When To Take The SAT and ACT When Applying to US Universities

The SAT or the ACT should be taken at some point in the penultimate year of high school (or Year 12 or Lower 6th or AS). In an optimal scenario, a student prepares for the exam over the summer before the penultimate year, and then takes the exam in October, November, December, and January.

When To Take The SAT and ACT When Applying to US Universities

The SAT or the ACT should be taken at some point in the penultimate year of high school (or Year 12 or Lower 6th or AS). In an optimal scenario, a student prepares for the exam over the summer before the penultimate year, and then takes the exam in October, November, December, and January.

When To Take The SAT and ACT

The SAT or the ACT should be taken at some point in the penultimate year of high school (or Year 12 or Lower 6th or AS). In an optimal scenario, a student prepares for the exam over the summer before the penultimate year, and then takes the exam in October, November, December, and January with a final score locked in before end of year exams approach. Then, subsequent dates can be used to take subject tests and push a good score to a great one. Furthermore, come time to write the application in US universities, a student knows which schools are in range and can select early admissions and regular admissions targets.

Sometimes students continue to take the exams through the first half of the final year of school if the exam is proving challenging or a decision is made to switch the choice of exam. Generally, we do not advise switching, but we have had several examples where it has been the appropriate choice, particularly for students for whom English is a challenge.

SAT and ACT Exam Dates

The SAT and ACT have exam dates roughly once per month. The exams can be taken any number of times. Schools usually superscore which means that they take the best individual section scores across all the dates that the exam was taken. Historically, schools looked for students who performed very well on their first or second try, but this has become less relevant with the new exam format.

Additional Information

For international students who are not instructed in English, please be aware that additional exams (e.g., TOEFL) are required for admission to the US or the UK. Please do get in touch to discuss these exams and the requirements.

Plesae see our article on the SAT vs ACT for details on which exam to choose and frequently asked questions on the SAT and ACT. Contact us to hear how we can help you prepare for the SAT, ACT, or in your application to US universities

Selected SAT & ACT Testimonials

Please see below some example SAT & ACT Testimonials that we have received. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor guarantee or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more SAT & ACT Testimonials can be found on our dedicated testimonials page, where you can filter by subject.

SAT/ACT | Sophia Ohler

"We're very impressed with Sophia, she's lovely and [my daughter] gets on with her very well. Sophia is very inspiring and a good role model for [her]." ... See Sophia Ohler's tutoring profile.

SAT | David Wilkinson

"[My son] was feeling overwhelmed by time pressure in his exams. David has really built up his confidence and time-management and his scores have risen because of it." ... See David Wilkinson's tutoring profile.

SAT | Wentworth Education Private Tutoring

"[The tutor] was fantastic at knowing what parts of the Chemistry syllabus I hadn’t covered. My score improved from a 650 to a 790!"

SAT II [Physics] | Dr Katherine Wiles

"Katherine is very focused and identifies my problems very quickly, and therefore is able to help me with exactly what I need. I have learned a lot from her despite the fact that I only had four days of tuition." ... See Dr Katherine Wiles's tutoring profile.

ACT Tutoring via Skype during Coronavirus | Samara Melwani

""[My daughter] has not yet taken the ACT, but Samara has been a pleasure to work with. She is warm and focused, gives clear guidance and homework, and is flexible for meeting by Skype (especially important with COVID-19, but she was already doing it before because [my daughter]'s school and sports schedule was complicated)."" ... See Samara Melwani's tutoring profile.

