5 comments about Kaplan SAT Score-Raising Dictionary.

1. Probably the primary reason that something is easy to learn is because it's interesting. Spelling and vocabulary building are usually not among those that arouse interest; however, this book makes these topics interesting for the student by creating amusing word-use sentences that involve teen-think. My daughter really likes using it for her weekly (homeschooled) vocabulary lessons.



2. The best way to learn vocabulary is through reading. There comes a point
   in studying for the SAT; wherein, a volume like this one would be helpful.
   This text has typical words and their usage set forth in an easy-to-read
   format. It's important to have comprehensive definitions and sentences
   because memorizing vocabulary for the SAT exam would be pointless.
   Sample words are:
   o abrasive
   o accentuate
   o alacrity
   o ascetic
   o benign
   o cacophony
   o cadence etc.
   
   This dictionary would be invaluable in order to assist in mastering
   the diction requisite for success on this exam.



3. some characters ar e weird but I liked reading about them. read the whole book. now i'm going back to learn the SAT words.



4. SAT Dictionary.
   
   This is the easiest and most efficient way to learn vocabulary words on the New SAT. Its way better to learn the vocabulary words than those enormous phonebook-sized SAT preps. I carried the Dictionary in my pocket almost all the time. When ever I had my spare moments, I flipped a page and Bam! (I'm learning new words.) Flashcards do not have the time-saving ability that this versatile SAT Dictionary offers. Furthermore, the characters depicted in the book are very intriguing. My favorite characters are Josh and Timmy. The sentences involving them made me laugh a few times and helped me retain words through laughter. Paul is pretty cool too. You'll meet them once you buy the book :).
   
   In addition, I took the January 28th SAT test. In the 19 sentence completions of the test, I saw many vocabulary words that were on the Dictionary.
   For example: prosaic, ambivalence,tenacious,voracious, facile, and vociferous to name a few. The rest of the vocabulary words which I saw were also on the Dictionary but I could not retain their full meaning because I (procrastinated) and failed to remember a high percentage of words.
   
   Don't procrastinate! If you have at least 3 months until the test. As an experienced SAT taker, my word of advice is: study NOW. Sacrifice video games,TV,Chess,Runescape and all your time-consuming activities for the SAT. Because those months will go flying, time will go so fast that you won't even realize that have you a few weeks left.
   
   Also remember: if you have achieved to learn all or at least a high percentage of these 1,000 most frequently tested SAT words. Give yourself 200+ on the Critical Reading Section. The 19 sentence completions are about 200-260 points.



5. I like this dictionary. Some of the sentences are actually funny and reading about the freaks at Anytown makes studying for the SAT almost bearable. Much better than boring flash cards.

5 comments about The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd edition.

1. My main problem with this book is that it is from the test-maker. At first, I thought that would be a good reason to buy it. When I received it, I realized that was not so. I was expecting tips on how to recognize the tricks used and how to avoid them. After reading through the first few chapters, I was thoroughly disappointed. Then I realized, this book is published by the test maker. Why would the writers of the test want to provide a resource that teaches you their tricks and traps? The tips recommended in this guide are general test taking tips that you could find in any test prep book. I did not receive any enlightening information from them. The practice SATs are the component that pushed my rating up to a four. The practice tests are great for preparation, because they are exactly like the real thing. If you work through a few of these, you will know exactly what to expect come test day. Overall, I recommend this for the practice tests. Do not buy this if you are looking for guidance on avoiding test-maker traps. I would look elsewhere.



2. I love this book. I love the price. The GREAT thing is that if you go to Border's or B&N you get a sheet with all the errata that you have to worry about. My copies from Amazon already had the errate fixed! My only criticism is that - at times - I could have used some of the detailed explanations that you find in some of the other SAT prep books. The math questions are excellent.



3. This book is well-known for its real tests. Taking the practice tests in this "blue book" certainly familiarize yourself with the genuine SAT style from the official test-maker. Before considering other prep books, buy this first



4. I loved this product from Amazon! it said it would arrive in 2 days and i recieved it even earlier than that. I was soo happy it arrived so soon!



5. This book is fantastic as long as it is accompanied by the right companion book. "The Offical SAT Study Guide" provides great testing material exactly like the real tests since the College Board produces the exams and this book. So it is the book to get for practice exams. The shortcoming is the lack of question explanations. Even explanations posted on-line are not very clear or useful, as my daughter an SAT test taker tells me. This dilemma is simply solved by ordering the book "STEP-BY-STEP SAT with Official SAT Study Guide Solutions" (ISBN 978-0-557-46336-7) by Dr. Ronald Fikar. This book provides detailed solutions to the College Board book, and it also has vocabulary and math formulas, which my daughter found extremely valuable. So we bought both of these books, and my daughter did well on the SAT exam. That made me appreciative enough to write reviews for both of these books!

