<p>How early is too early to start preparing for the SAT?
And how many times is too many times to take it?</p>
<p>The answer would vary from person to person. Personally, I would recommend starting at the end of the sophomore school year. Also 3 times would be considered the maximum amount for me. </p>
<p>Thank you! I know some ninth graders who are taking SAT Prep online (as an elective) but it seems useless to me because they’ll forget it all by the time they actually need to take the SAT</p>
<p>I’d wait for the new SAT prep materials to come out, aside from that I don’t think there’s a too much of anything with standardized testing aside from taking it too many times or too many tests. </p>
<p>If you want to do your best, and are committed to working hard, I’d suggest starting this summer still gives you plenty of time to prepare. I think your time now would be better spent enjoying your freshman year, getting the most out of your classes and activities, and reading some quality materials, rather than in test prep classes. Also the SAT is changing so those kids are paying for test prep classes for a test they aren’t going to take.</p>
<p>@plainpotato - What kind of score are you looking to earn? Are you in the ninth grade as well?</p>
<p>I’d start when you start with Algebra, whenever that is in your academic career. Since SAT algebra can be a little quirky, it’s good to see the genre and get comfortable with it early on.</p>
<p>@plainpotato – What colleges are you looking to ultimately get into. My answer depends on many factors, but if you are someone who is shooting for a 2300, then the answer becomes more complex. </p>
<p>I’m in ninth grade. I’m taking Math III (common core junior level) right now. I took a diagnostic test and got 570 math, 540 critical reading, and 560 on writing. I want to improve my scores as much as possible. Next year I’m applying to a secondary school that requires SAT scores for the application. Most people that get in have a score of above 1800. </p>
<p>That is a very good point about the changes to the SAT and how that effects the study timeline. For people who are going to be 11th graders in the Spring of 2016, I would recommend trying to get the test over with by the January 2016 test. So in other words I would study between 10th and 11th grade and try to take the test by November, December, and January (if you need 3 shots). I also think that for people who will be juniors in spring of 2016, the ACT may be an attractive option, especially if you are one of the many people who is likely to score relatively similarly on both tests. If one is going to prepare a lot of the SAT or ACT, the advantage goes to the person who has an accurate understanding of what the test is going to be like. </p>
<p>It is good to start early, but nothing earlier than sophomore year, unless you are really really smart. You dont have to be really really smart to get a 2400 though, just saying. I started in 11th grade, and got 33 act, and hopefully above 2250 on this october sat, preferably 2300+, but I won’t complain too much with a 2250+… I started out with a 1770 in the June test right before I started 9th grade. I went in blank for that, and didn’t start prep for the sat until junior year. Hope this helped. </p>
<p>Agreed. And if you really want to start super early the best thing you can do is just read a lot and read challenging material. And not just fiction…most of the passages on the SAT and ACT are non-fiction as is most of what you read in college and probably in life in general.</p>
<p>I agree…start.continue reading. Magazines (Time, New Yorker, The Atlantic) might be helpful too.</p>
<p>@plainpotato…I’m sort of in a weird situation because I’m still in middle school (13 yo). I will start high school next year as a sophomore because I took H.S. courses during MS. I want get into the NCSSM, which requires SAT scores. I have already started SAT prep, especially when it comes to learning more vocab and math. I say the earlier the better!</p>
<p>In general, it’s never too early to study, because there are students taking the SAT at 7th grade and possibly even a few grades lower…</p>
<p>Unless you’re talking about for your UPCOMING test</p>
<p>There are plenty of students who start studying for the SAT in 6th grade, even. At that grade level, though, it’s a huge waste of time to study exclusively for that one test. You’re better off doing things like reading books, doing well in school, etc. - things that will actually increase your CR/M/W abilities in the long run. When you’re a high school student, you can start looking at the actual PSAT/SAT/ACT. </p>
<p>It’s never too early</p>
<p>I hardly studied, and I know lots of people who took classes studied for hours/weeks/months and whose scores didn’t improve/weren’t good. The first time I took the SAT I scored 2200 w/ no prep other than occasionally doing the SAT question of the day. The second time around I had played around with an SAT prep app a few times, still occasionally did the question of the day, and the week before the test tried studying some vocab, and scored a 2350. I’m also a good test taker though…if you’re smart but not a good test taker I suppose studying could be more beneficial. </p>
<p>Start studying in the summer of your sophomore year since it will help you do well on the PSAT for commended or semifinalist status, which is a boost in college applications. Also, if you get your SATs out of the way earlier on, it allows you to focus on heavy senior course loads and college applications.</p>
hey I want to go to NCSSM too!