5 comments about Cracking the SAT Math 1 & 2 Subject Tests, 2009-2010 Edition (College Test Preparation).

1. I worked through all the math level 1 sections of this book but it had virtually no effect on my score. I took a practice test before this and I got a 690. After completing this book I got a 700. Maybe it's just me but this book had no benefit.



2. The book was great for review, and covered all the required materials that came on the exam. It made things simple and straightforward-which is good. The practice exams in the back are great predictors for your actual score. I got the same score on the actual exam as the practice one. All in all, a good review book.



3. Ideally this book should help me with the Math Subject Test Level 1 right?
   
   Well it did...sort of.
   
   But it helped me more with practicing my math skills, memorizing formulas and reviewing all my math knowledge.
   
   This book helped me for the SAT and ACT as well. And it helped me with the subject test as well :)
   
   If you want to practice your math skills, THEN BUY THIS BOOK.
   
   Why the one star less?
   
   Some explanations are very assuming like..."Oh it's 5 because OBVIOUSLY it's not 4!"
   You're left scratching your head. Eventually, I figured 99% of these out but still, explaining the answer is the book's responsibility...not mine.



4. I originally bought the College Board books for my boys along with the Chemistry book by Princeton Review in a first purchase. They could not stand the College Board version of this book and asked if I could please get the Princeton Review version. They really enjoy the approach Princeton Review takes, realistic and explanatory, as opposed to the College Board's method of simply showing the answer and not how it was arrived at. Hope this review helps you!



5. I'd like to talk about only math level 1 section of this book,which I used. As most other math level 1 prep books this book also doesn't reflect real exam. Its practice is very very very easy compared to real examination. Also, many parts that are labeled as "Math level 2 only" are tested in Math level 1 as well. So don't use this as your guide during prep. Just take a look at drills and go through chapters.

5 comments about 500 Key Words for the SAT, and How to Remember Them Forever!.

1. I purchased this book for a student, but was disapointed to find that many of the words in it were well below what I consider to be standard in the SAT. My opinion is immaterial, but my student, too, was disappointed. Of course there were many vocabulary words he wasn't as familiar with, but at least one-third of the book was too elementary. If I had been given the opportunity to look inside this book before I purchased it, I wouldn't have, at least not for this particular student.



2. I like the pictures. They help my 8-year old to remember well. I would recommend this item to young and old.



3. This book is okay. It does contain some flaws. I think it would help me remember the words better if it had some visual aid. I recommend using SAT Vocabulary Cartoons better. Some of the ideas could have been made up easily by myself. It tends to get a bit wordy sometimes. Otherwise, this book could be a little bit useful.



4. As a high school teacher, I return to this book year after year for my AP English Language and Composition class and Honors English 11 classes. It familiarizes students with words they read in literature as well as offers definitions they will encounter on college entrance exams. The tips for remembering meaning are entertaining and effective. My students always enjoy the book.



5. My mother bought this book for me when I was in 7th grade and spent time going over words with me every day. I was able to finish it before I entered high school (I am currently a sophomore) and I still remember all of the words. I haven't taken the SAT yet, but I couldn't imagine using this book to study right before it. So I recommend that you purchase a different book if you are in a hurry because this book takes investing of time and energy.

3 comments about Cracking the AP U.S. Government & Politics Exam, 2010 Edition (College Test Preparation).

1. Since I purchased this book for my son, I'll let him write the review...
   
   "I was so surprised at the quality of this study book. After working through the lessons and self-check quizzes at the end of chapters I was noticeably more confident with my knowledge which definitely improved my performance on the test, without a doubt. In some places, this book was a better teacher than mine. Thank you so much!"



2. I purchased this book for my daughter who is planning to take the AP Government test this spring. As an AP English teacher, I have always preferred the Princton Review prep booklets, so that is why I chose this product.



3. This AP Government Review book contains excellent suggestions for a program of study and review. The essential informationis highlighted and good practice questions provided. Great buy for the money.

1 comments about Scholarship Handbook 2011 (College Board Scholarship Handbook).

1. The Scholarship Handbook 2011 has all these scholarships. Kweller Prep would like to provide some more information on some of the outstanding scholarships out there:
   
   In today's competitive job market, a college education is a must, but college is expensive and many families can't afford it. New York State scholarships are governed by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation, or the HESC. This system runs all the state-funded scholarships and grants, and also overlooks federal funding, making sure it is properly disbursed. From upstate to Long Island, and even in Manhattan, the HESC helps students all over the state achieve a higher education.
   
