When is the best time to take the SAT? This is the most common question I get asked.

Let’s talk about your calendar and how a look into the life of a high school student can help you decide when the best time is to take the SAT.

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For the best help on your SAT coming up, check out Prep Expert.

Take It As A Junior

It is recommended that the SAT is taken no later than June of the Junior year.

By this time, students have taken Geometry and Algebra II. As a result, they are content ready along with a strong foundation in reading and writing.

That foundation allows students to get their scores back and decide if they want to take it again in the Fall. This gives them one last chance to bring their scores up before submitting college applications.

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Reality

Anyone who has lived with a high school Junior knows this is one of their busiest years, not only academically but in athletics and school involvement.

This seems to be the year students hit full stride and have figured out high school. They are:

• More involved
• In leadership positions, since it looks good on college applications
• Performing at their peak athletically because of college scouting
• Taking the hardest AP classes
• Maintaining a healthy social life

During this year, students are working harder than ever to stay competitive and that eats up time. This is where the calendar takes control in deciding when the best time is to take the SAT.

They say numbers don’t lie and those dates will be a clear indication of when a block of time presents itself to take on test prep.

Check The Calendar

The calendar will clearly show you when you will have time to most importantly prepare and take the SAT.

Sit down together and map out the year before school starts, you will quickly see where there is no white space and where you can breathe.

Sophomore year is not too early to do this. You may find that the summer before the Junior year is the best time to take test prep.

From there, you can then register for the fall SAT, giving you a chance to take it again in the spring after additional test prep and review over the winter break.

There are typically 6 tests throughout the school year beginning in September and the last one is in June.

Once you see where you have time between sports, student council, band practice, finals, AP testing, college visits, and Prom this is when you need to plan to work diligently on test prep.

Test prep is very different than studying for a high school subject exam, you must take several practice tests and study the specific test questions found only on the SAT.

You may decide to take the test in your sophomore year and if this is when you have the most time to dedicate to preparation then this is the best time. Likewise, you may find waiting until your senior year when life has settled down and you’re coasting through school to be better.

The key is to look at the calendar, select the best test date for you, then count back 6 weeks, that’s when the test prep begins. You do not need to learn a semester of Algebra, you need to learn how to take a standardized test.

Prep Expert has 100 strategies we teach students to maneuver through the test without all the fear and stress. Dedicating time to test prep and selecting the best time to take the SAT is key to your high school success.

The test score that you earn on the SAT will be a true reflection of your hard work and planning.

Check College Admission Due Dates

College Admission due dates will also help you decide the best time to take the SAT.

It is so important to teach high school kids responsibility, expecting them to meet deadlines, keep their rooms clean, and be in by curfew. We want them to think like adults, make rational decisions and listen to tasteful music, according to teenage brain research this isn’t humanly possible.

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Teenage brains, although learning at peak efficiency, are not very efficient when it comes to attention, task completion and self-discipline. This is not a news flash to parents.

This is when you must step in helping your child manage the imposed schedule of college applications. What does that have to do with when to take the SAT? Just about everything since going to college is the reason for taking the SAT.

Colleges will have a regular decision application due date which is typically in January and February, while many of the competitive schools will offer an early decision application date in November and December. This is an added layer to the answer of when you should take the test.

Why? Because now you must consider the application due date, back that up from when you will get your SAT scores, allowing time to retake the test if needed and then submit them with the application. All this requires that you look back to look forward. (rear-view mirror)

Parents Help Out

Parents need to get involved in helping the student manage all this information, and it will take a steady hand at the helm to guide them through the uncharted waters of meeting deadlines.

A typical plan many students have followed in order to allow adequate time to improve their scores is to take the test in the spring of their sophomore year, evaluate the score, get enrolled in a test prep course with practice tests and focused instruction, leaving time for one or two more tests during the junior year.

Building in preparation time for both the SAT and your college applications is key to obtaining the goal of attending your dream school. Keep in mind that you will not improve without taking time to learn more, test scores do not typically continue to go up just by taking the test over and over.

Actual test prep becomes necessary to shatter that stubborn score you can’t seem to get past. You never want to back yourself into a corner without room to make the necessary adjustments ensuring you have done everything possible to show a college you deserve to attend their school.

Parents, Talk To Your Child

Outside of buying a calendar today and mapping out the high school years, have a discussion with your child.

Find out what they are aiming for, what schools do they want to attend, and how can you best help them prepare for the SAT. If they are overly busy and can’t seem to find time to work on test prep, then help them figure out what they can cut out of their schedule.

We all make time for those things that are important to us and this is the pinnacle for a high school student, they just may not realize the importance yet. Remember, colleges are not looking at how many hours a student spent at school but how those hours translate to a score that is a benchmark of academic achievement.

Challenge your student today to look at what they are focusing their time on and when they see there is time to focus on test prep; hopefully, they will choose to invest it in themselves. The SAT is something they must do on their own, but not without the help of those with experience and wisdom gently guiding them.

So, go buy a calendar, check out the 2018-2019 SAT test dates, plan your test prep and enjoy a lively conversation as you plan your journey to the best SAT test date for you. Also make sure to check out our website, Prep Expert for more information on getting the help you need.

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Best Time To Take The SAT FAQ