Ask parents when their child should start test prep, and most will say, “Junior year is the best time to start SAT prep or ACT prep.” It makes sense. That’s when most students take the test, so that’s when prep lands on the calendar.
But junior year is also when students have the least time to prepare well. Between a heavy course load, sports, extracurriculars, college visits, and driver’s ed, test prep becomes one more thing squeezed into an already-packed schedule. Practice tests get pushed to weekends. Sessions compete with homework. Then finals and AP exams hit, and prep slides even further down the list.
We always recommend starting the summer after 10th grade, when possible. And if your child just wrapped up 10th grade, you haven’t missed the window. This is it. There’s still plenty of time to get started.
(And for those rising 12th graders who need a final push for boosting their score this fall, we can help with that, too!)
Why Summer Is Actually the Best Time to Start SAT Prep or ACT Prep
Studying for the SAT or ACT isn’t like cramming for a history test the night before. Students have to learn how to manage their time, spot question patterns, sidestep common traps, and know when to skip a question and circle back later. That takes real practice. You can’t build those skills in a few rushed weeks squeezed between homework assignments.
Here’s why summer works so well: by the time 10th grade wraps up, most students have finished Algebra II or are close to it, so they’ve already got the math foundation they need. There’s no nightly homework competing for their attention either. They can actually focus on learning the test, not just getting through it.
What Waiting Costs
Starting late doesn’t just make the calendar tighter, though it does that too. It also gives students less time to absorb strategy, work on pacing, and shore up their weak spots. And families lose flexibility. Instead of building a thoughtful testing plan, they end up scrambling to squeeze in last-minute prep sessions and register for whatever test date is still open.
More Time Means Better Decisions
One of the first calls families need to make is deciding on the SAT or ACT. It’s not a coin flip, and it’s not one-size-fits-all either. After nearly three decades of helping students prepare, we’ve noticed it splits roughly into thirds: a third of students do better on the ACT, a third on the SAT, and a third score about the same on both. The best way to find out? A full-length practice test. Once a student picks a test, we recommend sticking with it rather than splitting focus between the two.
Starting early also gives families room to build a real testing plan: two official test dates, with a third in reserve if needed, rather than pinning everything on one shot.
Test Scores Hold More Weight in Admissions Decisions in 2026
Many colleges dropped testing requirements during the pandemic simply because in-person tests were canceled or limited. That shift felt permanent to many families. It wasn’t. Schools like MIT, Georgetown, and the university systems in Florida and Georgia have already reinstated requirements, and others that remain test-optional are leaning “test-preferred” in practice, if not by name. At many of these schools, students who submit scores are admitted at meaningfully higher rates than those who don’t.
Test-optional still means optional, and a strong score won’t guarantee acceptance. But heading into the 2026 – 2027 admissions cycle, it’s one of the clearest ways to stand out in a growing applicant pool. Read our full breakdown of the current testing landscape for more on what’s driving the shift.
Summer Prep Doesn’t Take Over Summer Break
Vacations, camps, sports, and summer jobs can all stay on the calendar. Think of it as a small shift in timing, not as summer school.
Our SAT and ACT programs run 4 to 20 sessions, depending on your student’s starting point and how much they’re trying to improve. Most students meet their test prep tutor just once or twice a week for 1.5-hour virtual sessions.
Let’s Build a Personalized, Strategic Plan for Your Child
You can’t make junior year less demanding. The AP classes, the sports schedule, the college visits, none of that goes away. But you can decide when test prep enters the picture. Doing it now, rather than waiting until the fall, could make all the difference.
Still wondering about the best time to start SAT prep or ACT prep for your child?
Schedule a free strategy today, and let’s talk through your child’s SAT or ACT timeline, goals, and the right next step. We’ll help you build a plan that fits your summer, not one that fights against it.