taking the SAT early

[Anonymous]

We're considering having DD, a sophomore, do test prep this summer and take the SAT twice, on August 22nd and September 12th. That way, she would be fresh from finishing two years of Algebra II and Geometry, and could combine her best scores from the two exams into a "superscore." She'd take the SAT without taking the PSAT. DD has ADHD and has been granted accommodations (double time with frequent breaks). If she follows the traditional test schedule (tests in March and May of her junior year), she'd be doing test prep in the winter, which would coincide with her participation in two time-intensive extracurricular activities. DD is a good student, but we're worried that she won't be able to manage school, plus extracurriculars, plus test prep. On the other hand, it seems that she would lose the benefit of the PSAT warm-up if she takes the SAT this fall, and we're assuming that she'll be more mature (and will have learned more) if she takes the test later in her junior year.

We don't think DD is going to get a super-high score. She's always had a hard time with standardized tests because of her ADHD. We're also planning to apply to selective (but not highly selective) liberal arts colleges that are largely test-optional.

Has anyone had their kid take the SAT early?

(Cross-posted win the Colleges and Universities forum)

[Anonymous]

I think that is fine, but I’d plan to have her take it again in late spring of junior year or right before senior year if you want a higher English score.

My DD took once in August and once in November of junior year because she also worried about being busy. Her score was high enough that it didn’t make sense to retake in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Scores last four years so this is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's early. This is what we did and DS was finished in September.

[Anonymous]

If you want her to do National Merit Scholars, she will need to take the PSAT in high school…..but honestly, there isn’t much difference other than length.
My daughter took the SAT in 7th grade and aced it. Have her take a prep class during the summer when relaxed. There is some early Pre-Calc in the SAT but she can learn it.

[Anonymous]

Don't worry about the PSAT. She'll do that in school. Have her take it every month its offered starting in August so she gets used to the test and you can figure out where to focus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want her to do National Merit Scholars, she will need to take the PSAT in high school…..but honestly, there isn’t much difference other than length.
My daughter took the SAT in 7th grade and aced it. Have her take a prep class during the summer when relaxed. There is some early Pre-Calc in the SAT but she can learn it.

The new SAT is digital and much shorter.

[Anonymous]

I’m a tutor and my preference is that kids study the summer after sophomore year. BY spring of junior year they are burned out and have too much school work other tests and activities.

There’s no reason to wait for them to develop and take it in jr or sr year. school teaches them none of the skills necessary to do well on the SAT .

[Anonymous]

Make sure you apply for accommodations through college board. The ones you have in HS do NOT automatically apply.

[Anonymous]

Quickest way to get accommodations on the SAT is to contact your daughter’s councilor. They can put in the application to College Board and it gets through quicker.
If you try to put it in yourself, it’s a lot of work and they are really picky then because they figure if your DD needs accommodations on the SAT, she would have them at school as well.
We went through the councilor.

[Anonymous]

Take the SAT around the same time as the junior year PSAT, if aiming for National Merit Scholar. Do the prep the 8 weeks before.

[Anonymous]

We found that AP Lang in 11th really helped with the verbal score. We planned to do something similar to you but DD was able to keep her math score up and her highest score was a single sitting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We found that AP Lang in 11th really helped with the verbal score. We planned to do something similar to you but DD was able to keep her math score up and her highest score was a single sitting.

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This absolutely helped my DS. He went up 50 points in verbal after taking AP Lang.

Regarding your strategy -
1 - I know kids who took them "back to back" and it feels like this strategy is really good. The kids prepare for the exam, have the experience of sitting for it - and quickly after sit again. The kids I know who did this went up a bunch in that 2nd sitting.

2 - Start now looking for places to administer for double time. This is not the easiest thing to find.

[Anonymous]

It's not unusually early. Many people do this. Prep after 10th grade, take end of summer/early in junior year, and assess what they want to do based on scores. As long as they took algebra II in 10th grade, this is a solid strategy many people employ. The old school way of waiting until end of junior year has some major pitfalls so your plan is better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're considering having DD, a sophomore, do test prep this summer and take the SAT twice, on August 22nd and September 12th. That way, she would be fresh from finishing two years of Algebra II and Geometry, and could combine her best scores from the two exams into a "superscore." She'd take the SAT without taking the PSAT. DD has ADHD and has been granted accommodations (double time with frequent breaks). If she follows the traditional test schedule (tests in March and May of her junior year), she'd be doing test prep in the winter, which would coincide with her participation in two time-intensive extracurricular activities. DD is a good student, but we're worried that she won't be able to manage school, plus extracurriculars, plus test prep. On the other hand, it seems that she would lose the benefit of the PSAT warm-up if she takes the SAT this fall, and we're assuming that she'll be more mature (and will have learned more) if she takes the test later in her junior year.

We don't think DD is going to get a super-high score. She's always had a hard time with standardized tests because of her ADHD. We're also planning to apply to selective (but not highly selective) liberal arts colleges that are largely test-optional.

Has anyone had their kid take the SAT early?

(Cross-posted win the Colleges and Universities forum)

didn't she take the PSAT sophomore year? both my kids did. if not, i would not worry about lack of psat warmup as she can take practice tests. it's great to take the test early. the only issue is her math track. kids who are not on an advanced track will not have the necsessary background.

my kids both took it early in this timeframe (they were in advanced track) and it was fantastic