students working on sat or act test prep

Do I need the SAT or ACT for college?

The SAT and ACT are college entrance exams which are optional to apply for many universities, but not all! Sometimes they’re required (maybe for a specific program), and many times an above-average score can…

  • support a student’s application
  • demonstrate language or academic ability
  • and ensure they win lots of financial aid and scholarship money.

Not sure whether testing is right for you? We’re here to help! Let’s start with the first step:

Step 1: Check this free guide to the SAT & ACT to see if you need a test score

Step 2: Take this short quiz to get a personalized SAT vs ACT recommendation

Get to know the ACT
Learn about the SAT
Explore the PSAT

Step 3: Take a free, official practice test to check your starting score

Download Complete ACT Practice Test Download SAT/PSAT Practice Test App

Taking a practice test helps you assess which test is most comfortable for you and get your baseline score.

If you’re happy with your score, you’re ready to register for a test! If not, it might be time for test prep…

Step 4: Choose the best SAT or ACT test date (and register if you’re ready)

ACT Test DatesACT Registration DatesACT Score Release Dates
February 8, 2025Jan. 3rdFeb. 18th
April 5, 2025Feb. 28thApril 15th
June 14, 2025May 9thJune 24th
July 12th, 2025June 6thJuly 22nd
September 2025*t.b.d.t.b.d.
October 2025*t.b.d.t.b.d.
December 2025*t.b.d.t.b.d.

*Specific ACT test dates for Fall 2025 have not yet been announced.

SAT Test DateSAT Registration DatesSAT Score Release Dates
March 8, 2025Feb. 21stMarch 21st
May 3, 2025Apr. 18thMay 16th
June 7, 2025May 22ndJune 20th
August 23, 2025t.b.d.t.b.d.
September 13, 2025t.b.d.t.b.d.
October 4, 2025t.b.d.t.b.d.
November 8, 2025t.b.d.t.b.d.
December 6, 2025t.b.d.t.b.d.
Register for the ACT Here!
Register for the SAT Here!

Step 5: Make an informed and personalized testing plan

Junior and senior year can be chaos, so having a testing game plan is crucial. This can include…

  • Setting a timeline and budget that considers your schedule and score improvement goals
  • Determining what subjects you need to work on
  • Choosing the right test prep course
  • Looking at any upcoming changes to the tests so that you can be prepared
  • Gathering advice from the experts on where to spend your time and energy
  • Estimating potential college costs to see which tests and scores will help you save money

Feeling overwhelmed? Sometimes it’s best to make a testing plan with a little help:

Hear the latest from SAT & ACT experts to make sure you are fully prepared for test day

Back-To-School Test Prep Tips

The start of the school year comes with so many new classes, assignments and extracurricular activities that test prep can often get pushed to the side. Why prioritize doing practice tests when the SAT or ACT is months away?

Read More

How To Apply For Accommodations On The SAT/PSAT

Applying for accommodations for standardized testing is a lengthy process that involves collaborating with school coordinators weeks in advance to ensure each student receives the correct accommodations.

Read More

What We Know About The ACT So Far

ACT announced it will be updating its college entrance test over the next two years. These changes come in the wake of the SAT’s digital test relaunch in December 2023 and the SAT’s permanent shift to an entirely new digital test format in March 2024.

Read More

OR: Sign up for a free consultation with an admissions expert to see where testing fits into your college plan

Get Into College with Less stress and Pay for College with Ease

We get that the college admission process is confusing and ever-changing. March Consulting makes it its mission to know everything about it so it can guide and coach you. That way, you donโ€™t have to worry about missing out or getting lost in the chaos of deadlines and paperwork. When you work with March, you’re investing in your future and ensuring that you won’t miss out on any incredible collegiate offerings or opportunities to fund your education just because you don’t know they exist. 

