3 ACT, SAT Prep Goals for High School Sophomores

Each year of high school represents an important phase in the preparation process for the ACT or SAT, and yearly objectives can help to keep students on track over the long term by ensuring slow yet steady progress. Rising high school sophomores can benefit from adding these three test-prep goals to their second-year checklist:

Determine whether your high school requires the PreACT or the PSAT. The PreACT is a practice version of the ACT, while the PSAT embodies this same concept for the SAT.

Whether your high school offers the PreACT or the PSAT in the fall largely depends on state requirements for graduation. If your state requires that you take the ACT in order to graduate, your school will be more likely to administer the PreACT, and vice versa. Some high schools may opt to administer both tests, though this is certainly not guaranteed.

Scores on the PSAT can lead to a National Merit Scholarship; though the PreACT is not associated with a scholarship competition, students should not overlook this opportunity to practice for the actual ACT and SAT in a low-stakes environment. The PreACT and PSAT offer a chance to assess your skills and both can indirectly lead to scholarships later if your short list of colleges offers them for competitive ACT/SAT scores.

To find out whether your school requires the PreACT or the PSAT, speak to your guidance counselor. Also be aware of posted signs around your school that may indicate this information. If it is difficult to locate or make an appointment with a guidance counselor at your school, ask a teacher to point you in the right direction.

Review the official websites for the ACT and SAT and tentatively begin choosing an exam. The official websites for the ACT and SAT outline the specific knowledge you will need for success on these entrance exams. They also provide a number of sample questions. Use these websites as your initial guide to learning more about the tests. Educate yourself about the differences and similarities between their format, timing and content areas.

It is normal for students to feel torn between the ACT and SAT. So if you are having issues deciding which exam to take, start by borrowing two books from your local library: one with ACT practice tests and one with SAT practice tests. Take one timed, full-length practice exam from each book.

Then, assess both your score and your comfort level to determine which test might be a better fit for you. If you have not yet done so, you should also weigh whether your state requires the ACT or SAT for graduation, as this may influence your choice.

Identify which courses to take as a junior to finish preparing for the ACT or SAT. Not all standardized test preparation is done outside of the classroom. In fact, the foundations of math, reading and writing are skills students acquire throughout their entire academic career. As such, doing well on the ACT or SAT would be nearly impossible without having taken high school-level math and language classes.

It is for this reason that students should look ahead and carefully consider which courses to enroll in for their junior year.

The math and English classes you select for your third year of high school should align with the content you will be faced with on either the ACT or SAT. Your guidance counselor can help you with this enrollment process should you need a little assistance.

Though still somewhat early in the test-prep process, sophomore year is the ideal time for students to do some research and planning. Getting certain details out of the way now will allow for more productive study time when it is most crucial: junior year.