When do I take the SAT and apply to college?

Question

I am a junior in high school right now.
Next year, during my senior year, I will take an SAT prep course. So I guess I will apply to college sometime during my senior year. Does this sound right to you?
Is this how most people do it?
Please don't tell me to see my guidance counselor, because I go to a really small school and we don't have one.
Please help me.

Answer 1

Take your SAT this year, whether or not you've had the prep course. Then you will know where your weaknesses are and can be better prepared to take it again during fall of your senior year. If you know what colleges you are most interested in, check out their early application programs. My daughter is submitting her application on line next week to her first choice school (she is a senior). Note there are different early programs - some commit you to attending that school if you are accepted while others do not.

Lots of info is available on line about colleges and tests such as SAT and ACT. Browse and gain knowledge. Email admissions offices for specific info from schools that interest you.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Most people at my high school register for the SAT in the late winter for the March or May SAT of their junior year. (There are registration deadlines.) They had already taken an SAT course the summer after sophomore year. If their score is not high enough, they will prep again (not necessarily in a prep course) the summer before senior year and retake the SAT in October.

But it's okay to only take the SAT once (in October of your senior year). Study very hard over the summer and in September.

If you are applying Early Decision (binding) or Early Action (non-binding), the deadlines for your application are either on November 1st or November 15th (for most schools). For Regular Decision, the deadlines are in January. For Rolling Admissions (a type of first come first serve), apply as early as possible.

P.S. Don't forget to send your SAT scores to the colleges you are applying to.

Also, make sure to take at least 2 SAT Subject Tests before your junior year ends. You can take up to 3 of them on the same day but you can not take them on the same day you are taking the SAT Reasoning Test.

Answer 3

No. Take your prep course now and the SAT this year. That way you can take it again if you need to. You'll need to apply for schools next fall and winter. The earlier the better for the elite schools. Check online for the application deadlines on the schools you're interested in. For example, Harvard's deadline is December 1 for fall 2008. Some schools have early admittance before the winter holidays.

Answer 4

I'm a sophomore at a small private high school. Most students take their SAT in the beginning of their senior year, so that they can send early decisions or take care of other requirements for certain schools. You can take SAT many times you want, and you can send in your highest SAT score. My advice is to do your best in SAT prep course and in school and visit
http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html
for more information. Try taking the SAT at the end of your SAT prep course (I'm assuming you will finish it by the end of your junior year) and do another at the beginning of your senior year.

P.S. Since you go to a small high school, you may need to go to a nearby public school to take such standardized tests. For this, you may need to consult your close teachers or your principal.

Answer 5

Take the SAT at near the end of your Junior year -- then take it again in the Autumn.

If you want to apply for early admissions, pick a school & look at the early admissions deadline on their web site.

If you want to apply to a number of schools -- then getting your applications in by the middle of October should be OK.

Answer 6

You should be taking your SAT's in the end of your junior year. and if you do poorly, re-take them in the beginning of your senior year. You should be applying to colleges around october - november of your senior year.


I took the PSAT's in sophmore year, and SATs in Junior Year. Im now a senior and will be sending out my applications on monday.