I’m currently a sophomore and was strongly thinking about taking the SAT. I only got an 1190 on my PSAT 10, and a 27 on my PreAct. I was thinking about taking the SAT June 6th? I would be out of school a little over 2 weeks before and could definitely get a lot of studying in then. Then I would re-assess after receiving my score to see what I need to improve on and study over the summer. I planning on using the SAT Black Book, College Panda Math, 1600io- the free course for tests 1-4, and uworld. Would it be feasible to take the SAT in June and get a 1400+ or am I delusional? My reading and writing was stronger than my math, and provided I go through college panda I should be able to learn all the types of math questions. My writing wasn’t maxed out either, and that is fairly easy to improve. Oh, and I know my preact scaled is better but I don’t want to take the ACT until junior year. Science section killed me.
Cramming for two weeks isn’t an ideal strategy. If it’s possible, I would recommend using those two weeks as planned, then stretch out less concentrated study over the summer and take the SAT in late August. That would be before school starts, or at least before it gets busy, so time demands shouldn’t be an issue.
What many people are doing is prepping over the summer/fall and taking the PSAT/SAT around the same time, so October or November. This allows for a single target for prep and, with November, has the PSAT as a “practice” for the SAT a few weeks later.
It leaves plenty of time for another take in the Spring, even two if needed, plus August Senior year as an emergency.
There’s no rush to get it done early.
Yeah, that would work too. I was still planning on studying though on weekends and after school so it wouldn’t just be cramming in two weeks. I guess I’ll have to see how much studying I get around to doing. I already got the Black Book from Amazon and was flipping through it.
“Then I would re-assess after receiving my score to see what I need to improve on and study over the summer.”
You can do this for free using online practice tests, taking a test out of the book you bought, or through local tutoring services (often free or very cheap, at least near me).
A lot of the material that is on the PSAT and on the SAT is stuff you will learn during your Junior year. Taking an SAT during June between your sophomore and Junior year is a waste of money, in general, and, based on your PSAT 10, taking the SAT this June is not a great idea, in particular. It is unlikely that your score this June will be as high as it will be if you take the test in the second semester of your Junior year, or even next fall.
Based on your PSAT 10 scores, a score of 1400 in June is unlikely, though such a score or higher is not unfeasible for your Junior year.
My advice is to work on better test taking strategies and see what material you are missing in preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall, and take some practice tests in real time, and see what your scores on those tests look like. Take practice ACTs and see if you do better on those (unlike the PSAT, in which a 1400 is comparable to a 1400 on the SAT, the entire PreACT is simplified, so a 27 on the PreACT is not comparable to a 27 on the ACT).
The PSAT is cheaper, provides most of the same benefits in training for further tests, and is not reported to any college.
Disagree.
Math isn’t beyond Algebra 1 and Geometry. EBRW is logic, reasoning, middle school grammar and punctuation, etc.
My D scored 1400 in early 7th grade, 1560 in mid 8th. She was in grade-appropriate Honors English and one-year advanced Honors math (so early Geometry first and mid-year Algebra 2 second)
The last chance at PSAT is less than two months into Junior year, so basing it on what you learn Junior year would be a big problem.
With enough long term studying, the goal is possible. I went from a 1210 PSAT to a 1520 SAT with about 4 months of work. I would recommend Princeton Review for English and Khan Academy for Math.
You have a lot of great resources in mind already! I would check out UWorld as well - especially for math!
Why take it as a Sophomore? Use your PSAT results to see what you need to work on.
Id say if you can afford it or have a test waiver to go ahead and take the SAT June 6th. I did the same date at the end of my freshman year (just finished algebra 2 and geometry) without studying and got a 1380, ended up applying to colleges this year with a 1540. I think taking it that first time prepared me for the test taking. I found that actually sitting through the entire test, taking it in a classroom with a bunch of other people, taking it Saturday morning, and all those other environmental things were more important to adjust to than the actual content which is pretty easy.