SAT Archives - Financial Planning 101

COLLEGE APPLICATION TIMELINES

July 16, 2023 Affiliate Puppy Colleges/Schools

11th Grade Fall (Aug – Dec): PSAT/PreACT; Research / create a list of Schools…

11th Grade Spring (Jan – June): SAT/ACT; AP Exams; Touring (virtual) Schools…

11th Grade Summer (June – Aug): SAT/ACT; Choose Admission plan (deadlines); Create portals accounts, fill out detail; Request Letter of Recommendations; Tour schools (in person/virtual); Thinking about writing admission essays…

12th Grade (Sept): Send test scores, transcripts, recommendation letters for ED/EA deadlines; Writing admission essays; Continue Scholarship applications;

12th Grade (Oct): File FAFSA, continue to send scores, transcripts for ED/EA…

12th Grade (Nov): Early Decision I (Nov 1 or 15); Early Action (Nov 1 or 15); Regular decision: Send scores, transcripts, recomm. letters for RD deadlines;

12th Grade (Dec): RD rolling admissions, repeat Nov steps for RD admission

12th Grade (Jan): Early Decision II (deadline Jan 1 or 15)

ACT, AP exams, Application, College, CSS, FAFSA, Funding, Letters of Recommendation, SAT, Test Scores, Timeline

Differences between SAT and ACT

June 23, 2023 Affiliate Puppy Colleges/Schools

Both tests have an optional essay. SAT has a Math section where you can’t use a calculator. ACT has a Science section that SAT doesn’t have. ACT requires students to read more quickly because it requires answering each of the reading questions in less than 1 minute, but SAT allows students to answer each reading question in more than 1 minute. You have more time in SAT than the ACT. Same as the Writing sections. For Math, 1 min per question in ACT, but students have more than 1 minute for SAT.

If you need more time, SAT is better.

Reading	ACT Time	ACT Questions	ACT Min/Question	SAT Time	SAT Questions	SAT Min/Question
	35min	40	< 1min / Question	65min	52	>1min / Question
Writing	45min	75	< 1min / Question	35min	44	<1min / Question
Math	60min	60	=1min/Question	80min	58	>1min / Question

ACT, AP exams, College Board, CSS, FAFSA, SAT, Test Scores

What is SAT?

June 17, 2023 Affiliate Puppy Colleges/Schools

SAT stands for Scholastic Assessment Test. It’s an entrance test used by many colleges and universities. It lasts 3 hours. There are 2 sections: 1) Math and 2) Reading & writing tests. It costs $55 and the highest score is 1600 (800+800). The average score is 1060. The exam is multiple choice format. It’s used to measure the readiness of students for college.

Most students take SAT and/or ACT in the Spring of their Junior Year. You can re-take the exam, so it’s important to take them earlier so you can choose a higher score to submit to college. SAT is offered nationally every Summer = June, August, Winter = October, November, December, Spring = March, May.

SAT registration is via College Board. The register deadline is here and it is approximately 5 weeks before each test.

Besides the SAT, you should take the PSATs when they are offered at your high school. The status as a “National Merit semifinalist” or “National Merit Finalist” will be determined by your PSAT score, not your SAT score!

There are a few items schools look at:

SAT Scores
High School’s GPA
Classes you took in High School
EC (Extracurricular) activities
Letters of Recommendations
Admission Interviews
Personal Essays

ACT, SAT