What do you think of this Junior year test taking schedule?

Test Preparation
#1

<p>(Condensed version at the bottom if you don't feel like reading the whole thing)</p>

<p>SAT I
Goal: 2300
Primary: Oct 9, 2010
If Needed: Mar 12, 2011</p>

<p>I'll be studying for the SAT this summer. I took a practice test cold yesterday and got a 1970, so I have some work to do. March would be a good time to take it again (if I don't reach my goal) because that would be after the Literature SAT and Math II SAT which might help keep me fresh the Reading and Math sections.</p>

<p>Literature SAT?
Goal: 750
Primary: Nov 6, 2010
If Needed: Jan 22, 2011</p>

<p>I'm not sure whether it's worth taking this yet, I'll take a practice test sometime to see if I can do well. I'd like to avoid retaking it since Jan 22 would be right around the time I have midterms.</p>

<p>Math II SAT
Goal: 800
Primary: Dec 4, 2010
If Needed: May 7, 2011</p>

<p>I already took this once and got a 750 with almost no studying, so my goal is an 800 here.</p>

<p>ACT
Goal: ??
Primary: Apr 10, 2011
If Needed: Jun 12, 2011</p>

<p>Biology SAT
Goal: 750
Primary: Jun 4, 2011
If Needed: Oct, 2011</p>

<p>US History SAT
Goal: 750
Primary: Jun 4, 2011
If Needed: Oct, 2011</p>

<p>I'm taking Biology and US History late because it's not until June that I would be done with these courses in school.</p>

<p>So basically my test schedule is....</p>

<p>October 9: SAT I (goal: 2300)
November 6: Literature SAT (goal: 750)
December 4: Math II SAT (goal: 800)
January: Midterms
January 22: Retake Literature SAT (if necessary)
March 12: Retake SAT I (if necessary)
April 10: ACT
May 7: Retake Math II SAT (if necessary)
June (up to June 7 or so): Finals
June 4: Biology SAT, US History SAT (goals: 750)
June 12: Retake ACT (if necessary)
October 2011: Retake Biology or US History SAT (if necessary)</p>

<p>I'll be taking all of these tests at least once. Ultimately, I want an 800 Math II SAT and another 750+ SAT II, although I'll still take Biology and US History if I reach my goals in Math and Literature.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

#2

<p>Why not do Math II and Lit in November? Lit, from what I gather (never taken it myself), is just essentially critical reading. I don't think too much prep is even possible.</p>

<p>Just so you know, that is a VERY loaded schedule. You're going to have a lot of work to do.</p>

#3

<p>Don't forget about the PSAT. You'll definitely want to take that on one of the qualifying test dates!</p>

#4

<p>Remote,</p>

<p>I was hoping to have ample time to study for Math so I could guarantee my best score, but if what you say about Literature is true, I suppose a month could be enough for both.</p>

<p>Is it really all that bad? I don't see how everyone else might do it. Some people take sophomore tests I guess (which I tried, and didn't reach either of my goals), or let it fall to senior year (though that would only give me one more date, November, right?), so it doesn't seem bad relative to what everyone else is probably going to be doing.</p>

<p>SimpleLife,</p>

<p>Ah, yeah I forgot about the PSAT. I believe my school gives that on October 13, so I'll be fresh off of studying for the SAT which should be enough to go for a good score for the NMSQT, right?</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies.</p>

#5

<p>Can you double-up on Lit and Math 2? Or are you thinking that you'll do better preparing for one at a time? (Lit, as you may know, is supposed to be a killer test. If you're not really good at that sort of thing, you may not want to take it. What about World History instead? Did you take AP World History last year?)</p>

<p>My son's test schedule was full, and he was fine with it, but he did not allow for re-takes (and did not feel the need to take any re-takes).
Oct PSAT
Nov SAT I
Dec Math 1 and World History
Jan Chemistry
Feb ACT
Jun Math 2 and US History</p>

<p>THAT was full enough. He didn't HATE doing it, but he was pretty sick of standardized testing come June!</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

#6

<p>@Caperi: Literature</a> Subject Test - SAT Subject Test in English Literature Practice Questions
That's a breakdown of the test. It's all MC about passages you read on test day, so essentially it's critical reading. Little preparation involved. Also, your SAT CR and Math prep will certainly make Math II and Lit easier. And in my opinion, if you're good in math and know how to use a calculator, Math II will be a breeze.
All that said, my personal opinion is to take both Lit and Math II in November. There's little benefit to doing them separately. Also, that leaves December open for a retake of either so January and May are freed up for other things.</p>

