<p>I really believe taking the tests early and spread them out give the athletes the time to prep and less pressure because they know they will have time to improve the scores if there is a need and even see which standardized tests fit them better. Developmentally, the junior year is so important for the male athletes so it will also give them the freedom to go hard both in training and academics without worrying about standardized tests.</p>
<p>I think it is fine to take them earlier as long as they feel ready. My D did take 2 SAT II tests sophomore year that corresponded with classes she was taking.</p>
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<p>Exactly.</p>
<p>That’s what I thought.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Early junior year isn’t necessary but it helps. The sooner you post a good score, the sooner you declare yourself recruitable at the more academically competitive schools. It’s a feather in your cap when the difference between athletes can be hard to discern ( no times to compare, playing in different states, etc.). Also, different sports recruit at different times. Early junior year is prime commitment time in my kids’ sport.</p>
<p>sidelines–how do these kids commit so early? The coaches can’t even really contact them yet??</p>
<p>^early verbal commits can be offered during unofficial visits</p>
<p>In some sports, the D1 level recruiting for the class of 2013 is nearly complete and recruiting and commitments are being accepted from the class of 2014. Will all of these “commitments” get accepted? No, but 90+% of them will. The timeline has really moved up in the past 2-3 years. There are websites that list all these people and I’ve followed it closely and my own child has been involved. It’s not a good trend and I don’t think anyone really defends it, but it’s the current reality so interested athletes need to know this and plan their standardized test taking accordingly. My kid put up very good SAT early fall of junior year and it really generated an overwhelmingly positive response from academically elite D1 and D3 schools. I would also advise prospective recruits to consider taking SAT II subject tests anytime that suits them. AP us history and pre calc in the sophomore year were good preps for the SATII subject tests. The psat, sat, satII order isn’t written in stone.</p>
<p>Question: How do these kids commit so early? The coaches can’t even really contact them yet??</p>
<p>Travel and Club coaches can act as proxys between a recruit and college coach. College coaches can talk about ANYTHING while your son or daughter is on campus.</p>
<p>I guess I also forget that not everyone is being recruited out of a spring sport…we are finally seeing the 2012 grads finish their selection process in DD’s sport and committed just last week although some did commit in the fall. NONE of the 2013 grads in her sport have committed anywhere yet, at least around here. I realize that coaches can talk on campus during unofficial visits and I can see that for the really TOP players around the country but not as a general practice. I know one player in our area that got verbal offers from pretty much every powerhouse in his sport when he was in 8th/9th grade but he would be more of the exception then the rule. I want DD to have made her decision by early fall (end of September) so she can get on with her senior year but she is not ready to make that decision yet as we are still visiting.</p>
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<p>I need to learn about SAT subject tests … what they’re used for, when required, etc.</p>
<p>SAT II’s are sometimes used to boost admissions and some schools do require scores from a couple SAT II’s. They are basically like the subject parts of the ACT or along the lines of an AP test. Some schools use the scores on the subject tests for placement in classes. You can take up to 3 subject tests in one day but you can’t take them the same day you take the SAT. Our son is planning on taking subject tests if he gets into his #1 choice as they use them in placement for some classes outside of your major or for placement in foreign languages. He is planning on taking the Spanish one as he will have 2 years of college level Spanish when he graduates. He won’t take that until next spring. They debated about taking the Biology one at the end of sophomore year when they had the class but did not. You want to take those tests in the year you have the class…which seems obvious but not many freshman or sophomores have that on their radar yet so plan ahead. Not many schools require them for application though.</p>
<p>My D started getting college letters the summer after 9th grade, she started talking to coaches the same time frame. No, they cannot call you directly, but you can call them all you want (they can’t return messages, you just have to catch them when they answer the phone). College coaches will also have your club coach tell you exactly when to call. You can also talk to them anytime at a camp or unofficial visit. You can’t “sign” until your senior year no matter what, but you can verbally commit anytime (once you have an offer), test scores or not. My D verbally committed August before her junior year. She didn’t take SAT or ACT til Fall/Winter Junior year, but based on PSAT scores (took Freshman and Sophomore year) and grades, her prospective college coaches weren’t worried - but it was made clear that the offer was based on her meeting the college’s admission criteria. In her sport, we know of kids verbally committing as early as 8th grade. Not saying I agree, just saying.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, D is not “powerhouse” athlete (major d1), she is d1 mid-major who chose to commit to strong d2 based on great academics. In her sport, talking to coaches and taking unofficial’s in Sophomore year is fairly common-place. “Powerhouse” (TALL) kids are doing it 8th/9th.</p>
<p>The kid I was talking about isn’t “tall”, just over 6’, but in all my years of coaching, I have NEVER seen a kid that can play the game like this kid can. He is just poetry in motion and a CLASS ACT to boot. I would love to see him play with his national team somewhere, a team that could keep up with his skills better than his high school team. WOW!!</p>
<p>This list is a few years old, but has which schools require the SAT II and which recommend them. Many schools will accept the ACT with writing in place of the SAT and SAT II’s (also called subject tests). Most of the schools D is considering are on the list, so she took US History and Math Level II.</p>
<p><a href=“http://web.millburn.org/mhs_guidance/PDF%20Documents/SAT%20Subject%20Tests.pdf[/url]”>http://web.millburn.org/mhs_guidance/PDF%20Documents/SAT%20Subject%20Tests.pdf</a></p>
<p>It is interesting to see how things are different for each sport. My 2013 D’s spring sport has quite a few verbal commitments already. She is only considering to play D III, so there is no restriction on when she can talk to coaches, and there were many coaches on the sidelines watching at the tournaments last summer.</p>
<p>While most colleges take ACT plus writing in lieu of SAT I and the SATII–some don’t-- such as Harvard, Williams, Princeton, Virginia. Check their websites (not Barron’s or the Insiders’ Guide) bc it changes every year at many schools and you don’t want to find out that you are not eligible bc of no SATII when you thought the ACT w/ writing was enough.</p>