<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I am going to be starting my junior year this year, and was wondering what the best times were to take the ACT/SAT. I did better on the PLAN (Pre-ACT), and feel like I would do better on the ACT as well. The one drawback is that many colleges do not superscore the ACT but they do superscore that SAT. Here is what I am thinking:</p>
<p>Take April ACT
Take May SAT
Take Fall ACT/SAT/SAT Subject Tests (SENIOR year)</p>
<p>Would this be optimal or should I take an earlier ACT/SAT? My top school choices include UNC, UVA, and Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>If you might be a candidate for a National Merit Scholarship (by scoring in the 99th percentile of the PSAT), you might want to take the October SAT before you take the PSAT. That way, your SAT preparation pays off for both the SAT and the PSAT.</p>
<p>My children both tended to do well on tests, so I arranged for them to take the SAT in October of their junior years. My D scored in the 98th percentile of that SAT but in the 99th percentile of the PSAT and was a National Merit Scholar. My son actually did better on the SAT (98th or 99th percentile) and scored in the 98th percentile on the PSAT, so he will be a NM commended scholar. </p>
<p>I recommend taking the most relevant SAT subject tests at the end of your junior year if you plan to go to a college that recommends them. For example, if you’re taking AP US History this year, take the SAT subject test at the end of your junior year. It is a lot of testing all at once if you’re taking many APs, but it gets it over with while the info is fresh.</p>
<p>Thanks for your response. I took Bio this past year (sophomore), and did some practice tests for the SAT Bio Subject Test and did pretty well–would you recommend I take that this fall/winter?</p>