<p>Daughter is a junior. Just started studying a bit for PSAT in October (but unlikely to be in NMSF range). November seems too soon for SAT and we will out of town on December date for very important family function. She's not shooting for Ivys/elites, but perhaps a tier below. Unlike older brother, she is not a natural test taker, so may benefit from multiple sittings. However, she's also a kid who will not bow to parental pressure to re-take (but may do that if SHE wants to). ED is a possibility, but we haven't even started visiting schools yet, so a bit premature to think about. </p>
<p>When would be a good time to schedule for first SAT to allow at least one re-take and separate date for SAT IIs?</p>
<p>The SAT dates in the spring are: Jan 26, Mar 3, May 3, and June 7. After that, there will be no SAT tests until late September/October. The best time to take the SAT2s are at the end of the course, so figure on using either the May or June date for that (given that the AP tests are in early May, she may prefer to take SAT2s on the June date).</p>
<p>Again, given the timing of the AP tests, she may not want to take the SAT in May. Leaving you with January or March, with possible retest in the fall.</p>
<p>Is she taking AP classes that correspond to the SAT subject tests? If that's the case, she may want to take the SAT IIs in May and/or June, depending on the scheduling of the APs and the SATs (it can vary from year to year). If that's the case, then taking the SATs in March or April would be good. Then, doing a retake in October, which gives her time to study over the summer, and benefit from the natural increase that often occurs between a test date in junior year and one in senior year.</p>
<p>If she's not taking APs, but plans to take SAT IIs in subjects she's taking in school now, then June is the best time for that.</p>
<p>Either the January or March test date would be a good time for a first try at the SAT.</p>
<p>Then, if your daughter wants to take it again before the end of the year, she can do so in May or June, leaving the other test date open for SAT Subject Tests.</p>
<p>Both of my kids got the SAT out of the way as juniors (one with only one try, one with two). They got scores that satisfied them and did not bother taking the test again as seniors.</p>
<p>Our daughter's goal was to finish with all her testing by end of Junior year for her to focus on her applicaitons Senior year. She took SAT I twice - March and May. She took her SAT IIs and APs 10th and 11th grade to correspond with her courses.</p>
<p>I don't know if this is really true, but some people have said it's easier to get higher scores in Jan because not as many good students take the test.</p>
<p>My S, also a junior, is signed up for the Oct 27 ACT testing date. We are going ACT only route. He is testing this fall because his spring semester is too busy w/preparing for AP exams, several music auditions and club soccer. Am hoping for a one-time only test sitting.</p>
<p>My junior daughter is doing the November test date. Her fall classes and ECs are lighter than they will be later in the year. Her school uses a two semester block plan, making January problematic due to exams. She'll do at least one SAT subject test in February coming fresh off the end of the class. Retake SAT in March if needed. APs in May, probably another subject test in June. And hopefully that will be that. I also like the November date because it will give her enough time to prepare for the next time if her "I'm allergic to SAT prep" attitude doesn't serve her well.</p>
<p>It is a good idea to get the first SAT done by March of junior year. Look at your child's HS exam schedule, and at spring break dates, to decide whether January or March would work better. October and November are less desirable because test scores tend to increase as the brain matures. For the same reason, a retake should be done as late as reasonably possible, like fall of senior year.</p>
<p>Spring sports and things like competitions, plays or concerts may seriously affect some students. The best preparation is several days of a light schedule and good sleep, so the test can be taken by a rested and ready candidate.</p>
<p>OK... so correct me if I'm wrong. Juniors around here were not allowed to take the SAT until the first date after the first of the year. They didn't have the option of taking it fall of their junior year.</p>
<p>I recommend January and May for SAT1 and then June for SAT2's. System worked well for my 2 girls. Both had their highest scores in May by the way. This way, she can retake in Oct of Senior year if she wants to (but dosen't have to).</p>
<p>
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OK... so correct me if I'm wrong. Juniors around here were not allowed to take the SAT until the first date after the first of the year. They didn't have the option of taking it fall of their junior year.
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<p>Not allowed by WHOM? The College Board sets no such restriction. And really, does anybody other than the College Board have the right to dictate such things?</p>
<p>The Collegeboard certainly doesn't care if your junior takes it before January of their junior year. Block scheduling definitely factored into our planning. The end of January is super intense at school, as well as being prime time for her sport.</p>
<p>Our high school's web site distinguishes whether both juniors and seniors, or just seniors can register for a specific date. For instance this school year, juniors can register to take the ACT on the Dec. 8th date; the first SAT date available to juniors is Dec. 1st.</p>
<p>I do stand corrected on the after January, though. I think that was the first time my daughter was able to take it due to other commitments on the December dates.</p>
<p>Terriwtt,
How can your school stop a kid from registering for the SAT? Seems like most kids do it online directly through college board.</p>
<p>Holymomma, I don't recommend waiting till May. If your child is unhappy with her scores, seems like a lot of pressure to study and improve over the summer.
I also recommend trying the ACT first-that was one of the first things I learned on college confidential. Remember, ACT has score choice. The student gets to decide which score(s) to send. All SAT scores get sent. If your daughter starts with ACT and is happy with her score, she doesn't have to take SAT. If she starts with SAT and subject tests and does better on ACT, it will not be possible to "hide" the SAT score from any school that also requires subject tests.</p>
<p>I don't know - that's what the school's website says. I remember registering her (on-line) for the January test date, and she couldn't even get a seat at our high school - she had to travel to a high school over 20 miles away, passing several along the way that also we're filled to capacity.</p>
<p>Maybe there's such a high demand in our area that they save the fall dates for seniors who are on a crunch, and don't want spots taken up by juniors, who still have plenty of time to take it.</p>
<p>Frankly, we're done with college testing, and I'm sure none of the earlier dates would have worked out for her with her extracurriculars; in fact, we were relieved when she did well on both her first ACT and SAT because otherwise she wouldn't have been free to retake it again until the summer, and that would not have been a happy choice for her. And actually, in Illinois, the ACT is built into a test all juniors take (Prairie State Achievement Exam) every spring, in school during the week, so she didn't have to take a Saturday off to take it. They are able to submit scores from the PSAE to colleges.</p>
<p>Here's some superstition for you...
Both my kids took the January SAT (as their first ever). Oldest took the June as his second and did so much better he never took it again. Younger took the March, and did crappy (middle of baseball season, too much going on). Then took the June and did so much better he never took it again. The friends they had who waited until their senior year to take their second/third/fourth SAT (to see if they'll improve) were so much more stressed out, because they felt like that their entire future was hinging on that Oct/Nov test.</p>
<p>My recommendation is take the January test. If not happy, do some prep and take the June test. You still have the Oct/Nov test if you need it. If you can get a score by June of your junior year that you like, your life will be much less stressful in your senior year. You can concentrate on your applications, visiting schools, taking SAT II's.</p>
<p>Just my two cents. It's a balancing act. You don't want to take the stupid test too many times in your junior year that you can't take it again your senior year without feeling like it's going to undermine your results.</p>
<p>My recommendation is that you figure out, after the very first test, what you need to do to improve your second test. Don't take it again until you've done that.</p>
<p>teriwitt,
The college board is not linked in any way with your high school. If your daughter didn't get a test site at her high school, it was just because more people registered in front of her and they gave her the second choice location. Also, there are no summer test dates for SAT tests.</p>
<p>Nephew followed a recommendation found here on CC and took SAT in Oct of junior year, right after he took the PSAT. Said it worked out really well for him because he was well-prepared for the PSAT and was psyched up for both tests. Got the SAT out of the way and scores were not significantly improved upon later in year. He did well on both tests and is now working on college apps.</p>