The Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books of 2024

If you have landed on this page, chances are you are seeking help for getting a passing score on your California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). You have come to the right place. Our goal is to help you perform the best that you can.

In this article, we provide you with the best CBEST study guide prep books. These books can be used to increase your chances of scoring well at the test. There are high-stakes involved in taking the CBEST because while passing the test launches your career in education, failing to do so will cost you time and money to retake the test.

Not to mention, the CBEST exam is timed, which means you have to be able to work fast! For all these reasons and more, our list of the best CBEST study guide prep books will prove helpful for your test preparation. Keep reading to find the best exam prep resource for you, as well as tips for choosing one for yourself.

If you want to just get back to studying, get our top choice for CBEST study guide prep books here.

Last update: 2024-05-01

Our Favorites for Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books

As we start our list, we will provide you with what we consider the best CBEST study guides for candidates.

Cracking the CBEST, 3rd Edition by The Princeton Review

To start this list off, we have Cracking the CBEST by The Princeton Review. The Princeton Review is known for providing students with an abundance of top quality content and review exams. This book is prepared by a leading publishing house known for its study materials for standardized tests. With this book, you will get not only practice exams but content review as well.

What Makes It Unique:

• Cracking the CBEST is authored by experts who have decades of experience preparing students and educators for standardized tests. They even provide you with techniques that will help you do well on any standardized test.
• All topics on the exam are thoroughly reviewed within the textbook. Princeton Review even provides readers with an essay template. This template breaks down the information needed in the essay.
• You will learn test-taking strategies that will help you achieve a better score.
• Each chapter even includes a review of the most critical information for you to study and retain for the exam.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book:

• Cracking the CBEST is especially beneficial for those who need help with the math section of the test.
• The book contains practice tests that are reflective of the questions that you will find on the actual CBEST.
• Cracking the CBEST is the most recent version of the CBEST study guide.

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CliffsNotes CBEST, 8th Edition by Jerry Bobrow

CliffNotes is an extremely trusted brand for information and text review. The text not only providers readers with review information but information on what they can expect from the CBEST exam. The text is split into three parts, and all are essential for your review. Jerry Bobrow is highly equipped to write this book as he holds a Ph. D. and is considered an authority in the field of test preparation.

What Makes It Unique:

• The beginning of the text opens with information on what to expect from the exam. This section includes the format, the amount of time you will have for the exam, and different strategies for approaching test questions.
• Bobrow opens up the review by analyzing each exam section. These sections include writing, graphing, math, and even reading.
• CliffsNotes CBEST goes through each question in detail and shows you the correct method to solve it.
• The CliffsNotes CBEST guide takes you through every type of math you need to ace the exam.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book:

• You will find the practice tests extremely helpful to practice for the 4-hour timeframe.
• The book also contains a variety of examples for writing practice (and you also get a lined blank paper to write within the text)
• You get four practice tests, and all the answers are explained in great detail.

Last update: 2024-05-02

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Runner Ups for Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books

While these books are runner ups for the CBEST study guides, they also provide comprehensive materials prepared by seasoned experts.

CBEST Prep Book: CBEST Secrets Study Guide for California, Full-Length Practice Test, Step-by-Step Video Tutorials by Mometrix

CBEST Secrets Study Guide is a prep book brought to you by Mometrix. It includes not only an abundance of prep content specific to the CBEST exam, but it also provides information that can be applied to all standardized tests.

What Makes It Unique:

• Several hours of painstaking research have gone into the preparation of this study guide. The experts have ensured that information is relevant, accurate, and full of test questions for your review.
• This CBEST study guide helps you focus on key content areas and skills that you need to ace the CBEST test.  Several areas are reviewed, including literary devices, polygons, equations, and so much more.
• Experts have also provided test takers with a cheat sheet for writing the essay portion of the exam.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book:

• CBEST Secrets Study Guide reviews each content area in incredible detail.
• This book also reveals tips, tricks, and strategies that most candidates are unaware of.  With the purchase of the textbook, you also get a special DVD which provides you with test prep secrets.
• The text concludes with not only the answer key and detailed explanation of the review test but also bonus material, which is exclusive to purchasers.

