While your high school transcript is unquestionably the centerpiece of college applications, many colleges also use standardized tests in evaluating applicants. This is especially true for students who have been homeschooled for significant portions of their high school experience. Standardized tests are seen as national norms and as one measure of student achievement across different academic histories.
When to Take the Tests
Freshman Year
- Usually no tests are necessary in freshman year.
- Students might consider taking the SAT Subject Test in a foreign language upon completion of level III of the language, unless they intend to continue to a higher level in that language.
Sophomore Year
- No standardized tests are required for sophomores, but it is recommended that students take the PSAT.
- Students may consider taking the SAT Subject Test in a foreign language upon completion of level III of the language, unless they intend to continue to a higher level in that language; or the Math Level II Subject Test upon completion of the first semester of Calculus AB or BC.
Junior Year
- Juniors take the PSAT in October.
- The SAT should then be taken in March, May or June of the junior year.
- The ACT Plus Writing in February, April, or June.
- Students are not required to take both the SAT and the ACT. We recommend students look at a few sample questions and select the test they prefer.
- SAT Subject Tests should be begun in the spring of Junior year.
- Consider taking the Subject Test in a foreign language upon completion of at least level III of the language; or the Math Level II Subject Test upon completion of the first semester of Calculus AB or BC.
- Engineering programs usually need to see at least one SAT Subject Test in Math Level II and one other science or math test.
Senior Year
- Students should re-take the SAT or the ACT Plus Writing in the fall of the senior year, preferably in October, if they are not satisfied with their junior year scores.
- Take additional Subject Tests in the fall as needed. OHS recommends a total of 3 Subject Tests (one Math, one Humanities and one of student’s choice).
- In most cases, November test dates will not arrive in time for any early applications with deadlines in November or early December.
- We recommend taking the SAT or ACT Plus Writing twice, and three times at most.
- We recommend that students not exercise the Score Choice option now available to them with both the SAT and the ACT, as many colleges require full disclosure of all test scores. Most colleges will give students the benefit of “best test” when evaluating their application.
- There are full-length practice tests available to students desiring additional experience without having to take the actual tests on a Saturday morning.
Score Choice
- Stanford OHS strongly recommends that students not withhold any scores through Score Choice. Most colleges have differing policies on what scores are necessary to “show.”
- Students should have all scores sent once they have determined your college list. It is not necessary to wait until after other application components have been submitted.
- Typically colleges will consider a student's “best test,” but they want to review the testing profile as a whole.
- Students' time is better spent on daily class work and activities than worrying about which scores to send and why.