2 comments about Kaplan ACT Strategies for Super Busy Students: 15 Simple Steps to Tackle the ACT While Keeping Your Life Together.

1. I'm an adult re-taking the ACT soon. I've been preparing for quite sometime. This book has been a great tool in attempting to do so. There is a lot of room for more review, but I recommend this highly. The explanations are clear, quick, and rather easy to digest. Even comes with a decent practice test.



2. My daughter thought this was the most helpful of the ACT prep books I purchased. The others I ordered were a book of 10 practice tests, as well as books specifically geared toward math and reading. This one gave fast, last minute tips for making it through the test ensuring you are representing yourself and abilities in the best possible light.

5 comments about The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Guide to Include 3Real ACT Tests.

1. I ordered this product over a month ago. I have not received this item to date.



2. This is a great book in preparing for the ACT Exam. It is worth every penny.



3. My first time taking the act I scored a 26. I decided to try this book, as it is REAL practice, exactly what is being tested for the act test. After studying with the book, I pulled off a 30 composite on the real test. I was accepted into a great college, and I think the 4 point boost helped to get me accepted.
   To anyone about to take the ACT, realize that the people who do really well on the test aren't all natural, they STUDY for the score, and this book IS the best way to study for the test. Don't waste you time with the other books that won't make dramatic improvements in your score.



4. Well, I never received it, I have to say it's not worth the money!
   (I had to give it one star - there was no other option. In reality, I give it negative stars.)



5. Have returned the book on 2/05/2010. But, haven't get the refund yet. Please process the credit back to my visa account ASAP. It has been longer than 6 weeks after it was sent back to the store.

5 comments about The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price,.

1. I'm a trustee of a liberal arts college and professor at an Ivy League University, both highly ranked by US News, so I read this mostly to keep abreast of the field. I ended up being thoroughly impressed and recommend this not just to students and parents looking for colleges, but to anyone interested in higher education. This is the best book of its kind that I've read, and I've read many. The book reveals many truths known mostly by insiders, such as schools' willingness to discount tuition and dole out merit aid. But more significantly, it makes the case for choosing a school based on the education and experience it offers, as opposed to the prestige it confers. The obsession on the part of many parents and students about getting into a "top" school is alarming and potentially destructive. Any advantage such success confers quickly evaporates after graduation, when students have to make it on their abilities, skills and motivation, not the name of their college. What passes for teaching at some Ivy League schools is a disgrace. The chapters on the shortcomings of the US News rankings and the case for small liberal arts colleges are especially good. My only quibble is the emphasis on saving money and maneuvering for financial aid. This is fine as far as it goes, but there are many reasons to pay more for a college education even when there are less expensive alternatives. The value of a transformative college education truly is priceless.



2. As a parent, I don't know how I could have navigated through the college search process without the expertise of Lynn O'Shaughnessy! Her book is a MUST read for parents of college bound students. I was able to learn how to find out exactly how much financial aid to expect, given our family's income level and assets. Ms. O'Shaughnessy is able to take all the complicated formulas for determining financial aid and explain how they work, with references to the pertinent websites. Before embarking on college tours, I now know which colleges will likely be able to offer an affordable financial aid package. This information is invaluable. I highly recommend the book! I've also learned a lot by visiting her blog, TheCollegeSolutionBlog, which I also recommend.



3. I bought this book together with 3 other books with 5 star reviews on Amazon, but this one is by far the best and the most complete. It has helped us take a more realistic approach to choice of colleges, and I think that by the time our son (a Junior in High School) applies, he will feel that he is in the driver's seat rather than at the mercy of the admissions offices. I expect this book will be falling apart by the time he fills in his final application. It's already adorned with dozens of color-coded post-it tabs for information we will be referring back to as we narrow down the choices.



4. As a parent of a high school senior, I have read many college admission advice books over the past two years. I found this book "The College Solution" to be different than most of the others, and I highly recommend it. While many of the other books focus on theories and tricks to gaining admission, I feel this book offers very practical advice and suggests specific actions. It mentions many helpful websites that are beneficial in researching colleges. The title of this book might make you think the book is all about financing college.... It certainly covers that, but it is much more. This is a very useful, practical book. Reasonably priced and worth it. I had originally borrowed it from the local library...after reading it I purchased my own copy so I can refer back to it periodically.



