It is time for some “Test Talk.” Juniors and Seniors, you should have the ACT and SAT registration and test dates on your radar. They are at the bottom of this post. I am not endorsing Higher Scores Test Prep, but rather, I find the format they use in compiling the dates to be helpful and hope you do too.
While you will hear in the news that some colleges and universities are going “test optional,” the majority of schools still require ACT or SAT scores. They are two separate tests and some students perform significantly better on one of them. Most colleges will accept either the ACT or the SAT, but check with the admissions department of your desired school. I encourage college bound juniors to take both the ACT and SAT at least one time before the end of their junior year, sooner if possible. The advantage of taking them sooner is that it allows a student time to properly prepare to improve scores if necessary before the college application season in the senior year. If you are a senior and want to go to college and haven’t taken either test yet, make that a priority. There is still time this fall for seniors to test or even retest.
Also, on Wedneday, October 11th, juniors will have the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMQST at CCS. Juniors and their parents will receive communication about that the College Counselor.
If a student has his or her eye on a particular major within a college or university, it is good to review the test requirements for that school. Some schools may require a SAT subject test in addition to the ACT or SAT. Those should be taken at the conclusion of a subject in June. Keep that on your radar for the spring.
Information about the ACT including registration and ways to prepare can be found at www.act.org.
Information about the SAT including registration, ways to prepare, and SAT subject tests can be found at www.collegeboard.org
The student needs to be the one to create an account and register for either the ACT or SAT. It can take 30-40 minutes to do for the initial registration. The student will also need to upload a photo that meets the testing agency’s requirements. Students should request that scores be sent to Cary Christian School. They may also request scores sent to a college if they know that they will apply to that school. Otherwise, scores can be requested senior year during the college application process.
Most colleges will “superscore” by taking the highest score on each section. If the term “superscore” is new to you, the following link can be helpful in understanding it. Link for Superscore from Princeton Review
ACT and SAT test dates 2017-2018
ACT Test Dates & Deadlines
ACT Test Date ACT Registration Deadline ACT Scores Available
September 9, 2017 Aug. 4, 2017 Sept. 19, 2017
October 28, 2017 Sept. 22, 2017 Nov. 14, 2017
December 9, 2017 Nov. 3, 2017 Dec. 19, 2017
February 10, 2018 Jan. 12, 2018 Feb. 21, 2018
April 14, 2018 Mar. 9, 2018 Apr. 24, 2018
June 9, 2018 May 4, 2018 Jun. 19, 2018
July 14, 2018 Jun. 15, 2018 Jul. 24, 2018
SAT Test Date SAT Registration Deadline SAT Scores Available
August 26, 2017 Jul. 28, 2017 Sept. 15, 2017
October 7, 2017 Sept. 8, 2017 Oct. 20, 2017
November 4, 2017 Oct. 5, 2017 Nov. 17, 2017
December 2, 2017 Nov. 2, 2017 Dec. 15, 2017
March 10, 2018 Feb. 9, 2018 Mar. 23, 2018
May 5, 2018 Apr. 6, 2018 May 18, 2018
June 2, 2018 May 3, 2018 Jul. 11, 2018