We’ve all been there at one time or another – whether in school, at work, at home, or in a wide range of activities – we have all (gulp) underperformed.  Take a deep breath – it happens. In fact, the last time you underperformed was probably not your first time either. It’s probably happened to your parents on numerous occasions.  I’ll bet it’s even happened to your peers at school, although you are far less likely to hear about those instances. 

Don’t worry – nobody is immune.  In high school, it happens to millions of students around the country, let’s say every four Saturdays, give or take.  

Of course, I am referring to the SAT and the ACT.  At some point during your high school tenure, it is incredibly likely that you will take one of these exams.  It is nearly as likely that you will take your chosen exam more than once.  There is even a chance you will consider taking it three times (or more) or perhaps trying both exams. 

One of the most common questions directed at counselors, tutors, and teachers is “Should I take it again?” While the answer will vary depending on each student’s specific academic situation, personality, worth ethic, and long-term goals, it is an important decision and one that should be arrived at after careful consideration and discussion with your counselor and parents.

At Insight, the first goal is to help you identify whether the SAT or ACT is the better test for you.  They are different in a number of ways, from length to style to presentation to the actual material.  We encourage you to take a practice test of each before doing anything (and perhaps repeating this process). If you find you are more comfortable and can score higher on one test over the other, that’s wonderful.  If you aren’t sure, take them again to reinforce your initial opinion.  No college prefers the SAT to the ACT or vice versa.  I promise!

Once you have prepared over a period of months, you approach the actual test day with confidence and poise. We offer SAT and ACT classes throughout the year to help students learn the skills and knowledge to perform well on test day and continue to take practice exams to improve speed and accuracy.  You breathe a sigh of relief when finished. And then when your scores arrive a few weeks after, you have a decision to make. If you hit your goal score, already established with your counselor, then hopefully you can consider yourself done. 

It’s common for students to feel doubt about their results or falling just short.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, “I want to take it once more because I know I can score 10 or 20 points higher.” Is the effort and time required to prepare all over again worth 20 points?  Perhaps, depending on the college, but if it’s going to come at the expense of your grades, your time with organized activities, your applications, or your mental health, then I would say probably not, depending on how close you came to your goal. 

Many students will ask if colleges care how many times you take the SAT and/or ACT.  While the answer will again be tied into your specific experience, know that some colleges may place more value on your standardized test scores than others.  Also know that while many colleges will allow score choice, in which you only report the test results you choose, there are a growing number of schools, including the UCs, that will want you to send them every SAT or ACT that you have taken. While they will place most emphasis on your single best score, putting yourself in the best position to succeed through careful planning is crucial in order to effectively communicating the most beneficial information to the college of your choice. 

Many students do succeed taking tests two or three times and show considerable improvement over time, sometimes even raising scores by a few hundred points!  But if you’re thinking of trying the SAT or ACT a fourth or even fifth time, go find your favorite board game, roll the dice, and immediately move back three spaces.  It’s not necessary at that point and there will better ways to continue to build your credentials. 

 Insight counselors work with students every single day in this important area and based on your profile, your ambitions, and your tendencies, we will guide you to make the choice that allows you to convey the very best version of yourself to colleges.

Keep studying, work hard, sign up for a class, and consult the people you trust for advice.  And remember, at the end of the day, although it doesn’t feel like it in the moment, it’s only a test.

The day is finally here. You’ve been preparing for months, worked your way through countless notebooks and #2 pencils, and taken practice test after practice test to get your score where you want it to be.

Today is ACT day!  

First of all, I urge you to take a moment to pat yourself on the back. No matter the outcome of the test, your hard work and dedication is something you should be proud of.

Undoubtedly, you have felt a lot of pressure during preparation time. The morning of the test is time to put those pressures aside, and to focus on getting yourself ready for the test with the following steps:

1- Have a healthy, filling breakfast. You may feel a little nervous and not hungry at the time, but a grumbling stomach is the last thing you want to be thinking about as you sit down to write! If you are finding it difficult to eat, begin with a piece of fruit like a banana. Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, which helps deliver oxygen to the brain and keep your mind sharp.

2- Run through a check list of the things you need to bring with you. Your test ticket, photo ID, approved calculator, sharp #2 pencils, and a good eraser are top of the list. Don’t forget your mask and water bottle!

3- Give yourself a little extra time to get to the testing center. A good idea is to check the traffic on the days leading up to the test so you have a rough idea of how long it will take for you to get there. It is nice to be about 10 – 15 minutes early, but not so early that you get restless waiting to begin.

4- Switch off that cellphone! Even better, don’t bring it to the testing center with you, if you can help it.

5- When you sit down the take the test, take a few deep breaths. You are ready, and you’re going to ace it

For the first time in 11 years, The College Board will be offering an updated version of the SAT exam beginning in March, 2016.  The new test will be administered only three times during this remaining academic year, once in May and then again in June.  With seniors awaiting college decisions and most underclassmen being unfamiliar with the previous SAT, the onus of exploration and success now rests on the growing shoulders of high school students in the graduating classes of 2018 and, especially, 2017.  What follows is a run-down of key changes to understand and reasons to tackle the new test.

Those familiar with the ACT may notice some similarities in the new SAT, perhaps unsurprising following widespread speculation that The College Board’s overhaul is directly correlated to the increasing popularity of the ACT nationwide.  With that in mind, they have made a number of changes to the test’s format, structure, scoring, and timing.  Rather than a 2400-point scale, the new SAT will revert back to the 1600-point scale, with the Math Section and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing section each scored between 200-800 points.  Rather than 10 sections on the exam, the new test will feature only 4, including Evidence-Based Reading & Writing, and Math sections to be completed with and without a calculator. 

A common complaint of the old SAT was that some students felt they were forced to jump around from section to section very quickly; with 6 fewer sections in 2016, students will have more time to complete each.  In addition, the new SAT essay section will now be considered optional, and without the essay the exam will only require three hours to complete*.  Also gone is the scoring system that subtracts a fraction of a point for each incorrect answer.  There will now be no penalty for wrong answers, a benefit especially to students who tend to take longer to finish questions and may otherwise run out of time.  There will also be only 4 answer choices for questions on the new exam compared to 5 on the prior version. 

So who should take the new exam?

For starters, any high school juniors who scored competitively on the new PSAT last October.  Even if you have completed and done well on the ACT, you will need to take the SAT at least once officially to avoid disqualification from National Merit Scholarship consideration.  If you have taken the ACT and decided that is not the right test for you, the new SAT will be your best option. And as a growing number of students take the new test for practice, many are finding they prefer the new structure to the old exam.  Furthermore, colleges will be holding the new SAT in equal regard with the old SAT and ACT, so it will be important for students to learn if the new test is the one they score

Curious what your ACT score is relative to your SAT score? Check out our ACT – SAT Conversion Table.