7th grade SAT/ACT

[JennyD]

I'd like my current 7th grader to take the SAT (or ACT) either this year or next, as I think the score will be useful for some specific applications.

 

Back when I was in 7th grade and dinosaurs roamed the earth, I took the SAT -- or possibly the PSAT?  I cannot remember -- as part of a sort of "talent search" program.  These programs seem to have expanded considerably over the last few decades, but looking at their websites I don't think we'd be interested in any of the classes or camps, just taking the test.

 

Am I correct in thinking that we should just pick one of the two tests and find a place to take it?  Is there any benefit to trying to get involved in these programs that might not have occurred to me?

 

 

[madteaparty]

Well I personally don't see much value in the programs though we have used their elementary language classes that weren't available elsewhere; they were good.

I will say, only because I learned it here, that if you do the June ACT you can order the full test booklet, so you can see which questions your child got wrong. It was revelatory to me. We registered directly with ACT because I waited until after his 13th to register

[Arcadia]

Am I correct in thinking that we should just pick one of the two tests and find a place to take it? Is there any benefit to trying to get involved in these programs that might not have occurred to me?

Not unless your spouse finds award ceremonies entertaining like mine does. He doesn't question the thousands I spent on outsourced classes per year so I am not going to begrudge his spending that relatively small amount of money on talent search participation.

 

You can still participate in their programs without going through the talent search, just email them a photo or scanned copy of your child's results. They aren't going to reject qualified customers from their courses and summer camps :)

 

We registered directly with ACT because I waited until after his 13th to register

We did the mail in registration. It was rather easy. OP can request the form using this link for kids under 13 years old. My kids took before their 11th birthday while in 6th grade. The mail in forms do come fast and gets processed fast when you mail them back.

http://forms.act.org/student/stud_req.html

 

ETA:

For mail in registration for SAT for under 13 years old, look at this thread http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/656820-sat-paper-registration/

Edited September 11, 2017 by Arcadia

[Dmmetler]

We also registered directly-DD took the SAT at 10 and the ACT at 11 because she was applying to a program that requires them from homeschoolers. I strongly suggest getting a state ID if your child doesn't have a passport. Technically, they don't require it under 13, but it definitely makes things go smoother if you have it.

 

We got the answer release for the SAT and the Question/answer release for the ACT. Mostly, what they showed us was that At the time, DD did great for about the first 2 hours. After that, there were diminishing returns.

[JennyD]

Terrific, thanks for all of this information!  I think we will just register directly.  Dmmetier, we're in the same state, so the suggestion to get a state ID is particularly useful -- I would not have thought of that. 

 

 

[Dmmetler]

At least in my side of the state, there are a lot more choices in where to take the ACT. DD had exactly two to choose from for the SAT-both all Boys schools. It threw her for a loop until she got there and discovered she wasn't the only girl there! The ACT she was able to do at a much more familiar venue.

[Lucy the Valiant]

We used one of the talent search places because it was significantly cheaper; YMMV, of course. We haven't followed with any of their classes (because $$$), but the SAT was inexpensive.