FREE Resources for ACT/SAT Test Prep

There’s no doubt about it, the ACT and SAT are incredibly important tests. With so much potentially riding on your score—college admittance, scholarships, potential jobs or internships, and more—you’ll want to be as ready as possible when test day comes. And even if your dream school has gone “test optional,” it may still be a good idea to sit for one of the exams as your scores could get you merit-based scholarships!

Sure, there are many test prep courses out there, like tutors, online courses, practice tests, prep books, and video lectures, but all of those can get expensive. In fact, SAT and ACT prep resources can sometimes cost upwards of $1,000! Plus, tutors typically charge by the hour. All of this can add up quickly.

Never fear! Our SAT ACT free prep resources are here!:

Free Resources for ACT/SAT Test Prep

1. Kaplan Test Prep 

Source: Flickr user Alberto G.

Kaplan offers students a wealth of educational help in the form of tutoring and comprehensive courses. However, they also offer a free online SAT or ACT practice test with a score review. By registering for one of the online test dates, students can gain a valuable look into what their chosen test will feel like. This is a great diagnostic option to get a baseline of how you would score so you can tailor your test-taking strategies. 

Kaplan also has several informational sessions where students and parents can ask all of their questions about the ACT, SAT, PSAT, and even college admissions applications, in addition to paid resources.

2. SparkNotes

In addition to providing invaluable notes, summaries, and analyses of books you may or may not have mostly just skimmed through, SparkNotes also offers in-depth information about the entrance exams. 

SparkNotes is a one-stop shop (that costs $0) for any and all questions you have about the ACT/SAT. With a comprehensive breakdown of the tests, how they’re graded, guides to each section, and strategies, SparkNotes is a great tool to use.

In addition to all that info, the site also offers SAT subject quizzes, tips and tricks for both tests, sample questions, and a thorough guide to just about every aspect of the tests you can think of.

3. Official ACT and SAT Websites

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What better place to learn all you can about the entrance exams than their very own websites? ACT takers can learn about test tips, read descriptions of the subjects tested, view sample questions, and browse through a downloadable booklet that contains a practice test, scoring key, test info, and more. ACT also has links to other prep opportunities, some of which do cost money, but their free resources are a great help, too.

For the SAT students, the official site and sponsor of the SAT, College Board, offers study guides, study plans, practice tests, information on what you’ll be tested on, and a breakdown of the exam. Additionally, the College Board website provides a bunch of tips, tricks, strategies, suggestions, and more on how to take the exam.

There are also official apps you can download onto your phone from both sources, such as the ACT Online Prep app designed for the iPad. With this particular app, you can access short-form practice tests, personalized learning paths, practice questions, built-in games, practice test resources (to help simulate the experience of the real exam), and dashboards that monitor your progress.

4. Varsity Tutors

Varsity Tutors is known as a tutoring site, but they also offer free ACT and SAT prep resources. 

You can find free practice tests, diagnostic tests, and other resources that will help you improve your entrance exam scores. And, if you’d like, you can create your own practice exams and flashcards so you can study ACT and SAT content that’s most important to you.

5. Khan Academy

Khan Academy features a number of SAT prep tools thanks to its partnership with the College Board. Although they don’t offer any official resources for the ACT, the two exams have some overlap, so these tools may prove useful to you after all. Practice tests, personalized practice recommendations, and other resources can be used on Khan Academy. 

The site is also a fantastic tool for brushing up on your other areas of study. For example, if you didn’t do well in the science section of your test, you can focus on that portion.

6. Your School

Texas A&M University-Commerce Marketing Communications Photography via Flickr

High school students often forget that their school is a great option for academic support and test prep resources. If you’re unsure where to start, make an appointment with your high school counselor to talk about free SAT resources and ACT tutoring. 

Many schools offer ACT/SAT review sessions for materials you maybe haven’t covered in a while. It’s always a good idea to take advantage of these sessions to dust off and polish your skills. The review sessions allow students to take notes, practice, study with peers, and ask the teachers clarifying questions.

7. YouTube

YouTube is a great and free resource that offers video lessons for a variety of concepts. There are multiple channels and creators on the platform who can help you learn the structure of the tests, concepts, and other tricks to increase your scores.

8. SAT Blitz

Many colleges offer an intensive SAT tutoring prep score with something called SAT Blitz. You can find the colleges that offer it for free with Adobe Connect. This event is 16 hours of prep but is great for students who need extra help and prefer live instruction.

Hopefully, one of the very cost-effective entries on this list has inspired you to take the bull by the horns and get ready for that entrance exam. Many of these resources also have paid options if you decide to spend a little bit of cash on your prep. Whether you’re taking the ACT or SAT — study hard, prep well, and good luck!

Your ACT and/or SAT scores can absolutely influence your chances of getting accepted to your dream school. Want to see how you stack up? Use College Raptor’s FREE College Match tool to see the scores you’ll need to get that coveted acceptance letter.