I’m just curious as to when your children took their standardized tests. I’m struct with how many posts I’m reading by seniors scrambling to take tests one more time plus squeezing in subject tests. At my daughter’s high school, guidance recommended everything be completed by the end of junior year so kids started the first round of testing in Fall of junior year. I think I just assumed that was the norm but based on posts, I’m thinking not.
My oldest (now in college) and middle (now a junior in hs) both had precalculus in 10th grade so both took Math 2 subject tests at the end of 10th. Oldest had AP bio in 10th and took bio subject test also at the same time. Middle had regular chem last year so studied a bit over the summer and took the chem subject test in August. So done with the subject tests by fall of junior year. My youngest (now 9th) won’t have precalc until 11th so that part won’t be so early.
For the standard SAT/ACT - oldest took (SAT) for the first time as a high schooler in January of junior year, then took a prep class in June after school got out for a week and retook the SAT and also the ACT and was done at that point.
Middle is currently taking a prep class with the plan to take the SAT in October for the first time (as a high schooler). Depending on how well she does she’ll either be done or more likely, have a couple more potential dates to retake and/or try the ACT this spring.
Seems like the desirable schedule would be:
PSAT: 11th grade for those trying for National Merit
SAT and ACT: one each in late 11th grade, allows a retry in 12th grade if desired
SAT subject tests: if needed for possible colleges, at the end of the school year when the associated course is being completed (e.g. precalculus for math level 2).
AP tests: at the end of the school year when the associated AP course is being completed.
S17’s school has everyone take the PSAT in the fall of 9th, 10th, and 11th grade. Then the SAT/ACT in the spring, retake in fall of senior year if needed, some kids took them earlier in junior year so their 2nd try was spring of junior year. My son didn’t take any subject tests, but those varied depending on what classes the kids took.
I was thinking of having my son take it next year, specifically August of his junior year. By then he will have completed honors Algebra 2. His teacher stated they would be covering the Trig that normally is on the SAT.
This would allow him to take all of July to study and focus. Does this sound like good timing.
That sounds like a great plan. That is exactly what we are thinking for our kid. If your son has a chance to be NMSF, the August SAT just prior to junior year can be used as a confirming score for NMF purposes as well.
Best of luck to your son!
Most private college counselors recommend to be done by fall of Junior year. Keep spring for doing well in this most important academic year and gives plenty of time to study and prepare for AP exams in May, junior year. Leave fall senior year for essays and applications.
Being done by fall of junior year really only works if the student has taken the math courses to do,well on the SAT math section. Some kids just aren’t there yet.
Also, AP exams happen at the end of each course…so some might be at end of sophomore year, some at the end of junior and some at the end of senior.
Our school requires all kids to take the SAT spring of junior year…and the pay for it.
I agree with the post above…take SAT or ACT sometime in the spring of junior year…which would allow a retake if needed.
PSAT in fall 11th grade at least, but nice to take it 10th grade as well.
APs at the completion of the AP courses.
SAT 2 tests at the completion of the course associated.
“Most private college counselors recommend to be done by fall of Junior year.”
I disagree with this. Most CCs recommend being done by end of Junior year, if possible. Depends on math track.
Required PSAT in October, then, our ACT plan is: first sitting Feb Junior year, then retake in April (if needed), then retake in June and/or July (if needed).
I think consecutive retakes (assuming the student has done lots of prep and practice tests ahead of the first test) are the best strategic plan for two reasons 1) Test is more fresh for the student, 2) variations in difficulty will happen between consecutive sittings. So if the February test is particularly easy in math (with harsh curving), the April test will likely not be the same curve for math. Harsh curving really penalizes stupid mistakes, that most kids make.
I think being done fall of junior year is risky in terms of maximizing score. My son got a 31C on the ACT June after sophomore year. Fine score, right? He got a 34C on the ACT June after Junior year. It was pretty natural growth. He did prep a bit more for that last test but his score was within one point of the first practice test he took that spring of junior year and just needed a little extra timed practice to bump up a point. His subscore improved in every area. There is still a lot of growth, brain development, maturity, focus, etc developing in many kids at this age.
If you are an ACT kid, then it is much easier to be done earlier, because there are no test date conflicts between the ACT and subject tests. If you are a SAT kid the timing gets trickier, because you can’t take the SAT and subject tests in the same day. So if you use June for subject tests, you can’t also use June for the SAT, but you can use the June ACT date
I would not do the SAT at the beginning of Junior year, but in the winter when they have had more math.
First SAT/ACT winter/early spring junior year (saving the late spring/early summer dates for SAT2’s and AP’s). Second SAT/ACT September sitting of senior year if desirable. You will have the full summer to prep using the results from the first test to focus on weaknesses. You can also focus on school and app’s thereafter. You potentially also have some time to decide on whether a third test in December is desirable.
SAT2’s and AP’s after the completion of the relevant course.
PSAT (9)
AP Human Geography (9)
PSAT (10)
AP Biology (10)
May SAT (10)
June ACT (10) (Would have retaken in fall of junior year, spring of junior year, and possibly fall of senior year, but got the score I wanted early on)
June SAT Subject tests in German and BioE
PSAT (11)
June SAT (11)
AP Exams (11)
May SAT Subject tests in Chem and Math II (11)
August SAT (12)
I originally wanted to take an SAT in the early spring of my junior year, but the timing never worked out.
I’m glad I started with the SAT and ACT early on–I had a lot of time to improve on the SAT, and didn’t feel too pressured to take it on any one date.
I think the bottom line is take the standardized tests as early as you can once you know the material and feel you are ready. Try not to take them fall of senior year as you will not have your results in by the time you are applying to colleges and are “stuck” with the results.
I completely agree @socaldad2002.
There are students sho are seniors now who are asking about college choices…and they have not YET taken the ACT or SAT…and they are not asking about test optional schools. Some are asking about need based aid, and some are asking about merit aid too.
Scratching my head wondering why any HS senior would have NOT taken the SAT or ACT once by now…if they need it.
Plenty of kids at my son’s school took the ACT in September of Jr. year. They used free time over the summer to study.
My son took in October Jr. year and did well enough that he was one and done. He was scheduled to take the SAT in December but cancelled once he got his ACT score, didn’t seem to be any point at the time. Looking back, I wish he had sat for that SAT. He made NMSF but if he wants to go for finalist status, he is going to have to sit for the SAT at some point this (senior year) in order to qualify. As far as timing goes, as long as you have enough math under your belt, I would recommend taking the SAT/ACT first half of Jr. year. That gives you more chances of maximizing your score down the road if you don’t feel you have reached your potential.
First generation to college student in a school where hardly anyone goes to college and counselors are more concerned about preventing dropouts than getting students ready for college?
D will prep very heavy summer before 11th grade as NMF is the goal. So August SAT of 11th grade should be her highest SAT since she will be so fresh from the prep.
D took SAT subject tests for history and chemistry in the spring of her sophomore year and the end of the respective courses, and took a the SAT foreign language with listening test in the fall of her junior year.
She self-studied during the latter part of the summer for the ACT administration given in the fall of her junior year which, in turn, prepared her well for the October PSAT. She had been on the accelerated track in math (geometry in 8th grade, Algebra II in ninth, and Honors pre-calc in 10th). Language arts – reading comp., writing, and grammar – were all her strong suit, so she was set there. The only thing left were AP tests in the spring of her junior year and a confirming SAT score for Natl Merit in her senior year.
It was a great feeling to have all of the testing over with early on and to know where she stood in terms of creating a coherent list of reaches, matches, and safeties well before the start of her senior year.