<p>Hello, I just graduated eighth grade and I've already taken the SAT twice. My scores were not even close to being good for college admission although they were great for my age group. I want to continue taking the SAT throughout my freshman and sophomore years for practice but I am concerned that colleges will count these as actual attempts. I hear that colleges only like to see that students take the SAT no more than three times, but will my two attempts count if they were in middle school? What about if I take the SAT in freshman year?Will colleges be able to see the date that I took the SAT and the age that I was during that test and take that into consideration? If not, does this mean that I can only take the SAT one more time and only get one attempt at the score I need for admissions? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>Middle school SAT scores are erased when you enter the 9th grade.</p>
<p>After that, only take the SAT a maximum of three times. (preferably during your junior or senior year)</p>
<p>If you need practice, just buy SAT prep books and do those.</p>
<p>^^The reason why RahulKShah is saying maximum of three tests is because taking the test more than three times makes you look bad to the college admissions committee. You CAN take the test more than three times but if you do, it makes you look desperate to the college admissions and it makes you look like you care too much about the testing and scores rather than the other important parts of the college app. </p>
<p>The PSATs are great tools to help you correctly gauge your strengths and weaknesses. Take those. I have never heard of a freshman taking it but lots of sophomores and juniors do. So even though you have an abundance of practice tests available through the variety of prep books sold online and in bookstores, you can “officially” see how you do in the SATs by taking the PSAT. (Your writing might change drastically if you are particularly weak in the actual writing part of the writing section though)</p>
<p>I suggest that during freshman year, study with the BB, Gruber’s, Barrons, or whatever book you have and take practice tests from those books and online (I think they’re called QAS). Then take the PSAT sophomore year and see how you did in a real setting. And focus on your weaknesses while still beefing up your strengths. Take the PSAT at the beginning of junior year and then take an official SAT test at the middle of the year (depending if you’re confidant) or end of the year (May, June). </p>
<p>That would allow you take a maximum of three tests with plenty of practices and leave you time your senior year to focus on the college application itself and the recommendation letters and the essays rather than on the numerical aspects of the app.</p>