Going to be an interesting year, looks like the class of 2026 is going to be a strong class according to compass prep they are predicting the commended cut off to go up by two points this year!! Looks like you are good for MI but still will be a nail biter for you! Fingers crossed 
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Thanks. Yeah, a couple points higher would make it an easier 10 months. I was just reading on Compass Prep as well. His goal is Alabama, so hitting it is a big deal!
I would urge a momentâs reflection on this issue for the student and parent before making any decision on whether or not to prepare for the standardized tests, to fly blind and let it be what it will be, or just go TO. Depending upon the circumstances, I think any of those approaches are valid.
My first question would be what type / location of college is under consideration. On the tippy top of schools, they are moving (or have already moved) to test required. A few state flagships have moved to test required (UGA, GT, Auburn, and others). If any such school is a possibility, then serious consideration should be given to test preparation (or at least test format awareness).
For certain state flagships and other schools, a high test score can certainly make some of the decision aspects easier. See for example the current PennState EA thread. And, I suspect, that is especially true at some of the power state schools highly popular with out of state students (eg UVA, UNC, and UMich). Also, at some schools a test score can help qualify for automatic admission. See for example KU.
The majority of schools are likely truly test optional. If your child is focused on such schools as a group, then TO may very well make sense.
Then there are the test blind schools (eg UCs, CSUs, and UW). They donât care if you received a perfect score as they wonât see it even if you did.
Also, it is my understanding that even for som TO schools that some merit scholarships do require a score.
In the end, I believe that most schools would prefer to see a high score than a low score or no score, but for the majority of schools no score is not an end to the application process. See the class of 2025 thread where 2plustrioâs kiddo is rocking it!
I fully agree with you that for even those schools requiring a test the AOs spend nominal time one the score - either it clears whatever threshold they have or it doesnât (there may be some on the fringe that get a little deeper look if they are otherwise close to a cutoff). I donât think they spend time ogling a 1560.
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Apparently my daughters top school is test required but itâs pick your poison for the test- SAT, ACT, AP or IB. Hereâs to hoping she nails her AP tests or the ACT or pulls a 300 point gain off for the SAT 
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That said her number 3 top choice is test optional and has been for a decade. Her number 2 is test optional but rumored to be switching to required soon. Sigh.
She did not believe me that you need to prepare for this test. Now she believes me.
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The odds of my kid being willing to do any test prep are slim to none. I already asked her a couple of weeks ago and she said, âNo way. Not when Iâm taking 6 AP classes, Iâm gonna take 5 AP exams at the end of the year, and I have to do extracurriculars on top of all that. If you make me do test prep, too, Iâm totally going to burn out. Forget it.â
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Well Alabama is such a great choice for National merit finalists!! So I will have everything crossed your sonâs selection index holds!!
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Good luck to her on the SAT, having a study plan will help, it is never a bad thing to be motivated to do well on the SAT.
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Hey she knows what she can handle and that is ok!
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IMO, itâs a cost benefit analysis.
If your kid is taking a bunch of hard classes, clubs, sports and SAT prep is stressful, whatâs the cost vs the benefit.
D26 did a couple of practice tests to determine her readiness level and she was fine with that.
Sure, if she can handle a couple of hours studying for the actual SAT, that would be great but if itâs a gigantic stressful heavy lift, I personally dont think it matters that much.
Thatâs just my opinion based on what we experienced with D24 where her score probably had little impact on her college acceptance even though it was really good.
But every familyâs situation is different so Im not recommending or discouraging any specific action.
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I think we agree. It truly is a cost benefit analysis.
My only point is that a number (still relatively small) of schools are moving to test required or test recommended or test aware. So long as the student is aware of those schools and their requirements, then whatever they are comfortable with as far as test prep is great.
And as for test prep, if it is indeed done by the student, Iâm not advocating endless hours of prep. Likely the biggest hurdle is just being format aware - having done a sample test or two in the format and timing restrictions, understanding the type of questions and how they are phrased can mean a huge leap in scores from going in dry to having just a little practice.
