Happy Friday to all of our 7EDU readers! (And good luck to those that are taking the SAT entrance examination tomorrow.)
Yesterday's blog post on top schools and their relative SAT, ACT and GPA scores was a great hit with our parents and students. If you haven't gotten the chance to check it out yet, give it a read before beginning today's post!
Now that you are aware of the necessary SAT, ACT and GPA scores your child may need to be granted admission to top schools, we will provide more insight and guidance on when is it the best time to take the SAT college entrance examination in order to maximize their score.
The SAT is a nationwide-administered and standardized test utilized to help colleges and universities assess potential student candidates.
For the academic calendar year of 2019-2020, there are seven SAT test dates. Universities accept test scores from any of the test dates, taken at any point during a student's high school duration.
Below we have listed the seven SAT test dates and their corresponding registration deadline (regular and late):
August 24, 2019 | Reg. Registration July 26, 2019 | Late Registration August 13, 2019
October 5, 2019 | Reg. Registration September 6, 2019 | Late Registration September 24, 2019
November 2, 2019 | Reg. Registration October 3, 2019 | Late Registration October 22, 2019
December 7, 2019 | Reg. Registration November 8, 2019 | Late Registration November 26, 2019
March 14, 2020 | Reg. Registration February 14, 2020 | Late Registration March 3, 2020
May 2, 2020 | Reg. Registration April 3, 2020 | Late Registration April 21, 2020
June 6, 2020 | Reg. Registration May 8, 2020 | Late Registration May 27, 2020
With seven potential exam opportunities, a lot of parents often ask when is it the best time to test prep and register to ensure your child's greatest chance of earning high marks and results?
Below are several tips on planning and scheduling the SAT test for the best odds of a higher score.
First Time Test-Taker
If your child is taking the SAT college exam for the very first time, it is recommended that students register and prep for the test in June of the summer before their junior year of high school.
While your child could choose to take the examination in their sophomore year, it is not highly encouraged since most students do not learn the appropriate SAT test content by that time.
As such, if parents are planning on enrolling their children into college preparation services or courses, it is ideal that the student prepares for their first SAT test during June in the summer (or slightly earlier if you would like a head-start).
It is also good to remember that this will be your child's first SAT test. Set the right expectations and goals for yourself, and remember that it is unlikely you will get the desired score on the first try.
This brings us to our next point, how many times do you need to take the SAT in order to get the best score?
How Many Times To Take The SAT
For student learners that are aiming for competitive colleges and universities, the recommended amount of time to take the SAT test ranges from two to three times. With this in mind, be sure to schedule the exams within three to four months of each other.
A benefit of taking the SAT at various points throughout the offered academic calendar test dates is that your child will have the ease of knowing they have the potential option to take another examination - which will in turn, usually increase their scholastic performance.
Some concerns and inquiries ask whether taking the SAT multiple times is bad for a student, considering the stress it may place with the condensed SAT testing calendar. Initiated in 2009 by the College Board, Score Choice was launched with the hopes of reducing the worries of taking the SAT exam more than once. Score Choice allows for test-takers to select which exam scores that they send along with their college applications. As there are no sanctions or penalties against taking the SAT test more than once, it is a preferable and highly favored strategy to take the exam early and often.
If you want to learn more about Score Choice, click here.
A common myth and topic-of-discussion are that there are better and worse test dates to register your child for the SAT. The examination itself is intended to emphasize and highlight a student's capabilities of academic rigor. Instead of adding a concern on choosing and selecting the right test-date, prepare your child in advance of their registered examination date. Brush up on some research and learn more about what to expect for the SAT and college admissions trends in 2019.