   Thousands of academic scholarships are awarded to gifted students every year through the New York State Scholarships for Academic Excellence. This scholarship offers $1500 to students as an incentive to study at in-state schools, and is renewable for up to four years. The Scholarship for Academic Excellence is offered through high schools to teens who scored highly on their "regents exams".
   
   The New York Lottery also funds a scholarship program for leadership and community involvement. The New York Lottery Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship is awarded to one graduating senior from each New York public schools every year. This funds the student $1000 for each year of study for up to four years at a state school.
   
   Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships are also available for talented students, but they are not dependant on the student studying in state. Like the New York State Scholarship, the Byrd Scholars receive $1500 that is renewable for up to four years. This scholarship is offered to students all over the country, and students are chosen based on their ACT/SAT scores, GPA, extracurricular interests and class rank.
   
   There are many other scholarships offered through the state of New York for academic achievement. The state offers State Aid for Native Americans, children of veterans and to gifted students with disabilities. There are many options for a smart student in New York State and no child should be without a college education for lack of provision.
   
   Despite the recent turn in the economy, there are still a plethora of available scholarships for all types of students from different backgrounds. Never automatically assume that you are not eligible for scholarship! Instead, take some time out and look at websites like[...] [...] [...]/ to see what you are eligible for.
   
   Even if a scholarship deadline seems far away, be wary of how you spend your time. There are countless stories of how eligible students got locked out of scholarships because too many applicants applied for the same spots (causing the scholarship providers to push back the deadline or completely prevent any new students from applying). The faster you get organized and seek out opportunities, the faster you can win money and prepare for college in the months and weeks ahead.
   
   Frances Kweller, J.D. Is the founder of Kweller Prep Tutoring and Educational Services, Intense Prep for Intense Kids, located in NYC.

3 comments about Barron's AP Human Geography Flash Cards (Barron's: the Leader in Test Preparation).

1. AP Human Geography Teacher required this for her classroom. It looks like a great way to help review concepts for tests and quizzes. Beautifully produced in convenient storage box.



2. The flashcards were surprisingly helpful. They were easy to use and well organized into the correct units. The examples provided were wonderful, and during the exam I kept going back to things I remembered reading in the flashcards. I highly recommend these as an extra study tool for the AP exam.



3. When I first bought these and opened them up, i saw that the first few cards were filled with useless information that made no difference that we never learned. I'm not one of those people who can sit at home and go through flashcards; I'm really more of a book person actually. However, I developed a strategy for these and I'm fairly certain it worked. Everyday I would grab a random handful of cards from different places in the box and take them to school with me. Whenever I was bored in school, I'd simply pull out a card, and this seemed to really help with studying, especially when I would bring cards relevant to the particular section I was reviewing at home. Believe me, these cards helped immensely for the exam.

5 comments about Vocabulary Cartoons II: SAT Word Power.

1. I bought this for my niece who is studying for the SAT. It has really helped her to remember difficult words.



2. This book came in excellent shape, very timely. I needed it quickly for my daughter taking the SAT and it was a big, fun and easy help to get into
   vocabulary. I'll order the next one soon!



3. This book is awesome. Some of the pictures make me laugh, and it really helps me remember the words and their definitions. This book makes learning new words fun. It is good at sinking the words and their meanings into my head. I really recommend this book.



4. This book is fun to look at for those that got a little kid in their heart. Kids love it also.



5. Good selection of words and learning aids are very good, but... there are a number of errors. For example "edification" is a noun, but is defined as "enlighten" which is a verb. "Gambit" is defined as a verb; it is a noun. "Malcontent" is defined as a adjective; it is a noun. These examples are from only the first 20% of the book; there are lots more. If you know these words already, you might not notice these things, but if you are trying to learn them... so beware. It is actually a good exercise to try to catch these inconsistencies because SAT/ACT exams also test usage, not just meaning. On another note, it would be nice if the book more consistently listed and explicitly distinguished between primary and secondary meanings, since those tests often try to trick students with secondaries. Again, a good book that just needs a more thorough edit.

5 comments about 1,296 ACT Practice Questions (College Test Preparation).

1. This book has practice questions closest to the ACT from all the prep books I have used. However, there are lots of errors which really hinder from it being a perfect study aid. For example, too many answers given are not correct, and the explanations are wrong. Also, the ABCD FGHJ goes out of sequence which gets annoying. I recommend using real ACT questions... "The Real ACT Prep Guide" from the makers of the ACT.



2. The Princeton Review should be embarrassed to have its name on this book. Not only are there outright errors in the "answers," several of the sample tests have answer keys that clearly do not match the test printed.
   
