<p>I was just wondering if you guys have done well without using any external resources on standardized testing.</p>
<p>I’ve heard of people pulling off 5s in their AP classes without doing much work while also hearing others praise <em>insert random brand here</em> for giving them much needed help in their self-studies.</p>
<p>Do prep books really matter in aiding a typical high school student? /smirk</p>
<p>ACT - At the very least, you need the red ACT book (The Real ACT Prep Guide) because it is published by the ACT test writers and consists of 5 full-length tests designed by the company. Depending on your strengths and weaknesses, other books may be necessary (also let’s be honest - 5 tests could be exhausted rather quickly) but if you’re pretty decent at standardized testing, this is all you need.</p>
<p>SAT - Just as with the ACT, there is an official SAT blue book (The Official SAT Study Guide). It is published by the College Board, consists of 10 full-length tests and should be enough to get you through your SAT prep. Again, you might need external resources, but there are so many tests in the blue book, that you probably won’t run out until you’ve mastered the SAT. </p>
<p>AP - This depends, mostly on the class, teacher and your expertise. If you’re taking the class in school and doing fine AND you’re using a competitive textbook in class (one that’s well-designed to the AP test/college course) with a great teacher, you might be fine without prep books (I’ve found that this is especially true for AP Calc AB & BC). In addition, prep books are pretty useless when it comes to AP English classes (I’ve only taken AP Lang but I received a 5 without a prep book), especially if you have a teacher that gives you SEVERAL practice tests (or even just lots of essay practice) throughout the year. Some prep companies (ex. Barron’s) are also notorious for filling their prep books with useless/extraneous information and creating extremely difficult tests (ex. Barron’s AP Physics). Interestingly, though, my go-to for all AP prep books has always been Barron’s so obviously they’re doing something right.</p>
<p>Basically, prep books are helpful but not always necessary when it comes to standardized testing. Because the ACT and SAT are THE standardized tests, though, I would recommend at least buying their respective official guides (the red book and blue book). For AP’s, it’s really up to you.</p>
<p>I agree with EngineBus2015. One thing I’ll add is that there is already a free practice exam available on the ACT website <a href=“ACT Test Preparation | Test Prep Resources | ACT”>1</a>. Its a pretty good way to see where you are at.</p>
<p>Also the Red Book can be obtained for $10 used. Pretty cheap considering the value of the test.</p>
<p>In terms of using other resources, sure you can. You could also prepare for a bike race by running. Its just most efficient to prepare for your real exam by using the thing most similar to them, old exams.</p>