Then, if they want additional practice, one can drill down into the questions that the student is missing. Clearly, that will likely take more time an effort.
As an aside, grammar has rules and a little review may quickly help that portion of the score if the student is routinely missing grammar questions. Reading, however, as I understand it, is largely baked in by the time the child is taking the ACT / SAT as a junior. Either they have been reading up to that point or not. Not a lot to cram for there.
Math can also be reviewed, but may take more or less time for different kids.
But, I think within a few practice tests and a few hours of review, the student will have a very good idea of where there score will likely fall.
In the end, it is stressful - no doubt about it. Good luck with the process!
Iâm not sure how different the new digital SAT is compared to the previous versions.
From what I remember, the math is easier to improve because you learn some âshortcutsâ to help you solve the problems faster.
The reading is about how to look for what question is being asked and then going through the choices to see the best match (I could be completely screweing this up )
And there are study guides for the grammar but itâs tedious and painfully boring, so unless you have the patience of a saint, good luck.
S26 PSAT score qualified for National Merit, which surprised us both considering he took the test blind/no prep at all. Recently registered for the SAT in March, and the second one sometime in the summer. He was accepted into National Honor Society (NHS) which we are very proud of considering itâs one of the most competitive clubs to get into at the school. We are looking forward to the upcoming holiday breaks!
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I hope thatâs true, but how do you know this? They will not set the commended level or state cutoffs for semifinalist level for months. Of course your sonâs SI could be so high for the state that it is a foregone conclusion.
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The reading is still there, but instead of a long, multi-paragraph essay, itâs a short paragraph with just one question. The question types seem about the same overall.
There is a lot of vocabulary now. A blank with a âbest wordâ question and those are very difficult to study for. There is a pretty big leap from PSAT to SAT it seems too. Words like verisimilitude and paucity. My son reads, but apparently not the right things.
Grammar is about the same and we were able to review rules and improve that. But it was just one or two rules to clarify, not all of it.
For the math, understanding how to use Desmos will help a ton.
I think your kid is not a first born? same situation here.
Well, still no scores. Other kids at the school got texts yesterday afternoon for results. Waiting for the new school day to start to get clarification from the counselor.
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That sucks!!! Hopefully you hear by the end of the day 
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Correct. D26 is the younger sibling. I also tried to get D24 to prep for the SAT and was met with quiet but firm and continual resistance. D24 was able to apply to some really great TO schools and is currently attending one that fits just right for her.
All 3 of our in state public universities are TO and D26 really really likes one of them so we one in the bag for sure since D26 will meet all of the schoolâs criteria for auto admission.
Right now, am hunting for additional schools for her to apply to. She wonât be applying to 20 colleges. I think itâll be more like 5-6, with most of them being public universities due to her preferred major at the moment.
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Well, my D26 was disappointed with her PSAT score â which was exactly the same as her PSAT10 last year (1350/national merit index score 205). Her August SAT score was slightly higher and we will see how she did on the Nov SAT next week. She takes the ACT at school this spring. She is another one that has flatly and repeatedly refused test prep (despite my pushing and willingness to pay for a tutor). Not sure how she expects to improve if she is unwilling to put in any work? But, hey, itâs not my test.
In other news: D26 is finishing up her fall sport with Sectionals tomorrow and had a very successful season overall. She tried out for and made a performance-based club at her school. She also just landed a volunteer position at a local hospital (a crazy process that required an application, resume, two recommendations and interview). Her mid-semester grades (with 4 AP classes) were 5 As and 2 Bs. Weirdly she has little homework and hardly studies, but seems to have found good life balance.
We need to start visiting colleges again. We did a couple over the summer when we were nearby for other reasons⊠but have not done any since the school year started.
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yes to the cost benefit analysis for test prep. I will probably enroll S26 in some kind of test prep, because it is likely that he will end up at a Southern public, where a higher score means lower cost. Also, our State tuition benefit, TOPS, is tied to ACT score.
But if we didnât have to chase the money and he could just apply to TO schools, I would likely not make him.
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