5. I am a career coach for students and young people seeking admission to college, graduate schools and the workforce. My practice focuses on students learning how to optimally position themselves. I ask the question, "What unique strengths do you have to offer that this college needs?"
   
   Lynn O'Shaughnessy has taken this question to a new level. I help my students understand that a key to college acceptance is communication of how their unique strengths can fill a school's gaps (i.e., academic talent, diversity, athletic or artistic abilities). This book adds the financial element to that equation. A student's ability to fill a college's gaps not only drives acceptance, but influences a college's financial generosity as well. This is a simple, intuitive concept that not many families recognize.
   
   As families push their high schoolers to "stretch" themselves to apply to prestigious "reach" colleges, they are overlooking great educational opportunities. If you get into Ivy U by the skin of your teeth, and you feel like they are almost doing you a favor by letting you squeak in, you are unlikely to get any financial incentives for going there. But if you are bringing something special to Under Ivy U, and they really want you for the contributions you can make (i.e., freshman stats, sports, arts, academic potential), they might feel a little more like you are doing them a favor, and they'll be willing to offer you a financial incentive to do so.
   
   Simple, isn't it? Thank you, Ms. O'Shaughnessy, for pointing out such a clear and brilliant principle. I suggest your book to all my students, and will continue to do so!
   
   -Kris Hintz, wwww.positionu4college.com

No comments about Cracking the SAT, 2011 Edition (College Test Preparation).

5 comments about CliffsAP Biology (Cliffs Ap Biology).

1. This was a great review and study guide for the AP Biology exam. It was clear, concise, and covered everything I needed to know. I got a 5.



2. Great summary for Biology. I'm an accountant going back for dental. This book was a great summary of biology topics. It has plenty of practice tests with good examples. If you can do everything in this book, you probably don't need college biology 1&2.
   
   I try to save money w/ test prep by studying free off of websites and out of my old book. This is the best, most succinct resource I've found for preparation for a test (I'm sure also great for MCAT, AP, CLEP, etc). One regret: not getting AP Org Chem (didn't have as many reviews, but in hindsight I would have bought it).
   
   Also check out Cliffs AP Chemistry...just as good.



3. If you are searching for a review book or the AP Biology exam, look no further.. you need to buy this book right now!
   
   I recently took the Biology exam and this book has helped me learn material I was not taught in class, or review material I had forgotten. What I like about this book is that every section was not overcrowded with information. All the chapters were short (6-40 pages about) and to the point. All of the topics were explained perfectly that I was never confused about what I was reading. The book comes with useful sample questions at the end of each section so you can test yourself, and the questions and explanations are very helpful. I actually saw one question from the review book on my AP Exam, so you know their information is reliable.
   
   The one thing I did not like about this book was the lack of figures, or graphics. I am a visual learner and I would have preferred more descriptive pictures, such as the ones in my actual AP BIO textbook, to better understand concepts. The figures they had were vague.
   
   Anyway, they did a great job at enlightening me about plants, a subject I did not learn in class but was prevalent on the exam. Please choose this book for its benefits are enormous and you are guaranteed a 4 or a 5 if you read this book in depth.



4. I've been taking notes on this book, and you only take notes on the important things. I've been taking notes on almost EVERYTHING. This is probably one of the best sources to learn AP Bio from. It's full of stuff that you will NEED to know and it doesn't skimp on the details. It is also a quick way to learn and is very interesting. I highly recommend this book.



5. This book covered all the topics that were on the AP test, without it I would have been lost as to what to focus on and what to discard. Of course, I had to study my school textbook for the finer details but as review books go this one is the best. It definitely helped me get a 5 last year.

5 comments about Fiske Guide to Colleges 2011, 27E.

1. Some good info in the guide. Has more opinionated information than many of the other guides, which is good, though it tends to accentuate the positive side just a bit too much. The information about the school's "best majors" and the cross-over schools is very helpful. Would be nice if it had more detailed information that some of the other guides include. For example, it rates the schools with $ signs in terms of cost, but does not provide detailed cost information. But I suppose if you're really interested in a particular school you should be looking at their web side to get definitive cost data.



2. Great to have a copy in the classroom for when students are finished with an assignment. It allows my sophomores, juniors, and seniors to research colleges when they complete an assignment and laptops are not available!



3. We got this book on a recommendation from a relative. It is a wonderful book to use, along with the internet, to discover colleges you have never heard of and weed out ones that aren't for you. This book has alot of information that you will not find on the net.



