Customer Reviews

Gruber's Complete SAT Guide 2008

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For better or worse, SAT scores can be improved through cramming, and this is the best of the cram books. We've gone through this process with 2 kids now, tried out dozens of books and web sites, and Gruber's book is the best resource out there (along with Number2.com, a really good free SAT prep web site).

Gruber's approach is clean, clear, thorough. The emphasis isn't gimmicks, it's mastering the skills that the SAT measures. Of course there is a lot of good test-taking strategy too, but really there are no short cuts to a really outstanding SAT score -- you just have to know a bunch of stuff cold, and Gruber can get you there.

The prep services that charge $500 to $2500 try to make you think there are secrets to beating the SAT. There are no secrets. It's just a bunch of stuff you have to know. If your kid is motivated and can set aside time to work on this, this book will be far more through (and I'm sure effective) than any cram course.

If you really want that 200-300-point boost that studying can provide, your kid needs to spend several hours a week studying for several months at least. To work through this whole book would take even more than that. But if there's only time for a one-week cram, this book is still worth the money -- Gruber has good last-minute approaches as well.

It shows me many strategies that I did not know before, and you can apply some of those strategies not only to the SAT but many other tests or normal daily practices. It does have some few typos but one can easily recognize what the word is originally. The Math Refresher and the Grammar Refresher are particularly important because they show you what you're supposed to know by the test and maybe even by college.

I have used Gruber's since I ordered my first 10 copies for my resource lab in the early 1980s. It was probably less than 1/2 inch thick at that time, but was so valuable to my students. The additions have made it a very thick, but user friendly, resource. I think it is one of the best resources my students use. The vocab section is excellent. The critical reading selections are just what the students need. The math problem explanations can be used independently without the resource teacher's assistance. Now that I am retired and volunteer tutor Gruber is on my list of resources I give to my students and parents. (Of course they borrow my copies.) Grluber is #1.

I work for a tutoring company. With my employer's permission, I use this book after my students have exhausted all of my company's prep materials.

This is an excellent book for SAT tutors; a average-to-good book for students using this book as their sole source of preparation; an excellent book when used in conjunction with the SAT exams published by the College Board.

This book teaches critical thinking strategies which are essential for not only the SAT, but other examinations you will take in high school and college. I cannot recommend the strategies highly enough. Other SAT test prep books teach you tricks. The Gruber book teaches you thinking strategies which will serve you for years to come.

I will focus on the math content, as that is what I usually use this book for.

-Critical Reading Section-

The questions in the review tests are a little harder than the actual SAT. The critical thinking strategies are useful.
The vocab list is extensive, and perhaps a touch overly difficult, but it would be a good list for a student to work with if they want to do very long term preparation (12+ months plus) for this test.

-Writing Section-

The writing section is an afterthought, in terms of content review other than the practice tests. If this book ever gets revised, this is the section that needs to be beefed up. The practice test questions are a touch harder than the actual SAT questions.

However, this book has a section on writing the essay which would be helpful for many students. It also has a section on grammar that should be required reading for every high school student in this country. Grammar is not taught extensively in schools anymore, and this book gives you a back to basics course in the subject.

-Math Section-

Math Practice Test Questions- Unlike the SAT, the questions sometimes seem to be randomly placed within the section. An entire section can be very easy, and the next section can be brutally tough. The questions are tougher-to-much-tougher than the actual SAT. (Students using this book on their own should be made aware of that.)

Questions on the practice test are linked by a numerical code to the content review (covered below) as well as the general math strategies (covered at the start of this review). As such, they can serve as a reminder of the general math principles that the were just part of a specific test question. It's helpful if you get the question wrong, or omitted, and can even be helpful if you get the question correct.

Math Content Review- Excellent. If anything, it overprepares you for the test. It covers some areas (such as set theory, and certain geometric formulas) that are not covered on this test. This section can be a godsend if you are weak in this subject.

After each content review section, there are 50 practice questions which cover what you reviewed. These questions are much harder than what's on the test.

-Summary-

This book prepares you for a test that is more difficult than the actual SAT. But the strategies it teaches, as well as the essay review and grammar review sections mentioned in this book, are worth their weight in gold.

This book should be used in conjunction with the book of SAT exams published by the College Board. The Official SAT Study Guide You will likely score higher on those more realistic practice tests than the harder Gruber practice tests.

-Addendum-
The 10th edition of this book is 99.5% the same as this edition (the 11th edition)
A 12th edition of this book is in the works, according to Amazon.

Our son had a pretty good score, over 2000, the first time on SAT. He was bored doing the Collegeboard SAT book but was unwilling to try another one. When he finally opened the Gruber, it held his attention right away and he pronounced how different this one's approach was. It helps maximise the student's knowledge to get to the best score possible. He is taking the SAT this weekend and I shall update my review if possible when he gets his next score.

This is a very good I mainly used for the math section of the SAT. The practice questions, tests, and strategies finally pushed me from the high 600 range (from a 670) into the 700+ range (to a 720). If I had the time I would have looked at the other sections more thoroughly. I recommend you buy this book about 4 months before you take your SAT and practice from it diligently every one or two days. You will see results.

Book is great for testing strategy and quality of tests. Just wanted to share one mistake that my son found in this book (he is 12 so he couldn't write this review) - Math, test 4, Section 8, Task 13 - right answer is A, they wrote 8x+ky=19 in answer instead of 8x-ky=19 as in task itself.