The Smart Start: A Sophomore’s Guide to Standardized Test Prep

As students wrap up their sophomore year, college admissions start to appear on the horizon. They watch juniors and seniors navigate the process—school visits, interviews, essays, and standardized testing—and begin to wonder what lies ahead for them.

One major reality? For most students, standardized testing won’t be optional. The testing landscape has shifted significantly over the past five years. While many colleges went test-optional in 2020 due to the pandemic, the tide is turning and many schools have fully and firmly returned to testing requirements.

Why the Summer After Sophomore Year Matters

The summer before junior year is a critical window. It’s often the last real breather before students enter a year packed with advanced coursework, sports, and extracurriculars.

This makes the end of sophomore year the best time for students to form a standardized test study plan, figure out an ideal score range for them, and map out the best path to get there.

Here’s how!

Step 1: Take a Diagnostic Test

A diagnostic test is a crucial first step. Every student hears the usual myths:

• “SAT Math is harder than ACT Math.”
• “The shorter SAT Reading & Writing passages mean it’s a much better test.”

But the truth is, every student is different. Some find ACT Math more challenging as it tests far more concepts than SAT Math, while others find shifting their focus to a new passage after every SAT Reading & Writing question to be cumbersome. Only by taking both can a student know for sure which suits them best.

Diagnostic testing offers two major benefits:

1. Score reports that pinpoint strengths and weaknesses
2. First-hand experience with each test’s format and pacing

Even though many students score similarly on both exams, knowing which test they prefer is also important. Taking diagnostic tests towards the end of sophomore year (or just after completing it) gives students ample time to figure out how to best prepare.

Step 2: Pick a Test Date

Once students have chosen between the SAT and ACT, it’s time to choose a test date and plan backward from there. 

This planning step is another reason why sophomore summer is such a key moment: it gives students the space to map out a testing timeline with a clear view of what’s ahead – without the pressure of the school year or needing to make last-minute decisions that could ultimately be less efficient.

ACT Test Dates

ACT offers test dates in:

• Fall: September, October, December
  (Great for early testers who prep over the summer)
• Winter/Spring: February, April
  (Optimal before AP exams and finals)
• Summer: June, July
  (Note: Fewer test centers offer the July exam—book early!)

If needed, the September or October dates of senior year can serve as final attempts.

SAT Test Dates

SAT test dates include:

• Fall: August, September, October, November, December
  (Popular with early planners)
• Spring: March, May, June

Keep in mind the December–March gap. For many, it makes sense to choose two closer test dates, such as:

• October & December
• March & May

This way, students can build on their prep with minimal downtime.

Step 3: Start Your Preparation

Now it's time to start working towards your target score! There are two main ways rising juniors may want to do this:

Work 1:1 with a Tutor if Targeting Fall Testing

The summer before junior year is an ideal time to jump into tutoring if you plan to test in the fall of junior year. With no schoolwork to juggle, students can focus deeply on test prep—building skills, reviewing content, and strengthening test-taking strategies without the added pressure of classes, homework, and extracurriculars.

Starting over the summer also allows students to stretch their prep out at a steady, manageable pace—leading to stronger results and less stress once junior year begins.

Build an Academic Foundation for Test Prep Success

Some students may want to start with 1:1 academic support before formal test prep, especially if diagnostic results reveal:

• Gaps in algebra fundamentals
• Weak reading comprehension or vocabulary
• Trouble with pacing

These students will likely target first test dates in the spring of junior year. The diagnostic tests will help indicate the pacing and content covered by tutoring programs or self-study.

Whatever path each student chooses, diagnostic testing at the end of sophomore year will help pave the road. The important thing is for students to use this moment to know where they are and what they need to reach their intended destination!

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