Frequently Asked Questions on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT Tests

The SAT is a national college admission examination that consists of subject area tests in Mathematics, Reading, Writing and Language (which includes an optional essay). SAT results are accepted by all U.S. colleges and universities. Actual testing time is 3 hours and 50 minutes (including the essay).

The ACT is a national college admission examination that consists of subject area tests in English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional essay. The ACT is an alternative to the SAT, and results are accepted by all U.S. colleges and universities. Actual testing time is 3 hours and 35 minutes (including the essay).

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With recent changes to the SAT in March 2016, the tests have become more similar in content, format, and strategy. The ACT tests a broader range of material than the SAT (in some ways it is similar to the SAT Subject Tests) and some students perform better on it than they do on the SAT. Almost all colleges will accept either SAT or ACT scores, so taking the ACT in addition to the SAT can give you another shot at improving your odds. If you do poorly on the ACT you can simply choose not to report your score. (Make sure that you don’t sign up to send your score to any college automatically).

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This depends on where you are in your high school career, whether you will need to take any SAT Subject Tests, and your own personal test preparation schedule. The following are the three most popular times for students to prepare:

1. Summer before junior year: There are many advantages to preparing at this point if you have completed the necessary coursework to attempt the tests early. First, you will have the benefit of specialized preparation for each SAT/ACT that you take. In addition, many students who start early will build on their testing knowledge and increase their comfort with the test as they progress. Also, for some students, the most important reason for preparing before junior year is simply to use some of the free time over the summer. But remember, this option is not best for everyone. Fall tests are generally taken by seniors. If you will be a junior, and you believe you may test well on the PSAT for National Merit, we recommend that you prepare in the summer before junior year.
2. Leading up to spring of junior year: This is when most students will take the SAT or ACT for the first time. The April ACT/May SAT test is the most popular tests of the year. The June is the third most popular. Spring of junior year is when many students are academically prepared and still have the opportunity to retake the test in the coming summer or fall.
3. Summer before senior year: Although college application deadlines are right around the corner, preparing for the SAT/ACT in the summer or fall of the senior year is very popular. The July or September ACT/ August or October SAT tests provide students with near-final results when applying to colleges. However, students may still take the tests in December for college admissions and scholarship consideration. Refer to actstudent.org or collegeboard.com for the most up-to-date information on test dates in your state.

Many students and parents are under the impression that repeating the SAT/ACT is not a good idea. They often feel that multiple scores will ‘look bad’ or that good scores will merely be averaged with weaker scores. Both points are incorrect. First of all, you have the ability to submit your highest scores. If you have taken the ACT multiple times, ACT will only send colleges the score from the date you specify.

In addition, all colleges use students’ highest scores in evaluating their applications. They choose the highest scores in one of two ways. Some schools combine the highest English, Math, Reading or Science scores from one test date with the highest English, Math, Reading or Science scores from another test date. If that’s the case, then you can send multiple test results (if you have taken the ACT multiple times) to that school. Other schools take the highest composite score from a single test date. Ask your college counselor or call a college directly to find out the school’s policy. In no case, however, is repeating the test detrimental. Most students now take the SAT and ACT two or three times, which is adequate for a well-prepared test-taker.

Only if you request and pay for it, and you can get it only for the December, April and June ACT test dates and the March, May and October test dates. If you sign up for any of these test dates, Seeley Test Pros recommends getting a copy of your test. You will receive a copy of your exam about 4-6 weeks after your test date, and it can be useful in helping you assess what you did right and wrong. For any other test date, there is no way to obtain a copy of your exam.