I can’t afford any test prep classes, but over the summer and on the weekends I’ve been self-studying for SAT, and haven’t been able to meet my goal (took the test once in December, taking the old one for the last time next week). I want to get into competitive schools but I feel like my only weakness so far is my SAT score. Do schools know if you self study or not, and if so, do they value that more?
Colleges don’t know how you prepare. They only see the score you get.
No. Colleges have no way of telling whether you self-study or pay for SAT prep classes, and it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is your actual SAT score. Just keep studying- it’s better than doing nothing. If you don’t meet your goal for this SAT, then it’s still possible for you to take it again in the spring and fall (although the test will be changed). Don’t give up; self-studying is an effective way to earn a high score, as long as you put in the time and effort. Take practice tests, and really focus on the topics that you’re struggling with or sections you really want to improve in. Good luck on the SAT next week!
Plenty of people study on their own and score well and plenty of people waste money on prep classes that are ineffective.
If you’re low income there is an assumption that you didn’t take prep classes, and low income students are evaluated in context.
No, and No. All they will ever see is your score. What grade are you now? Can I suggest you take the ACT? Many people find it to be more straightforward, and with the SAT changing, taking the new one is a bit of a gamble. If you aren’t doing well on the old SAT, I don’t think you will do great with the last old SAT test next weekend. Of course, you can take it and hope for the best, but you really should study for the ACT. You only have to submit one test or the other, so there is no,harm doing both.
Here is a true story: I am an adult, and I never took either test back in the day, because I went right to community college. I now want to teach test tutoring, so at the age of 51, I have spent the last couple of months studying at home for the ACT. I took it, did very well, and hope to start tutoring professionally. When I first began studying, I didn’t use a timer at all. I just wanted to familiarize myself with the test. I did think initially “I am never going to be able to do this test in the allocated time.” But I kept practicing, over and over, with a timer, and eventually, I could do it in the right amount of time. Studying at home is perfectly fine, and I do suggest using at least two study guides (one being official.) you can get them second hand cheaply, not ideal if they have been marked up, or at the library, or you can find lots of stuff online. If you do find a particular section very difficult, maybe you can meet with a kind teacher after school a few times. Or, see if any national honor society kids need to do tutoring hours free. Good luck to you.
Thanks for the reply! I am a junior, and I’ve had my doubts with the ACT just because I am not as familiar with it. I’ve been told by many people to consider it, but I’ m worrying about studying for a completely new test and taking it in time with enough preparation (I want to be done with most of my testing before my senior year). On the SAT I got an 1820, when my goal was a 2000+. Based off that, how hard would it be for me to get a 30+ on the ACT? Also, I heard that studying for the SAT will help you a lot on the ACT because it’s practically the same thing, just “easier”, thus making everything on the ACT seem easier. Is that true?
I myself am actually an NHS member and have been doing very well in school, which sometimes leads me to believe that I should be getting higher scores than I am, and it makes me worry. However, lately I’ve started to stress less about standardized testing because I realize that testing is not everyone’s forte. Last year in AP World I got a 98% average, yet on the exam I got a 3. I’m thinking that if I continue to make everything else top-notch, getting an average SAT or ACT score won’t ruin the world and stop me from getting into college, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to try my best anyway 
An 1820 SAT would correspond to about an 26 on the ACT. A 30 would be approx a 2050.
The ACT is not easier than the SAT, it’s just different. The math may be more straight forward, but can cover more advanced topics. The science would be completely different b/c the SAT does not have that section, the English is grammar based, the reading may be similar. Some kids will do better on one test vs the other, but many end up roughly the same. You should try a practice ACT and see how you do.
Take an ACT practice test and see if it suits you
No and no. They are interested in the results, not the route you took.
@lesliehz before deciding on the ACT, I actually tried the SAT first, and spent ages studying for that. Ultimately, as a tutor, I felt the ACT is the better bet at the moment. Anyway, the two tests are very similar, and I do feel the ACT is more straightforward. There are quite a few people who do significantly better on one test than another. Sit down this long weekend and do a practice ACT to see. If you go in the blog prep scholar, they have links to actual ACT tests, and you can do a real one. The answers are provided too. I think it will be very difficult to get your score up on the SAT as much as you would like, given the time constraint. But take it anyway, because you have several upcoming opportunities to do the ACT. The differences are not so vast. Studying for one will be beneficial for the other. At the end of the day, it’s about knowledge and time management, and doing the ACT should allow you to prepare for both aspects. I don’t beleive one is easier than the other. Good,luck.
A friend’s daughter recently went up 200 points on the SAT. This was in November of her Senior year, not sure why tou are in a rush to get the testing out of the way (speaking as someone who went through the cycle last year with her kid). She did have tutoring but she had it all along, it simply worked this time. There are definite swings. Are you low income? Can you qualify for Quest Bridge? Or is that your parents are refusing to pay? There are community based courses in my area that are a lot cheaper. Some schools will pay for Method Test Prep which is an online course.
If your parents can afford tutoring or a course but refuse, point out to them that there are schools like Alabama that give free rides to people with certain test scores. So it is an investment. The more they pay now, the less they may have to pay if you get merit money.
Absolutely do the ACT. My D scored the equivalent of 200 points higher on her first practice ACT. The English section is especially teachable so if you are not breaking 30 on that it may be worth working with someone or a class just for that section. My D’s best ACT was in the fall of her senior year. She went up 2 points on her composite, not super scored.