when should I take psat sat act and sat2

Test Preparation
1

<p>Im a freshman with a 4.0 gpa and ranked 1st in my grade (I dont know if this matters) .when should I take psat act and sat? Should I start sat as a sophomore or what? I know that Harvard requires sat2. Im interested in law and biology as well as mathematics ( I know completely unrelated) what and when should I take these sat2s?</p>

2

<p>PSAT: junior year and/or earlier
SAT and ACT: typically around junior year or fall of senior year. You can take them earlier but you don’t need to. Many students test multiple times.
SAT biology: preferably after completing a high school biology course (e.g. AP Biology)
SAT math I/II: preferably after completing a pre-calculus course</p>

3

<p>Only junior year PSAT counts. You may take it earlier as practice.
SAT1/ACT: Try to get it done by the Spring of junior year.
SAT2: end of junior year (or sophomore if you take relevant AP)</p>

<p>Retaking any test in senior should be avoided unless necessary. You will be busy in filling applications and writing essays by that time. Also, it may be running late for EA/ED.</p>

4

<p>Current freshmen should be aware of the college board’s plan to change the SAT in 2016. </p>

5

<p>@Mathyone what changes? And does that mean I should take it earlier? Do u have a link? Thx!!</p>

6

<p>google?
<a href=“College Board pushes back revised SAT by one year”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/12/03/college-board-pushes-back-revised-sat-one-year&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/09/20/college-board-president-gives-some-hints-about-changes-sat”>http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/09/20/college-board-president-gives-some-hints-about-changes-sat&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>What to do about this, I don’t know. Depends how nervous you are about taking a test when you have little information or practice materials. I have an 8th grader who will have less attractive options than you do–she will either have to complete her SAT’s in the fall of sophomore year or else be a guinea pig. If she were a 9th grader, I would have her take the SAT in the fall of her junior year and hope to be done with it then, so as not to have to worry about the new test format. </p>

7

<p>Ok thx because my sister is an eighth grader too @mathyone</p>

8

<p>One change they seem to be making is to make the vocab easier. So if that isn’t a strength for you, you may do better on the new SAT.</p>

<p>Personally, I am rather annoyed about the changes, because they seem to be aimed also at aligning the test to test common core objectives. But my 8th grade hasn’t been educated with the common core so it makes no sense for her. The new SAT is also apparently going to be more like the ACT, but since students already have the option of taking the ACT, I see no reason to duplicate. I think it’s mostly a marketing ploy to convince states who invested heavily on common core to push the SAT on their students instead of the ACT. And don’t worry about the kids who didn’t learn common core. All about market share and $$$.</p>

9

<p>Also, in the article it mentioned making the essay harder by making It an analytic piece. The director of CB also said he wants to make it harder to prepare for more like an IQ which I dont think is smart because that doesn’t measure academic retention. @mathyone</p>