Which Standardized Tests to Take and When

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Love ‘em or hate ‘em, standardized tests like the SAT or ACT are still a major part of the college admissions process at some colleges. And a small number of colleges are test-blind; those college won’t look at your test scores even if you have them.

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Most colleges, though, are test-optional, which means you don’t have to take the tests in order to apply, and if you do take the tests, you have to figure out whether your test scores help you and are worth submitting.

The list of test-optional colleges continues to grow, and while some are truly test-optional, full stop, with many colleges there’s a lot of fine print. They might identify and market themselves as “test-optional” but still require standardized tests for certain majors, scholarship eligibility, international status, homeschooled students, or other categories of applicants.

If you are going to be taking tests, what you need from us is ruthlessly practical advice about how to get the scores that will serve you well when applying to colleges. But we’ll say it again: Your health matters more than these tests, and that includes your mental health. Many colleges don’t require standardized tests at all, and they will seriously consider you with or without test scores.

In this post, we’re focusing on which tests to take, how many times to take them, when to take them, and how to prepare for them.

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WEEK 3 TO-DO’S

THIS WEEK

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1. Make your schedule for any standardized tests that you decide you need or want to take, and plan for test prep that starts at least 8-10 week before your scheduled test.

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THIS WEEK AND EVERY WEEK

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• Check your email, voicemail, texts, and snail mail for any communications that relate to applying to college. Read them and take whatever action is necessary.
• Update your parents about what you’re doing. This regular communication will work wonders in your relationship with your parents during this stress-filled year.

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TIPS & TRICKS

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1. Which tests should you take? The only way to know about college admissions requirements is to do your research. Visit the colleges’ websites and see what their policies are. (And they are fluid! Whatever they were last year might look different this year or next year.)  READ THE FINE PRINT to check whether or not you’ll still have time to take tests, even if the college is otherwise “test-optional” for most applicants. If you want to maximize options, we have this general advice:

• If you need a standardized test, take the ACT OR THE SAT. You don’t need to take both. Even though the tests are similar, there are some key differences, and you may be better suited to one or the other. The best way to find out which test suits you best is to take practice tests for both and see if you score better on one or the other and then pick one to focus on. Some test prep companies also offer free diagnostic tests.
• International students should plan on having to take an English proficiency test (TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo) unless they were educated in an English-language secondary school. (US citizens are by definition not counted as international students, even if they are living abroad and are being educated abroad.) Each college will have its own requirements around who must take these tests, and which tests it will accept.

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2. How many times should you take the tests?

• ACT/SAT: If you plan to take the ACT or SAT, plan to take it at least twice and leave room in your schedule for a possible third time. Why? Because some colleges permit “superscoring” (the policy of taking your best subscores from multiple tests to create your best composite score), and that favors having taken the test more than once. Not everyone can afford to keep taking the tests, or you might sit them out entirely because of Covid. Adapt this advice to your individual circumstances. Do NOT take the tests as many times as you can, just because you can. Most students don’t have the knowledge or skills to perform well until late in their junior (11th grade) year, plus you can only take it so many times between then and when applications are due. Your scores are only likely to improve significantly if you have time (2-6 months) between test administrations to improve.
• English Proficiency (TOEFL etc): There is no superscoring for the these tests, so you should only take it more than once if you have not achieved the minimum score required for admission, or if you have barely achieved the minimum and you have reason to believe that you will do better.

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3. When should you take the tests? We recommend the following schedules for taking the tests, but you can and should adjust this schedule for personal or school conflicts and for the Covid situation. Also, be aware that not all tests are available everywhere and at all times.

• ACT & SAT: Spring, Summer, Fall
• English Proficiency: Early summer (after ACT/SAT), late summer, and early fall (second and third dates if you need/want to retake)

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4. How should you prep for the tests? You should not take these tests without preparing for them, but HOW you prep for the tests is largely a matter of time, resources, and personal preference. At a minimum, you should take advantage of the free resources provided by each testing agency and follow the advice we gave in Week 2 on proven strategies for improving scores. If you want to do more prep, then you’ll need to invest in study materials (either paper or online), group courses, or one-on-one tutoring. Here are some free resources:

• ACT: ACT Academy
• SAT: Khan Academy
• TOEFL:  Practice tests

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P.S. Want this 52 Weeks to College series to land in your inbox every week? Sign up for our 52 Weeks newsletter here.

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Anna Ivey is one of the founders of Inline. An experienced admissions consultant and a frequently cited media expert on the topic of college admissions, she is also co-author of the college admissions bible How to Prepare a Standout College Application. Learn more about Anna's background here.
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