4. Definitely a good book to get to start your college search. Recommended by our college counselor & I agree, there is lots of good info to help put that list together



5. I have done College Admissions Counseling for 28 years. The only book I require students
   to have is this Fiske Guide. Using it, we are able to decide if a school is a stretch college or not.
   Some of the percentages are higher than actual figures, but the 'guide' helps to compare colleges.

5 comments about Cracking the ACT, 2010 Edition (College Test Preparation).

1. I am a private math tutor and author of Math Study Guide for the SAT®, ACT®, and SAT® Subject Tests - 2010 Edition (Math Study Guide for the SAT, ACT, & SAT Subject Tests). I sometimes use the practice tests in this book as a warm up for students and then follow it with the official practice tests found in The Real ACT Prep Guide: The Only Guide to Include 3Real ACT Tests. However I found two errors in the math tests in this book:
   
   pg 445 problem 39. The answer is C, not H.
   
   pg 453 problem 58. The answer is -12/5. This does not match any of the answer choices.



2. I love the book. It makes studying for the ACT interesting. I enjoy the inserted humor.



3. I like the beginning section of the book that tells you the good, the bad, and the ugly behind taking the ACT vs. the SAT. The practice tests were pretty helpful, and the real test ended up being easier than the practices. So this prepares you really well, much better than "The Real ACT Guide." I would definitely recommend this to somebody who has had trouble on the SAT and looking for something different. Just remember, some people are better at one test and others are better at the other, so just because somebody did poorly on his SAT does not mean he will do so poorly on the ACT, and vice versa.



4. As an ACT Tutor, I have found this book most helpful to use with my students. From math strategies to punctuation technicalities, this book covers it all. The Science section is extensive, and very helpful as it is bursting with strategies. The practice tests provided in the book are of moderate difficulty. I recommend this resource to any student who wants to be prepared for all 5 test sections and get inside the heads, per say, of the test writers. As the ACT is very time pressured, learning Princeton Review's strategies would be very beneficial to students. I also recommend this resource to any tutor or parent that is looking to help a student prep for the ACT exam. ACT prep can be rather arduous, but is always rewarding--good luck!
   
   Stacy Padula, Author of Montgomery Lake High #1: The Right Person



5. the only negative thing was that I received it on the last day it was due to me. Not very expeditious compared to other companies I have ordered from.

2 comments about The Best 373 Colleges, 2011 Edition (College Admissions Guides).

1. The Princetown Review publishes a number of college search-related books, including the "Complete Book of Colleges" and this one. This book is essentially a distilled version of the "Complete Book", and frankly a lot more useful (but for people completely new to the college-searching process, definitely check that out too).
   
   "The Best 373 Colleges (2011 Edition)" (840 pages) is similar to last year's edition. After holding the number of best colleges at 371 last year (remember this book started off in 1992 with the best 350), this time there are 2 new "best" colleges: Austin College and the University of Missouri-Columbia. Not a single school from last year's list was dropped (if the inflation of "best" colleges continues, I surmise we'll get to 400 by 2020 or so). There are over 60 fun-to-browse top 20 lists of best/worst, such as "Most Beautiful Campus", "Students Study the Most", "Party Schools", and "Most Politically Active Students" (my daughter is attending the #1 ranked school on that list, it was ranked #2 last year, so yes these rankings change from year to year).
   
   The best feature of this guide remains the 2 page layout for each of the colleges, with in-depth information on campus life, academic selectivity (the number of applicants, how many were accepted, and of those how many actually decided to attend), up-to-date tuition and room/board costs (I checked the numbers of the college that my daughter is now attending, and they are accurate), etc. Another aspect that is very helpful is the "Survey says" sidebar, in which the essence of the university is distilled from the college students themselves, and "The Inside Word" segment on how tough it really is to gain admission when all is said and done.
   
   The proof is in the pudding: of the many college guides out there, my daughter spent more time with this book (when she was looking at colleges a few years ago) than with any other. This book is not the first place to start the college search, but once your son or daughter has narrowed down his/her colleges of choice, and assuming those colleges are featured in the "best 373", this book clearly is the best resource, the last step before a campus visit, and can be used again following the campus visits. I've looked at a lot of college-search books and if I was forced to recommend only one book among all the college search guides, this book is clearly it.



2. My pre-order came in today, and thank goodness! I've been doing summer college visits with my niece, and in looking through Best 373, we found some more potential options for her to tack on before school starts up again. The rankings are great, as are the college info pages - everything you need to know, and then a little more. Highly recommended for families/students planning their college visits, or starting to research college options. A college bible, if you will.