When Should You Start ACT Prep?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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For most people, we recommend beginning your ACT studying during the

end of your sophomore year

or the summer between sophomore and junior year. That will give you enough time to get in the prep you need to take the ACT at the beginning of your junior year.

When should I start preparing for SAT and ACT?

Here's why: you need to be prepared to take the SAT or ACT in

the winter or spring of junior year

, and it's preferable to have 3-6 months to study before your first SAT or ACT test. Taking your first SAT or ACT earlier in your junior year gives you more time to schedule follow up tests, if necessary.

When should you take the ACT for the first time?

Students should take the ACT for the first time during

the fall or winter of their junior year of high school

, at the latest. This gives you an opportunity to overcome your first-time nerves and prepare for additional tests in the spring and summer of your junior year.

When should you take the SAT for the first time?

We recommend taking the SAT for the first time in

the spring of your junior year

so you'll have an opportunity to take it a second time in the fall of your senior year before college application deadlines if you decide to.

When should my child start preparing for ACT?

Most students should wait to take the SAT or ACT until

after Sophomore year

. Both the SAT and ACT test content that students don't learn until sophomore year, including Algebra II and Geometry. Most students shouldn't wait to take the SAT or ACT for the first time until the winter of Senior year.

Is 2 months enough time to study for the SAT?


Two to three months of studying

will put you right in the sweet spot for being well-prepared. You have just enough time to become an expert on the test and not let your grades suffer (especially if you're on summer break). But with this amount of time, it can be tough to stay focused.

Is 1 month enough to study for SAT?

Studying for the SAT

in a month is possible

, though it's recommended that you spend 10 to 20 hours per week over the course of two or three months prepping for the SAT.

What is the average ACT score for first time?

State % taking the ACT Average Score Alaska 38 20.1 Arizona 73 19 Arkansas 100 19.3 California

23


22.6

Can colleges see how many times you take ACT?

This means that, when you are sending scores to colleges, you have to choose which administration results you will send to them—and

schools will not be able to see what you got on any other ACTs

, or even if you took the ACT more than once.

Is 21 a bad ACT score?

A score of

21 is a little better than average

. It places you in the top 57th percentile nationally out of the 2 million test takers of the ACT entrance exam. … If a 21 isn't strong enough to get into your dream school, consider taking a test prep course to see if you can raise your score.

Which SAT date is the easiest?

Myth: The March SAT is the easiest SAT test date. Fact:

There's no such thing as “the easiest SAT test date

.” While it's true that some versions of the SAT are easier than others, it's completely false that some test dates are predictably easier than others.

Is taking the SAT 3 times too much?

In general, it is better to limit the number of times you take the SAT and spend more energy on resources to thoroughly prepare for each test date. From our experience, we would recommend students taking it

no more than three times or so

. … The final number is yours to decide, of course.

What is a good ACT score?

Getting a high ACT score can increase your chances of getting into selective colleges. In general, a good ACT score is

any score in or above the 75th percentile

— at least a 24. Students should aim to hit or exceed the middle 50% of ACT scores at their chosen colleges.

What is the average ACT score?

The composite score on the ACT ranges from 1 to 36. The national average composite score was

20.6

for the class of 2020, per recent data from the ACT organization. This number marks a slight dip from the prior year, when the composite score averaged 20.7 for the class of 2019.

Is the ACT harder than the SAT?

Section Summary:

Neither the SAT nor the ACT is harder than the other

– but each test benefits a different type of student. It's essential that you figure out which test is best suited for you, so that you can achieve the highest scores possible.

Does the ACT reuse tests?

Students on College Confidential are again reporting that they received recycled , but this time for the ACT. The entirety of the June 2016 test was originally administered in February 2015.

Juan Martinez
Author
Juan Martinez
Juan Martinez is a journalism professor and experienced writer. With a passion for communication and education, Juan has taught students from all over the world. He is an expert in language and writing, and has written for various blogs and magazines.