I periodically receive emails inquiring about the order in which students should work through Critical Reader guides, and it occurred to me that rather than respond to them on an individual basis, I should probably just post my recommendations here.
Assuming that a student has at least several months before the test and is starting at roughly equivalent levels in both Reading and Writing, I would generally suggest the following order:
1) The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar & SAT Vocabulary: A New Approach (concurrently, with the vocabulary book to be continued for as long as necessary)
2) The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading
3) Reading and Writing Test Book
A few words of explanation. Basically, I tend to abide by the principle of most to least straightforward: the goal should be to pick up as many easy points as possible before worrying about the harder/less predictable stuff.
Because the Writing portion of the test is highly predictable and overwhelmingly based on rules that are quite clear-cut, it makes the most sense to deal with that material first. You should, however, plan to review the rules periodically so that they stay fresh. ( I once had a student whose mother went over them with her son every night before bed—I think she may actually have been more attached to the original version of my grammar book than I was!)
Regarding vocabulary: Learning vocab for the SAT is not like studying for a test in school—you cannot try to cram 200+ words in a week or two and expect them to stick, especially when you’re under pressure. The strain on working memory is simply too great. 10-15 words per week over a period of several months is a much more effective strategy. Remember that vocabulary counts for a lot: about 10 questions out of 54 total, so almost a fifth of the test. Yes, there is no way to predict which words will show up on any given test, but the College Board does have its favorites, and it is very much in your interest to know them.
The non-vocabulary portion of the Reading is by far the least predictable portion of the exam, so you should turn your full attention to it only after you’re comfortable with all the material you can be reasonably certain you’ll encounter.
Regarding the three full-length practice exams in the test book: I would suggest working through these before using the College Board tests. Because official exams are in fairly limited supply, it’s a good idea to save them until you’re close to the test. The exams in the Critical Reader book should give you a pretty good idea of what areas you need to review.
Now, obviously if a student is much stronger in Reading than in Writing, or vice versa, then it makes sense to start with the area that needs more work. And if time is in short supply, then you should focus on the area in which you’re most likely to pick up points quickly, namely the grammar.