What Parents Need to Know About the SAT Prep Course Timeline

When should your teen take an SAT prep course? If this is your child's first time testing, take a look at a few commonly answered questions.

How Early Should the Teen Prepare for the Test?

There's no universal answer to this question. Your child should start to prepare for the SATs before they take the test. But that doesn't mean they need two years of SAT prep courses under their belt before exam day. As you learn more about the testing process and make decisions about when to start preparation, consider:

• Your child's schedule. Does your teen have an afterschool job, play a sport, or volunteer? If your teen has a packed schedule, they won't have enough time to study. This means they may either need to clear their schedule close to the SATs or take a longer course with fewer weekly hours.
• Your child's study habits. Does your child need more time to absorb information? If so, they may need to start prep early on to feel comfortable with the material.
• The SAT test date. An overly early prep strategy may backfire. If your child won't take the SAT until May, but their prep course ends in January, they may forget some (or most) of the information.

Discuss the options with your child. Now that they're a young adult, they need to have a say in their own learning process. Ask your high schooler to create a schedule and determine how much time they can realistically devote to the prep course. This can help you to decide when to start and what type of class to choose.

Is There an Advantage to Early Prep?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. You want your child to succeed in school and in life. They likely have an SAT score goal in mind but might not be ready to take the test yet. An extra-early prep course can provide an advantage depending on:

• Comfort level. Is your child nervous about the SATs? If so, an early prep course can calm fears and make your child less anxious about the test. The reduction of test-taking anxiety may help their performance.
• The class. Is the class designed to help your child prepare well before the exam date? Some courses are structured over time. If this is the case, an early start is to your child's advantage.
• Continued prep. Will your child continue to study and prepare well after the class ends? A course that gives students strategies to extend their education may help your child to feel more comfortable with the material over time.

Along with an SAT class, a math tutor or other similar course-specific tutors may help your child to succeed on the test. If your teen doesn't already have a tutor, consider this educational addition. Contact services like High Performance Tutoring to learn more.

Share