<p>I took the SAT this year cold/without studying in January during my sophomore year (I'm a junior right now) and I got a 2200. I definitely want to improve that score to be a competitive applicant for HYPS etc. </p>
<p>Originally my plan was to study for the PSAT, take PSAT in Oct, study for ACT, take ACT in Dec, study for SAT through winter break, and take the SAT again in January 2010. </p>
<p>I'm kind of thinking about not sticking the ACT in between those two so I can focus on PSAT/SAT since the format is pretty similar. </p>
<p>What I'm thinking of doing is to study for the SAT, take the PSAT in Oct, take the Nov 7 SAT, and see how I do. If I don't like my score, I can sign up for the ACT and take it in Jan/Feb. </p>
<p>Any ideas/anecdotes on which would be the better idea? Sorry if the post was kind of incoherent.... a lot of ideas jumbled up in my head right now.</p>
<p>I think you should take ACT 2 times depending on your score the first time, and SAT 3 or more times. A lot of colleges let you send in a “Super Score” for SAT now, which means you can select the highest score for each section from different tests.</p>
<p>Does HYPS + Brown/Cornell/Columbia/Dartmouth allow superscoring/score choice?</p>
<p>It makes little sense to change tests in the middle of the season. Yes, by all means study for the psat (for NMSF) and then immediately follow-on with the SAT. If you ace the SAT you can be done. Heck, I’d be done with a 2200. :)</p>
<p>There is no reason to take the ACT with a high SAT score. Nearly all colleges superscore the SAT. Less than a handful superscore the ACT. </p>
<p>btw: Yale and Stanford (and I think Cornell) want ALL tests; thus, SAT score choice not allowed. Dunno about the others.</p>
<p>How do your EC’s s look when matched to the test dates? One of the best things you can do is to take the tests when you are rested - testing on a Saturday morning after a hellish school week will not help your score. Another factor is your age - the ability to judge well increases as you mature, so try to take the next SAT well into your junior year. There is a March test date (for SAT I only) that may coincide with your spring break, and that would certainly work well. Don’t forget that you have to schedule SAT IIs if you are considering the top colleges.</p>
<p>I’m done with my SATIIs - 800 Math IIC, 800 World History, and 770 Bio E. The only reason why I’d take the SAT II is to boost that Bio score, but it’s kind of unlikely as my parents think the 770 is enough. </p>
<p>My only concern about the March date is that I probably should be studying for my APs, especially if I’m considering self-studying Psychology to qualify for AP National Merit. It’s the reason why I don’t want to push my SAT testing too far back - I don’t want to be simultaneously reviewing for four APs PLUS self study Psychology PLUS prep for the SAT. Also, I’m pretty certain our spring break falls in the first week or so of April…thanks a lot of the suggestion though (:</p>
<p>@bluebayou: I thought about not taking the ACT, but I thought, why not give it a shot? Most people say that it’s decidedly easier to get a higher score on the ACT… I have a friend who’s scoring similar to me and he’s getting 35s on his ACT. My brother had a 2180 or so and he had a 34 ACT. </p>
<p>Also, is it true that you don’t need to “study for the ACT”? I heard that there’s no tips/tricks you’re supposed to know etc. As in, one could walk in cold and expect the score to be better than the SAT since the SAT supposedly measures “test taking skills” while the ACT measures “what you learn in school”. Any ideas if this is accurate?</p>
<p>sure, I and others have posted a lot on the ACT sub-forum. But the short answer is the the ACT focuses more on speed. And, the science section is all about reading graphs and charts – QUICKLY. The essay is a little different animal – read the instructions carefully.</p>
<p>Okay, this is what my parents/sister recommended.</p>
<p>Study for PSAT right now, take PSAT in Oct
Start studying for SAT. Take SAT in Jan.
Focus on APs. Take APs in May.
Study for ACT over the summer, take ACT in September.</p>
<p>Thoughts/any flaws in this game plan?</p>
<p>Your game plan is good.</p>
<p>I would recommend taking the psat and SAT in the fall right after you have studied for them. If you score 2300 you can be done. Take an ACT practice test from the Official ACT book at home over the holiday break and see how you do. If you score 35+ each time, take the ACT in January and be done. Take Subject Tests in May and June, particularly in any class that corresponds to an AP. Yes, the May test is a drag, but the material is as fresh as its ever gonna be. Save senior year for any retakes.</p>
<p>Hmm interesting recommendation. I can’t take the October SAT though since the signup deadline is past.</p>