#7

<p>SimpleLife,</p>

<p>Strange, I've heard the opposite about Lit. One of my friends who doesn't strike me as being significantly better than I at English (which is not my strong point - 630 on the Reading section of the SAT that I took cold yesterday) took the SAT II this June (I don't know what he got yet), and he told me it didn't seem hard. And then I've noticed quite a few people got 800s on it in the June Results thread (though of course most CC members would make any test seem easy). I guess I'll see how I do on a practice test. </p>

<p>World History won't work out for several reasons that I don't feel like typing out. Long story short, I wouldn't be prepared for it. Chemistry I studied a ton for last year and only got a 680 in June, so I doubt that would go up at all, especially since I'll be taking Biology at the time. Physics I took freshman year, and I'll only be in Spanish III next year, so there isn't really anything else I could take.</p>

<p>I'm hoping I won't have to take retakes, though I'll probably end up taking one or two. I actually almost enjoy some standardized tests, so I should survive taking about one per month.</p>

<p>Remote,</p>

<p>Yeah that makes sense. It remains to be seen whether it's worth taking Lit in my case, but I'll take them together in November if I take both (perhaps AP exams in May then, though I haven't really looked into those, and I'll leave January open for midterms).</p>

#8

<p>It'd make your life a lot easier if you did both in November. Get a couple of practice tests under your belt and you should be fine. Good luck. =P</p>

#9

<p>Caperi,
Other than World History, I wasn't really suggesting any particular subjects. Whatever subjects you're good at (or prepared for) are the ones you should take. I was just outlining my son's junior year testing schedule because you were asking how other juniors manage it. I suggested W Hist only because sophomores tend to take that AP class and are therefore at least partially, if not fully, prepared for the SAT II.</p>

<p>I haven't ever taken the Lit test, and my son didn't take it. The only reason I said it's supposed to be a killer was because of what I've read here on CC over the last few years. </p>

<p>After checking out Remote's link, I think you may be right -- it may be easy-ish. I got all of the sample questions right, and I haven't had any English classes in 30 years! My son got all of them right, too. Hhhmmm. Maybe he should have taken that one ...</p>

<p>Anyway, a lot of CC posters seem to think that's a really hard test.</p>

<p>Good luck with whatever you end up doing!</p>

#10

<p>@SimpleLife: It's not that the test itself is too difficult, it's that the curve is generally pretty bad. One or two wrong starts subtracting points, whereas on Math II, someone can get like 8 wrong and still have an 800.</p>

#11

<p>Aahh. Got it, Remote. That makes sense. Yeah, I've just heard a lot of regret on CC about that test.</p>

#12

<p>CC generally considers anything between 200-790 regretful, so don't go by what people say on the big results threads. =P</p>

#13

<p>Ha haa! Yep. I see it the same way. The CC population is not representative of the population as a whole.</p>

#14

<p>Lit test lol I personally would never recommend it to anyone 'cause it's just that crazy.
My first practice test score turned out to be my actual test score after 6 months of studying. I'm so worried about it now, but too late, I guess I'm just screwed.</p>

#15

<p>Or you can enjoy summer, god da m its summer</p>

#16

<p>@Caperi
For US history, you should take the AP class. The level of questions for the AP exam will help you ace the SAT II. I took it in my first sitting and got a 750 in may, a week before my AP exam. However, I registered for SAT II chem in June, but I didn't want to take it since I did not study well enough. SO the night before the June test, I ddecided i was gonig to take US history... without any additional studying from the may test except for the AP exam that was a week after that test, and what do you know I got an 800</p>

<p>Anyways, hope you take my advice... manage your time well--that makes things so much easier and will make you so happy after junior year is over :). I studied 10 years of history every weekend, got me 3 months ahead, no to mention an A in AP US History. </p>

<p>PS: buy the Amsco AP Test Prep Book... even if you decide not to take AP... it has good ANALYSIS [and being a history freak, Analysis is important because it tells you why things happened, and you LEARN history rather than just memorize the events and when they happened like soem stupid children do]</p>

#17
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