<p>Many kids took the PSAT as a 10th grader, so the fall of junior year isn’t their first time.</p>
<p>Also, studying for the SAT and studying for the PSAT are the same – prep for one is prep for the other. AND, if you’re studying in the summer (because there’s more time for extra test prep than there is during the school year), it seems natural to take it at the first time offered in the fall.</p>
<p>Some people prefer the fall because of spring activities/sports or because spring of the junior year seems full of other tests – APs and SAT Subject Tests. </p>
<p>ALSO, if you want to test again to improve your scores, it’s nice to have spring of junior year as an option so you’re not doing that fall of senior year when it’s time to be doing applications. :-)</p>
<p>Taking SAT earlier may not be a good idea for boys, as some of them are not as mature as girls and don’t feel the urge to do their very best. Then again, they may be never ready in high school and hopefully the colleges see that difference between genders.</p>
<p>At our last school our counselors (very good at college counseling) insisted that juniors not take the SAT until the spring - every year a few would sign up for the January test and the parents would get the same lecture - that the difference in learning between Jan and May was substantial and it was better to wait. Of course if you know your child has conflicts with later dates then it would be the only option.</p>
<p>D1 took the first SAT I test in Mar then again in June (or May). We think it was too much for her with all other subject and AP tests, not to mention school finals. For D2, with our counselor’s recommendation, we will try to do SAT I in Dec (or Jan) and last one in Mar. It is optimal to finish all testings by end of Junior year in order to focus on applications and essays senior year.</p>
<p>D’10 took the SAT1 In March and May of her junior year. In between, in April, she took the ACT, and did incredibly well ( composite score was 33), way higher than either of her 2 SATs. In the end, she only submitted the ACT. It is “rumored” around here that girls sometimes do better on the ACT, and that was true in her case. Just something to think about as you are making these plans…I agree it’s great if you can get all the testing done by the end of junior yr.</p>
<p>S’12 is definitely a late bloomer, so I am in no rush to sign him up right now and will wait for next spring.</p>
<p>My 2011, 2012 and 2014 kids all started taking the SAT and ACT in middle school as part of an academic talent search. It does become more comfortable with practice so that might be a reason to test sooner. Both S2011 and S2014 will be taking the ACT next Saturday. 2010 is only taking it again because he’s never taken it with writing. He says, "no problem. I’ll be able to get the 30+ and 30+ English/writing (what he needs for a merit scholarship at the school of his choice). 2014 won’t be taking it with writing but plans to beat 2011’s score since he was only 1 point below his brother’s latest score when he took the test last fall. All of them have found the ACT easier than the SAT- too bad since the National Merit scholarships depend on PSATs rather than the PLAN or ACT. 2012 needs to start studying for the PSAT. We’ll see if I can get her motivated after a year in S. America on exchange. I expect she will be mourning her easy life where the drinking age was 16 and no one took academics too seriously.</p>
<p>Son is DONE with sophomore year! Whooppeee! I just turned the alarm off on my clock! Not all the grades have been put in yet but, it looks like the kid pulled off a decent semester, despite putting me through the ringer (late nights due to poor time management). Tomorrow he starts his summer SAT prep (since we will be away for 3 1/2 weeks during the summer). He is taking the SAT for the first time this October (although he did take the SAT 2 Math last Saturday).
So relieved to be done…both of us are!</p>
<p>… .the difference in learning between Jan and May was substantial and it was better to wait…</p>
<p>What could they be learning between Jan and May or Fall and Spring for that matter that’s relevant for SAT? Math portion should be about the same. Reading and writing? Or is it just developmental?</p>
<p>My son has already had all the math that is on the SAT (he is taking AP Calculus this fall). I do believe that boys are less mature and possibly could benefit from taking the SAT later in their Junior year, however, since this is going to be such an intense year academically, my son’s best study opportunity is this summer. Since he will spend the summer prepping for the SAT and ACT, he will take the tests in October. We will see how he does to determine when to time more tests. The AP English Language teacher prides herself on raising the kids CR/W scores, in addition to giving them a solid base for College English. With this in mind, he may also repeat the SAT in June of his Junior year. I do agree, that the CR may improve later in the year simply due to maturity.</p>
<p>Well, today is the first day of summer vacation for D’12. It’s going to be a busy 10 weeks.<br>
1 week at pole vault camp
1 week family reunion
2 weeks on service trip
1 week vacation
1 week helping us move her brother to Wake Forest</p>
<p>Whew. Good thing she’s young. </p>
<p>D is a stronger student than her brother, but scored lower on the PSAT. So I’m torn regarding the schedule of her SATs. That’s something we’ll have to discuss this summer…whenever we get to see her. ;)</p>
<p>Pole vault camp?! That sounds really cool! My 2012 daughter has always wanted to try that. She’ll be at a tiny school next fall (300 students, just 11th and 12th), so I’m hoping she’ll be able to walk on to almost any sport they offer. Maybe she’ll finally get to try that. I just got her home from a year as an exchange student and she is already gone for a 4 day HOBY conference. I probably won’t really get to talk to her until I take her for the orientation at her new school in 10 days. I hope you get a chance to visit with your busy daughter.</p>
<p>Everyone of us would love to hear THAT from our kid in 2 years for helping him/her develop his/her uniqueness and bring the best out of him/her when he/she makes into his/her dream school.</p>
<p>What have you done to make that happen? Of course, it’s not only the tests that you helped him sign up for, nor are the camps or programs that you send her to. It’s the “best of you” that you helped to bring out of the kid.</p>
