When should my child start SAT or ACT prep?

Nick's answer is the end of 10th grade and the start of 11th, not freshman year, when much of the tested content has not been taught yet, and not senior year, when there is no bandwidth left. He recommends taking a practice SAT and a practice ACT at the end of sophomore year, comparing them, picking one, and making a plan, which does not have to mean starting prep right away.

Recorded October 2025.

Read the full answer: When should my child start SAT or ACT prep? 2026-27 test dates

Transcript

I'm Nick Standlea, CEO of Test Prep Gurus. One of the most common questions I get from parents is, "When should my student start preparing for the SAT or the ACT?" Some families want to start as early as ninth grade, others wait until senior year. The sweet spot though is in between, and I'll explain exactly why. Let's start with freshman year and why it's too early. High school is a huge transition. Students are adjusting to new schedules, harder classes, more independence, and often new social circles. Adding test prep on top of all that can create stress and burnout.

And here's the kicker, much of the math and reading content tested on the SAT and ACT hasn't even been covered in school yet. Prepping before a student has taken those classes and built that foundation is like trying to decorate a house before the walls are built. At Test Prep Gurus, we've also studied what predicts real score improvement. One surprising factor, students who read for pleasure, anything from novels to comic books, consistently improve more on critical reading than those who don't. Why? Because it builds focus, stamina, and comprehension. So, if you want your ninth grader to prep for the SAT, have them read.

That's the best investment you can make. It'll also help in their classes and make them a more interesting person. On the other end, starting too late, like waiting until senior year, creates a different problem. By then, students are juggling college applications, essays, activities, maybe even a part-time job. There's little bandwidth left for focused test prep, and by that point, test deadlines could be dangerously close. So, when is the sweet spot? The end of 10th grade and the start of 11th Here's why. By this point, students have covered enough math and reading skills to handle the content.

They're developmentally ready for the challenge. And most importantly, they still have plenty of runway before application deadlines. So, here's the strategy I recommend. At the end of sophomore year, take both a practice SAT and a practice ACT. At Test Prep Gurus, we offer both of these for Once you have those results, compare them side by side. Almost every student has a clear edge on one test or the other. Pick that test, then make a plan. Notice I said make a plan, not necessarily start prepping right away. Some students are ready to begin test prep in the summer before junior year.

Others might not start until the fall of junior year. The important thing is that you've mapped out the timeline early so that you're not left scrambling. I'll share two stories. One student came to us senior year, already stressed with applications. She rushed through a few practice tests, improved a little, but not enough to hit her goals before her deadlines. She left money on the table in scholarships because she simply ran out of time. Now, we've got another student who took our advice sophomore year. He tested on both the SAT and the ACT, chose ACT, built a prep plan starting that summer, and by the time senior year rolled around, his scores were done, his college list was balanced, and he had a scholarship offer totaling over That peace of mind was priceless.

So, when should your student start SAT or ACT prep? Not freshman year, not last minute in senior year. The best time is the end of 10th grade. Test both, pick your path, and plan I'm Nick Standlea, CEO of Test Prep Families who follow this timeline will get the best results with the least stress, and often with the biggest financial rewards.

More explainers for parents: https://www.prepgurus.com/13secrets (the free 13 Secrets to College Admission guide) and https://highschoolreach.com (look up any high school's college outcomes)