h2>
<h2>KAPLAN </h2>
<h2>At this point Im not going to review this book because you have better options. I will say that the review of content is long and the tests are inaccurate. </h2>
<p>AP US HISTORY: THE ESSENTIAL CONTENT</p>
<h2>This book is godly. </h2>
<h2>Review (6/5)</h2>
<h2>This book gives you a great review of material that is easy to understand. The best benefit is that it gives you tips on the side, which are trends from past tests. I loved the style the book was written in that I finished it in around three days. It is the absolute best review. </h2>
<h2>Practice Tests (3.5/5)</h2>
<h2>The book gives you one 100 question multiple-choice test that covered all the past answers. It was a great review of the questions you will need to know. It felt like the Crash course in one test probably because Larry Krieger wrote both books.</h2>
<h2>Effectiveness (6/5) </h2>
<h2>This book will give you the material you need and anything else will come to you through reasoning and background knowledge this book provides. </h2>
<h2>My Opinion (5/5) </h2>
<h2>This book is just incredible and Larry Krieger is at his best when he wrote it. I found it interesting and get this a page-turner. The sad thing is that I did not even get to read it before my SAT II but thank God I did before the AP. This book can easily help you with getting 770+. However, you still need the proper testing material. </h2>
<h2>Sparknotes</h2>
<h2>Review (4/5) </h2>
<h2>SP is one of the best sources for the SAT II. The review is precise and great to review weak areas. </h2>
<h2>Practice Tests (6/5)</h2>
<h2>This is where sparknotes is at its best. The test are great to find your weak points and I used them too make the jump from 580 to 750+ range. </h2>
<h2>Effectiveness (5/5) </h2>
<h2>The best part of this source is in the practice tests and how they help you pinpoint your difficulties and then strengthen them with the review. </h2>
<h2>My Opinion (4.9/5) </h2>
<h2>Sparknotes is essential. This the only place where you will get proper tests for the SAT II besides the Collegeboard book. You have to use it no matter what. Without it my score would probably stayed at low 600s. </h2>
<p>List (Best to worst)
The Essential Content
Sparknotes
AMSCO
Crash Course </p>
<h2>Barrons</h2>
<h2>-</h2>
<h2>My Strategy </h2>
<p>The Essential Book and Sparknotes should have you SET.
I would read the entire essential book and then start with the practice tests. The first SP test is the most important and make sure you go through extensive review before the next. Remember, you only get five practice tests. What I did was that I looked at my breakdown in SP after the test and made sure I reviewed anything topic that was marked orange, red, or blue. This will help a lot. Make sure you read the SP chapters and the Essential book. Another great way to remember information id to make a sheet of certain events you do no not know and check them off as you read. Keep doing this until you get 750+ on sparknotes test and you will hit the 770-800 range for the test. The key is to review review review!!! Just dont see what the right answer is. Go back and understand what the whole era was about. I started with a 580 and got a 790 final. Even when I had to guess I based it off background information and logic, which can only develop after constant review.</p>