Parents and their teens always want to better understand what to take and when.

Here is an overview of what TESTS to expect in sophomore year

You’ll take the PSAT in the Fall through your school. While many sophomores are required to take the PSAT, the scores don’t “count” for college. Some high schools use students’ PSAT scores to place them into AP classes for junior year. The PSAT only “counts” in the junior year for students interested in qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship program.

Not every student will take SAT Subject Tests. However, if you’re a sophomore and taking advanced, honors, or AP classes, it’s advantageous to take a subject test in May and/or June of your sophomore year. It’s best for your sanity — and your score — to take the subject tests at the end of the school year in which you’ve taken relevant coursework. Don’t miss that opportunity by taking a subject test in the Fall. By then, you may have forgotten a great deal of the content you learned during the previous school year.

In the late Spring or early summer of your sophomore year, you should take a practice ACT and a practice SAT to determine which test is better for you. Once you’ve identified your preferred test, develop an individualized test preparation plan to implement during the summer between sophomore and junior year.

Is there anything to do prior to or during sophomore year?

Absolutely. All students can use their first two years of high school to build a strong academic foundation. Two key areas that deserve focus: (1) reviewing conventional grammar rules and (2) solidifying basic algebra and geometry concepts. Students can learn grammar concepts and practice them regularly in their writing, emails, and even texting with friends (none of this “ur fun” stuff – you should type “you’re fun”). Students can also keep running lists of all the math equations they’re learning, so they don’t forget basic concepts like equations of lines, exponents and radicals, perimeter and area equations for basic shapes, combining fractions, FOIL, and factoring.

Here is an overview of what tests are offered when, so you can plan ahead for junior year.

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