SAT & University Admissions Counselling | Talal Al-Nawab

"Talal and I first started working together at the end of my Freshman year (Year 9) to support me in my high school Math classes as I was taking the most advanced course that my school offered. This continued into Sophomore year (Year 10), and he also then worked with me on my SAT test preparation from the beginning of Junior year (Year 11). Always patient and encouraging, Talal's tutoring and test preparation help was invaluable to allow me to excel in my school studies and prepare me for university. He challenged me to think on my feet and push my academic abilities. My confidence in Math continued to grow along with my GPA, and I am very grateful for his support. In the SAT, I was able to improve my score significantly through our work together which put me in a fantastic position for my university applications. Towards the end of Junior year (Year 11), Talal also began supporting me as a US university admissions counsellor. He helped me finalise a strong list of my best-fit universities and ensured that I began the essay drafting process in good time ahead of my Early applications. He guided me through the crucial essay process through careful and well thought-through iterations of my essay drafts to end up with highly personalised and impactful essays. He also ensured that I always stuck to my deadlines. I truly valued Talal's support and academic mentorship along the way, and I highly recommend him as a tutor, test prep coach and university admissions counsellor." ... See Talal Al-Nawab's tutoring profile.

Selected Profiles of our SAT & ACT Tutors

Please see below some example profiles of the SAT & ACT Tutors that we represent. If you would like to hear more, you may be interested to read about our tutor selection criteria or to read about Wentworth Tutors' philosophy and approach in a letter to parents from Dr Katherine Wiles, our Founder. Alternatively, some more profiles of our SAT & ACT Tutors can be found on our dedicated tutors page, where you can filter by subject.

I grew up in London, and was in school at Godolphin and Latymer before deciding to head to the US to attend Phillips Academy, Andover for high school. I then went on to study History of Art at Harvard University where I graduated magna cum laude with high honors. After two years working at an art gallery in New York, I returned to London where I received my Master's degree at the Courtauld Institute of Art. I have since returned to New York where I am working toward my PhD at CUNY Graduate Center.

Throughout my education I have benefitted form tutoring to help me achieve my academic goals and I understand how effective one-on-one teaching can be in preparing for big tests, catching up in a specific subject, and also building confidence. I am particularly experienced in helping students prepare for US independent and boarding school entrance examinations (ISEE, SSAT) and in working with students who need help with their personal essays or general applications for boarding school or university. As an alumni admission representative at Phillips Academy, I have worked with many students who are working on preparing applications to boarding schools and enjoy helping them to identify their strengths and use those to build a strong application. ...
I was born and raised in the United Kingdom and won an academic scholarship to Sherborne School at the age of 13. When I was 16 years old my family relocated to the United States, so I completed my secondary education at a competitive high school in the Houston area. After quickly adjusting to the American system, I achieved excellent results in my AP exams and SAT tests and received a place in the prestigious Plan II Honours program at the University of Texas at Austin. I graduated a year early with high honours, a second major in History, and an undergraduate dissertation that was awarded special honours. I have years of experience tutoring for the SAT and ACT exams and experience teaching the American public school curriculum in the humanities. I specialize in preparing international students wishing to attend university in the United States. ...
I'm originally from New York, and have been living in London for a bit over a year now. After graduating from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Creative Writing (Cum Laude), I received my Master's degree from the London Film School. I've been privately tutoring for years, as a peer tutor on Harvard's campus with the Bureau of Study Council, as well as with private agencies. I also have extensive experience as an Admissions Representative in the Harvard Admissions Office. I specialise in the American curriculum and US College Counselling, but know and work with the English curriculum as well. ...
After graduating from Harvard with a B.A. in Neurobiology I worked as a management consultant in the US for three years before starting the graduate medicine course at King's. I taught my first class in public speaking at the age of 17 and have sought out opportunities to teach and mentor others in everything I pursue. To that end, I joined Wentworth Tutors in 2018. ...
I am a driven and enthusiastic tutor with over 8 years of tutoring experience. I have a passion for learning, and am currently completing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology at UCL.

Given my academic background, I have experience teaching GCSE, A level and undergraduate level Psychology. I also have experience tutoring creative writing, English literature / language, and maths.

I have spent time training and working at The Princeton Review in New York where I taught English as a second language to children and adults, and worked with highly driven students on US boarding school and university test preparation (SSATs, SATs, ACTs). I have a specialized knowledge of US higher education.

