<p>All of the test centers in my area are either not administering the June SAT or are full. The next closest one is actually in the next state over. Does this matter? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I just want to make sure.</p>
<p>It does not matter where you take the test.</p>
<p>The colleges don’t care. The College Board doesn’t care. But you (or your parents) might care.</p>
<p>You should consider the possible added expense of travel and lodging…as well as the intangible impact of taking the SAT in an unfamiliar setting and/or (if you don’t get a hotel room near the test facility) having to get up extra early to make sure you arrive at the test center on time. Depending on the distance, you may even have to miss all or part of a school day on Friday to travel to the site…which could have other implications for you.</p>
<p>These concerns aren’t based on borders, but on how far you need to travel to the out-of-state test center. In fact, in some situations, a test center across a state border could be closer than some in-state test centers.</p>
<p>You may want to sign up earlier for the fall testing to avoid these potential hardships and give yourself an advantage if you plan on retaking the SAT or taking other tests at that time. But, if you are still in the same predicament in the fall, having gone through the process in June at the out-of-state test center could end up working to your advantage as it will be old hat for you.</p>
<p>I just took my son to his SAT that was over 4 hours away…but we’ve done the trip before. If you think the added travel in your case could be stressful for you, and if you have the time beforehand, you should consider a “dry run” in advance of the trip and – as part of a family outing involving other activities – make the trip, visit the test center (see where you need to enter and how to get there), check out any hotels nearby if that would be part of your plan, and do whatever else you think might help you get comfortable with the environment.</p>
<p>Be sure to contact the test center ahead of time and ask them what entrance you will need to use, get hotel recommendations, and find out if there’s anything else you need to know about getting to the test site on your test date. There was a bunch of cars (I think about 8) that waited at a gate to the test center that we went to…but it was the wrong gate. They saw one car waiting there and everyone else just got in line. Apparently, as the line grew longer, more people seemed to think it must be the correct place to go. Then, as nothing happened and the arrival time neared, they all made a mad dash looking for the correct entrance. It wasn’t a problem…they all got in…but I sure hope the students weren’t as stressed out by that as a few of the parents were. One mom was having words with a person who was directing parking…which was my cue to find a place to have some coffee, catch up on some reading and gas up the car for the ride home. Avoiding surprises and feeling in command of the situation are good things on test day. Ask your parent(s) about the nearest available test centers in June and see what they think about those sites and then ask them to help you arrive there that morning in a good test-taking frame of mind. </p>
<p>Get their input and ask for their help in making it uncomplicated. Maybe you can stay with relatives; maybe they know a test center that’s a bit further away but easier to get to. And you might want to ask your friends for their thoughts, too. If you have friends who are in the same situation, it might put you at ease to be at the same test center they end up choosing. And others might have already had to go to the same test center you choose, and they can give you some tips.</p>
<p>^^ Thank you!</p>
<p>^ I’m sorry that you had to go through that, but I don’t think my situation will be as extreme as yours. The school I’m going to is literally 30 minutes away, and about 2 minutes over the border. I’ll be fine. I’ve been to this area before as well.</p>