CATES Blog

As the end of the school begins to approach, a lot of things start to pile up—SATs, SAT II Subject Tests, finals, papers, sports, AP tests…the list goes on. It’s a lot to juggle, as you sprint towards the finish line in June, especially when the weather gets nice, and studying inside is the last thing on your mind. We’re here to help you organize your time and get ahead of the game, and today we’re going to focus on one of the things that looms largest at the end of junior and senior year: AP tests.

Tips and Tricks

One trick to managing your schedule is figuring out where you can group tasks together, and this is especially relevant when it comes to the APs. If you’re taking an AP class, that usually means that you really know your stuff in that subject. If you really know your stuff in that subject, you have probably already considered taking the SAT II test in that subject. You’ll probably take your SAT IIs and your APs in May. So, you can take advantage of the overlap between those two tests, study for both at once (making sure you cover the areas of both tests that don’t overlap, too), and kill two birds with one stone.

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What is the right time to apply to college?  Are there advantages and disadvantages to different times?

As students end their junior year of high school and begin to look around the corner to their senior year, the topic foremost on their minds tends to be college. Within that, students and parents are undergoing the process of creating and editing a college list. Over the course of college visits, reading brochures, talking to friends, college counselors, and family, students are forming an idea of the kind of school they want to attend. Then comes the decision of applying to college early or not.

There are two kinds of early decision options open to applicants in the college process.  One is early decision, which requires a student to submit his or her application around November 1^st of his or her senior year. The student will then usually be notified by December15th whether the college accepted, rejected or deferred them to regular decision. There are a couple of big advantages to early decision. The first is that the acceptance rate tends to be higher in this round than in the regular decision round.

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When should I guess on an ACT question?  What do I do when I am stuck on a question?

The ACT exam presents a large challenge to any student, no matter how competent or accomplished in the classroom they might be.  Although not quite the same length as the SAT, the ACT exam still takes over 3 hours at the minimum and features hundreds of questions.  The ACT tests you on Trigonometry, Grammar, Rhetoric, Scientific Reasoning, Vocabulary, and Literary Interpretation among other topics.  Needless to say, you won’t know the answer to every ACT question.

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How can I use my summer to prepare effectively for my SAT or ACT exam?

The importance of getting a head start on standardized test prep can’t be overstated.  While it’s important to give yourself a break over the summer, to clear the clutter of your school year, by July 5^th, it’s a good idea to get back to studying for the ACT or SAT.

If you start over the summer, until waiting until the school year begins, you’ll be able to focus on your SAT or ACT test prep without the distraction of schoolwork, and you’ll be much more comfortable with the SAT or ACT test by the time you finally take it in the fall, winter, or spring.  You’ll be able to fully absord the standardized test-taking techniques you need to master, before the craziness of the school year starts up again.

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What should I do after the end of the school year?

It’s summertime!

If you’re a junior, you’ve finished what was probably one of the most intense academic years of your life.  Chances are, you’ve made it through some challenging AP or Honors classes, and (after weeks of anxious waiting) you’ve gotten your ACT or SAT test results back.

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