<p>Our son is currently a sophomore, with good grades and a challenging work load. Looking for feedback/advice on a tentative ACT/SAT schedule. </p>
<p>He will take the PSAT this year for practice, and again October of junior year. He will also likely take some SAT subject tests and AP tests late junior year, and he plays a spring sport, so thinking he should try to get ACTs/SATs done earlier. He is taking algebra 2 this year, and pre-calc junior year if it matters for this decision. </p>
<p>Seems to me he should practice over the summer, and then take the ACT/SAT in the fall of junior year, leaving runway later in junior year & early senior year to retake if needed. Only exception is if sophomore PSAT is weak, maybe wait a little longer until junior PSAT score is in. </p>
<p>Does this all make sense? Any other factors/alternate ideas to consider? Any feedback appreciated.</p>
<p>Taking (and, as importantly, analyzing his performance on) practice tests during the summer before junior year seems like a good idea.</p>
<p>As silverturtle says, taking practice tests, timing the sections, and analyzing performance is very helpful prep. I would suggest that the take the Junior PSAT in the fall … and then sign up for Jan through May sittings for ACT and SAT. Each once. Work around his schedule for best times. You can then take a second time in the early June sittings - both ACT and SAT, or focus on the test that he performs better on. You may find he’s done after this schedule - or he can retake one or both in the fall of his senior year. </p>
<p>I pulled this from multiple posts and advice over the last year and it worked very well for our son.</p>
<p>MaterMia & silverturtle – thank you for the advice and quick replies. </p>
<p>Can you please elaborate on why waiting for January-May, is better than Oct-November? Do you think he will learn more during this time? I am concerned that waiting until sport starts will lead to more stress and overload. I am less concerned about the runway for retakes, but if needed, retakes before SAT subject tests seems to be another advantage of taking early in Junior year. Eager to hear your thoughts on this.</p>
<p>Your son is probably very busy, but one of the best things he can do to improve his score is to simply take the tests as much as possible. He will get used to the environment, comfortable with the formats, and taking the tests will feel natural. Good luck!</p>
<p>I believe you can ask for the results/answers for his PSAT - this can be used as a tool to study for the spring SAT’s. It takes a bit for those to come in - so you might have them before a December test date, you might not, to help prepare.</p>
<p>I’m not sure about the fall testing junior year. I really do not hear about that a lot. I’m not sure if they will “learn” more. It’s more about giving him time to expand his vocab, be comfortable with the tests, mature, etc. </p>
<p>Some of it depends on what he needs from the tests. For example - if you are trying to get a perfect score - to achieve some hard-to-get merit scholarships, you might need several sittings, especially if you are going for a superscore perfect score. </p>
<p>If you have a smart student, who takes tests well, and he does practice tests and test prep - he will probably find that taking each test twice is probably fine. Maybe even once each. My son ended up taking the SAT twice (Jan and June) and the ACT in June and he was done. He had very good scores, and was just tested out. </p>
<p>As the others have said, trying to get him to set up some time on a regular basis to take sections, time himself, etc. is the best prep. The SAT is different from the ACT - ACT can often be about time management, especially the science section which is more about reading graphs. If he feels ready to take in December of his junior year - take them - one or both. But you will find that these kids can get test weary … so you want to maximize the opportunities. </p>
<p>My son also took two SAT subject tests in May of his junior year. He was also in a spring sport. The subject tests nearly did him in. In hindsight, we should have moved this to fall of his senior year. But he was also very happy to start his senior year completely done with testing - except for AP tests in the spring.</p>
<p>Vandy and MaterMia, Thank you for this added input. My D also took the SAT twice, the ACT once, and was done (ie had enough). Helpful to hear that subject tests plus spring sport is taxing, as I suspected – makes sense. I guess we’ll encourage him to be start in the fall or early winter of junior year, but not push too hard. My D got off to a very late start – like April Junior year for first SAT, then June for ACT, and retook SAT fall of senior year, and all worked out (though not optimal).</p>