謹慎決定參加SAT考試的時間

Category: SAT-SAT2, 留學考試 Date: 2018年6月1日下午5:17

大學申請過程漫長而曲折。對于大多數學生來說，他們從十年級或是十一年級的10月份開始準備PSAT。PSAT不會對大學申請產生重大影響，盡管由此可得的國家優異獎學金是大家趨之若鶩的獎項。

那么想要上大學的學生必須至少完成一次ACT或SAT考試。考慮到普通高中學生的入學時間表，包括入學論文，田徑，課外活動和其他標準化考試，例如AP考試，那么你應該什么時候參加入學考試：十一年級還是十二年級？以下是學生在決定過程中應該了解的東西。

1. 盡快開始：早日完成您的目標以及所需的準備工作是一項重要的收益。一旦你知道你將使用什么考試分數，大學申請過程的許多方面將進行得更加順利。

誠然你的招生文章，成績和推薦信在你的申請中扮演著重要的角色，非常高或非常低的分數會讓你排除某些學校或者在擇校時變得更加現實。您的考試成績可以幫助縮小或擴大您的選擇范圍。

2.? 考慮你的PSAT經歷：當然，對于一個學生來說理想的情況是在第一次嘗試ACT或SAT時能做得很好。然后，學生可以專注于申請過程的其他要素。選擇哪種測試最適合你是另一個話題。

你最終能否做到這一點取決于許多因素，但最好的早期指標之一就是你的PSAT分數。

PSAT是一個有用的晴雨表，它可以讓你為SAT或ACT做好準備。如果你在PSAT上表現不錯，考慮在你的十一年級選擇下一個有空的ACT或SAT考試。當你的記憶力和考試技巧還是新的時候開始行動。如果你做得好，你可以繼續前進。然而，如果你的表現不盡如人意，你也將會有充足的時間來改善你的結果。

3.評估獎學金含義：某些州在很大程度上基于平均分和標準化考試分數的組合提供全額或部分獎學金給州立學校。

例如，阿肯色州的居民如果分數高于一定水平并且GPA等于或高于3.5，則可獲得每年10,000美元的獎學金，學費和食宿費用。在就初步進行入學考試可以讓你更好得到這樣的機會。

4.重新考試是非常重要的：沒有關于多少次考試是太多次的規則和規則。然而。真要粗略地說，考SAT或ACT三次以上表明計劃不夠好。

請記住，大多數學院和獎學金計劃將考慮您的最高分。如果您作為十一年級學生完成了考試，但沒有達到成為您的第一選擇學校競爭申請人所必需的分數，請在進一步學習后重新參加考試。

總的來說，SAT和ACT的最佳策略是在十一年級時最優地選擇時間進行考試。這使你能夠更好地將時間和資源專注于大學申請的其他部分。當然如果有必要，你完全可以在十二年級的11月份安排參加考試。高年級的高分會比低年級的平庸分數要好得多，并且成為申請中的關鍵。

文章來自Brian Witte：Decide When to Take the SAT，ACT

提煉一下作者建議如下，供讀者參考：

SAT考試應安排在PSAT考試之后，即絕大部分在讀的高中生，合適的時間安排是11年級秋季10月考完PSAT，之后安排SAT。

所謂建議考三次或三次以內的原因在于：自11年級秋至12年級秋冬，目前SAT考試存在的場次大約是（比如2018年11月至2019年12月間）美國考生在美國，可選擇參加的場次有9場，亞洲考場由于受到了制裁，剩下了5場，算上8月飛北美參加考試，為6場。選擇其中三場參加，是合理的，無刷分嫌疑。

從招生官的的角度看，如果正常畢業的申請者（會正常念完12年級），那么11年級PSAT考試時間之前安排的SAT考試是非常奇怪的。

10年級就考SAT的意義，應貢獻于提早一年申請的計劃（高中僅僅念到11年級結束，不念12年級，直接上大學）。否則，招生官對于這種提前，不會理解成你是好學生，只會理解成你動機奇怪。

如此，所謂玄學錄取的2017-2018年中，85%+的疑問，已經可以解答。之前柏師讀過一個知乎上的熱門貼，各位怨氣沖天都在寫答主都在寫自己標化成績夠高，而錄取非常糟糕。卻沒有考慮過，你的標化出分過早，招生官無從參考。而需要你去考的時間，你自以為已經考好，分手了，不考了……天曉得這種無安全不合理的安排，是怎么想出來的！

而當然更倒霉的考生，是安排了早開始，10年級就參加SAT考試的考生人群，不乏托福都90分以下的純炮灰黨。今年5月在考場柏師就遇到不少，令柏師非常困惑：這究竟是干啥呢？這里是亞博，排著隊的是考生，不是奧斯維辛啊！而這樣過早進場，當然會在今年之后，就開始糾結，已經考砸兩次了，又聽說只能考三次……怎么辦好？

今年咨詢時柏師與考生及家長溝通，發現之前確實有一個規劃，而令柏師感到離奇的是，雖然規劃來自不同的國際學校，中介，或者之前培訓方，時間節點安排卻驚人地一致而錯誤。真不知道是什么力量導致的，柏師天資愚鈍，參不透中……

附英文原稿

The college application process is a long and winding road. For most students, preparing for college begins with the PSAT in October of their sophomore or junior year of high school. The PSAT does not greatly impact college applications – though the National Merit Scholarship is a sought-after award.

The college-bound student, then, must complete at least one of the ACT or SAT exams. Considering the schedule of the average high school student, with its admissions essays, athletics, extracurricular activities and other standardized tests – think the APs – when should you sit for an entrance exam: as a junior or senior? Here are some things students should know about the process as they decide.

1. Begin as soon as possible: The early completion of your goals – and the prep that entails – is a significant benefit. Many aspects of the college application process will proceed far more smoothly once you know what test scores you will use.

While it is true that your admissions essay, grades and letters of recommendation play critical roles in your application, very high or very low scores can eliminate certain schools or make "stretch" colleges more realistic. Your exam results can thus help narrow or broaden your options.

2. Consider your PSAT experience: Of course, the ideal situation for a student is to do very well on the ACT or SAT on his or her first attempt. The student can then concentrate on other elements of the application process. Choosing which test is best for you is another subject entirely.

Whether or not you will ultimately be able to do so rests on a number of factors, but one of the best early indicators is your PSAT score.

The PSAT is a useful barometer for your readiness for the full SAT or ACT. If you did very well on the PSAT, consider selecting the next available exam date for the ACT or SAT in your junior year. Act while your memory and test-taking skills are fresh. If you do well, you can move on. If you do not do as well as you hoped, however, you will have ample time to improve your results.

3. Assess scholarship implications: Certain states offer full or partial scholarships to state schools based largely on a combination of grade-point average and standardized test scores.

Residents of Arkansas, for example, are eligible for a scholarship of $10,000 per year toward tuition, fees and room and board if they score above a certain level and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Taking entrance exams early in your junior year allows you to better pursue such opportunities.

4. Retake as necessary: There is no rule about how many tests is too many. Roughly speaking, however, sitting for the SAT or ACT more than three times indicates poor planning.

Remember that most colleges and scholarship programs will consider your highest score. If you completed the exams as a junior, but fell short of the mark necessary to be a competitive applicant at your first-choice schools, retake the exam as a senior after further study.

Overall, the best strategy for the SAT and ACT is to take your chosen test as early as possible in your junior year of high school. This enables you to better focus your time and resources on other parts of the college prep process. If necessary, however, you can generally sit for the tests through November of your senior year. A high score as a senior is better than a mediocre score as a junior – and planning, as always, is key.