The Best ACT Prep Books and Guides for Acing ACT

There are a lot of students looking to get the best score they can on the ACT. There are many different things that you can do to prepare yourself better. The first one is to get the best ACT prep books.

It's a good idea to get a few different books to study with. But always be sure to choose the best - as suggested by experts and fellow students.

ACT prep books are very different than general textbooks. They come not only with the course material but also with important questions, study guides and sample papers. So, whenever you choose an ACT prep book, be sure to check its Table of Contents, book reviews and above all - the quality of the book.

Your best bet is to get a study guide that will help you understand the concepts while teaching you the tips and tricks you need to know to get the best score possible.

In this article, I have listed the best ACT prep books for students preparing for ACT exams. But before that, a little intro to the ACT exam.

About ACT Exam

The ACT is the national standardized test for college admissions in the United States, run by ACT, a nonprofit organization of the same name.

The ACT test covers four academic areas including English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. There is also an optional direct writing test.

The ACT exam is accepted by all four-year college and university courses in the United States, as well as many two- and three-year college courses.

The best ACT Prep Books

best act books

Let's continue with the best ACT prep books now. Here are my picks of the best books for ACT preparation in 2024:

The Official ACT Prep & Subject Guides Complete Set

This is the official ACT preparation guide published by ACT itself. This is a must-have for every student. It provides ACT aspirants with six full-length practice tests, available both online and offline (in the book). It comes with in-depth answer explanations and helpful pieces of advice. The Official ACT Prep & Subject Guides 2023-2024 Complete Set includes:

  • The Official ACT® Prep Guide 2023-2024
  • The Official ACT® English Guide, 2nd Edition
  • Official ACT® Science Guide, 2nd Edition
  • Official ACT® Mathematics Guide, 2nd Edition
  • Official ACT® Reading Guide, 2nd Edition
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Princeton Review ACT Prep

This is the next best-selling ACT prep book in the line. Loved by several students for its content, the Princeton Review ACT Prep book comes with 6 practice tests, content review and strategies to help you prepare better. The 6 practice tests (4 in the book and 2 online) are up to date and offer you an advantage of beating the ACT exam by understanding the traps ACT uses in their question papers.

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ACT Prep Black Book

The ACT Prep Black Book by Barrett duo is a fresh take on the exam. This book gives you unique, effective ACT strategies to help you ace the exam. The focus of this book is to offer you extensive and effective training on every aspect of the ACT.

This book can be read alongside the official books as it complements the official book with detailed explanations and strategies.

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Kaplan's ACT Prep Plus

Kaplan is an official partner of ACT and its ACT Prep Plus 2024 includes 2000+ practice questions and 6 practice exams (two printed and four online). This guide covers official ACT practice tests by breaking down questions and scoring formulas.

When you purchase this, you also get access to some video lessons and 1-year access to kaptest.com

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McGraw-Hill Education: 10 ACT Practice Tests

This timeless book comes with, as the name suggests, 10 practice tests for the ACT. These tests will explain how the ACT is structured, what it measures, and how to budget your time for each section.

This book, written by renowned test prep experts, has been fully updated to match the latest tests. Finding out how you can improve your scores on each test and seeing how much improvement you can make is what makes these 10 practice tests so helpful. You'll learn how to sharpen your skills, boost your confidence, reduce your stress―and prepare for test day.

But that's not it, in addition to these 10 tests, you also get free access to additional practice ACT tests online. This book is a must-have for those who have their basics covered and are ready to jump in for the exam.

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Other useful books, guides and resources in this line are:

ACT E A

Additionally, you can join an online program like Magoosh to boost your ACT preparation. Magoosh offers online ACT classes and is trusted by thousands of students. You can get a 20% discount by using this link.

The best ACT Math Books

In addition to these 5 wholesome books, you may need some specific books to focus more on certain areas like mathematics.

Here are the best ACT Math books that I recommend:

Also see: The Best Calculus Textbooks

The best ACT English, Reading and Writing Books

Here are the best ACT English (plus reading and writing) books that I recommend:

The best ACT Science Books

Here are the best ACT Science books that I recommend:

Last update on 2024-11-10 using Amazon Product Advertising API.