Any advantage to taking SAT early?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

If anyone here has kids interested in UK or European schools that use SAT or AP scores in admissions: It’s wonderful to have the scores in hand when you start the application process and don’t have to worry about conditional admissions rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

If anyone here has kids interested in UK or European schools that use SAT or AP scores in admissions: It’s wonderful to have the scores in hand when you start the application process and don’t have to worry about conditional admissions rules.

For the purpose of applying to UK or European schools, SAT scores will be in hand as long as the test is taken by August of senior year. This doesn't significantly change the timing of when to take the SAT, as most students take it at least once by the end of junior year.

APs require more planning ahead, as one would need to take those by May of junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

The digital practice tests are much easier than the real tests. Google it.

That may well be but right now the ones through College Board are the only ones (2 modules per section, roughly adaptive etc.) that approximate the new SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

The digital practice tests are much easier than the real tests. Google it.

That may well be but right now the ones through College Board are the only ones (2 modules per section, roughly adaptive etc.) that approximate the new SAT.

5 and 6 are not easier, and some did better on the real one than 6

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

The digital practice tests are much easier than the real tests. Google it.

That may well be but right now the ones through College Board are the only ones (2 modules per section, roughly adaptive etc.) that approximate the new SAT.

5 and 6 are not easier, and some did better on the real one than 6

DP. Trying to make comparisons is complicated by the fact that kids get different sets of questions on the same test date, as well as the fact that there are experimental questions in each module that might seem unexpected, but some felt that August math module 2 was harder than 6. My kid thought so and felt that verbal was similar to 5 and 6.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have read that kids typically score better in the verbal later in high school.

This is why it's better to wait a bit longer. There's no reason to take it before you are in the ballpark of scoring to your highest potential (wherever that may be) and fall junior year is typically the earliest that happens. You can always retake in spring of junior year or fall of senior year if needed to bump up one section or the other, but starting sophomore year risks burnout - kids sometimes resist retaking multiple times.

The SAT uses some material covered in 11th grade (vocab from English class, examples from humanities etc, math) so they rec spring of 11th grade.

Take it early if you want but 11th graders might have better comprehension of the concepts and nuances being tested.

[Anonymous]

Mine took the SAT Aug & Nov of 11th grade, just before paper went digital. No plans to take again in 12th grade. The pressure of taking a 2-3 hour exam on top of AP classes and exams is too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC (currently a sophomore) informed me that some teammates and friends had already taken or taking SAT in the fall. DC proceeded to take a practice Digital SAT and scored fine (700 RW, 800 M) over the weekend and wants to take SAT sometime in the Fall. I don't think that's advisable but is there any harm? College applications are several years away, so what's the rush? I don't understand why some kids take SAT so far ahead unless they are confident that they'll score high and would not need to take it again. Anyone BTDT?

The digital practice tests are much easier than the real tests. Google it.

That may well be but right now the ones through College Board are the only ones (2 modules per section, roughly adaptive etc.) that approximate the new SAT.

I only said it because you mentioned your son getting a 1500 on a practice test. Nearly everyone we know who felt overconfident based on the practice test score, felt UNDER confident when the real exam was taken. Just FYI

[Anonymous]

My kid took it early and took multiple practice tests. DC got the desired score (over 1500) and was glad it was done by junior year. Then DC could focus on other things like ECs and classes.