Rising Juniors, It’s Time to Take a Practice Test

Congratulations on finishing your Sophomore year! As you enjoy the calm of summer before your Junior year starts, now is a great time to take both an SAT and ACT mock. Taking a mock test during summer allows you to better plan for a busy junior year.

A key question before you start test prep is whether you should focus on the SAT or the ACT. With the SAT’s switch to digital, computer-based administration, the two tests have never been more different. The best approach is to make an informed decision by trying a mock test of both. If you took the PSAT back in October, you got a taste of the new digital SAT, but we wouldn’t recommend making a decision based on those scores. Since October, you’ve completed a full year’s worth of math and English, so it’s better to have a score that reflects your growth.

Taking your practice SAT and ACT with Applerouth will give you a full score report that shows your strengths and where you can improve. Once you have your practice scores, you can see which test you should focus on. No college requires both, and very few students find it necessary to take both the SAT and the ACT.

Although their scales are quite different, (400 to 1600 for the SAT, 1 to 36 for the ACT), there is a concordance table to see which looks better. What if your scores on both mocks are essentially the same? Pick the test you would like to prepare for. Colleges do not have a preference for either, so choose the one you’re most comfortable with.

So before you get busy with summer plans (or just chilling out and sleeping in) schedule an SAT and ACT mock. Your future self will thank you.