Myth: The March SAT® is the easiest SAT test date. Fact: There's no such thing as “the easiest SAT test date.” While it's true that some versions of the SAT are easier than others, it's false that some test dates are predictably easier than others.

In online forums, students also tend to identify Test #3 as the hardest of the official practice tests, so there truly seems to be a clear consensus. It's important to remember though that a hard practice test can actually be a great resource!

Barron's is known for being harder than the test, and in my case as I was aiming for near perfection, this was the right tool. I didn't actually read much of the book, I just bought this for the practice tests, which I believe were on par with or slightly harder than the difficulty of the real test.

In my experience the Barron's AP prep books are harder in the sense that the questions are more poorly written, thus the difficulty factor comes from ambiguity. There are also often mistakes in the book. If you had AP Exams this week, how was it?

Are the Barron's SAT practice tests reliable? Barron's SAT is one of the best resource for preparing for the SAT. Their practice tests are accurate. As for reliable, a confusing word when applied to tests, you will need more than just Barron's (or any other book) to prepare for the SAT.

If you're looking for a math challenge, Test 3 is the way to go.

It made sense in my head. In short, yes, the Barron's tests tend to be harder than the real thing - because they want you to give them credit for that “relief” you feel on test day. Anyways, there's no harm in overpreparing and doing so will definitely build your confidence and possibly raise your scores.