So, your child is preparing to take the ACT or SAT. Maybe they are starting to prepare, have taken a diagnostic exam, or are getting started with a tutor. They’re off to a good start! But, when should a student actually plan to take their first real exam? Here are a few things to consider:
Don’t Rush It
In general, Private Prep recommends students plan for 4–6 months of preparation before taking the first ACT or SAT. This gives them time to learn test content and strategies, as well as get ample practice in. We want students to feel, as much as possible, like they know what to expect on test day.
Growth Is Expected
That said, we don’t want students to feel like their first ACT or SAT has to be perfect. So, we also don’t recommend that students wait too long before taking their first exam. We see the first test as a rite of passage—it allows students to gain valuable experience for future tests. We expect that students won’t reach their ultimate score goals on the first test, but it will be a stepping stone to their future ones.
Students Control Their Scores
In the current landscape, students have more control than ever over which score(s) they submit to colleges. In the vast majority of cases, students will be able to submit their best composite scores, so they don’t have to worry about sending an initial score that doesn’t show their full potential. Colleges are increasingly accepting self-reported scores, which means students often don’t even have to share their lower subsections (for more about how students report scores, check out our blog post here). Even Georgetown, one of the last notable holdouts that wants to see a student’s entire testing history, understands and expects that students will take multiple ACTs or SATs and will show growth over time.
Does this mean we encourage students to go out and take the ACT twelve times? Absolutely not. We still find that most students do best taking the test 2-3 times. But it does take some of the anxiety out of the process, knowing that students’ scores are just another piece of their narrative, and that by and large, students can control how they share their testing story.
The bottom line? Test prep is a process. If you’re working with a tutor, they will help you find your sweet spot for the first ACT or SAT. More questions? Reach out to your director or contact us.