I have spent time working in a private children’s therapy clinic, and my career has lent itself to working with students with a diverse range of learning styles, including working with students with special learning needs (i.e. ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia / dyspraxia / dyscalculia etc).

I hold an MA in Clinical Psychology, and a BA in Sociology from the University of Toronto. I believe in recognising the unique potential in each of the students I work with. ...
I have experience teaching a range of ages, both privately part-time and in full time employment as a teacher at Hurstpierpoint College, where I worked for a year before starting my degree at Oxford University. I have a particular interest in entrance into the UK's top schools and Universities, teaching 11 plus, Common Entrance, and preparing students for Oxbridge. I am aided by a detailed understanding of UK independent schools as well as experience preparing for the American education system at ISEE and SSAT level in particular. I have delivered private tuition to children between 5 and 20 years. I find tutoring immensely rewarding and particularly enjoy the focused nature of assisting an individual with their academic goals. ...
I grew up in a family that moved every few years, so I attended school first in private academies in Singapore, then the U.S. public school system. I went on to Harvard University, where I focused on the social sciences and graduated with a degree in Women & Gender Studies. After working in tech in the US, including over 3 years building and leading the customer support organization at Uber, I am currently pursuing a Master of Science at the London School of Economics.

As a lifelong bookworm and overall nerd, I look to bring that excitement for learning to those around me, be that within a classroom or in the workplace. During my undergraduate years, I focused my extracurricular time tutoring in and leading an organization that provided free English Second Language classes. At Uber, I personally coached 11 direct reports to develop leadership, analytical, and people management skills, either directly promoting or facilitating their promotion to higher level roles within the company.

I am well versed in the US system, including AP and college entrance exams, and I particularly enjoy working with students through the entire admissions processes, especially when it comes to personal essays. In addition, I can support any students looking to gain presentation and data analysis skills. You can always count of me to bring some humor and levity to facilitate learning, whether the topic is the SAT exam or using Excel. ...
After finishing two degrees from Stanford and Kingston Universities (covering a range of topics from philosophy of religion and mathematics to critical theory) I am now preparing to teach philosophy in prisons and studying to become a psychoanalyst. ...
I specialise in US exam preparation, reading comprehension, Art History, English (writing and literature), History, and French language. I have benefitted from one-on-one tutoring throughout my education in order to prepare for standardized tests (ISEE/SSAT, SAT/ACT, GRE), which helped me build confidence and was a huge factor in my success. Having grown up in Manhattan and having attended boarding school and university in the US, I am intimately acquainted with the American educational system and the testing and admissions processes for US high schools and universities. Because of my background, I am well equipped to provide admission advice and counselling.

In New York, I attended a private, all-girls school, Convent of the Sacred Heart, before continuing my education at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut. At Choate, I took many Advanced Placement and honors courses. I achieved a 35 (of 36) on my ACT and 5's on my Art History, French, English Literature, and European History AP exams. I attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee where I double-majored in Art History and French. Before beginning my graduate studies in September 2019, in order to improve my German, I attended the Middlebury College Intensive Summer Language Program in Middlebury, Vermont, an 8 week, immersive program where all classes and socialising are conducted in German. I moved to London in 2019 to attend the master's programme in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute (M.A. distinction, 2020; course: German Modernism: Politics, Utopia, and Times of Turmoil).

I am now the Project Curator of an online journal and exhibition space affiliated with MIT on art and migration and Performa director RoseLee Goldberg's research assistant for the fourth edition of her book Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present, focusing on performance and new media from 2010 onward. ...
Having worked in the education space for over four years as a Senior Academic Mentor and University Admissions Counsellor, I have built up my experience of working with a wide range of students. My primary focus has been on SAT & ACT tutoring, US & UK University Admissions Counselling, and general high school Mathematics tutoring. I take a 'mentorship' approach to my work with students and focus on building a strong relationship based on trust and respect to ensure that students feel well-supported and are able to improve their abilities and performance levels. ...