<p>If you are trying to get into a prestigious school such as an ivy or a school that is still considered to be "up there", when should you take your SATs? Especially if you want to apply for early decision? I have been studying for the SATs for a while, but I am still very confused with the whole application process and when to take it. I understand I should ask my guidance counselor, but because it is summer, she is away on vacation, and I would like to know as soon as possible! What time is also good to take the subject tests?</p>
<p>Also, how do you apply for the tests? My knowledge of this is that you can simply go onto the collegeboard website and apply, but I'm not 100% sure. How much does it cost to apply and how is the testing day like?</p>
<p>One more question. This is kind of hard to describe so please excuse me if this is poorly worded. Do colleges prefer it if you take the SAT once and get a really high score or will they still look at it the same way if you take it multiple times? For example, if I took the SAT and got a 2300 and left it like that, would that leave a greater impression on prestigious colleges that look at ALL the SAT scores than if I took it three times and got 2080, 2280, 2380? How many times at the most should you take it without looking so good? By this, I mean, for example, if I took the test three times, I'm sure that would look a lot better than taking the test twelve times (pretty sure that's not even possible). Should you take the test three times at the most?</p>
<p>Sorry for all these questions! I'm really confused about these aspects of the test and although I have researched for information, I am still in the dark and my best bet is asking all of you lovely people! Thanks in advance :)</p>
<p>From what I understand, no one will hold it against you if you take it three time, and it makes sense to have done that before you finish junior year. I’d say it helps to do the same with subject tests so you know where you have a good shot at an ed application. </p>
<p>I don’t understand your question about how to use the collegeboard website. Usually there is a button that says " register for test" or similar.</p>
<p>Register button and dates</p>
<p><a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;
<p>Fees</p>
<p><a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;
<p>What grade are you in?</p>
<p>Go to the college board website and explore for yourself. You register online and everything. It’s simple. </p>
<p>Ivies only look at your highest score. But taking the test again after three tries only offers diminishing returns, usually.</p>
<p>When should I take it during junior year? And you apply for early decision in September of senior year, correct?</p>
<p>Early decision applications are usually due November 15. Therefore, you can take it anytime before then and most schools accept the November test date though they don’t recommend it. If you’re in your junior year and feel that you’re ready, you can take it in the fall/winter so you have time to prep again if you don’t like your score for the spring. You also may have to take the Subject Tests, which you would do in the spring when you finish those respective classes. And then you can take the subject tests again in the fall of your junior year if you’re not satisfied with the scores.</p>
<p>OP ;Don’t take this the wrong way, but if you want to run with the big dogs, you need to be able to figure this out. Look at the dates of the tests and when the results will be available, and count backward from there, to find out what works for you. If you have no results yet ( psat scores), it helps to have a few scores well BEFORE ed apps are due. That means you probably need to have results you trust from the June test date of your junior year. I have no personal experience, but the students who post here with ivy aspirations seem to know where they stand well before then . If you will be a junior, I don’t see how you can take the SAT three times AND do subject tests.</p>
<p>^OP can take the SAT in October, receive scores by December, take SAT in January, receive schools in February, take SAT in March. That leaves May for three Subject Tests and the following October for three more.</p>
<p>You are right. Guess that’s why you are Princeton '16. How did you figure that out?</p>
<p>I did all this a year ago, remember? Only I took the ACT twice (school forced me to take it the second time) and the SAT once. And then I took my Subject Tests in June and October.</p>
<p>Yes, but how did you figure it out a year ago? I didn’t apply to Ivies, nor did my kids. I find the kids that do pretty amazing in terms of how they have what it takes in order to apply by senior year. Most kids I know are just starting to think about a college at that point.</p>
<p>I don’t know anyone who took the SAT three times, but I know kids who did what you described in junior year to get into UCs.</p>
<p>Well, I knew in the summer of my rising junior year that I was going to apply to Princeton and some other Ivies and MIT. So I knew I had to have good test scores. From there, it wasn’t that hard to go online and figure out all the test dates. I guess it all has to do with the attitude towards college wherever you come from. People who are successful know what they want and figure out how to get there from here. It shouldn’t be an overnight thing. Guidance counselors should be talking to your students before junior year about their college plans. If they’re only figuring out which college they want just before senior year, then there will definitely be a problem with getting into a top college.</p>
<p>You guys are all so awesome! Thank you!</p>