FAQ

by | Aug 24, 2014

When will my books be delivered?

Orders within the continental United States and Canada are typically delivered in 7-10 business days. Books are sent via USPS Media Mail from our storage facility in Indiana; orders normally ship within 48 hours, and we will provide tracking information so that you can check the status of your order directly. Please check your Spam or Junk folders for shipping alerts as they often are found in these folders. We ship to most countries except South Korea, as per an agreement with our Korean distributor, JMK Education. (To purchase Critical Reader books from South Korea, please contact JMK directly.) Also, due to a change in Amazon policy, we are currently unable to send orders to Brazil, Australia, and the Netherlands. Please note that The Critical Reader cannot be held responsible for customs-related delays. To ensure sufficient study time, please allow up to 30 days for your books to arrive if you are ordering from Asia or the Middle East.

What is the cost of shipping?

Standard shipping costs within the United States begin at $6.99 for a single item and increase by 50 cents with each additional item. For international orders (excluding Canada), only priority shipping is available. Cost varies by region.  

When will I receive my tracking information?
Tracking information is issued when books ship, typically within 2-3 days, although it may take slightly longer during periods of heavy order volume (usually June-August and December).
I’d like to order books in bulk — do you offer discounts?

Yes, we offer bulk discounts on orders of 25 copies or more. Please email thecriticalreader1@gmail.com for rates.\r

What is your return policy?

If you wish to receive a refund, unwanted items must be mailed within 14 days of receipt, in new (resalable) condition and preferably with the original packaging. Books that have been used or written in are not accepted for returns.

Please note that we are unable to make guarantees regarding score improvement and do not offer refunds based on failure to achieve particular goals. 

Are you planning new editions of any books?

Over the next few months, updated versions of several Critical Reader guides are projected to be released.

Late October 2024: 

  • The Complete Guide to ACT® Reading, 2nd Edition

The book will be aligned with the 2024-25 Official Guide and will also include, for the first time, an index of Official Guide Reading questions, grouped by category.

Early January 2025 (exact date TBD):

  •  SAT® Vocabulary: A New Approach

This will be the 3rd edition and will include detailed definitions/discussions of all 250+ words as well as additional exercises. It will also place a stronger emphasis on learning high-frequency words in terms of categories/topics and in relation to one another, as opposed to memorizing straight-up definitions.

  • The Ultimate Guide to SAT® Grammar & The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT® Reading

Indexes of Official College Board Reading and Writing questions will be added to the respective guides (currently available for download via the Books page).

The reading book will feature about a dozen pages of new material; in the grammar book, some material will be reworked slightly in order to be more precisely aligned with dSAT.

I live really far away. Can you send me PDFs of Critical Reader books?

We are exploring the possibility of creating electronic versions of Critical Reader guides; however, we are currently in the preliminary stages of doing so and do not yet know when such versions, if created, might be available. At this time, we unfortunately cannot distribute books electronically for copyright reasons. Please be aware that we take copyright violations very seriously; anyone who is discovered to have distributed our books illicitly over the Internet may face serious legal and financial consequences. If you are offered an electronic version of one of our books, we ask that you contact us so that we can have the illegal content removed as quickly as possible.

I think I found a typo in a book. What should I do?

Please check the Errata page to see whether it is covered. If you do not see it listed, please email us with the page, the question number, and a brief description of the problem. Make sure to include the edition number of the book. If there is an error, we will do our best to address it as quickly as possible.

Can I use the SAT books to study for the ACT, or vice-versa?

You can use The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar to study for ACT English, but you should also purchase the ACT Supplement. Likewise, The Complete Guide to ACT English can be used to study the grammar and rhetoric topics tested on the SAT Writing and Language Test; however, this book does not include cover graph/chart questions. No SAT supplement is currently available.\r\n\r\nThere is far less overlap in the Reading sections, and we very strongly recommend that you purchase the appropriate book for either the SAT or the ACT

What is the difference between the SAT grammar book and the SAT grammar workbook?

The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar includes extensive explanations as well as practice questions. The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar Workbook consists of six full-length Writing and Language practice tests accompanied by explanations designed to reinforce the content and strategies presented in the grammar book.

Why do the most recent SAT/ACT grammar books have higher edition numbers than the reading books?

The SAT and ACT grammar books were published before the respective reading books and have undergone more updates. As a result, the grammar books have higher edition numbers than the reading books.

Can books for the paper-based SAT also be used for the digital test?

While there is a fair amount of crossover between the paper-based exam and the digital version, there are also some very important differences in terms of content and format. We strongly recommend that you use the 2023 editions (6th edition Grammar; 5th edition, Reading) as they are directly aligned with the specifications of the digital test. 

Can I/my child work with Erica?

Erica is available for short-term consulting and coaching for tutors and teachers. See the Consulting page for more information.

Because of the demands of writing and publishing, Erica is no longer available for regular SAT/ACT tutoring. We recommend the following tutors and companies, which use various Critical Reader materials and methods.

Can I write a guest post for your blog or advertise with you?

Although we may occasionally post an article by a tutor or teacher with whom we have an established relationship, we do not accept unsolicited guest posts, advertisements, or requests to post links.

I'm interested in self-publishing a test-prep book? Can Erica advise me?

Erica does sometimes work with aspiring independent (test-prep/non-fiction) authors, in which case regular consulting rates apply. We strongly suggest that you read this article before requesting a session.

If you are interested in publishing with The Critical Reader, please consult our submission guidelines before sending a proposal.

Can I partner with The Critical Reader for writing or publishing?

The Critical Reader does not consider unsolicited partnership offers with individuals or companies.

Can I use Critical Reader questions in my test-prep program?

The Critical Reader does not offer “white-label” material that can be branded under a separate company’s name or included on external test-preparation websites.

Can I license material from a Critical Reader guide to use in a test-prep class?

We provide classroom-use licenses for a maximum of 10% of a given title, at a rate of 25 cents/page. If you wish to use larger amounts of Critical Reader material in a classroom setting or test-prep program (online or in-person), you must purchase complete books (bulk discounts available) or have students purchase them directly.

The incorporation of copyrighted Critical Reader material into any program, free or paid, print or online, without attribution is strictly prohibited. In addition, please note that unauthorized digitization and/or electronic distribution of our books constitutes copyright infringement.

Can my organization serve as an international distributor for your books?

If you are a publisher or educational organization interested in serving as an international distributor, or in requiring international reprint/translation rights, for Critical Reader books, please contact us with your company information along with a description of the territory your sales would cover. Rates and minimum print runs vary significantly depending on the size of your market and whether you are seeking exclusive distribution rights for your country or region. 

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