Junior year is a very important year for any high school student. They learn to drive and start venturing out into the world. Academically, it is probably the most difficult of their high school careers. It is the time where they need to start seriously thinking about their future college plans. This means more than researching potential schools. The SAT and ACT are the tests that play an integral role in the college application process. What many people don’t know is that they should actually be preparing for these tests in their junior year. While they need their final SAT and ACT scores until their senior years, their junior years are the most important for actually preparing for outstanding performance. There are other benefits to early SAT and ACT preparation, including improved performance in the reading comprehension and writing and exciting scholarship opportunities.
It is common knowledge these days that the SAT and ACT are very important for getting into a good college. It is also true that college entrance has become very competitive. Students need an edge to get into their schools of choice. This can come in the form of early SAT and ACT preparation. The earlier a student starts preparing for the SAT and ACT, the more time they have to improve their scores.
As they prepare for the SAT and ACT, parents might see an unintentional bump in their kids’ English or math grades. It may come as a surprise to some that material covered on the SAT and ACT is not mutually exclusive with high school curriculum. The preparation for the SAT and ACT can also function to improve and reinforce math, writing, and reading comprehension skills.
The PSAT is administered to students in the fall of their junior year. This is a great way for students to be introduced to the style of the SAT. However, there is also the possibility of an extra bonus of receiving a National Merit Scholarship. These are rewarded to the highest performing students on the PSAT. Students who have had previous SAT and ACT preparation have a big advantage over those who have not. As a general rule of thumb, it is critically important to start preparing your child for the SAT or the ACT as early as possible, particularly in the beginning of their junior year!