   I help kids prepare for standardized testing and have used other Princeton Review books successfully, but this book is a disgrace. If you are looking for extra practice tests, I would strongly recommend finding a different test prep book.



3. This book contains a number of sample sample tests and fairly complete reviews of many of the answers. It is wonderful tool for visual learners. My daughter, however, is not a very visual learner. I give it three stars for us because I still ended up needing additional tutoring to supplement the book (which I was hoping to avoid). I suppose it is a good book insofar as it provides repetition of sample test questions to boost the students awareness of question types to expect on the actual test. Anyway, she is retaking the ACT test as I type this review and I am hoping that between this book and the additional tutoring that I am done with any ACT expenses and hassle. So much riding on a standardized test that really does not always properly reflect the knowledge of a student. But I digress ....



4. This book is so fantastic! I wasn't sure what to expect because there wasn't as much information or reviews as I'm used to. I was very uneasy about this purchase. Wow, I really wasted my time. This book is amazing! The 400+ pages are full of ACT questions and answers (short listed and explained) As of yet, I have not seen any "tips or tricks" just cold-hard practice tests (and solid, detailed instruction in the answers section). The pages are NOT made of regular book paper (which may be a turn-off for some...the pages aren't white or laminated. They are kind of light brown and a tiny bit "scratchy" but nothing to complain about). You can put your answers on a different paper and take the tests over and over again (Which is quite nice).
   
   I have not fully examined all of this book, (I only got it this morning) but what I have experienced far-exceeds my expectations. There are four tests for each section (plus writing and essays). And like I mentioned before, there are short listed answers (1:a, 2:d, 3:e ect) and DETAILED long answers (1:a because you're trying to find x, you must first...) it is such a wonderful aspect! I am so thrilled with this and feel that if I study from it often, I'll get a good score on my ACT. Again, DO NOT hesitate.



5. I took the ACT once and i got a 26 then I started to use the Ten ACT Practice tests book from McGraw-Hill and i still got a 26 the next time i took the ACT. I bought the 1,296 ACT Practice questions from the Princeton Review and it was the best $12 dollars i ever invested into anything. The book had many tests and these tests were very similar (if not more difficult) to the real ACT than any other books I've used. The book also provides great explanations to the answers, better than any other book I've used. After using this book i rose my ACT score up 4 points to a 30. This book is a great buy and is extremely helpful to anyone who is taking the ACT.
   
   A+ rating!

No comments about Cracking the AP Biology Exam, 2011 Edition (College Test Preparation).

5 comments about Cracking the AP Physics B Exam, 2010 Edition (College Test Preparation).

1. For the AP test, you can study only this and still get a 4 on the exam. Overall a great review book.



2. My son used this book to brush up prior to the test and found it to be extremely useful. There are seventeen chapters each with worked examples and then a chapter review at the end of each comprising both multiple choice and 'free response' questions. Each chapter with the chapter review questions takes maybe ninety minutes to complete so you can get through the whole book quite comfortably in a week.
   
   The material is very clear and easy to follow. The examples make sense, they are concise but complete. My only problem with the book is that it has errors. We contacted the publisher who provided a list of corrections by email but nevertheless I expected better checking given the subject matter. On the list we received there were thirteen corrections, most of them typographical.
   
   So in summary: it's a very helpful book but be sure to email the publisher for the list of corrections.



3. I'm currently a student enrolled in AP Physics B and I've been using this book as a reference throughout the entire year. Compared to numerous other physics guides for the AP, this book teaches much more closely with the AP style and type for the questions. Also, my teacher, who has passing percentages much, much higher than the national average each year, has recommended this book far more than any other AP Physics B guide.
   
   One thing I noticed this year was that there was an extra page in the Work, Energy, and Power section that was not in the 2009 version. I haven't checked the rest of the book, but this page specifically goes over a specific type of question.



4. This Princeton Review AP Physics B book is very concise and accurate. I use it as a reference for my high-school physics, SAT II Physics, and AP Physics students.
   
   If you are studying calculus-based physics, you should consider Princeton Review AP Physics C instead, which covers fewer topics, but involves more math.



5. Good multiple choice questions. Nice job on the free response keeping the problems algebra-based. No particular advantage over the 2008 or 2009 edition, as far as I can tell they never update the book nor change the questions. My students have used this, in addition to class preparation, to earn mostly 5's and 4's on the AP exam.

No comments about Cracking the AP English Language & Composition Exam, 2011 Edition (College Test Preparation).