How Many Times Should You Take the SAT or ACT?
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Most students should plan to take the SAT or ACT two or three times. The College Board has no limit on SAT attempts, and ACT allows up to 12. A first test in the spring of junior year, a retake in early summer or August, and an optional final attempt in early senior fall fits most application deadlines.
A typical retake plan
| Attempt | When | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| First test | Spring of junior year | Get an official baseline after initial prep |
| Second test | June or August | Raise weaker sections with targeted practice |
| Third test (optional) | September to early November of senior year | Last chance before early application deadlines |
When a retake makes sense
- Your score is below the middle range at colleges on your list.
- Your practice test scores are clearly higher than your official score.
- One section is much weaker than the other and you have time to work on it.
- A college you are applying to superscores, so a strong section from a second test can raise your total.
When to stop testing
Stop when your score is at or above the middle 50 percent range for your target colleges, or when two well-prepared attempts land within a few points of each other. At that point, time is usually better spent on grades, essays and activities.