College Board is once again offering a summer SAT exam, building on last year’s success when the SAT was administered in August for the first time in decades. But interested students should sign-up soon if they hope to take the August 25 SAT, prior to the start of their new school year, as they are already in a “late registration” period with a final deadline of August 15.
Having eliminated the January SAT exam, and replaced it with an August exam, College Board believes it is providing numerous benefits to the approximately two million students who take this test each year. Summer is a popular time for students to prepare for the SAT, without the pressures of school, homework and after school activities. By taking the exam in August, students have the opportunity to put their newly acquired SAT strategies and skills to the test without waiting until October – which they had to do prior to last year.
While any high school student can take the SAT on any test date, and ultimately use the scores for college admissions, the August test date is particularly attractive to rising seniors. College-bound students are becoming more aware of the benefits of meeting “early action” (typically November 1) college application deadlines. So getting the SAT done in August provides time for them to get their scores back and, if necessary, take the test one more time on October 6.
The fall of senior year is a particularly stressful time for students who are struggling to write college essays while completing their applications and focusing on their schoolwork. If they can cross “taking the SAT” off of their to-do list, a lot of anxiety can be relieved.
But younger students are also attracted to the summer SAT exam. Those who are heavily involved in competitive sports, band or other time-intensive activities during the school year often appreciate the opportunity to take the SAT during a more leisurely time of year. Students also realize that the earlier they start to take the SAT, the more opportunities they have to address any areas of weakness in order to improve their scores. When it comes time to file college applications, most colleges allow students to submit only their highest SAT scores. Some colleges even allow students to “superscore,” sending their highest Math score from one test date and their highest Evidence-based Reading and Writing score from another.
Regardless of their motives, students who to take advantage of the August SAT test date need to register ASAP and should try to choose an air-conditioned test site – so they don’t sweat any more than necessary.
Susan Alaimo is the founder and director of SAT Smart in Hillsborough that has been offering PSAT, SAT, and ACT preparation courses, as well as private tutoring by Ivy League educated instructors, for more than 25 years. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362.
