When should my son or daughter prep for the SAT?
We advise that students should prep over the summer before their junior year for the PSAT/SAT.  This schedule generally allows students to prep during a low-stress time since they are not in school with the burden of homework and other school-year obligations.  Our students would then return for a Mock Test in October, then take the PSAT in late October, then take another Mock test to practice for their first try at the SAT in November or December. 

How many times should a student take the SAT?
Students should plan to take the SAT at least two or three times.  There is no limit to the number of times students can take the test, and many upper-tier schools are looking for at least two administrations of the test from students. 

What about the ACT?
The ACT is a measure used by many colleges and universities to assess candidates, and is in fact more widely accepted than the SAT.  The scoring on the ACT is based on accrued points from correct answers; students are not penalized for incorrect answers (wrong answers on the SAT result in a ¼ point deduction from the student’s raw score).

Should my son or daughter take the ACT?
It makes good sense to take the ACT for a number of reasons: 

• Students often score very well on this measure,
• The scores do not have to be reported to the student’s high school and become part of the student's file,
• The ACT tests students on math, verbal, and science rather than simply math and verbal, and
• The ACT also provides students with the opportunity to take a standardized test in a proctored environment, so it is good practice for the stress of the SAT.