COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

Notre Dame de Sion

General Info for ACT/SAT Testing

We generally recommend that students begin taking the ACT and SAT starting in the second semester of their junior year. Both tests include concepts from Algebra II, so it is best to wait until a student has had a semester of Algebra II before taking either exam. A student who is in advanced level math may choose to take the exams earlier.

Most colleges now accept either the ACT or the SAT, so the goal is to figure out which test you will do better on. The primary way you do this is through your results on the PLAN (pre-ACT) and the PSAT (pre-SAT). Ask your counselor if you don’t remember how you did and we will be glad to go over your results with you and help you determine which test is better for you.

Even if you did much better on either the PSAT or PLAN, we still recommend that you take both the ACT and the SAT at least once, just to make sure you get the best score possible. Colleges will always look at your highest score, so it doesn’t matter how many times you take each exam or when your highest score was achieved.

How to sign up for each exam:

SAT- go to www.collegeboard.com and follow the links to register for an exam. You pick your testing center and go from there.

ACT- go to www.actstudent.org and follow the links.

You can also choose to register via the paper registration packet. We receive a limited number of these packets each year and they are located in the library.

Test Preparation

The best place to start is with free resources. Both websites listed above include free test prep information, practice tests, essays, etc. Your score reports from taking the PSAT and PLAN also include test prep strategies based on your demonstrated abilities on each test.

The next step usually involves buying test prep books at any bookstore (Border’s or Barnes & Noble). These books usually range from $30 to $50; however, this is still much cheaper than a tutor or class. Look for books that include a CD-ROM for practicing on the computer and multiple full-length practice tests. You will get as much out of prepping with these books as you put in! Take the practice tests in real time to get a feel for how quickly you need to move through each section. Study the vocab words, especially for the SAT.

Some of you may want a more structured test prep environment. In that case, it would probably be best for you to take a class or work with a tutor who will hold you accountable for studying. Please visit our link for Tutoring/Test Prep to see a list of ongoing classes. Also, pay attention to the announcements and bulletin boards around school for fliers regarding new classes or opportunities.