Top 10 Resources for Free SAT Prep

Standardized tests remain an important part of the college admissions process at many schools. Landing a high score on the SAT could help your chances of getting into your dream school.

That said, you don’t necessarily have to blow your budget on SAT prep books and tutors to get a great score. You can find several helpful — and totally free — resources online to help you study for the exam, like this SAT prep guide. Test prep and tutoring organizations offer many different types of tools as well, such as free SAT practice tests and online courses.

If you want to raise your SAT score while sticking to a budget, you can find the best free SAT prep resources below.

The College Board is a nonprofit organization that administers the SAT. The group provides official need-to-know information, including registration deadlines and a checklist of items you should bring with you the day of the exam.

You can find several resources on the College Board’s website to help you prepare for the exam. The group publishes free sample questions and free SAT practice tests so you can simulate the real deal. Practice tests come with detailed answer keys, which give you insight into how the SAT is scored.

You can also join an SAT study group and follow the College Board’s sample 16-week study plan.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Khan Academy provides several free online resources for students in many courses and subjects. The College Board also partners with the organization to offer free SAT practice tests, personalized to every student. Students can work through eight exams on Khan’s website, receiving immediate feedback on their progress.

On top of SAT practice questions, students can learn test-taking tips through videos and interactive lessons.

You might know The Princeton Review as the organization that publishes test prep books, but this company also publishes several free SAT resources on its website. You can take a free SAT practice test online and receive comprehensive feedback. You can also participate in free online courses.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of The Princeton Review’s self-paced SAT prep program but aren’t sure whether you want to pay the full amount, consider participating in a 14-day free trial.

Known for its high-quality test prep resources, Kaplan runs several online prep courses. Although many of these require payment, the company also offers a free on-demand SAT practice test.

After completing the test, students will receive a detailed score report. They can also access instructional videos for two weeks. If you can’t find the time to take the full practice test, you can still practice your skills with Kaplan’s question of the day and its 12-question, 20-minute exam “workout.”

If you’re looking for an SAT study guide, PrepScholar publishes a comprehensive online program. The guide starts with the basics, answering questions like “What is the SAT?” and “What are the four sections of the exam?”

After covering the foundational components, the study guide explores each SAT section in depth and breaks down the score range and SAT percentiles. If you don’t know where to begin with your studying, PrepScholar offers templates on how to create a study plan for yourself.

You can also get down to the nitty-gritty by studying common SAT vocabulary words, math formulas, and basic grammar rules.

Some of Magoosh’s test prep materials come with a fee. However, the organization also offers several free online SAT prep resources, which you can find on its blog.

Students can take the Magoosh free SAT practice test and find study tips and test-taking strategies through the company’s YouTube channel. If you’ve only got a few minutes to spare, you can answer the SAT question of the day or practice with flashcards. Magoosh also publishes a free online study guide e-book.

Founded by a professional test tutor, The Critical Reader publishes an array of test prep books and free SAT prep resources online. Students can take online quizzes and read a full breakdown of SAT and ACT grammar rules.

The site also maintains a comprehensive list of resources that SAT test-makers often use to create the Reading section of the exam. These resources include publications like National Geographic, historical documents such as the Federalist Papers, and books by famous authors like Jane Austen.

Calling himself Erik the Red, this New Jersey-based math and physics tutor publishes several SAT and ACT prep resources on his website. If you need help with the Math section, you can find the math facts, formulas, and strategies you’ll need to pass the SAT. You can also practice with online math quizzes.

Varsity Tutors administers a free SAT prep class online. The class follows a distance-learning format, meaning students participate through Zoom. The prep course lasts two weeks, with students meeting three times per week, and covers content and strategies for each of the four SAT sections.

Those who enroll in the class can access a mobile test prep app, SAT practice exams, and an adaptive assessment tool that provides personalized learning plans.

While Veritas Prep runs paid classes and private tutoring opportunities, students can also take advantage of several free resources, such as an SAT prep webinar, an online book, an online practice test, and several videos on Veritas’ YouTube channel.

The organization also offers interactive tools like a college admissions calculator and an ACT vs. SAT quiz, which can help you determine which test is a better fit for you.