<p>How likely is it to get closed out of a testing center within a reasonable drive for the ACT? How early do you need to register for the testing dates? Can you register for October and wait, or do you risk getting closed out of December and the other dates that follow? BTW, we do not have tons of centers to chose from (maybe 2-3 near us per date). I realize that the money is not refundable if you decide not to test for later seatings (except for the extra services like the Q&A booklets). We are in the SAT part of the country, so the ACT is new for us.</p>
<p>I would recommend if you definitely know that your child is going to take the ACT register and get a space. Keep in mind that because of the limited locations, if the exam is given at a high school, the GCs at these schools make sure their students register early to ensure that they are taking the exam at a familiar location.</p>
<p>In NYC (on Manhattan), the exam is only being given at NYU and Hunter and they are not hosting every test administration (some of my kids are on fee waivers and as soon as they come, I will register my current juniors for the spring exam).</p>
<p>ACT</a> Registration : ACT Test Centers for</p>
<p>Just like there is 2 to 3 centers close to you, other people are thinking the same thing. More students are taking the ACT because it is more closely correlated to what the students have learned in school (I recommend that to my students that they take both). Make sure your child registers for the ACT with writing.</p>
<p>The ACT also has score choice, where your child can pick and choose what testing results they want to send.</p>
<p>Check the list of schools that your child is interested in attending because at some schools if you take the ACT, you will not have to submit SAT II exams (which could be a cost savings).</p>
<p>sybbie, thanks. I guess we need to that. We had no problem registering for the first two, so I did not think he would be closed out, but I guess we should not wait to see scores from the first 2 seatings. We won't need the SAT IIs, so we are not worried about that.</p>
<p>The ACT was not available in New Jersey yesterday so I dove D 2 hours into Pennsylvania so she could take it.</p>
<p>She's applying early, some with mid-October admission deadlines (first round) so we didn't want to wait until the end of October to take it when it's next available in NJ.</p>
<p>As soon as you know when you want to take it, definately sign up right away. I held off deciding whether we wanted to go to NYC or Philly and when I decided, all of the NYC and Philly test centers were closed, but I was able to find one in a Philly suburb, the closest to home.</p>
<p>JerseyShoreMom, Thank you for the information!</p>
<p>In our cases, we did not do it early enough so we had to drive DD to test center about 30 minutes awy. </p>
<p>This time around, we marked the calender so DS registered when the test date was first open. He will be take the test at a local HS within 5 minutes of walking.</p>
<p>A few years ago our situation was the reverse- son and the SAT (long story there, involving parents' request that he repeat a subject test he didn't study for) he not only delayed long enough that the local center was full, he put the further center of 2 choices as his first choice and got it.</p>
<p>Moral of the story- sign up early if you know you are going to take the test.</p>
<p>S registered yesterday for the October ACT. He typed in our zip code and was shown all of the testing centers within a certain radius. Most (if not all) of those shown said "Seats Available" so you know immediately whether or not you get your first choice. In fact, they don't even ask for a second choice so I hope the seat count was accurate.</p>
<p>My son registered for an additional 2 test dates (he registered for October over the summer) and had every center was still available. Hopefully that will be enough. The last thing we want to do is to start driving 2 hours at 5:30 in the morning.</p>
<p>One of my son's friends in our area was just closed out of his first testing center choice for October. He was still able to get another site that is still close to his home. Just thought some others would like to know that some testing centers might be filling up.</p>
<p>I think it's that time of year that the testing centers fill up very quickly. </p>
<p>If you're a senior right now, make sure that you sign up for the ACT and/or the SAT for November, since the October testing date deadlines have passed.</p>
<p>In our area, all of the testing centers close out early. However, you have a good chance of snagging a test if you arrive early on a waitlist basis. I have called the centers to find out if the chances are good of getting a test when kid is not signed up. Have not missed out yet.</p>
<p>I was thinking of December and will probably fork over the money to get that date soon....I remember my son had 1 test and then the next was shut out and the last one I could get was senior year. That was 4 years ago though and not as many sites had it. I remember one mom on this site saying she was going to another state to have her son take it!
I see that there are more locations now, but I might still reserve it and not worry about it later. Then they can take it again in the Spring. This will be an introduction without as much stress (well, hopefully not too much)although you never know about weather, illness or other things.</p>
<p>Wow ... it must be a regional thing. Here in the midwest, ACT is king & it's not that hard to get into a center. OTOH, the SAT is a bear to get into!!! It's not a popular test, so there are few centers ... but it is popular enough that the few centers are too few.</p>
<p>We had to drive 30 minutes also. I think the June and October test dates were the hardest to get the first choice center.</p>