<p>S#1, ACT 4 times (2x in middle school for a GT program and 2x in high school) and PLAN in 10th grade. PSAT and SAT 1x.
S#2, ACT 2x, PLAN in 10th grade. PSAT but no SAT.</p>
<p>Both Ds took the PSAT twice and the SAT twice. D1 raised her SAT 70 points on the retake. D2 raised it 270 points on the retake. For both the only prep was some self-study of commercial prep books. D2 took the ACT once. D1 did not take the ACT. Both girls got into highly selective colleges.</p>
<p>I only recall S taking the PSAT once, junior year. He did no discernable prep and got a 230-something.</p>
<p>He took the SATs twice, again with no discernable prep. he got virtually the same score both times 800/800 CR, 720/730 M, and 780/??? W. He insisted on taking them again because he was unhappy with his math score, having got an 80 on that section of the PSAT, but he did no prep with predictable results. :)</p>
<p>S1: SAT - 7th grade for Duke TIP
SAT - March of Jr. yr.
SAT -Oct. Sr. yr. </p>
<p>S2: SAT-March of Jr. yr.</p>
<p>Both took PSAT 9th,10th,11th grades…sch. system pays for every h.s. student to take it 3 times.
Neither S had any type of SAT prep, tutoring or practice tests…except taking the PSAT.</p>
<p>(PSAT twice, SAT once, ACT once, 2-3 subject tests once) x 3 kids.
All tests were taken in junior year (soph. year for the youngest, who graduated a year early), so there was time to retake if needed (ended up all doing fine on the first try).</p>
<p>Took the PSAT three times, in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades–my school pays for freshman and sophomores to take it but NOT juniors, for some strange reason. Cold, always. My scores went up, but I suspect that was a natural maturing thing.</p>
<p>I took the SAT once in March of junior year, with no prep, and then again in June. Not so much with the studying–I got a little lazy. I did do some math practice tests (was trying for an 800 in that section; ironic, really) and looked over AcademicHacker’s essay guide. My score went up 100 points, mostly on the virtue of me knowing how to write the essay.</p>
<p>I took my three SAT IIs once each; I was more than satisfied with my scores on those No ACT for me.</p>
<p>Son took the PSATs twice, the SATs thrice, the ACTs twice (once w/o writing, once with) and three SAT IIs. Did not take any prep classes and did no real prep for any of them, but was able to raise his “superscore” on the SAT by 210 and the ACT by one. This is like Xiggi’s method, just more expensive (though less expensive than test prep classes).</p>
<p>D1: PSAT in 10th and 11th (no prep…never heard of prepping for PSAT until I read CC!)
SAT in March and May of 11th…prepped, also raised score a lot between 2 sittings</p>
<p>D2: never took the PSAT because when planned to take it in 10th, we had to go out of town due to family emergency so she missed it. Then, decided she wanted to graduate HS a year early, sooo…
SAT in March and May of 10th…prepped thru practice tests, raised score a lot between 2 sittings.
Never took PSAT in 11th as she was done w/ testing and couldn’t imagine sitting for PSAT when all done with SATs! </p>
<p>My preference (which aligns with what my kids chose to do) is TWO sittings of the SAT in JUNIOR year and to be hopefully done testing by the end of that year. However, that could leave fall of senior year if a retest is truly necessary. I would not see any point to ever taking the test more than three times, though ideally two should suffice if one does some prep. My kids never took the ACT. </p>
<p>(in 7th and 8th grades, they did to the SAT for JHU/CTY…no prep)</p>
<p>First 2 kids took/will take PSAT twice, ACT once, SAT once. (Youngest hasn’t started the process yet.) They were satisfied with their scores, which were not always stellar, but judged good enough. D took a basic 4 sessions SAT review/strategy class, got 2060 and 33. S looked at the ACT prep book I bought him, got a 31. The only reason he’s taking the SAT in March is so he can qualify for a corporate NM scholarship from H’s company.</p>
<p>Both kids took PSAT in 10th and 11th grade (standard for school), neither studied, both did better the second time. Both took the SAT in March of junior year. Oldest son retook it in May to try to get writing score over 700. Didn’t and didn’t worry about it. (He irregularly attended a remarkably useless, even harmful Kaplan course - that never marked up an essay and gave him zeros or ones for essays scores - nothing like the 9’s and 10’s he got before and after the course.) Younger son planned to retake it in June, but didn’t like one of his subject test scores from May so he took subject tests again in June. He retook SAT in October of senior year. He didn’t study much for the retake. Both kids scores improved slightly the second time. My oldest never did as well as his second PSAT score total though.</p>
<p>S1: PSAT: once, in 11th grade (did not know that it had any purpose other then preparing for SAT!).
SAT: twice, at urging of GC.
SATIIs: took three, one of which was taken twice.</p>
<p>S2: Took the SAT in 7th grade for CTY.
PSAT: Once in 10th grade (to graduate early).
SAT: once, in 10th grade.
SATIIs: took three, once, one in 9th grade and two in 10th grade.</p>
<p>S1: PSAT 9th and 10th w/no prep, minimal review for 11th, NMF
SAT March junior year (one-and-done)</p>
<p>S2: PSAT 9th and 10th w/no prep, minimal review for 11th, 218 PSAT but not NMSF
SAT March junior year (had the W and CR scores been reversed, would have been one-and-done)
SAT June junior year (wanted to get CR closer to PSAT CR), went up 30 CR, 60 M</p>
<p>Each took three SAT-IIs. No retakes. S2 was finished with exams by the end of junior year. We were very grateful because he would have had no time for them fall of senior year. School system has all students take the PSAT in 9th-11th.</p>
<p>Used the Blue Book and focused on sections where they missed problems, did 1-2 full exams for endurance, and did a couple practice essays to make sure they could write one in 25 minutes.</p>
<p>well, if you are paying for it yourself, it would be totally your decision. if someone else is paying for it, i would think they would have some say in the matter.</p>
<p>results of the first test would also impact how many times one took the test. if you made a pretty awesome score on the first try, then no need to prep and test again. if not … </p>
<p>my kid took the SAT once and the ACT a few times.</p>
<p>DD took PSAT 3 times (school required it for freshman, sophomores and Juniors for real)
SAT twice (march junior yr score 2030, september senior year score 2130)
ACT once - score 35
No preparation classes, only SAT question of the day (for a bit) and a SAT prep CD that never was used.
Made NMF, is going to the college of her choice and has some merit aide coming her way.
Parents can not complain</p>
No ACT for me.</p>