Standardized tests are undoubtedly important for college admissions and appropriately scheduling your tests will only help your success on these examinations. You want to be able to achieve the highest score possible while spending the least amount of time and money on the tests. Most likely you also would like to take the tests as few times as possible.

Below are suggestions for possible timetables in taking college entrance exams. These are at best guidelines and are by no means definitive. In the end, you will have to structure your tests depending on how satisfied you are with your performance and how much effort you wish to put in.

Freshman Year:

PLAN (Fall test date) - the PLAN is similar to a practice ACT, so you can take this for extra practice.

SAT Subject Tests (June test date) - If you are enrolled in any of the subjects that you want to take the test in (e.g. chemistry) you could attempt to take the test in June. This way, you will have a complete year of class experience. On the other hand, you might want to wait until you finish the Advanced Placement (AP) version of the class.

Other than the aforementioned, you don't have to worry too much about standardized testing at the moment. Just keep up and do well in your classes so that you will be more than ready for any subject, in particular the mathematics and English.

Summer in-between:

Again, you don't have much to worry about yet. If you really feel compelled, you can try to practice for a PSAT or SAT in sophomore year. A better use of your time would probably be to participate in a summer camp or volunteer.

Sophomore Year:

PSAT (Fall test date) - The PSAT is offered to sophomores as a practice for the real PSAT in junior year. Definitely take this test if possible. It will be a gauge for where you are and will only be extra preparation both for the PSAT and the SAT.

You could take a SAT or ACT test during sophomore year for practice. I don't think that's necessary since you have to prepare for the PSAT in junior year anyways. Just keep up in class and be aware that the upcoming summer and junior year are intensive in terms of test preparation and test taking.

Summer in-between:

This is an important summer for test preparation. During junior year, you will be taking the PSAT and most likely the SAT, ACT, and SAT Subject Tests. I recommend that you spend some serious time with test books during this period. Memorize vocabulary, learn math tricks, and familiarize yourself with grammar rules. How much you do is variable depending on what your expectations are and what your current abilities are. As a gauge, I memorized about 500-1000 new words total and was able to score 2400.

Make sure to study more intensely the closer you get to the test date. Most importantly, do complete tests in one sitting! Grab a real SAT or PSAT, shut yourself in a room with nothing else except for a table and finish the whole test in the 3 or 4 hours you have. Time yourself on each section exactly and only check your answers at the end of the whole test. You need discipline. Nobody is going to check and make sure that you followed the time limit or that you didn't check your answers in between, but you absolutely have to simulate the real test. Don't give yourself random breaks in between the sections either. This is NOT a "fun" process but after you do it a few times, you will find that taking the test can be oddly gratifying - especially when you see your score visibly go up. This is NOT a short process either. How many full length tests do you want to do? 10 is a reasonable number for each standardized test you take (and this is again variable depending on who you are and what you want to achieve).

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