When is the ideal time to take ACT and SAT

[Anonymous]

DD is a rising junior and had hoped to prep this summer and take the tests in the fall to see how she does so she will know how much she needs to prep. After taking practice tests for the ACT she’s finding herself completely unprepared for the math and science sections. I’m wondering if we just skip the prep and focus on her coursework next year - Honors Precalculus, Honors Physics, and AP Environmental Science.

She is an anxious late bloomer and while she’d love to get this out of the way, I worry she’s just not ready yet. Thoughts on the ideal time for kids to take these tests to do their best? I realize she can go test optional so we are not stressing but she wants to do as well as she can.

I had hoped prepping and practice tests would help her anxiety so she’ll feel more prepared and learn strategy, but instead she is panicking she doesn’t know the content.

TIA

[Anonymous]

If she's not a likely candidate for national merit scholarship finalist (based on PSAT), there's no need to prep for the tests in summer before junior year or possibly junior year, period.

On the other hand, has she tried a practice SAT instead of ACT? Some kids have a strong preference, and it might be good to know that before doing any prep.

[Anonymous]

You can have her prep next summer before 12th and take either in the fall.

[Anonymous]

Same boat. Same type of kid. The issue with SAT this go round is it is being completely redesigned- so not much prepping to do! Think prepping ACT for August of next year is good idea. Don’t go too much later than that though - friends say some school deadlines are Nov 1 - and these testing duopolies need 6 weeks to give you your test scores. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

10:00 am worked for my kid.

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, she should do it in the spring of Junior year and again Aug going into Senior year.

She should review Algebra 1 content
Do a bootcamp or prep course - one that is designed for the Digital SAT.

Also remember Test Optional. She may be a good candidate!

[Anonymous]

Both my kids took it in August/September of junior year. Both took it again a couple of months later, and their score improved. But that timing is great because:
a) the easiest time to prep is summer before junior year (after school starts the schedule gets crazy).
b) The early test tells you whether you need to really up your game for the second sitting, or if you just need to refine some things.
c) If you do need to up your game a lot, then you have a whole year to do it.

[Anonymous]

My son took it Feb junior year and was one and done with a 36. He prepped over the summer but we waited because he wanted to rake it at his school and it gave him the opportunity to have an extra semester of pre calc.

My daughter will have pre calc in her soph year, so we will have her prep same way but take it in the fall jr year.

[Anonymous]

My daughter sounds like your daughter and will be going test optional. Ask me next year how it works out!

She took the SAT last fall (her junior year so same place your daughter is now). By doing it in fall, that gave her enough time to do additional tests if needed.

She wanted to be done with testing before AP test season. She knew starting around spring time, she would be more focused on AP tests than prepping for SAT.

This summer (the summer before her senior year) she was busy with a nice internship and now is the time to get started on college applications/essays. Not prepping for SAT.

[Anonymous]

My current plan is to have my rising junior take the PSAT again in Oct, which MCPS offers. Then, based on how he does on that, we'll figure out how much prep is needed for the regular SAT in March, which MCPS offers for free to students in school.

Any re-tests from March on will be driven based on the scores and how much of a shift we think is possible between March and when we apply in fall of 2024.

[Anonymous]

My kid is taking SAT prep this summer. With every practice test, her score goes DOWN. She is so demoralized. The tutor said the tests they give her get progressively harder, but I don't know how it's helping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My current plan is to have my rising junior take the PSAT again in Oct, which MCPS offers. Then, based on how he does on that, we'll figure out how much prep is needed for the regular SAT in March, which MCPS offers for free to students in school.

Any re-tests from March on will be driven based on the scores and how much of a shift we think is possible between March and when we apply in fall of 2024.

This sounds like a good plan. Is your Junior also planning to take the ACT? How indicative is the PSAT of the SAT, especially with the shift to digital? Does anyone know what to expect? I’m wondering if it makes sense to do the PSAT in October and the SAT in December before the shift or whether that matters.

[Anonymous]

See how your student does on the PSAT sophomore & junior year. They should be thinking about which one to take and prepping for it between the 2nd semester junior year/the summer before senior year.

Then, when they find their target score range for admissions, scholarships, etc., they should take the test multiple times between the end of junior year and the last test date before the 11/1 deadlines (so like April-September).

[Anonymous]

The SAT also builds in a longer response time to individual questions than the ACT does, so your daughter might find she does better on the SAT.

Bear in mind that starting in Spring 2024, the SAT will be digital-only. That one will be a shorter test overall, with no essay, which may benefit some kids.

It's worth considering whether your student does better on paper-and-pencil or all-digital testing. If they're stronger with p&p, take a cram course in the fall and take the final "hard copy" version in December. If they'll be fine with digital, take it in spring, and again in August if needed.

As far as I know, the ACT will continue to be given on paper, although they're piloting a digital option this year at some centers. I gather the plan is to eventually offer both options to everyone: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/new-act-options/online-testing.html.

Looks like the two ACT options will be identical tests, unlike the SAT, which will use a shorter digital version for everyone. The digital SAT will be adaptive, kind of like the MAP tests; the questions in the second set are adjusted based on how you did on the first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My current plan is to have my rising junior take the PSAT again in Oct, which MCPS offers. Then, based on how he does on that, we'll figure out how much prep is needed for the regular SAT in March, which MCPS offers for free to students in school.

Any re-tests from March on will be driven based on the scores and how much of a shift we think is possible between March and when we apply in fall of 2024.

This sounds like a good plan. Is your Junior also planning to take the ACT? How indicative is the PSAT of the SAT, especially with the shift to digital? Does anyone know what to expect? I’m wondering if it makes sense to do the PSAT in October and the SAT in December before the shift or whether that matters.

Not the PP, but the PSAT this year (Fall 2023) will also be digital. Presumably that's so the digital test scores for juniors taking it in the spring/early fall will correspond.