<p>My daughter is a rising junior with a history of poor standardized test taking. She is very bright but has major time management issues and has left whole sections blank on previous standardized tests. I plan to enroll her in a test prep course for her first SAT and then get her a one on one tutor for her next attempt. In which months should she take the exams (since I had heard due to a grading curve, certain months were more forgiving than others)? Whatever she does, she does not want to retake anything in her senior year (wants to do all her testing junior year) We were thinking of :
OCT 06 - SAT, FEB 07 - ACT, MAR 07 - SAT, APR 07 - ACT, and MAY 07 SAT (if needed). Incidentely, she will be taking precalculus this year (she has already taken Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2).</p>
<p>I think I remember the SAT being particularly competitive in January when many private school kids take it.
Also, my son did pretty well, 1390 in junior year and decided to retake at the last test date possible in fall of senior year and got a 1480. Maturity made a big difference for him. It's worth planning for a test senior year if your scores are not up to your expectations.</p>
<p>That sounds like WAY too many tests to me! Either take SAT or take ACT - don't take both! My DS - SAT 1 , April Junior year, SAT 11, May Junior year. He may retake SAT 1's in October - then done.</p>
<p>anxiousmom - totally disagree after having been through whole testing and admission process with my '06 graduate. Kids should all take both SAT and ACT since some do better with one or the other (especially girls). SAT 2's are NOT required for many schools (and not needed at all for my rising junior....none of her colleges require them). Although some schools will take the ACT instead of the SAT 2. I firmly believe that kids (who are poor to fair testers) should take both the ACT and the SAT at least twice and then possibly the SAT for a third try. The only question that I have is which months tend to be the most favorable for each test?</p>
<p>Read this thread, there are not SAT dates that are more forgiving than others:</p>
<p>Thank you entomom - I trust xiggy.</p>
<p>entomom, is this also true for SAT II tests?</p>
<p>If she does NOT want to do anything senior year I recommend</p>
<p>DEC - SAT I
April - SAT I
May - SAT II maybe June
June -ACT</p>
<p>OR</p>
<p>Jan - SAT I
April/MAY - SAT I
June - SAT II
June - ACT</p>
<p>Definitely take the PSAT in October instead of the real SAT if she hasn't already. It's only five sections (instead of 10) but it will give you a ballpark estimate of a score without the pressure of having it on her SAT record. If her first ACT is significantly higher or if that test is less stressful, only do the ACTs (or vice versa) unless some schools require otherwise. The ACT practices score choice so a first bad attempt won't show, but the first SAT is out there for all to see...</p>
<p>well since your daughter has time magnement issues, the act might not be the test for her, so i think she should take that one first just to see if she can surprise herself and do incredibly well, take the act in december. then after that take all the SAT Test. </p>
<p>one word of advice junior year is alot harder than it seems, so its going to be quite difficult to take some many test in one year, especially if she has ap test, so in my opinion she might do alot better if she takes them in her senior year since she'll have a whole summer to prep, unlike during the school year.</p>
<p>Just finishing up my junior year...</p>
<p>I took the PSATs in Oct (I would do that before a real SAT...you can get a pretty good idea, aside from the lack of essay), April and June SATs, and May SAT IIs. If she's in any AP classes (may testing) and she knows the material, it makes sense the take an sat II or two the day/week after the tests (depending on if colleges she's interested in want them) If it weren't for that, I would have prefered to wait until June for sat IIs and taken the SATs again in May. I decided on June because I felt I would have more time to study but the end of junior year has a lot of work and I honestly wasn't able to so much as crack a book open before retaking it. </p>
<p>The biggest thing is just doing a little bit at a time, throughout the year, which I think you're planning. Otherwise it gets very stressful trying to fit it all in. </p>
<p>She may want to give the SATs a shot in Jan, though I would imagine more competative students are taking it at that time, and then maybe again in March... with the option of May or June as well if she needs it.</p>
<p>As for the ACTs, you have nothing to lose with it, as I'm sure you know. Because you don't have to send these scores, all you lose is a few hours on a Saturday. I waited until June to take, if I could do it again I would have taken them in April to get a feel for it because it is a compltely different test (instead of not planning to retake in the fall now that I know what it's like).</p>
<p>11th grade
October PSAT
Nov SAT
March/May SAT
SATII's March/May/June</p>
<p>12th grade
October SAT (if you still need to)</p>
<p>She will probably do:
Oct PSAT, Oct SAT (while she is in practice still and before her schoolwork gets too demanding), March/May SAT, NO SAT II's - doesn't need them for any schools that she would apply to. She will also do ACT twice in the spring.</p>
<p>Yes. As a junior we took the practice ACT and SAT tests and we decided based on those results which test to take.
But i changed my mind a few times and ultimately the best thign to do is to take both the SAT and ACT, and depending on the schools your daughter is interested, maybe the SAT II's. She should make sure she is prepared before each test, having studied a lot in the months before the tests. Her friends will probably test at different times than she will, but tell her not to worry because ultimately testing later is not worse.</p>
<p>Well I just finished Junior year. I highly recommend taking SATs as soon as you know you're ready for it. Best after a prep course. SATIIs in June because then you'd have finished your classes and be ready to take the SAT IIs. Unless you've just finished a course you're taking the SAT IIs for this year then I don't recommend taking it in October. It is best to take it twice. I have the same problem. I test horribly, but I'm at the top of my classes. Which doesn't make sense. Best way to do please admissions if your daughter gets low scores is to have strong essays, recommendations, interviews, and grades.</p>
<p>As for the ACTs, I don't recommend at all. The questions are sooo much easier. I noticed that they only test up to Algebra 2. The timings are really difficult. I took it this June and I didn't get to finish at least half the questions. Less if I'm lucky. No sweat for the essay. It's not like the SATs. If timing is a strength for your daughter, HIGHLY recommend it. Speed is the key.</p>
<p>Definitely good luck to your daughter.</p>
<p>PS. I didn't know this but there are sections in the SAT that don't count. You never know which section it is but if there is like a back to back math or reading then it's most likely one or the other.</p>