The Top 7 Free Online SAT and ACT Prep Resources

These Days, Students Need To Start Preparing For The SAT And ACT Earlier Than Ever!

Of course, regardless of when your student starts preparing for their standardized tests, it’s important that they take advantage of all the free resources the Internet has to offer. There are more free practice tests and study guides than your student could ever use; the key is finding the right tests and websites to maximize your student’s study time.

In this article, we cover some of the best free online ACT and SAT prep resources you can find.

Looking Towards College

When it comes to preparing for college, one of the earliest steps every student should take is preparing for their two standardized tests: the SAT and ACT. Students generally start taking these tests during their junior year, leaving an entire summer and their senior year to work their way up to the score they need to get accepted into the colleges they’d like to attend. Your student’s standardized test scores will be considered along with the rest of their application, so it’s extremely important your student takes these tests and studies for them seriously.

If your child begins preparing for the SAT and ACT early, it can help take some of the overwhelm and stress out of the studying process. Thankfully, you won’t need to break the bank in order for your student to thoroughly prepare. The Internet is full of free resources your student can use to help study and prepare for the tests.

If your student takes advantage of these resources it can make their studying much more effective.

Of course, make sure your student creates a solid plan to study for the SAT and ACT in order to maximize their time. If your student sits down with a vague goal to ‘study for the test’ without a plan, it is easy for feelings of overwhelm and stress to keep them from doing their best work. Not only will this help them feel more prepared mentally, but it will increase how effective their study time is in the long term!

Our Top 7 Online Study Tools For The SAT And ACT!

KHAN ACADEMY

Khan Academy has partnered with the SAT to bring students free and personalized resources to help them study and prepare for the test. This includes practice questions in all of the sections, video instructions, and a personalized way to keep track of what your child has and hasn’t studied yet. For students looking to prepare for the SAT using official resources, Khan Academy is a great place to start.

For those studying for the ACT, Khan Academy also offers a wide range of test prep that is well suited for this test as well. While the practice questions may not be in official ACT format, the site still has a plethora of videos and written tutorials that can break down the complex problems your student will find on the ACT.

OFFICIAL ACT PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Students can find the official ACT practice test on the same website where they sign up for the ACT and view their scores: actstudent.org. This practice test comes in PDF format and students can print it out to have the same experience as they will on test day. For students who want to practice for the standardized test as realistically as possible, the official ACT practice questions are one of the best ways for them to do this.

These official tests contain practice questions taken from older versions of the ACT. This means students can really get a feel for how the ACT asks questions. This can be extremely important for helping them build confidence they can take with them into the real test.

OFFICIAL SAT PRACTICE TESTS

Just like with the official ACT practice tests, the official SAT practice tests are the best way for your student to practice for the real test. These feature questions from past SATs so that your student can get a feel for the question and answer format. It can also help your student prepare for the time crunch that many often face while completing standardized exams; with more practice, your student will learn which tricks and techniques they can use on test day to save time and answer as many questions as possible.

Students who practice with the official SAT practice test are likely to feel more comfortable on test day because they’ve become accustomed to how the SAT asks questions. While your student won’t see any questions from their practice tests during their actual test, they will see questions of the same format and tone. This can make the difference between feeling prepared and unprepared.

PREPSCHOLAR

PrepScholar has a huge catalog of free articles students can use to prepare for both the ACT and SAT. From “here’s what to expect during the test” to study guides for each specific section of the test, PrepScholar resources are great for students who have taken the tests at least once and know what areas they need to work on. Not only will they learn new test-taking tricks and tips to help them save time, but they can also pinpoint exact areas of the test to focus their studies on. If your student has a question about how a certain part of either standardized test works, PrepScholar is very likely to have the answer. It makes a great homebase for all of your students’ test prep.

MCGRAW-HILL ACT CENTER

The McGraw-Hill ACT website offers two full free practice tests for students with written explanations for each question. For students looking to understand the ACT on a deeper level, this is an invaluable resource. The center also includes multiple videos, tips, tricks, and guides that students can use as they study. This is an excellent resource for students who have already taken the ACT and know which areas they need to focus on in order to improve their score.

THE PRINCETON REVIEW

This well-known college prep website offers a plethora of resources for your student to use to prepare for the ACT or SAT. They also offer a free ACT practice exam that students can take to receive personalized feedback on which areas they need to work on. This makes it a perfect choice for students who need a bit of extra guidance in order to know which sections they should start studying for the ACT. Their website also offers access to free study guides and articles that can help your student prepare for the test both mentally and academically. Being in the right headspace on test day can make a huge difference in how your student does on their test.

SPARKNOTES ACT/SAT PREP

SparkNotes has a guided online practice test for both the ACT and SAT. This makes it great for students who want to get their first experience in a virtual medium they are comfortable with. In addition, students can use SparkNotes guides to help them during their study sessions. They can also refer to their test results to help them determine which areas they should focus their time on.

The more time your student spends studying areas that they have a lower score in, the more efficiently they can improve their score. This makes the SparkNotes resources incredibly helpful, as there are separate categories for each area of the test. This means your student doesn’t need to spend time skipping through parts of the test they already feel confident with if they only have time for a quick review.

Free Online Studying Tools Can Make The Difference

Many students believe that test prep needs to be an exhaustive and expensive effort. However, with the plethora of online resources available today, students have more ways than ever to prepare for their standardized tests. Encourage your student to try multiple different practice tests and study platforms until they find one that works for them. Remember, it takes time to study and raise your student’s standardized test scores. The earlier they start preparing, the better chances they have of reaching the score they want.

Of course, if your student needs extra help preparing for the ACT or SAT, don’t hesitate to reach out to our WeAdmit counselors. We would love to help your student create a personalized test plan and point them in the direction of resources that will make a difference in how they study. Once we’ve established their test prep routine, we can continue to help your student throughout all the steps in their college application process!