Book Your Free Discovery call

Finally, Step 6: Choose the test prep course that’s perfect for you

$97
SAT Writing Prep: Grammar and Synthesis
$97
Digital SAT Reading Prep: Vocabulary and Text Analysis
$97
Digital SAT Math prep: Statistics and Geometry
$97
Digital SAT Math Prep: Intermediate and Advanced Algebra
$650
Digital SAT Comprehensive (1)
$170
Digital SAT Sprint
$195
$95
Cash for college
$170
Online ACT Sprint
$650
Online ACT Comprehensive

Boost your SAT English Score with Targeted Practice
>


Increase your SAT Math score with specialized courses
>


Choose the right SAT Course to earn your goal score >

Find a Course to help win College Scholarships here >

Explore the best ACT courses for your college goals here >

Not sure what to choose?

Check out what our past clients have to say about our course!

Both of my sons loved it!

My sonโ€™s score went up significantly by taking the Higher Scores Test Prep SAT course.ย He was able to be independent in his studying but had support.ย My younger son will be doing this program when it is time for him to get ready for his SATs.
Laurie M.
– SAT Comprehensive

5-Star Service!

Our son David began his SAT prep just weeks before his final attempt to raise his score.ย He raised his score by 60 points!ย Those 60 pointsย landed him an additional scholarship for $4,000!ย I’m a believer.
Tracey W.
– SAT Sprint

She was absolutely thrilled

One of my children has never been a good test taker,ย but she implemented the Higher Scores strategies and found that they really worked!ย Her scores in English and Reading were each 3 points higher than her practice test.
Betsy S.
– ACT Sprint

Boom! She scored a 33!

Boom! … That was the first word out of my daughter’s mouth when she got her December ACT score back. She tossed her phone to me and I quickly found out why… she scored a 33! I couldn’t be more proud of her. She was diligent studying the material, and it paid off!
Mike B.
– ACT Comprehensive

Review when it’s convenient

My son has a very busy sports schedule running XC and Track year round. We also had vacations planned and he couldn’t take advantage of the SAT review sessions offered by his school. Luckily, I found Higher Scores Test Prep. He was able to review when it’s convenient for him, even when we went on vacations. My son was very happy with his SAT score. Earlier this month, we received the news we have been hoping for. He was accepted at his top pick for Engineering school!
Christine M.
– SAT Comprehensive

Find More Testing Resources For…

STudents
Parents
Educators
Consultants and Affiliates

Frequently Asked Questions:

Our courses primarily focus on helping you find your testing confidence by showing you ways to hack the tests from the strategic angle. Our content is all about helping you understand the test-makers and how the test is put together so that you can excel even if you don’t have 100% of the concepts memorized.

Unfortunately, the official test-makers have no real incentive to show you how to hack their exam, so working with their official review materials can only get you so far. To maximize your final score, you’ll need to learn a tried and true strategic approach like the one we teach in our courses.

On average, ACT prep students realize 3-5 points of improvement.

On average, our SAT prep students realize 80-160 points of improvement.

The sprint courses can be completed in as few as six hours, though we recommend working through them over the course of a week!

Students taking the Comprehensive courses ideally should complete the full 18-lesson study guide prior to their first exam over the course of three to twelve weeks.

You’ll need a computer with an internet connection to access the video tutorials for the program. At registration, you’ll be prompted to create an account which will give you access to your courses at any time.

All prep materials for the courses are accessible in the relevant lessons under the “Materials” tabs. The lessons are organized by “days” which include all of the lessons and homework we recommend you complete in one study day. You can find an overview of the schedule on the Study Guide which will be emailed to you (and available for download under Course Materials) when you register.

If you choose to follow the study guide, it organizes the video tutorials from the course alongside free official practice tests from College Board or ACT, as well as some in-house quizzes to track your progress.

All of our courses come with easy-access question forms that go directly to our test prep teachers.

Students can get help on the courses, tests, platforms, and anything else they might be curious about at the click of a button. Our team of teachers have been working with these tests for over 25 years, and they will be available for whatever you might need.

We’d love to answer them! Just fill out our contact form, and we’ll get back to you shortly.