Timing Up Your Tests
Just like anything in life, to be successful, one must put purposeful effort into standardized test prep. That being said, students are, of course, human- and standardized tests are only one part of a college application.
The Pressure to Succeed
The phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” is applicable here- students are held to higher and higher standards every year, facing pressure to fill a resume with accolades and maintain high grades on top of life in general. This is where it best to consider value and efficiency.
While it would be great to be the captain of the basketball team, a nationally renowned debater, philanthropist, and musician, true mastery takes focus and specialization- this is why we wouldn’t go to even the world’s greatest orthopedic surgeon for a stomach issue. Test prep should be prioritized and focused on at the right time.
How Should You Time Your Test?
So what is the right time for test prep? A few factors come into play:
Progress in school curriculum- most importantly, math.
A large portion of the SAT and ACT math comes from Algebra II- thus, it is generally advised to complete as much of Algebra II as possible before beginning test prep. While this may seem like waiting a while, the alternate is prepping before the base knowledge has been established, and winding up re-testing again at a later date regardless.
Students are at an important growth phase in their lives. The longer they spend in school, the more they are learning, and the more potential they hold to do better on tests. There is a reason pre-requisites exist, and it is no different with test prep.
Competing extracurriculars- Avoid prepping during the same time as sports seasons or other intensive extracurricular activities that take up considerable time and energy after school hours
School calendar- Keep in mind where breaks lie. The March test tends to be a great option for many students, as they may leverage winter break to build a strong base. May and June tests can be more challenging to prep for as they often overlap with APs, Spring Break, and finals.
Remember…
At the end of the day, choosing a target score that matches bandwidth and ability to prep is key- of course, we would not want to overextend on test prep only to see grades suffer. Longer and earlier prep is not necessarily the answer, but a well-planned test prep plan takes advantages of a student’s existing knowledge and schedule to make the process as smooth as possible.
Pranoy Mohapatra
Pranoy has been a private tutor since 2010. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Biological Sciences, attended Des Moines University School of Medicine, and obtained his master’s degree at Columbia University.