To Test or Not to Test? (And which test and when and how many times?)

The school year is now in full swing, and if you’re a junior you might have just taken, or are getting ready to take the PSAT so testing might be front of mind for you. You might be wondering how to think about which test(s) you should be taking and when, or frankly if it’s even worth it to test at all! With the landscape still being very friendly to test optional admissions, it is entirely possible to apply to college without ever sitting for a standardized exam. So let’s start by tackling that first question: to test or not to test? If testing gives you a huge amount of anxiety and you know that no matter how much preparation you do, your test scores will never be able to accurately reflect your academic abilities, it might make sense to just sit it out. What I will say is that I encourage all of my students to at least try one test once (knowing that no one ever has to see those scores.) But if that is even still too much for you, you are in luck that most schools have retained their COVID-era test optional policies! 

Now, if you are a student who is intending to sit for one or more exams, here are some things to start thinking about:

Firstly, ACT or SAT? Both exams are now widely offered and accepted everywhere so it really makes no difference which you choose. For most students, it is just a matter of personal preference. Take a practice test of each and think about which one feels more comfortable to you. The SAT is slightly more math-heavy, so if that is your strength, you might gravitate towards that one. If it makes no difference to you, look at when the tests are offered, and which tests are going to fall at a better time in your academic and extracurricular schedule. I would recommend picking one test and focusing on that prep, as trying to prep for different tests is likely to spread you a little thin.   

Which leads me to the next consideration: when? The schedules for each test (and registration deadlines) are released each summer, and outline testing dates through the following spring (though the exact dates change, the timing is pretty consistent year to year.) Here are the current schedules for the SAT and ACT. You should plan on giving yourself at least 6-8 weeks to do regular prep for the test (whether by yourself, with a class, or with a personal tutor.) So keeping that in mind, when are you going to have the kind of time to devote to this endeavor? Do you need to work around a seasonal sport, or theatre rehearsals, or family travel? I encourage juniors to try and get their first test in before the end of their first semester (so, October (either test), November (SAT), or December (either test)). This will leave you plenty of time to prep and re-take them. 

So how many times should you take these tests? Most of my students will then take a second test in the winter (February (ACT) or March (SAT)), leaving room for a possible third test in the spring (April (ACT), May (SAT), or June (both tests)). But, if after your first test, you feel good about your scores, no need to re-take! Also, if you’ve already taken the test 3 times, it’s probably time to call it quits! Ultimately, the decision to re-test should come down to: is preparing for this test again the best use of my time right now? Is it going to have a negative impact on my grades, mental health, etc? Will those 10 or 20 points really make a difference in where I am admitted?

You should plan on finishing all of your testing by the end of junior year where possible. There are a couple summer tests (but testing sites can be harder to find), as well as a September ACT and an early October SAT, though those are cutting it close to November deadlines (if that is your goal) and you will be in the thick of working on your college applications, so it could be A LOT. 

While it might seem too early to be thinking about this all, NOW is the time! Go ahead and look at your calendar and pick out 2 or 3 test dates that you think would fit well with your schedule!