How To Schedule for the SAT: Part 2 – the “SAT II’s”

Dear College Made Simple Reader,

In our previous report, we reviewed an often-overlooked and under-utilized college admissions strategy: How to prepare and schedule for the PSAT and the SAT.

In today’s second installment below, we cover the SAT II, along with a suggested timing strategy you can use for all three… to help you get the best possible scores off to the college of your dreams.

-Scott

How To Schedule For The SAT: Part 2 

The SAT II

The SAT IIs – also known as “Subject Tests” – are designed to measure your aptitude in a particular subject area or areas – and to measure how well you can apply your knowledge in those subject areas.

All things being equal, the SAT IIs are best to take just after you’ve finished the related courses.

So, if you’re taking a science SAT II, schedule it just after you’ve finished the appropriate science class.

However, time may be short – and you may have to take quite a few SAT IIs (most schools that require them will ask for at least two or three SAT II scores). You can take three at a time – so often you’ll find yourself having to squeeze a few into one or two test dates.

If your class schedule and the test dates don’t line up perfectly (as they almost never do), you may fare better taking the SAT IIs just after the SATs – in a test date that comes up before you’ll have your results from your original SAT test.

So, you can take a March SAT, then take the SAT IIs in May (when you’re coming to the end of coursework anyway).

That way, if your SAT is low, you can take it again in the summer.

And if your SAT IIs are low, you can retake them in the autumn (last year, the test dates were in early October, November, and December).

And if both are low, you can line up fresh tests throughout the fall of your senior year. December tests can be a bit tricky – you’ll be sending in applications without knowing test results, so you won’t have a chance to review them before sending them in.

But October and November tests should give you a chance to review your tests before you have to show them to colleges.

If you’re very well organized, you can take your first SAT in the December of your junior year – giving you one more chance to get the highest possible scores.

However, in almost all cases, hitting the PSAT in the fall of junior year, the SAT in the early spring, the SAT II in the late spring, and retests in the summer and fall of senior year will give you time to fit everything in.

And – hopefully – this will help you get the highest possible scores off to your desired schools.

Follow this link to review Part 1 of this installment.

To your college funding & admissions success,

Scott Weingold

Co-Founder, College Planning Network LLC

Publisher, CollegeMadeSimple.com – The free educational resource of College Planning Network

 

Related Article:

What Do I Need to Know for the SAT 2?

January 17th, 2012 in All Free Reports, SAT Test Tips and Help
Return to College Made Simple's Free Reports

Find us on Facebook! Find us on Facebook!


It's 9 Ways for you to Beat the High Cost of College...
Just tell us where to send the full report...
E-mail:
We'll also send you - at no charge - the College Funding Made Simple e-Course, delivered to your email inbox in 12 parts, by topic. With each part, you'll come away with valuable, actionable insights proven to help parents and students in the college admissions and funding process.

NO-SPAM PLEDGE: We believe that your personal information should stay that way. Rest assured, your email address is 100% confidential, and under no circumstance will we ever rent, sell or give away your email address outside of our own network without you specifically requesting us to do so.

Leave a comment

Your comment


Editor's Note: Scott Weingold has been ranked the #1 “College Financial Aid Expert Worth Knowing About” in the entire country by CollegeStats.org.  He has co-authored the book, “The Real Secret To Paying For College. The Insider’s Guide To Sending Your Child To College – Without Spending Your Life’s Savings.” Scott also publishes a popular free online newsletter, “College Funding Made Simple" which reveals insider’s tips, methods, and strategies for beating the high cost of college.

Scott is the co-founder and a principal of the widely renown College Planning Network, LLC – the nation’s largest and most reputable college admissions and financial aid planning firm. CPN is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau, the National Association of College Funding Advisors, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

Scott, along with his college funding advisory team, helps thousands of families throughout the country with their college planning needs and offers a series of free educational webinars and workshops on “How To Pay For College Without Going Broke In The Process!” He's been featured or mentioned in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Yahoo News, TheStreet.com, Voice America with Ron Adams, Crains Cleveland Business, and on Cleveland Connection with James McIntyre.  Scott has published numerous articles and is a professional speaker who has addressed thousands of audiences online and offline throughout the United States.  His actionable insights and candid, open approach have earned him & his team numerous media interviews, citations, and speaking opportunities, and his free online video workshop is one of the Internet’s most widely viewed pieces in the college funding space.