AP* Statistics Examination: Evaluation of Study Guides

Many books provide test-preparation help for the AP Statistics exam. To identify the best study guide, Stat Trek evaluated the various alternatives.

How We Evaluated AP Study Guides

We evaluated the major study guides published since 2003 on the following criteria.

Content: Coverage of test topics.
User rating: From 1 (unacceptable) to 5 (excellent).
Advice for test-taking success.
Number of practice tests.
Price: The price of a new or used book on Amazon.com, as of September 3, 2010.

We have only reported results for study guides that were highly rated by students (i.e., study guides that received a satisfaction rating of at least 4.0 on a 5-point scale).

Evaluation Findings

All of the highly-rated study guides covered the test content fairly well. With respect to other criteria, however, some books were better than others. Strengths and weaknesses of the various study guides are summarized below.

Study guides	User rating	Number of raters	New price	Used price	Pub date	Offers test advice	Number of practice tests
5 Steps to a 5 on the AP: Statistics	4.5	2	$6.99	$0.01	2003	Yes	2
Barron's How to Prepare for the AP Statistics, 3rd Edition	4.5	20	$9.98	$0.47	2004	Yes	6
CliffsAP Statistics	4.5	3	$11.55	$1.67	2004	Yes	7
AP Statistics (REA) - New 3rd Edition (Test Preps)	5.0	3	$14.96	$3.49	2006	Yes	4
Barron's AP Statistics	4.5	12	$3.25	$0.23	2007	Yes	6
Barron's AP Statistics with CD-ROM	5.0	3	$26.99	$0.01	2007	Yes	8
Cracking the AP Statistics Exam, 2008 Edition (College Test Preparation)	4.0	1	$6.93	$1.24	2007	Yes	2
Cracking the AP Statistics Exam, 2010 Edition (College Test Preparation)	3.5	2	$13.59	$7.50	2009	Yes	2
Barron's AP 2010	4.5	12	$12.91	$6.71	2010	Yes	6
Barron's AP 2010 and CD	5.0	3	$19.79	$11.50	2010	Yes	8

User ratings and prices are current, as of September 3, 2010.

Recommendations

The best study guide for Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics depends on your personal needs. Here are some things to consider.

Cost. If you want a new study guide at a low price, choose Barron's AP Statistics. If you want a used study guide at a low price, choose one of the following: 5 Steps to a 5 on the AP: Statistics or Barron's AP Statistics with CD-ROM.
User satisfaction. The highest rated books were AP Statistics (REA) - New 3rd Edition (Test Preps), Barron's AP Statistics with CD-ROM, Barron's AP 2010 and CD, all with a satisfaction rating of 5.0.

We like How to Prepare for the AP Statistics, 2007 3rd Edition, (Barron's How to Prepare for the Ap Statistics Advanced Placement Examination) It has more user ratings than any other study guide; and nearly everyone who reviewed the book said that it was excellent. The book provides test taking advice as well as six practice exams. And it is not expensive. For these reasons, we think that it is a good choice to help you prepare for the AP Statistics Exam.

*	AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this web site.

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