It’s better to begin early than late to prep for the SAT and ACT
Over the years, I have heard so many parents say that they wished that they would’ve had their kids start preparing earlier. In my experience, the parents start seeing their kids gain confidence and see real improvements in the scores, and they wonder how much better their kids could’ve done if they had had more time.
Starting early has several advantages
First, it gives students an opportunity to become more comfortable with the test and understand what skills and concepts are being emphasized. Second, it gives students more time to review math and grammar concepts that need to be refreshed or reinforced. Third, starting early gives students more time to learn pacing strategies and get used to working under a time crunch. Fourth, it gives students more time to improved their reading comprehension and vocabulary. Fifth, it gives students more time to take the test more than once.
When to start
Ideally, you should early in their 10th grade year or in the Summer before. This gives students time to prepare for their sophomore PSAT which is in October. Also, beginning at this time is more relaxed because there is very little pressure so it’s easier to focus on the underlying skills that the tests are measuring.
If you aren’t able to begin during the 10th grade year, you still have enough time to begin early in the Fall of their junior year. This gives you a chance to prep for the October PSAT and later Fall SATs or ACTs, as well as tests in the Spring. This gives you a chance to focus your strategies on multiple tests which you can assess and use to set final goals.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this post or prep in general. Also, here is a link to a timeline from Khan Academy that might be helpful:
