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While everyone needs a summer break, it’s important for students to keep in the
mind the tests that will be coming up when school resumes.
Students will have their first chance, after the start of the school year, to take the
SAT on October 7. The registration deadline for this test is September 8, with
late registration deadlines (and additional fees) of September 19 by mail and
September 27 by phone or online. Subsequent SAT exams will be offered in
November, December, March, May, June and August.
The ACT, a test that is popular with students seeking an alternative to the SAT, will
be given on October 28. The deadline to register is September 22, with a late
registration deadline of October 6. There is also a September 9 ACT exam, but
even the late registration deadline (of August 18) has passed. Subsequent ACT
exams will be offered in December, February, April and June and July.
Another popular test is the PSAT, which is taken by almost all high school juniors
and many high school sophomores and freshmen. The PSAT is a shorter version of
the SAT, but with the same type of material and the same level of difficulty. The
junior year PSAT is also called the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Exam
(NMSQE) and can be a source of scholarship money and pride for high scoring
students. The PSAT, this year, will be offered on Wednesday, October 11 and
Saturday, October 14. Most students register for this exam at their high school,
and take the exam on whichever of the two dates is chosen by their school.
Since registration deadlines come up quickly, it’s important for students to keep on
top of this information and not wait for reminders from high school guidance
counselors.
It’s not a secret what’s on each of these exams, as official guide books are published
by both ACT Inc. and The College Board with practice exams that mirror exactly
what students will face on the day of their test. Since these tests are all marked on a
curve, students are actually in competition with their peers, most of whom will have
prepared for these all-important tests.
So students should enjoy the summer, but also be sure to meet registration
deadlines and prepare for success in the upcoming school year.
Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of SAT Smart in Hillsborough that has
been offering PSAT, SAT, and ACT preparation courses, as well as private
tutoring by IVY-League educated instructors, for more than 20 years. Visit
www.SATsmart.com.
