Timing is everything, which means there is a right time to sit for the SAT & ACT (usually as early in 11th grade as makes sense) and a right time to prep–usually 2-4 months in advance of your target test date. That doesn’t mean the years and months before you officially commit to prep don’t matter. On the contrary, college entrance exams evaluate critical reading, writing, and math skills developed through elementary and secondary schooling. The core skills that drive academic excellence also provide the foundation for superior test scores.
So what should students be doing before they really commit to test prep?
1. READ REGULARLY
Reading, as many of us heard relentlessly while growing up, is fundamental. The ability to understand what you read quickly and efficiently, regardless of topic or style, may be one of the most important success skills in any field. Yet, many teens put off reading–or, rather, engage in a very superficial form of it–until their reading skills are put to the test.
Rest assured, the SAT & ACT will put those skills to the test, so focus on improving them the easiest and most enjoyable way possible: read the written text of your choice at least 15 minutes a day. Long-term reading practice using level-appropriate texts will foster stronger comprehension, speed, and vocabulary recognition. At the same time, reading helps cultivate an ear for properly-written English, which is also required for testing success.
RESOURCE: A steady diet of the right reading material should be all a person needs to cultivate a college-level vocabulary. However, if you need to jump start that process or just love language, subscribe to the free Roots2Words Word of the Day.
2. UNDERSTAND MATH
The SAT and ACT both test arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics topics taught over the full extent of a teen’s academic career. Don’t expect to cram ten years of math in a few weeks!
Plus, the exams really focus on conceptual understanding and advanced problem solving skills, which means paying adequate attention in math class is not enough. Students looking for the highest test scores need to really focus on understanding math on a deep level and finding ways to apply familiar concepts to unfamiliar scenarios. Plus, the SAT currently demands a higher level of Algebra 2 mastery than ever before, and the ACT tests an incredibly broad range of math concepts and skills.
The only way to maintain a holistic math mastery is to stay connected to math, even the concepts you are not actively studying. How you do that is up to you, but math competitions, logic games, and other recreational problem solving challenges can definitely help.
RESOURCE: Mathchops is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to relearn all the math you’ll need for the tests and develop stronger problem solving skills before hitting practice SAT & ACT material.
3. PLAN AHEAD
You might not be actively prepping now, but the time for preparation will come. Make sure that time arrives on your terms. If you start this process early enough, you can target the optimal time during 11th grade to test. Look at the calendar from July to June and consider all the big commitments–sports, clubs, trips, AP exams, etc.–that will demand your attention on top of academics. Seek out the season where your commitments will be lightest so that you can give prep and testing the attention they deserve. Tackling this process at the right time is one of the surest ways to lock in your best performance when it counts!
RESOURCE: Lots of critical factors go into choosing the right time to take the SAT or ACT. Understand them more fully by listening to this expert discussion of the question, “When should you take the SAT or ACT?” on the Tests and the Rest podcast (which is also a terrific resource).
Mike Bergin