Benefits of Taking SAT Early in High School Years

Three weeks from today is the registration deadline for the August 24th SAT exam, and it’s not just rising high school seniors who are planning for that date.  Many teens who are preparing to start their sophomore or junior year are already registered for the summer SAT exam in order to reap the benefits of starting early.

Students know that they can take the SAT as many times as they want and (most) colleges will never know how many times they have taken the test.  When the time comes for students to submit their scores to colleges, they can choose their highest scores, often even “super-scoring” (mixing and matching) so colleges consider their best Math score from one test and their best Reading/Writing score from another test.

Another advantage to students who start taking the SAT early is that their first test can serve as a baseline, indicating what areas they need to hone. Then, as students practice for subsequent tests, either on their own or with the help of a private tutor or prep course, they can get measurable results and track their improvement.  It’s also a good idea to get that first SAT experience, which is likely to be stress-ridden, out of the way so students can be a bit more relaxed at future sittings.

Students can also use early SAT scores to influence their choice of high school courses.  Those struggling in Math would want to get through Algebra I and II early in their high school years, as a substantial portion of SAT Math questions are related to Algebra. If weaknesses in reading comprehension or grammar are resulting in low scores on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing sections, students can likewise choose classes to strengthen these literary skills.

Most students continue taking the SAT several times during their high school years as their scores are critical not only regarding college acceptance, but also in the allocation of scholarship money.  Colleges know that the SAT is the one level playing field on which they can compare all applicants who hail from a wide range of educational environments, so the scores carry significant weight in the admissions process. 

Taking the SAT early can give all students, regardless of their academic strengths or weaknesses, the time and motivation needed to improve their scores so they can greatly increase their chances of getting accepted into their college of choice – hopefully with scholarship money to help foot the bill.

Susan Alaimo is the founder of SAT Smart. For the past 25 years, SAT Smart’s Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362.