when are you 'supposed' to take the SATs and the ACT, like what age?

[acidvoodoo]

ye, just a simple one.

i'm a US cit. living in england, with entire british highschool education etc, but i plan to try and go to college in america. So i just found out that the US military radar base has a high school and I can take these 2 tests there. So, when would you take them in the US? i am in my 3rd to last year now (would be 10th grade i think). I have a gut feeling that i would take the SAT at the start of next year, but i'm not sure. i'm gonna get in contact with them too find out for sure, but i'm just asking you lot to get a general idea.

-thankyou

 

[CJZ]

I think this is the schedule recommended:

PSAT -- Grade 11
SAT and ACT -- Grade 11 or at the start of Grade 12

 

[acidvoodoo]

k, i found a contact number for the place i need to go to on act.org, i'll give the guy a ring later this year

 

[HokieESM]

It really depends on your ability... and how "high" you're aiming. The SAT and ACT only cover math through geometry (technically).... but its not "traditional" questions (and its multiple choice), so definitely familiarize yourself with the test. Verbal skills tend to improve with age/reading (really more a function of how much you read than anything else).... so later is probably best.

In the states, most colleges want their applications by January 1 of your senior (last) year of high school. So I would definitely take it the LAST time in like October of my final year. But it won't hurt you to take it an extra time (say April of your next to last year).

Just to give you an idea--because of a special program for academically gifted students, I took it every year from seventh to eleventh grade (we have 12, btw). I saw "roughly" 100 point improvement every year in the overall score (which, given my score breakdown, meant my verbal score went up 100 points for the final three years).

Practice won't hurt ya. I would take them a couple times, if you can afford to take them (they're relatively inexpensive here).... and DEFINITELY buy you a couple books before you take the test to familiarize yourself with the types of questions that are on the test.

Best of luck!

 

[Vortex22]

I took the SAT in 10th and 11th grade, and ACT in 11th.
I did best on the SAT in 10th.

It's a good idea to take them early so you will have time to retest if you arent satisifed with your scores.

 

[ed21x]

buy '10 Real SATs' and start taking those tests to familiarize yourself with the test. after that, take the test at around 16-17 year of age, up to the October prior to submitting your college application, and cap it off at 3 times.

 

[gopunk]

i think most people take them in their junior year

but i don't think it is that hard... you could probably take it freshman year

 

[DoNotDisturb]

early as possible.

 

[wfbberzerker]

generally you take them towards the end of your junior year in high school, but it might be a good idea to take them earlier as DoNotDisturb said, so if you dont get a very good score, you still have time to take them again.

 

[acidvoodoo]

they're all multiple choice then? ye, i better practice, as all standardized tests here are writing, I.E i did a practice english language exam the other day and wrote 6 pages lol.
So, i don't think i'll take it this school year, as i've got very important exams in May which i need to focus on. I guess i'll try and take it in september of this year,which is give me summer to prepare for it, and maybe again the following year, i guess i'll see how it goes the first time. Do you do SAT 1 and SAT 2 the same day? or are they completly different?
Pricewise, it's isn't 'that' bad, 41 dollars, though if i do well it's worth it to be able to stick it on college aps. don't they help you get scholorships?

OH, and the act, do you only do it once? don't colleges prefer you to put one of the other down anyway?

thanks for this info

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo
they're all multiple choice then? ye, i better practice, as all standardized tests here are writing, I.E i did a practice english language exam the other day and wrote 6 pages lol.
So, i don't think i'll take it this school year, as i've got very important exams in May which i need to focus on. I guess i'll try and take it in september of this year,which is give me summer to prepare for it, and maybe again the following year, i guess i'll see how it goes the first time. Do you do SAT 1 and SAT 2 the same day? or are they completly different?
Pricewise, it's isn't 'that' bad, 41 dollars, though if i do well it's worth it to be able to stick it on college aps. don't they help you get scholorships?

OH, and the act, do you only do it once? don't colleges prefer you to put one of the other down anyway?

thanks for this info

You do the ACT and SAT up to twice a year, and colleges take your best score. Some colleges want the ACT, some the SAT, some either. I never took the Sat 2, but as I recall you took them on different days. You definitely want to get some practice tests and, well, practice. Get a timer and give yourself the exact amount of time the test requires, and take the entire thing straight through with a couple 10 minute breaks, and a half hour break for lunch. You get tired towards the end so its good to get used to it.

You can take the tests as early as you want, and its good to take them in 10th grade if you can because that leaves two more years you can take the test if you're not happy with your first score. BTW, if you check the box on the SAT/ACT that says "send my scores to colleges" be prepared for a flood of brochures about different colleges. It's not a bad thing, just make sure you have something large to put them all in.

