Prep With The Best!

As the 2022-2023 school year quickly comes to a close, students are studying hard for AP’s and final exams and looking forward to an exciting summer! For current juniors, we hope you have achieved your ACT/SAT scores or are on your way to doing so; if you haven’t begun, it’s time to get started! For incoming juniors, it is never too early to begin. But the world of testing has changed and continues to do so every day, and we thought we’d address some specific questions you might have!

Does my child need an SAT/ACT score to apply for college?

If your child is applying to any of the Florida state universities (UF, FSU, UCF, USF, etc.), a score is required for admission! The state university system shows no signs of removing the testing requirement in the near future, so it is essential for almost all students we see. In addition, test scores are still a requirement for Bright Futures scholarships.

What if my student is applying to only testoptional schools?

There is a great debate occurring right now about the role of tests and the advantage/disadvantage of applying without scores. While most schools have not published comparative acceptance rates for test/test-optional, it is clear that having a good test score is still a huge benefit in admissions for almost all schools. It may not be a requirement, but admission has only gotten MORE competitive, and many students are still submitting strong scores as evidence of their academic achievement.

Does it matter which test they take?

Both the SAT and ACT are considered equally by all schools. While the SAT has traditionally been the more popular test, do not let this influence you. Many students do better on ACT and gain acceptance to the best schools in the country with just an ACT score.

How do we know which test is better?

It really is impossible to know without trying both. BTS offers a diagnostic test comprised of half ACT/half SAT, and this is the best way to tell. Many students fear the ACT science because they are not strong in science in school, but find that the section requires little knowledge of science material. Don’t waste time pursuing the wrong test. Take our diagnostic!

When should we begin?

We like students to begin as early as possible in this process. Whether students are strong or weak test-takers, starting early allows them to have a chance to take multiple tests and still finish by the end of their junior year. One of the nicest things about testing is that when students are done, they are truly done! A great time to start is the summer prior to junior year, before the rigors of school set in. BTS offers comprehensive summer classes for students looking to get a jump start.

What if my child hasn’t taken Algebra II yet?

Many high schoolers do not take Algebra II until their junior year, and both the SAT and ACT cover concepts from this class. Even if they are just beginning Algebra II, we encourage students to start prep early.

When is the digital SAT starting?

Beginning in March of 2024, the SAT will start administering the SAT online for U.S. high schoolers. This means that current Sophomores are the first group to take the test in this format, though their testing in the fall will be traditional.

The new SAT will be adaptive, meaning it will offer fewer questions, but will “adapt” and offer harder or easier questions based on the success on earlier questions. The content will basically remain the same as the old SAT, but reading passages will be shorter and have fewer questions per passage, and an online graphing calculator (Desmos) is available for all math questions. The test will be administered at testing centers on test takers’ own computers or tablets and will not be available at home. Scores will be reported in days, rather than weeks.

This creates a confusing choice for parents this coming year. Should students start with the old SAT and hope to be done by the December test? Should they wait and begin in March with the new SAT? Should they avoid the entire issue and simply focus on the ACT?

The truth is that the plan is different for every student, and we are here to help you make this decision!