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Expensive prep courses are a barrier, not a requirement. The best SAT and ACT practice is official — and free — and low-income students can get the test itself waived. Here's how to prep well without spending a dollar.
Official Digital SAT prep (free)
The SAT is now digital, taken in the Bluebook app. College Board offers free official full-length practice tests in Bluebook, plus free personalized practice through Khan Academy's Official SAT Practice — which adapts to your weak spots. This is the gold standard, and it costs nothing.
Official ACT practice (free)
ACT publishes free official practice questions and a full free practice test, and offers free and low-cost prep through its official resources. Free official practice beats paid third-party books that don't match the real test.
Your library and school
Public libraries often provide free access to test-prep platforms and practice books. Your high school counselor may offer free prep sessions, school-day testing, and practice PSAT/SAT that doesn't count but builds familiarity.
Free official practice beats paid books
Studies consistently find that focused practice on official questions moves scores — and the makers of the test give it away free. Spending money on a third-party course rarely beats doing the free official practice consistently.
SAT and ACT fee waivers
Low-income 11th and 12th graders can get fee waivers that cover the test cost entirely — and each waiver also unlocks extras like free score reports and, importantly, college application fee waivers. Ask your school counselor; they distribute them.
The waiver chain reaction
An SAT/ACT fee waiver often makes you automatically eligible for Common App and NACAC college application fee waivers too — turning one form into hundreds of dollars saved across testing and applications.
Test-optional changes the math
Many colleges are test-optional, so weigh whether to test at all. But strong scores can still help with admission and merit scholarships, and free prep + a fee waiver means a practice run costs you nothing but time.
Before any family spends on a prep course or test fees, talk to the school counselor. Between free official practice and fee waivers, most students can prep and test for $0 — and the waiver may unlock application fee waivers worth far more.
Decide and apply: figure out whether to submit scores, claim application & test fee waivers, and build a college list.