 

[acidvoodoo]

Originally posted by: KingNothing

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo
they're all multiple choice then? ye, i better practice, as all standardized tests here are writing, I.E i did a practice english language exam the other day and wrote 6 pages lol.
So, i don't think i'll take it this school year, as i've got very important exams in May which i need to focus on. I guess i'll try and take it in september of this year,which is give me summer to prepare for it, and maybe again the following year, i guess i'll see how it goes the first time. Do you do SAT 1 and SAT 2 the same day? or are they completly different?
Pricewise, it's isn't 'that' bad, 41 dollars, though if i do well it's worth it to be able to stick it on college aps. don't they help you get scholorships?

OH, and the act, do you only do it once? don't colleges prefer you to put one of the other down anyway?

thanks for this info

You do the ACT and SAT up to twice a year, and colleges take your best score. Some colleges want the ACT, some the SAT, some either. I never took the Sat 2, but as I recall you took them on different days. You definitely want to get some practice tests and, well, practice. Get a timer and give yourself the exact amount of time the test requires, and take the entire thing straight through with a couple 10 minute breaks, and a half hour break for lunch. You get tired towards the end so its good to get used to it.

You can take the tests as early as you want, and its good to take them in 10th grade if you can because that leaves two more years you can take the test if you're not happy with your first score. BTW, if you check the box on the SAT/ACT that says "send my scores to colleges" be prepared for a flood of brochures about different colleges. It's not a bad thing, just make sure you have something large to put them all in.

how long does the test take?do you do all the 4 sections in one go?(for the ACT that is), what about the SAT, whats that like in length?

 

[shopbruin]

gosh seems like forever since i took those tests.

PSAT: 10th grade to practice, 11th grade for real.
SAT: 11th grade took one SAT, then took SAT II's in june. looked at the scores, decided didn't need to take SAT II's again, concentrated on SAT's.
then in 12th grade i took the SAT's in october and novemeber and i think december again.

generally most people take them their junior year. each test takes about three hours. you can't leave early. (which sucks) it is all in one sitting. in the US they're held on a saturday morning, at 8am.

look at the schools you want to apply at, see which tests they want, and also if they want the SAT II's.

 

[acidvoodoo]

oohhh, looks like there is SAT 1 in march, 27th. I may look into taking that. My important exams for my british education aren't till may/june, and i've completed most coursework alraedy, so i'd have time to practice and prepare for that date. I'll look into it

 

[pennylane]

i took the PSAT in 10th and 11th
the SAT in 10th and 11th (though my friends took it in 12th as well)
the ACT would be about the same time. i didn't take that one

i'm senior in high school (grade 12)

 

[zippy]

SAT - I took it in May of my Junior year - I wish I had taken it in January or March of my Junior year because of some conflicts in May, but oh well, it worked out fine.
SAT2s (subject based standardized tests, like Chemistry, World History, Literature, etc.) - I took 3 on June of my Junior year (writing, physics, and Math2C) and 1 after freshman year (bio))
SAT2 - I retook writing in September of my senior year and bumped up my score 140 points

Anyway, that is what I did. I didn't bother with the ACT because I did very well on my SATs and SAT2s and the schools I applied to didn't really care too much about the ACTs.

 

[acidvoodoo]

Originally posted by: zippy
SAT - I took it in May of my Junior year - I wish I had taken it in January or March of my Junior year because of some conflicts in May, but oh well, it worked out fine.
SAT2s (subject based standardized tests, like Chemistry, World History, Literature, etc.) - I took 3 on June of my Junior year (writing, physics, and Math2C) and 1 after freshman year (bio))
SAT2 - I retook writing in September of my senior year and bumped up my score 140 points

Anyway, that is what I did. I didn't bother with the ACT because I did very well on my SATs and SAT2s and the schools I applied to didn't really care too much about the ACTs.

so, for SAT 2, you choose a certain number of subjects to specificly take tests for?

 

[shopbruin]

Originally posted by: acidvoodoo

Originally posted by: zippy
SAT - I took it in May of my Junior year - I wish I had taken it in January or March of my Junior year because of some conflicts in May, but oh well, it worked out fine.
SAT2s (subject based standardized tests, like Chemistry, World History, Literature, etc.) - I took 3 on June of my Junior year (writing, physics, and Math2C) and 1 after freshman year (bio))
SAT2 - I retook writing in September of my senior year and bumped up my score 140 points

Anyway, that is what I did. I didn't bother with the ACT because I did very well on my SATs and SAT2s and the schools I applied to didn't really care too much about the ACTs.

so, for SAT 2, you choose a certain number of subjects to specificly take tests for?

SAT 2 you ideally take three tests. you usually will take writing, math 1 or 2, and then a third test of your choice. some of you NERDS take both math 1 and 2. i took a subject that i was the strongest in. i know spanish speakers who'll take the spanish listening test and get an 800.

 

[Anubis]

usially junior year in HS or beginning of senior year

 

[Sukhoi]

Don't both with the SAT IIs unless you specifically need them. Most colleges don't want them, and the ones that do will tell you what subject they want.