"… College Board’s announcement of the August exam date is the latest salvo in the competition between the SAT and the rival ACT, the Iowa-based organization that will administer its initial exam of the 2017-18 season two weeks later.
The college admissions tests are locked in a fight for dominance. In just the past two years, both have been updated and revised, in some ways borrowing concepts from one another so that they bear resemblances not seen before." …
Very interesting, thanks!
Yeah a lot of people on another blog site have been talking about having to travel obscene distances to take the August test. One person was driving 3 hours to take it in Seattle and another was flying to Uzbekistan to take the test.
Uzbekistan?! sounds a bit extreme…
I was initially very interested in the August day as I thought that my kids will love to take the test in the end of summer when they ll be relaxed with no school. However, now I am not that sure. My D worked all summer long and also had quiet a lot of assigned summer work for the fall. On top she started working on her common app and thinking/writing essays. School starts this week and it turns out it was a very short and busy summer. She was also looking for a bit of “vacation” after going full force junior year. Thankfully she was done with the SAT in June and she said that was absolutely great and she would not have it in herself to take the August test. Interesting enough 2 of her friends that need to retake also last minute bypassed the August date for October because they were mentally not ready and tired from their summer jobs. Of course I understand that for other people worked really well. Just my experience. And I ll miss the January date as it worked really good for my kids.
We are thrilled to have the August date. Studied much of the summer, doesnt interfere with school and time to take it again spread out by a year.
Same situation…daughter was signed up, did quite a bit of prep, but has a few questions on some of the math probe and no “teacher” to bounce things off. I rescheduled her until December. She has a Fall sport, and after a few doubles this week, she is mentally and physically tired. Here’s hoping that our decision pays off 