Summer is the perfect time to prepare for standardized aptitude tests. Prepping through summer will help you be ready for a fall exam, giving you enough time to retake for a higher score it in the spring, if needed. And no matter how you tend to learn, an app can probably help. Here are some of the best ones.
Try Khan Academy if you’re a visual learner
Khan Academy, a nonprofit and partner of the College Board, has become synonymous with test prep. They have free courses in various AP classes, a variety of subjects, and, of course, standardized tests like the SAT and LSAT. Beyond having a deep selection of study materials, Khan Academy serves up information in video form, with clips that go through practice problems similar to the ones you could face on your exam. For real-deal practice questions, you’ll need to use the desktop version of the site, but the app-based videos are great to take on the go.
Use Practice for the SAT to know what the test will really be like
There are apps that help you learn to think the way the test wants you to (which is helpful well beyond your test date), but if you want to stay as close to what the real exam will be like, use the College Board’s official app. Practice for the SAT serves up a new practice question every day and archives all the old ones. You can sort through the old practice questions, all of which come straight from the same board that oversees the real test. Plus, there are practice tests and a unique feature that allows you to upload a scan of an official SAT practice test you’ve already taken and get it scored and corrected.
Magoosh flashcards go over English and math concepts you should know for your test. Just pick the SAT word list and filter it to your preferred level of difficulty so that you’re not going over something too easy (or something so hard you won’t retain it). The flashcards game-ify your learning session with a fun quiz.
Some days you want flashcards; others, you want practice tests; others still, you want to focus on a particular subject. The SAT prep app from Varsity Tutors has all of those options. The flashcard decks are pre-made and the subjects are all grouped together, so if you’re having a harder time with math, you can just peruse the math section instead of taking whatever question is randomly thrown your way. It also times you, so you can see how long you’re devoting to certain subjects or concepts—and focus more on the ones that are tripping you up.
Use SAT Daily: Exam Prep if you want corrections explained to you
Some apps dig deep on the ease-of-use and quick-hit elements. It’s great to drill flashcards or do a single practice question, then move on with your day. But if you want to understand the answers to what you got right or wrong, try SAT Daily, which provides longer explanations for the answers to its hundreds of practice questions. Mastering the subjects you’re good at is one thing, but really understanding why you’re struggling in the others is the key to getting better at them.
Use Ready4 SAT if you have a school in mind
If you’re going into the test with a specific school in mind, it’s helpful to know exactly what you’ll need to do to increase your chances of acceptance. Ready4 SAT is a regular prep app that has flashcards and practice questions, but also allows you to look through over 400 schools to find out their students’ average SAT scores. The app also allows you to track your own progress with practice questions and features step-by-step lessons on the concepts you’ll need to know.
Practice quizzes can feel kind of clinical and boring, so if you’re looking to add some fun into your prep routine, try SAT Vocab. It looks a little childish, but features nine kinds of games designed to teach you about 500 words.
