When should my child start preparing for the SAT/ACT?

I get this question from a lot of parents.

What makes it difficult to answer is that the best time to begin preparing varies from student to student.

All students have different goals, different academic strengths and weaknesses, and even different personalities that are at play when considering the ideal time to begin preparing.

Let’s start with an average college-bound student who (1) plans to attend a standard four-year college, (2) has decent grades, and (3) is willing to work to improve his SAT/ACT score. I would recommend this student begin prepping during the summer between his sophomore and junior year. That way he has at least one full year (closer to one and a half years) of good prep before applying to colleges. That is more than enough time for the vast majority of students. Plus, he is starting in the summer, when he will have the most time to devote to focused prep. Makes sense, right?

Let’s take a look at another student: the high achiever. She (1) plans to attend a top-tier school, (2) is at the top of her class academically, and (3) is willing to do whatever it takes to get into the school of her choice or to earn a full-ride scholarship. I would recommend that this student begin prepping sometime during the spring semester of her sophomore year.

“Earlier than the average student?” you ask.

Yes. Because she has a real shot at a National Merit Scholarship (earned on the PSAT in October of her junior year). If she begins prepping in January (during the spring semester of her sophomore year), she will have over 9 months to prep for what could be the single most important test of her life. Scoring in the top ½% of all students nationwide will result in full-ride scholarship offers from all over the country. ( A list of schools that automatically offer full scholarships to National Merit Scholars can be found HERE.). Even elite schools that don’t automatically offer full scholarships to these students (including the Ivies) still smile upon recipients of the National Merit Scholarship during their admissions selection process.

On top of all that, any prep she does for the PSAT translates directly to the SAT (and to a significant degree, the ACT).

What about the other end of the spectrum? How about a struggling student who (1) wants to attend a four-year university, (2) has below-average grades and major gaps in her reading, writing, and math skills, but (3) is willing to work hard to achieve more. She would probably benefit from some subject-specific tutoring (like algebra I, algebra II, geometry, reading, or writing) at ANY point – even freshman year – before jumping into SAT/ACT prep. Whatever subject-specific tutoring she receives will likely improve her grades, build her skill set, and increase the likelihood that any future SAT/ACT prep will be fruitful. Once grades and skill gaps are sorted out, the summer between sophomore and junior year (or some time shortly thereafter) remains a good time to begin.

Well, that covers about 95% of college-bound students. If your child does not fit into any of the categories described above, or if you have any other questions/concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at tooheycollegeprep@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading.