How and Why To Take Just Two SATs or ACTs

Second time around.  No, I’m not talking about the 1979 Shalamar hit (awesome though it may be!).  I’m talking about standardized tests.  As an SAT and ACT tutor, I advise my students to plan on taking the test twice.  Studies show that students’ scores go up on their second attempt.*  In this article, I discuss when to schedule and how to prepare for a second standardized test.

ACT Tutor Tip One: Schedule First and Second Tests at the Same Time

First, get out your calendar.  Note every time the test that you’ve chosen to take is given during the next 12 months.  The College Board usually administers the SAT the first Saturday in June, October, November, and December.  It does so again the second Saturday in March and the last Saturday in August.   Feel free to factor in dates your school offers the test. 

Image by @erothermel on Unsplash

 The ACT typically occurs the second Saturday in February, April, June, July (except in New York State), September, and December, as well as the last Saturday in October. In an earlier blog piece, I discussed the importance of making sure you have at least 8-10 weeks to prepare prior to the first test.

When choosing your first test date, as an ACT tutor I recommend choosing a month that has a second test not more than two months away.  So, for example, I’d avoid taking my first SAT in December because the next one occurs in mid-March.   This plan would force me to keep my test-taking content and skills sharp for more than three months!  Likewise, as an ACT tutor who lives in New York State, I warn local students against taking their first ACT in June since the next isn’t offered until mid-September.

 As an online ACT tutor, I expect students to be at least 85% prepared when they take their first test.  We can work on the last 15% in between the first and second test.  But if that interval is too long, students lose steam – and valuable prep they accomplished before the first test.

ACT Tutor Tip Two: Perfect Test-Taking Strategy and Timing During the “Inter-Test” Period

As I mentioned above, you should be at least 85% prepared before sitting for your first SAT or ACT.  But what does that mean?  As an ACT tutor, 85% prepared means having full command of the content studied and taken at least two official, practice tests under actual test conditions. 

Most students will still need to review some tricky content and refine strategies after their first real tests. That’s where the last 15% comes in.  As an ACT tutor, I recommend taking at least one official practice test every other week in between the first and second real tests.  Luckily, there are plenty of official ACT tests to choose from. 

However, the College Board has released only six official practice tests (as of May 3, 2024, the date this blog was published).  If you took two practice digital SATs prior to your first test, that leaves just four official tests for the “inter-test” period.  Let’s say you didn’t heed ACT Tutor Tip One and picked a second test more than two months after the first.  You’ll now have to space those last four tests more than every other week apart.  You could also practice with the pre-2024 paper SATs, but since they differ in both timing and content, this is less than ideal.

ACT Tutor Tip Three: Postpone If You’re Not Prepared

As Robert Burns wrote almost 150 years ago, “The best-laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry.”  As an ACT tutor, I work with many students who planned to study diligently before their tests, but sports or illness got in the way.  Most families do not realize that you can change your registration date for the SAT and the ACT (scroll down to “Special Circumstances”) for free or a small fee.  Some colleges want to see every single score you earned.  Much better to wait until you’re prepared than take a test and flop. 

Image by @hannahbusing on Unsplash

ACT Tutor Conclusion: Two’s a Charm

On rare occasions, you might sit for a third test, but don’t expect to see big score increases after that.  (For example, one of my former SAT students sought a higher superscore.  After studying just for the Reading and Writing sections, he obtained his desired superscore with his third try.)  By following the ACT Tutor Tips on planning, preparation, and postponement above, you should only need to take the SAT or ACT twice – leaving you more time for FUN!          

*Image by Mike Bergin at www.chariotlearning.com, showing change in students’ ACT scores between tests. Clearly, for most students, the biggest gain in test scores occur between the first and second time they take it.