When do students start prep for SAT?

My son is a sophomore. I believe he would benefit with an SAT prep.

@2019boston will your son take the PSAT as a Junior or just SAT?

he has taken the PSAT as a sophomore but no scores yet

On the one hand, SAT prep during the summer between sophomore and junior years can be very helpful for the junior PSAT, if the student might score close to National Merit level. For high-scoring kids, it would be great to get the SAT out of the way early in junior year, taking the test in Aug or Oct. On the other hand, I’ve been told that, generally, many students do not peak in scores until spring of junior year or fall of senior year.

About your sophomore’s PSAT scores, your high school counselor would have them already. Your son should make an account at College Board - the scores will be there. Also check your high school’s Naviance, which may list the scores.

Summer before junior year is a good time to prep if you think your kid has a shot at an NMSF level PSAT score. If not, fall of junior year is fine. Sophomore year seems too early.

My NMSF kid just used Khan Academy online to become familiar with the format.

2 of our kids started getting familiar with the format (CB Blue Book) in the 8th grade. Our third started looking at it in the 9th grade - she ended up doing a lot on Khan Academy junior year. They improved between 110 and 180 points over the 3 years of on-again and off-again practice.

I agree with intparent.

Get good grades, participate in extracurricular activities you like, and enjoy high school. Start SAT prep the summer before junior year.

Read! I believe that a sophomore would do more to increase his eventual score by reading a lot than by beginning formal test prep so early.