<p>I'm a 10th grader and I'll be taking the PSAT in October. I'm considering also taking the SAT for the first time in the spring. I'd like to see what the actual SAT test is like, and I want to have a baseline SAT score. Is this a good idea? How much should I prep for taking the test as a 10th grader?</p>
<p>Taking the SAT in 10th grade isn’t worth the money, especially since your already taking the PSAT. </p>
<p>If you take it later, you’ll have a better shot at a higher score - 1) SAT scores generally increase every year and 2) you’ll learn stuff at school that pertain to the SAT. </p>
<p>The PSAT will give you a feel for the SAT. You can extrapolate an approximate SAT score from your PSAT score. And if you insist on getting a “baseline SAT score,” buy the Blue Book and take a practice test. </p>
<p>As far as prep goes, do as much prep as you can without hurting your GPA. Allocate some time everyday to SAT prep - e.g. spend 10 minutes on the Question of the Day. </p>
<p><a href=“The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board;
<p>It’s never too early to start prepping for the SAT, although taking the SAT in 10th grade though can be a little premature - have you taken Algebra I, II, and Geometry yet?</p>
<p>Good luck in your SAT endeavors :)!</p>
<p>I strongly encourage you to take the SAT in Spring of Soph year. Several advantages : 1) At our school the test setting between PSAT & SAT is much different (PSAT are given within the school day at our school / SAT given on Saturday at a neighboring school) & this will lessen your anxiety for future administrations. 2) Alot of the math is Algebra & Geometry so if you are in accelerated classes thius material is more recent 3) Colleges “superscore” & the more you take it the better your chnaces of scoring higher on a specific subtest 4) You will be able to narrow your focus of schools & not waste time on schools you have no chance of being admitted to OR you now know how much you have to raise your scores to have a better chance of being admitted & have more time & attempts to get the score to where you want it. My D did this & found she needed about 50-80 more poinhts to have a decent shot at being admitted to Cornell…it really motivated & focused her. If she had waited until Spring of Junior year I don’t think she would have had the time needed to get where she got.</p>
<p>Taking the SAT as a sophomore is not a bad idea and I, personally, don’t think it’s a waste of money. However, do you think you’re adequately prepared? At my high school, most tenth graders are already taking Calculus AB so they have already met prerequisites for taking the math portion of the SAT test. </p>
<p>If money is an issue for you, then I’d have to agree that scores are generally higher when you take them a little later. When I took the SAT in December of my sophomore year, I scored a 2150. I took it once more as a junior and scored 2300. Another friend of mine took his SAT as a sophomore and got 2130. When he retook it earlier this year as a junior, he scored a 2360. </p>
<p>I think had we both not taken the SAT as sophomores, we wouldn’t have had the wake up call of our scores falling below that 2250+ range until it was a bit too late.</p>
<p>I think it’s too early to take it, but I have heard of people doing it.</p>