<p>We have 2 years to do that, 2 years, I didn’t say 1 year. So please share your wisdom and methods now. In 2 years, we are interested in hearing what schools your kid make into; but much more importantly, we’d love to hear what a “the best he can be and happy” kid you help develop. </p>
<p>Do I know what I need to do to help? No. But I’m sure some of you know a thing or two.</p>
<p>lake42ks, I have a son that just graduated and one that will graduate in 2012. The thank-yous may come in ways you don’t realize yet. At my older son’s graduation one of his teachers came up to me and told me that my son told her all year long what a great mom he thinks I am. That made me feel wonderful. At least he’s telling someone.</p>
<p>We didn’t look at a lot of schools. We tried to look at different types of schools, so he could get an idea of what size and what type of location he wanted. We started the summer before his junior year. I thought this was very helpful, because he knew what colleges were looking for before he started his junior year. Listening to the admissions folks helped him keep his academic focus for his junior year. Also, if there is a college they really like, see if there is a camp (athletic or academic) you can send them to on the school’s campus. My rising junior is heading soon to a soccer camp at a college he he’s interested in attending. My other son did the same thing at the college he will be attending. It’s just another way to see the school up close.</p>
<p>Testing - We all know that time goes fast. Kids are busy with school and extracurricular commitments. Make sure you know what tests the colleges your child is interested in wants and leave enough time to get them all done. It would be great to not have to take any tests senior year.</p>
<p>We also shared our finances with our son, showed him how much we saved for him and what we were comfortable affording.</p>
<p>I know this is just a start, but I hope it is helpful.</p>
<p>I have a S who is hs class of 2012. I have a D who is college class of 2013 - we went last weekend to her former dance studio’s annual recital. Afterwards she apologized to us, her parents, and especially to her younger brother, for making us attend dance recitals for 15 years! So in addition to thanks, sometimes we get apologies!</p>
<p>I am currently arranging college visits/tours for next week when we will be in NYC and Philly (for family events). I have booked us to visit Columbia and NYU in NYC and we will visit Penn in Philly and Muhlenberg in Allentown. This should get the college-thought processes started in my son, who has no clue as to what type, size, location school he wants. I was just reading about mumbling boys in the parent cafe section and laughing. My son is a pro mumbler! On the thanks issue…I don’t think that is forthcoming from my son for a really long time. My daughter’s though, have repeatedly thanked me (and DH)for all that I/we do. I think that it may take longer for my son to appreciate all his parents do for him.</p>
<p>Testing: We decided to push up the testing with D2 because she has already had all the math for the SAT and has been part of the Academic Talent Search for years (taking PSATs since middle school). English is her strength, and she is on a 4x4 schedule and will have done the equivalent of nearly one semester in English by the time of the test (which is about what most are at in January of their Junior year anyway.) We also wanted her to study hard for the SAT all summer long so that she was really ready for the PSAT because, based on PSAT scores, she has a good shot of at least getting a commended for the National Merit. Plus, she has varsity softball in the spring, at the same time she will have four A.P. tests and probably three Subject II exams. Its too much to worry about another test. Hopefully, with the program we signed her up for SAT prep this summer, she won’t have to retake, but if she does, she can do it in January.</p>
<p>Tours: We are heading out next week to see Yale, Wesleyan and Brown, where she is doing two weeks just to see what it is like to be away from home, on the East Coast, and in a college environment. She has already seen UCSB and UCLA and will see UC Irvine later this summer. She has seen and eliminated NYU and Boston Univ. She has seen and included Emerson and Harvard (saw it three times.) In the fall, I’m taking her to UC Berkeley (my alma mater) and that other school in Palo Alto (bleh). Next spring break, we are going to Northwestern and Univ. of Chicago. That will be it. We will be done by the end of her Junior year. I decided (again based on experience with the first one) not to wait until the summer before senior year and senior year to do tours.</p>
<p>Wow, chrissyblu, I envy how you have everything planned out. </p>
<p>All we can say at this point is that D has decided to take her first SAT (well, first since 7th grade) on Oct 9. Practicing for that should have carry-over benefits for the PSAT on Oct 13 (or is it the 20th?).</p>
<p>It would also be great if we could see a college or 2 this fall. Winter and spring are chaotic due to track.</p>
<p>DougBetsy - Our D will also be taking the SAT and PSAT in October. She starts SAT prep classes in July for two months so we are hoping these will help her prepare. She is an excellent student (4.0 through sophomore year) but not a great test taker. Her goal is to go to a college and ride horses (hunter/jumper) for a D1 school. Based on her current riding and showing level she has a pretty good shot at getting into a school for riding. She would like to major in journalism/fashion.</p>
<p>We have not planned any college visits yet, but may do some at Thanksgiving as she has a week off.</p>
<p>D1 will also take the SAT in October followed by the PSAT a week later. She will study for the SAT in August and Sept. Spring schedule is too busy with ECs and APs to add the SAT. Plus, if she wants to take it again, we want her to have options re scheduling.</p>
<p>With D’10, I several visits to colleges during the summer and fall, just to give her a feeling for the varieties of campus life ( small, big, urban, rural, etc.), and to get her mind awakened to the reality of it all. I will most likely wait until next spring to do the same with S’12…I know if I push things now, it will backfire. D was very clear tht she wanted to find a school that she could apply to early decision, with the hope of having it all done and behind her mid-senior year. S, of course, is the opposite…he says there’s no way he wants to do ED, so I am listening to that and giving him a bit more time to grow and develop. He’s made a lot of progress from 9th to 10th grade…hope it continues.</p>