<p>Hi! So I've wandered over here from the High School Life forum, and I was curious: Can anyone take me through the basics of SAT, ACT, and SAT IIs? Like when the best time to take them is, which SAT II test to avoid if you've already taken some other SAT II, roughly how many to take or retake....stuff like that. </p>
<p>Thanks in advance!(and internet cookies to all)</p>
<p>what grade are you in?</p>
<p>Incoming sophmore; so there’s not much I know about the whole process.</p>
<p>Hi Chidoribird,
I’m a upcoming sophomore too.
If you are going to take SAT (sorry I don’t know much about ACT either), you’d better take the SATI in October. SAT II can wait. Maybe you can take it in May,2013.</p>
<p>Hope it helps.</p>
<p>SAT II should be taken at the end of the year that you are taking the course in high school. It just functions as an extra comprehensive final exam. Don’t try to take the SAT IIs at any other time unless you are a glutton for punishment.</p>
<p>Take the SAT whenever you’re comfortable, but I recommend at least once while you still in the spring of junior year.</p>
<p>I just took the SAT when I found it convenient. The subject tests should ABSOLUTELY be taken in May or June (may if they’re for a subject you’re taking an AP test for and June otherwise). I did all mine in May even though a few of the subjects weren’t AP subjects just because I found it convenient to get them over with all at once. I’d recommend taking three in one day, but making sure that only one is the type that you do rigorous memorization for (history, science). Things like math, literature, or a language are the type of information that you either know it or you don’t, so you don’t have to worry so much about studying. I would only take subject tests as a sophomore for classes you are taking (world history?). For any other subject, it’s not like you’re going to get worse by waiting, but chances are you’ll get more mature and learn a bit more if you wait a year or two. </p>
<p>As for the ACT, you don’t need to do much studying at all, especially if you already studied for the SAT. I think the important things to do are look at a study book (i checked one out from the public library) just to see how the format of the test is different, to try one reading section because many people feel rushed on the ACT and you need to know how to pace yourself, and to look at the science section, which will be entirely new to you.</p>
<p>Good luck! Don’t worry yourself too much!</p>
<p>Take the SAT/ACT with writing whenever you’re ready. I’d recommend prepping for it before you take it so you don’t bomb it or mess up because you encountered something you didn’t expect. I know a lot of people who take the SAT during May or June of junior year, but I’m not sure why they do that because it would heavily interfere with APs and school finals. I’m planning on taking the SAT in around November because I want to take it while I can focus COMPLETELY on SATs (not taking the ACT, because I personally think it’s evil). Since I have problems switching gears and focusing on more than one thing at once, I’ll take the SAT earlier than most of my friends. It all depends on preference I guess though. I know people who wanted to take the exam in December/March/etcetc. Just take it whenever you feel is right for you. Remember to prepare as much as you can until you are shooting the the scores you want on practice tests. </p>
<p>Try not to retake the SAT more than twice, because some schools don’t accept score choice and will look at all of your SAT scores.</p>
<p>Take SAT IIs for subjects you have already taken in school, or ones you already have prior knowledge of (eg, if you are going to self-study AP bio, then take SAT II bio. That’s what I did and got a 5/800 respectively). I would personally recommend taking the SAT IIs in June, because AP exams are mid-May and should help prepare you for the SAT IIs decently. Plus, if your school finals are at the end of May, then you’ll be tackling three birds with one stone. Some schools do require certain subject tests though, so make sure to check on that (for example, I plan to apply to MIT and MIT requires a science related SAT II subject test and a math one). </p>
<p>Some people say not to bother with retaking SAT subject tests, but I’d have to disagree. If you think you can do 100+ points better, I would definitely do it. If you got a 700+ score on the SAT II though, don’t bother retaking. I took the SAT II bio test in May (an idiot mistake. I was lazy, hadn’t even studied for AP bio, and I was direly unprepared), bombed it and got a 690. I crammed for the AP bio exam, decided to retake SAT II bio in June, and got an 800 with no problem… so I guess retaking was definitely worth it.</p>