Junior year is the peak of high school.
It’s the last full academic year colleges will see on your kid’s application, loaded with the most difficult classes and heaviest course loads.
On top of all that, it’s time to figure out their testing strategy.
The last thing you want is to play it by ear.
Many students put off test prep until they suddenly realize their dream college requires a certain score, and wind up scrambling at the last minute.
At the opposite extreme, they spend all year running drills and retesting over and over in the hopes of getting a “good enough” score though they haven’t even defined what “good enough” means.
Neither option is ideal, nor effective.
To avoid all that stress, there are three questions your need to answer before the spring of junior year:
- Should my kid even bother testing? How do we decide when so many colleges are test-optional? Will skipping it hurt their chances?
- If they test, which test should they take — the SAT or the ACT?
- Once they’ve decided on a test, HOW should they prepare? What scores should they be targeting? And if they aren’t going to test, what should they be doing instead?
As you can imagine, testing strategy is highly individualized, not one-size fits all.
And the more you can dial in your strategy, the more effective testing will be.
So before you start buying books or hiring tutors, here are your three first steps to dialing in your junior year test prep plan the smart way.
STEP 1: Consider Your College List
You don’t want to test for testing’s sake. Colleges began to drop requirements in the early 2000s when new research showed test scores do not predict success better than grades alone.
Post-2020 the trend accelerated such that in 2025, more than 2000 schools are test-optional, including highly selective schools like Columbia, University of Chicago, Amherst, Bowdoin, University of Michigan, and NYU. Some colleges, like University of California schools, are test-blind and won’t look at scores no matter how good they are.
While many colleges have since reinstated testing requirements, that likely has more to do with business ties than educational value. However, if your kid has their heart set on one of these colleges or a reasonable comfort-level with test-taking, playing the game can be absolutely worth it. Submitting a strong score to a test-optional school can increase your chances, but rest assured if testing is not a strength, there are other ways to shine on your application.
So before you do anything about testing, start building that initial college list. Click here to download our College Clarity Toolkit, and check out the most up-to-date list of test-optional colleges at FairTest.org.
STEP 2: Get benchmark scores and choose your test.
Colleges that require or accept scores will take either the SAT or ACT, and we recommend committing to just one. Though they cover similar material, because the structures, types of questions, and skills prioritized are different, most students will have a clear preference of one over the other.
Students can take a full-length practice exam of both tests to find their best fit and compare the different scores using the official concordance table. Make sure you use official materials via the SAT and ACT websites — third party practice tests may not be an accurate representation.
From there, either the score will tell you everything you need to know, or the student’s experience of taking the test will. “I felt more rushed on this one,” “These questions were so tricky!” or “I had no idea what they were asking me to do” are good indicators that the test isn’t a great fit.
The PSAT or Pre-ACT can also be good indicators, but there’s a good chance your kid’s abilities have improved since taking those, or that the full length tests will present a different kind of challenge.
STEP 3: Create your test-prep or no-test plan.
Now that you have your benchmark score for your chosen test and your initial college list, the next question is: will this score help me or hurt me at my dream schools? How much do I need to improve, or would I be wise to refine my list?
Take a look at the average scores or what the middle 50% of accepted students scored. You can find those on each college’s website or using a reliable college search engine like College Navigator or Big Future. If you’re not already in that target zone, know that with disciplined practice, a typical student can expect to gain 2-3 points on the ACT and 150-200 points on the SAT.
Bigger leaps are also possible, though usually not without significant effort and performance coaching to work through challenges like test anxiety, ADHD, processing disorders, or simple issues of strategy, time management, and habit. Depending on your kid’s long-term goals and short-term priorities, their time may be better spent strengthening other aspects of their application and going the test-optional route.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO TEST…
Your test-prep plan should include reviewing or learning content, sharpening their test-taking strategies like pacing and process of elimination, and making time for 2-3 full-length, timed practice tests.
It can be helpful to have a structured curriculum to address specific sections and assign times for your kid to work on them, but make sure they focus time on their weak points rather than overdoing it where they’re already strong.
Tracking performance is key. They’ll want to review the questions they got wrong, understand exactly why they got them wrong, and figure out the shift in thinking or process they need to start recouping those lost points.
Finally, plan for two test sittings. First sittings can be nerve-wracking for students, and they often score significantly better the second time around without much additional effort. Complete both by April to get this out of the way before finals and AP exams, and leave time to get additional help and test again over the summer if needed.
IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO TEST…
Once you’ve confirmed that all colleges on your list are test-optional for their application year, you’ll want to double down on academic, leadership, and interpersonal strengths in and outside of school.
The question is, how can you demonstrate academic abilities and values that are aligned with the colleges on your list? It could look like renewing your focus on grades, developing awesome teacher relationships, partaking in unique extracurriculars or summer projects, or living your values in your community.
While these are good for ALL students to do, they’re especially important for those who opt-out of testing. You’re gaining time you would have otherwise spent practicing for and taking this test, so do something meaningful with it. Something that shows a college who you are, what you’ll contribute to campus, and why you’re mature and motivated enough to thrive on your own.
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I hope this post has clarified the testing process for you.
If you’d like expert advice on your kid’s specific situation, please book a Free Testing Strategy Diagnostic Session.
We’ll look at your child’s current grades and scores, help you understand their strengths, talk through any questions around ADHD or processing challenges, and advise you on how to get them engaged in the college process.
You’ll walk away more clear and assured on what your kid really needs to be doing to get into a great school, and when they should start.
