How many times did you child take the SATs and what years?

[Anonymous]

My daughter just finished her first year of high school. As in all the difficult classes (physics, advanced math, English, etc.) but somehow got a B in ethnic studies. And we’re Asian so I’m jokingly giving her a hard time about it. One B overall. 4.0 hopes pretty much gone, at least unweighted, so looks like we’ll have to kill the SATs to have a shot at the schools we’re gunning for. My eldest just finished Berkeley EECS, but she got admitted during Covid, so no SATs.

How many times did you have your child take the SATs and what years? I hear most kids take it once sophomore year, then one more time for junior year.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to add that I’m starting to hear demands for SAT to return to California state schools to return, which is the reason I’m concerned. I also want her to get a good shot as out of state schools.

[Anonymous]

Our school has the kids take a practice PSAT 10th grade, PSAT again fall of 11th, then SAT spring of 11th. If they are satisfied with that, no need to repeat, and if not, you have the summer to practice. My child clearly messed up (timed it wrong and didn't finish) so did a bunch of practice tests over the summer and took it again in August. That gave them a chance to repeat again in October if necessary, but it wasn't. One and done is best; twice is OK; three times or more is generally overkill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter just finished her first year of high school. As in all the difficult classes (physics, advanced math, English, etc.) but somehow got a B in ethnic studies. And we’re Asian so I’m jokingly giving her a hard time about it. One B overall. 4.0 hopes pretty much gone, at least unweighted, so looks like we’ll have to kill the SATs to have a shot at the schools we’re gunning for. My eldest just finished Berkeley EECS, but she got admitted during Covid, so no SATs.

How many times did you have your child take the SATs and what years? I hear most kids take it once sophomore year, then one more time for junior year.

Took Pre-Calc in 10th. Took in June of 10th and 11th grades. R/W jumped 40 points. Math stayed the same.

[Anonymous]

2 times. Once during 2021 and then twice in 2022. Took calc as a freshman. Did not study at all for test 1 and got a 1390, because he forgot some of the math he learned in 6th-7th grade and was careless on the reading. Went over khan academy a few times and second test got a 1560 (760 Reading, 800 Math).

[Anonymous]

Two times. August and October of 11th grade. Score went down so kept the August score.

[Anonymous]

SAT one and done August before junior year. Didn’t bother with any prep, just took it cold, as it was originally meant to be. It’s supposed to be an aptitude test, after all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAT one and done August before junior year. Didn’t bother with any prep, just took it cold, as it was originally meant to be. It’s supposed to be an aptitude test, after all.

It is, but you’re still tests on what you’ve learned, unlike the IQ test where you’re asked to find patterns or figure out riddles.

[Anonymous]

SAT one time - 1590

PSAT in 9th, 10th and 11th. Aced the nmsqt- PSAT in 11th. A huge jump from 9th grade...went from mediocre to exceptional. Fed PSAT results from CollegeBoard to the Khan Academy website by linking the two and did the personalized study guide from Khan Academy to do targeted prep for PSAT and SAT.

Finished the nmsqt-PSAT and SAT at the beginning of 11th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SAT one and done August before junior year. Didn’t bother with any prep, just took it cold, as it was originally meant to be. It’s supposed to be an aptitude test, after all.

It is, but you’re still tests on what you’ve learned, unlike the IQ test where you’re asked to find patterns or figure out riddles.

Ok, but shouldn’t students have learned just about everything the SAT requires by the time they take it? Why is there a need to take it multiple times?

[Anonymous]

My younger kid (current hs senior) took the SAT twice - November and March of junior year.

My older kid (rising college senior) took it in March and June of junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SAT one time - 1590

PSAT in 9th, 10th and 11th. Aced the nmsqt- PSAT in 11th. A huge jump from 9th grade...went from mediocre to exceptional. Fed PSAT results from CollegeBoard to the Khan Academy website by linking the two and did the personalized study guide from Khan Academy to do targeted prep for PSAT and SAT.

Finished the nmsqt-PSAT and SAT at the beginning of 11th grade.

This sounds like a lot of prep. Does a high score accurately reflect aptitude if it requires prep to attain? Not throwing shade at your DC; genuinely wondering what the point of the SAT is.

[Anonymous]

Who says it's an aptitude test? They changed the test a bunch of times and renamed it, so now SAT is a Standardized Assessment Test. It is nothing like an IQ test. The point of it is to test grammar and reading comp and math skills through geometry and algebra II.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who says it's an aptitude test? They changed the test a bunch of times and renamed it, so now SAT is a Standardized Assessment Test. It is nothing like an IQ test. The point of it is to test grammar and reading comp and math skills through geometry and algebra II.

Ah, ok! I’ve been living in the past—SAT stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test back in my day, then changed to Scholastic Assessment Test, and now apparently stands for nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who says it's an aptitude test? They changed the test a bunch of times and renamed it, so now SAT is a Standardized Assessment Test. It is nothing like an IQ test. The point of it is to test grammar and reading comp and math skills through geometry and algebra II.

Ah, ok! I’ve been living in the past—SAT stood for Scholastic Aptitude Test back in my day, then changed to Scholastic Assessment Test, and now apparently stands for nothing.

Of course it stands for something. It stands for how well you take the SAT. Wherever the bar is set, that is what a good student should do to clear it. All assessments, including grades, are a combination of talent, effort, and preparation. So, putting in effort and preparation are not a negative attribute, but the proper way to organize your life.