What are the Pros and Cons of the December SAT and ACT?

The holiday recess that falls towards the end of December may not represent the halfway mark of the academic year, but it certainly feels like an important breakpoint. This also happens to be a critical deadline for most seniors to finish admissions testing as well as an auspicious target for juniors to do the same. Is December a good time to take the SAT or ACT?

PROS
Back-to-back SAT and ACT dates reward excellent preparation
Few significant academic obligations during this month

CONS
Winter sports and activities may interfere with prep and testing
Seniors can feel pressured by the last viable test of their admissions cycle

RECOMMENDED FOR
12th graders who still need their best scores
11th graders eager to finish testing by the end of the calendar year

After the December test dates, students won’t have another shot at an ACT for two months or an SAT for three. Thus, any student who starting testing in the fall should strive to finish in December. As one year barrels to a close, doesn’t the idea of beginning the next one with your teen’s best test scores in place sound nice?

RELATED QUESTIONS

When are the SAT and ACT offered in a year?
During which month is the SAT or ACT easiest?
How much time is needed to prepare for the SAT or ACT?

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