Before You Buy a Test Prep Study Guide

Before you even step into a bookstore, in person or virtually, you should research your test through the official website of the organization that designs it. In this way, you'll get a general impression of the test's question format and subject material. When you enter the market to flip through available study guides or read descriptions of them online, be sure to choose a study guide that offers lessons and practice problems that are representative of what you'll encounter on the actual test.

Some study guides simply provide practice problems or lists of topics to study. While that may be fine for some students, others will want a study guide that serves as a reference or summary of the important subject matter. Be sure to choose a study guide with the content you need. If you're looking for lessons, make sure that they are written in a style that you can learn from.

You don't want to end up with something like a textbook that simply provides subject matter. The best study guides will contain realistic, test-like example problems throughout the lessons to familiarize you with the question types you will find on the test.

Taking practice tests during test prep is key to improving your scores. Each time you take a practice test, your familiarity with the test will increase and provide a boost of confidence on the actual test date. Whether you buy one or more study guides, you need at least 3 full-length practice tests that follow the format of the official test and include representative questions. This allows for one diagnostic test before you begin test prep, plus two others to check your improvement over time.

It can be frustrating to finish a practice problem or test and not find even a basic explanation of the answers. Check to see whether the study guide contains a section with explanations of not only why the right answer is right, but also why the wrong answers are wrong.

Study guide software is available for many tests, so you should consider that option before you buy. In general, it's better to take practice tests in the format that you will see on the test date, whether written or computer-based. But even if your test is written, well-designed study guide software comes with the perk of tracking your progress by storing your scores on diagnostic tests and practice problems. It may also evaluate your abilities and provide lessons that target problem areas.