My son just started his junior year and has been working with a tutor this summer to prepare for the ACT. At the tutor’s advice, he signed up to take the ACT in Sept, to see how he does. He did take a practice test earlier this summer and scored a 25.
Is taking the Sept ACT good advice? Is it too early? I’m wondering if he’s better off skipping the Sept test and taking it at another time. I’m worried he’ll be required to send the score to colleges even if he’d choose not to. Also, I’ve heard of kids being accused of cheating if their scores improve too much.
Sort of floundering here and could really use some advice. The world of college test prep is really overwhelming!!
I think you ll get different opinions on this. My view is that for a student that is not naturally a high scorer or not totally prepared September is too early. My kids that were good but not spectacular scorers (1400++ SAT) started to test in mid year of junior year and they had lots of opportunities to retest and study during the school breaks. They were done well before senior year started. However, I am sure other people had different experiences. It also will depend on how accelerated the student is, how insane the spring will be with EC etc.Good luck!
I don’t think there is any benefit to taking it so early if you are only scoring in the 25 range in practice tests. You child can take a strictly timed practice version “to see how he does”… when he gets to the score he wants in practice, take the real one. He should definitely have a real one under his belt by the end of junior year though.
Neither of my kids took the SAT before March junior year. One then took it again in May, while the other ended up retaking in the fall. I don’t think he should take the test until he thinks he’s pretty close to where he wants to be. That said, both my kids had taken SATs as part of talent search, so we knew they would likely do pretty well, and were familiar with the testing site, the routine and the length of the test.
I think experience with the environment, timing, etc. is a good confidence builder. I would encourage him to take it, but not put a ton of emphasis/pressure on it. You will not be required to send that score to colleges.
I see more upside than downside - some students need an actual test or two before they can settle down and not be so nervous. My son felt the junior year Sept. ACT was good practice/prep for the October PSAT. Let your student know this one is practice to get comfortable with the process. The longer you wait, the more the anxiety may build (since he’s already been prepping for it).
He did take the PSAT in the fall of Sophomore year. His total score was 1090 - 630 reading and 460 math. We know his math needs a lot of work which is why we started prepping the summer between sophomore and junior year. Also, he’s taking Algebra II as a junior so not ideal for being ready for the ACT. He scored a 26 on the math section of his practice ACT so it seems the prep is helping.
He will take the PSAT again this fall (as a junior). Once we see the results of the Sept ACT and fall PSAT his tutor thinks we’ll have a clearer picture of which test is best for him. I’m not totally convinced, I’m starting to think we may be wasting time by not immediately figuring out which test is best for him.
I would wait, especially considering right now his score is not optimal. Let him do some “mock” tests in a realistic environment rather than take the actual test.
The problem with taking the test and scoring lower than his target is that ACT may suspect cheating if he brings up his score significantly next time he tests. ACT has been known to invalidate tests due to suspected cheating, and bringing a score up significantly is a red flag for them. Here is a thread about it from last year.
However, given that he is in algebra 2 this year, it is likely that math content knowledge later in the school year will make it more advantageous to take the ACT late in the school year. Additional math content knowledge will also be helpful on the SAT, since it looks like he took the PSAT with only algebra 1 and a little bit of geometry completed.
I.e. it may be best to wait until the end of this school year to try both tests, since the increased math content knowledge will be helpful for both.
I think this is going to depend on your child and both his readiness and his personality. I signed my junior up for the test because, while I don’t think she’s reached her ultimate score, I think she is underestimating the test. She also has anxiety issues. Thus, if she waits, I’m afraid she will not be prepared and will then become so anxious that she will not do as well as she could. I’m hoping that by taking it in September that she will (1) understand the test environment and (2) understand the rigor of the test. (She says she’s prepping but I haven’t seen any evidence of it.)
I chose to have her scores sent to two schools - our state flagship that she hopes to attend and a local university in case she decides to do dual enrollment next year. But, she scored high enough in 8th grade to be admitted to both schools, so we aren’t concerned about admittance, just merit money.
My boss had a child who took the test several times, and when she finally scored high enough to get into the honors college with merit scholarships, she then sent the scores to her selected school.
My son took the ACT Sep of his junior year because he had prepared for it over the summer and we didn’t think he’d be any more prepared once school got underway. If your son is going to continue to prepare for it, then yes, delaying could be beneficial. If your son is going to be too busy with his regular course work, and might even forget what he’s learned with his tutor, then taking in now is probably a good idea.
Because he is in Algebra 2, it would be best to wait until later in the year or even the summer after junior year. The ACT also tests some pre-calc concepts (SAT does not), so he would have to self-learn or have his tutor teach him that material prior to the test.
One possible benefit to taking the test now would be to get a baseline score, but you don’t need to do an official test for that, his practice testing should suffice. Further, many recommend students take both an SAT and ACT, to see which one is more suited to their learning/test taking styles. Your student should continue to take (timed!) practice tests, in as close to a real setting as possible. Also, many tutoring firms offer practice test sittings for nominal amounts, perhaps that is an option with your current tutor, or elsewhere in your area?
OP - since he’s already signed up for the test, let him take it. I think it would send a very discouraging message to your son if you cancel his registration. Tell him this will not be the score you’ll send to colleges but more of a practice test.
Wait until the October 27th & December 8th test dates. This will give him plenty of time to study and take practice exams. FWIW - private counselor recommends taking the test, twice pretty close to each other so you retain the information. Almost all of her students do better on the 2nd try versus the first one. If he is happy after those two exams, he has all spring to work on his academics and studying for the May AP exams.
My D20 is taking the September test and has been prepping on her own this summer. I think it is a good baseline and for an athlete, I think it’s pretty important to have early scores. She will be in pre-calc this year but brushed up on trig and proportion topics from what she told me.
I’d take it. Mush of the ACT is practice on how to take the test. My kid did tutoring and the first official test was a challenge to manage time and finish. He was also overcoming the flu or something. He did ok. But it gave him areas to work on. He went up like 6 points on the next test in the spring. Mission accomplished. Good luck.
If you are not sure which test to go with, it makes sense to take the ACT now, then the SAT, then evaluate. Both my kids started testing fall of Junior year, and they both had different outcomes.
First one took SAT twice with not much improvement and then took the ACT and did much better. Starting Jr year gave her time to try both - we were on vacation for the summer ACT so she prepped and took it in the fall Senior year - and it was a winner.
Second is an athlete and wanted to be done by end of Jr year. He was burned out and not prepping, so taking it a few times Jr year upped it by one point and then he was just done (mentally!).