Test Preparation FAQ

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE ACT/SAT? HOW CAN I SEE WHERE/WHEN THE TESTS ARE OFFERED?

SAT® Test Dates
Click here to look at the College Board calendar and find out when the SAT is being administered.

SAT® Registration
Click here to register for the SAT. The earlier you sign up, the better chance you have of being able to take the test at the location of your choice.

ACT® Test Dates
Click here to look at the ACT calendar and find out when the test is being administered.

ACT® Registration
Click here to register for the ACT. The earlier you sign up, the better chance you have of being able to take the test at the location of your choice.

WHAT IS SCORE CHOICE?

ACT®/SAT® Score Choice allows students to take official tests multiple times and share with colleges scores from test dates of their choosing. This does not mean students can send individual sections from each of their tests: the results of an entire exam are either submitted or withheld. Colleges have always allowed Score Choice for the ACT®, and while most allow the same for the SAT®, there are some exceptions. Each college makes public its Score Choice policy on its admissions page.

HOW MANY TIMES DO MOST PEOPLE TAKE THE SAT OR ACT?

Students usually take the SAT® or ACT® two or three times. However, in rare cases, a student may take the exam four times, or only once.

HOW IS EACH TEST SCORED?

SAT® scores are first determined by totaling the number of questions a student has answered correctly in each test section (all questions are worth 1 point, and there is no penalty for incorrect or omitted answers). The raw scores on the two Math sections, as well as the Reading and Writing sections, are then combined and converted to a scale of 200-800, summing to a total of 1600 possible points.

ACT® scores are determined by totaling the number of questions a student has answered correctly in each of the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections (all questions are worth 1 point, and there is no penalty for incorrect or omitted answers). These raw scores for each section are then placed on a scale from 1-36, which are averaged for a composite score of 36 possible points.

WHAT IS “SUPERSCORING”? HOW DO I KNOW IF MY COLLEGES SUPERSCORE?

If a college superscores, it means the admissions staff evaluate your ACT®/SAT® scores based on the best section of each exam you’ve taken, combining them to form a new composite score. Colleges should make their superscoring policy clear on the admissions page of their website, or an admissions officer should be able to tell you over the phone.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TAKE THE SAT OR ACT?

Students most commonly take the SAT® and/or ACT® during the spring of their junior year. Stronger students may choose to take these tests slightly earlier (in the late fall and winter of their junior year) so they can focus on AP® exams in the spring. Although a number of students will take their final standardized tests in the beginning of their senior year, we recommend students leave this time open to focus on college applications.

HOW CAN I GET A COPY OF MY TEST BOOKLET?

SAT®: College Board only releases SAT® tests taken in October, January, and May. The easiest way to receive your test booklet is to order Student Answer Service during test registration. However, test booklets can be requested up to five months after the day of the exam. To order a copy of your test after registration, log into your College Board account, select ‘Order Verification’ within ‘My Scores,’ and click to order Student Answer Service.

ACT®: Test booklets are available from the April, June, and December tests for $18. You can order them upon registration or by visiting www.actstudent.org/scores/release.html within three months of the actual test date.

I’M WORRIED ABOUT MY UPCOMING REGENTS EXAMS. HOW CAN I PREPARE?

The best way to get comfortable with the tested material is to look at tests that have been given out in recent years. You can find NY State Regents past exams here. LogicPrep is also experienced in teaching for Regents exams, so we’re also happy to set you up with one of our tutors.

I WANT TO TAKE AP COURSES TO MAKE MY COLLEGE APPLICATION MORE COMPETITIVE. HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ONES MY SCHOOL OFFERS?

AP® courses are a great way to make a transcript more compelling. Visit this list to see which of the full span of AP® courses your school has to offer, and consult your school guidance counselor to find out which courses are available to take at each grade level.