<p>Are you talking about for admission purposes or to have the best chance for merit scholarships? If it’s the latter, I have a data point for you since my son was admitted with a full-tuition scholarship and invited to compete for the Chancellor’s Scholarship.</p>
<p>Do you have experience with the format of the SAT (have you taken the PSAT) or the ACT (have you taken the Explore or PLAN)? If PSAT, take the SAT early in the spring of junior year. Make sure to prepare for it. Then, take the ACT after you’ve had some opportunity to prepare for it. They’re different tests and require different preparation. When you get both test results back, compare them to see if one or the other is “your” test. Take the first available administration of “your” test fall of your senior year (this will be well before January). </p>
<p>Pitt superscores and even combines SAT and ACT, so you have three sets of scores to use to make your best case. Pitt is looking at Math and Critical Reading for SAT or Math and English for ACT. My son nearly maxed out math and science in his first ACT, then he shifted focus to English and reading and nearly maxed them out in his second ACT.</p>
<p>You’ll want to apply early, but September or October should be fine.</p>