When do you take the SATs/ACTs?

[Anonymous]

In terms of timing, when do the kids take their SATs/ACTs? Fall of Junior year? Spring? What are the pros/cons? When do you prep?

[Anonymous]

Fall of Junior year, maybe again in spring. Senior year for SAT2s if needed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fall of Junior year, maybe again in spring. Senior year for SAT2s if needed

Thanks, PP. So, do you do SAT Prep the summer before junior year? Or wait and see how they do?

[Anonymous]

For us it worked well to study over summer and take in Aug or Sept of 11th. Let's you know where you stand when looking at schools and leaves time for retests.

[Anonymous]

Our DS took the SAT in the spring of his junior year. The 2nd take will be early next month, now senior year. He hasn't done any prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our DS took the SAT in the spring of his junior year. The 2nd take will be early next month, now senior year. He hasn't done any prep.

Why did you decide to wait until spring of junior year? Just trying to figure out why some people test in the fall and others in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DS took the SAT in the spring of his junior year. The 2nd take will be early next month, now senior year. He hasn't done any prep.

Why did you decide to wait until spring of junior year? Just trying to figure out why some people test in the fall and others in the spring.

He took the PSAT in the fall of his junior year so I guess it just made sense to take the SAT in the spring. He got more HS coursework in before taking the test.

We never really gave it a lot of thought. Most of his friends also took it in the spring of junior year. For him there wouldn't have been any benefit of taking it earlier.

[Anonymous]

The BIG question is when does you student want to be done with testing? Allow time for 2 tests with study time. Look at the SAT/ACT schedule-they are not offered 12 months per year. If you are a 1 and done kid--super. It can be hard to decide on the college app list without final testing numbers. Early decision applications as well as merit apps are due to schools in the early fall (October). Application season can be stressful depending on how many schools you are applying to. Finally, if your student has a busy fall schedule, things can get crazy. My 2 cents obviously. Try to decrease stress = happier family.

[Anonymous]

My current junior is taking the ACT this fall, and then will do targeted prep based on those results before taking it again in the spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our DS took the SAT in the spring of his junior year. The 2nd take will be early next month, now senior year. He hasn't done any prep.

Why did you decide to wait until spring of junior year? Just trying to figure out why some people test in the fall and others in the spring.

Not pp, but DC1 didn't test prior to the spring of junior year because tests scores generally rise with age/education, and DC1 wasn't interested. I could see this clearly in DC's scores -- the PPSAT in sophomore year were in the 1200's, fall junior year, they were in the mid-1300's, SATs at the end of junior year, with prep and superscored, were in the 1500's. All of those scores were well above the 95% for DC's grade/age at the time which shows you how much they increase with maturity. DC2, currently a junior, will start prep after fall sport and test in March, then again most likely again in August prior to the start of senior year. The new August test dates are really nice for seniors. As much as I am a proponent of waiting, it was very nice for DC1 to be finished by the start of senior year.

[Anonymous]

If your school has your kids take a version of the PSAT every fall, then the choice of when to take the SAT comes down to if it seems you have any chance of being a National Merit Scholar.

If you have a chance, you should prep the summer of before junior year so the prep helps BOTH the PSAT and then just carries over on to the December SAT. That leaves you all spring for retakes and/or to try the ACT if you aren't happy with SAT scores. This also can leave more time free spring of junior year to take SAT II tests in June after AP tests in May.

If you don't really have National Merit aspirations, then a little more schooling in the fall of junior year can't hurt. You can use your PSAT data to set up online prep to go over your DC weaknesses and then test in January to leave time for retesting/ACT attempts. January testing doesn't leave much time for prep but for most, a little tough love over two or three weeks gives the most bang for your buck.

If your DC is more willing to prep, aside from having them checked for unicorn blood, consider testing in March to be ready for one all out test. A big part of preping is knowing how to avoid problems on test day. If you plan on retesting, you will end up having to do it. Of course, the March test still leaves time for retests if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fall of Junior year, maybe again in spring. Senior year for SAT2s if needed

Thanks, PP. So, do you do SAT Prep the summer before junior year? Or wait and see how they do?

My older one tested late, started ACT/SAT Spring Junior year, did exam prep over summer after Junior year and retested in fall Senior year. BUT DC then decided to look at some reach schools, which all asked for SAT2s, and it got hectic as can be, could only test once for those
DC2 followed the earlier testing, and so can do SAT2s twice if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The BIG question is when does you student want to be done with testing? Allow time for 2 tests with study time. Look at the SAT/ACT schedule-they are not offered 12 months per year. If you are a 1 and done kid--super. It can be hard to decide on the college app list without final testing numbers. Early decision applications as well as merit apps are due to schools in the early fall (October). Application season can be stressful depending on how many schools you are applying to. Finally, if your student has a busy fall schedule, things can get crazy. My 2 cents obviously. Try to decrease stress = happier family.

We have been pleasantly surprised at how non-stressful the college application process has been. Our DS has applied to four schools and the process has been quite simple. I thought they would require more than they did. I don't think any required essays and only one or two needed recommendation letters. All four were in earlier this month and he has already heard back from two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For us it worked well to study over summer and take in Aug or Sept of 11th. Let's you know where you stand when looking at schools and leaves time for retests.

This is us. Prep over summer before jr year, then Take PSAT and SAT first semester. Retake in the spring if needed (likely). . Will have initial score in time to target schools to visit over spring break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My current junior is taking the ACT this fall, and then will do targeted prep based on those results before taking it again in the spring.

Why take it before the prep? He can always take a mock test to get an idea of where weaknesses are.