Last update: 2024-05-02

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CBEST California Basic Educational Skills Test by Shannon Grey EdD, Kathryn Porter PhD

Two specialists write this CBEST guide in the realm of teacher education. It provides information on more than the format of the exam; it also gives practice exams and helpful insight.

What Makes It Unique:

• Shannon Grey writes the book and Dr. Kathryn F. Porter, both highly qualified and have years of experience in nationwide test preparation.
• The text provides students with three different practice exams; These can be used at the beginning and end of your studying.
• One of the best things about this CBEST study guide is the use of examples that reinforce the knowledge gained in each chapter.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book

• It features three practice exams based on the official CBEST.
• The practice exams contain explanations of answers instead of merely telling you right and wrong answers.
• The text not only provides you with practice but with a review of each subsection. This includes math, reading, and writing.

Last update: 2024-05-01

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Value Picks for Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books

Finally, we have value picks for the best CBEST study guides, which are completely up-to-date and feature all new changes to the exam.

CBEST Prep Book California: CBEST Test Study Guide and Practice Exam Questions by APEX Test Prep

APEX Test Prep provides students with this comprehensive guide to kick start their test prep.  Students even get the ability to get a free DVD to help them with test prep further.

What Makes It Unique:

• This CBEST Test Prep provides a comprehensive study guide that contains test-taking tips, clear instructions, practice questions, and detailed answer explanations.
• The text will help you understand the test scorers’ thought process so that you can make the most educated guesses in the given time.
• The prep material is also presented in a manner that is easy to understand and retain.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book:

• CBEST Prep Book is comprehensive and compiles all the information covered by the exam.
• The practice test questions help you test your skills and evaluate how prepared you are for the exam.

Last update: 2024-05-02

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CBEST Test Preparation by Test Prep Books

This CBEST guide by Test Prep Books is another gem if you are looking to study for the CBEST exam. This text aims to ensure that you have all the information and strategies you need to pass the exam.

What Makes it Unique:

• Test Prep Books provide a comprehensive review of each section of the CBEST test.
• The practice test questions come with detailed answer explanations to better understand why the answer is wrong.
• The answer explanations will help you identify mistakes and overcome them during the preparation and the test.

Why Choose this CBEST Prep Book:

• This CBEST prep book enables you to understand the latest test-taking strategies essential for preparing for the exam.
• The book is written with the understanding that test-takers not only understand the material on the exam, but they must also know the strategies for completing the test successfully and on time.

Last update: 2024-05-01

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How to Choose the Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books for You

While the guides listed above are sufficient for your test preparation, we want to provide you with some tips to help you choose the best CBEST study guides.

Examine your strengths and weakness. Whether it is math, reading, or writing,  see which areas you are good at and where you need help. And then choose a study guide that will help you overcome your weak areas.

The CBEST book should resemble the actual test. You need to check if the study guide you choose provides explanations and examples that follow the test’s guidelines or not.

The CBEST study guide should be up-to-date for recent CTC exam changes. This goes without saying. There are many books out there that are outdated. So you need to follow the newest changes in the CBEST exam for maximum success.

The book should have practice tests. Practice makes perfect, and the more questions you attempt during prep, the better you can time yourself and also cover the areas sufficiently. For best results, try to attempt both paper exams and online tests. In a similar vein, the CBEST study guide should also provide detailed answers to know the CBEST thought process.

Wrapping Things Up: The Best CBEST Study Guide Prep Books

In closing, here are the best CBEST study guide prep books we looked at today:

Last update: 2024-05-01

We hope that this guide will give you a good idea of the kind of books available to you when studying for the CBEST.  The items on this list are great resources to kickstart your studying. If you have your mindset on looking for guides that help you improve within individual sections, you can check out Cliffsnotes CBEST guide, especially for math improvement.

The CBEST book from APEX Test Prep, on the other hand, follows all the recent changes in the CBEST exam. If you are looking for trusted brand names, CBEST Secrets Study Guide by Mometrix is ideal. You can also get flashcards by Mometrix to supplement the book and for easy memorization.

Regardless of which book you choose, these are significant options that provide you with the needed information to review for the exam.

If you found this helpful, check out our other professional exam book reviews here.

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