Preparing Your Child for Standardized College Entrance Tests the 8 essential all 30 Whether your family is aiming for the SAT or ACT (or hasn't decided yet), the test itself is really the middle of the process — there's setup work months before and follow-up work after. This walks through it in order, from picking a test to sending final scores.
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Phase 1: Get oriented (9–12 months before your target test date) Find out if colleges on your child's list even require scores Many schools are test-optional or test-blind now, and this changes how much time and money to invest. Decide between SAT and ACT, or plan to try a full practice test of each The SAT is now fully digital via the Bluebook app, while the ACT's format and pacing differ enough that most students do noticeably better on one. Check the current test dates and registration deadlines for whichever test you pick if conditional Dates vary by year and region, and late registration usually means an extra fee. Ask the school counselor about PSAT or pre-ACT results already on file They're a useful early gauge of where your child stands. Start the accommodations process now if your child has an IEP, 504 plan, or diagnosed disability Both testing bodies require formal documentation and review, and delays here can cost your child a test date. ACT Inc. manages accommodations through its Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) system, and unlike the SAT process, students must register for a test date first — and then work with their school to submit an accommodations request. It takes time to apply for accommodations, including a processing period of up to seven weeks after all required documentation has been submitted to the College Board SSD or ACT. Note that documentation has an age limit if has existing documentation College Board generally wants records no more than five years old, ACT wants three, so an old evaluation may need updating. Check if your family qualifies for a fee waiver if may qualify for fee waiver For the ACT, eligibility requires being currently enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade and testing in the United States, US territories, or Puerto Rico, along with income or program-based criteria; College Board has a similar program for the SAT.
Phase 2: Build the study plan (6–9 months before) Take one full, timed practice test of each exam under real conditions This is what actually tells you which test suits your child, not a hunch. Set a realistic weekly study schedule based on the gap between practice score and target score A small gap needs light review, a large one needs months, not weeks. Choose a prep format that fits your child's habits Self-study apps, a class, or a tutor all work, but only if your child will actually stick with it. Register for the actual test date once it's chosen Popular dates and nearby test centers fill up, and missing the regular deadline triggers late fees or forces a worse location. If pursuing accommodations, submit the Student Eligibility Form or school-based request as soon as documentation is readyif pursuing accommodations If a request is resubmitted, approval can take an additional seven weeks, and if you miss a deadline, accommodations might not be approved or in place on test day. Mark the accommodations deadline for the chosen test date on your calendar if pursuing accommodations All requests, including appeals, must be submitted by the late registration deadline for the preferred test date. Download or install the required testing software early if taking the digital SAT if taking digital sat The Bluebook app needs to be set up and tested on the device well before test day, not the night before. Complete device enrollment request at least 30 days ahead if using a school- or College Board-provided device for the digital SAT if using borrowed device for digital sat Borrowed-device requests have their own separate deadline.
Phase 3: The final month Take a second full practice test to check progress and adjust the last weeks of study Review the official list of acceptable photo IDs and confirm your child's ID matches Students 13 years and older must bring a valid, government-issued photo ID on test day, and it must bear a recent recognizable photograph that clearly matches both your appearance on test day and the photo you provided when you registered. Confirm the exact test center location and any recent changes Test centers occasionally get reassigned close to the date and a missed email means a missed test. Print or save the admission ticket and confirm what device is needed for a digital test Charge the testing device fully the night before and pack the charger anyway A dead laptop mid-test is one of the most common avoidable disasters. Lay out the ID, admission ticket, approved calculator, and pencils the night before, not the morning of Confirm the accommodations are actually loaded into the test center's system if pursuing accommodations Worth a call to the school's SSD coordinator a week out since failure to comply with identification and testing policies can mean dismissal from the test center or withheld or canceled scores, and the same care applies to accommodation setup. Plan the morning: know the reporting time, route, and a backup way to get there Arriving late usually means turned away, not a grace period.
Phase 4: Test day and after ✓ That’s everything. Nice work.
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