The SAT vs. ACT decision how many practice tests do you need to take

For those of you still  deciding between the SAT and the ACT, one factor that you need to take into account is the number of practice tests youre planning to take. I touched on this point in a recent post, but Id like to revisit it here from a slightly different angle. Im insisting on it because of a couple of recent tutoring inquiries regarding students who  want to start test prep early in junior year, and who are looking to raise their reading scores by enormous amounts (in the 200 point-range). But this post is also applicable to anyone looking to spend more than a few months prepping.   To be clear, 200-point increases  are extraordinarily difficult to achieve new SAT, old SAT, whatever. But Ive worked long-term with students who were serious about trying to make those kinds of gains, and if there is one thing they all had in common, it was the sheer  number of practice tests they took. In some cases, 25 or more.   In general,  I am most definitely not  a fan of the  repeated practice tests approach. Its infinitely  more effective to work through material concept by concept, finding out where the gaps are and spending time plugging them, than to just take test after test. Ive had students who took all of two practice tests who met their score goals easily, and students who took 30 (!) tests and never quite got to where they wanted to go. So if youre worrying that that you need to take 25 practice tests just to have a fighting chance at a decent score, dont worry   thats probably not the case at all! Likewise,  if you are already a strong reader and/or are  only trying to raise your SAT score by a modest amount, or if you are scoring so much better on the SAT than on the ACT that it doesnt even make sense to look at the latter, this discussion doesnt concern you so much. However: if  you are trying to raise your verbal score from average to Ivy League-competitive  and your actual reading skills need work, or if you fall into one of the categories below,  this is a real logistical concern  that should at least be taken into  account. Most students who study for an extended period, either on their own or with a tutor, end up naturally going through a lot of tests. Even if theyre not doing full tests in one sitting, the individual practice sections can pile up pretty quickly once things really get going.   Furthermore,  some students are genuinely nervous test-takers who need to get as comfortable as possible with the testing process  so that theyll have as few surprises as possible when they take an exam for real. Ive worked with students who needed to sign  up for regular mock-testing at local companies for  months on end, just so they wouldnt have a nervous breakdown on test day.   I also appreciate that reading tests pose a particular challenge for students who do not come from English-speaking families, or who did not grow up in the United States, but are aiming to gain admission to top colleges.  Standardized tests include all sorts of cultural assumptions that American students take for granted, but internationals often do not  have that luxury. They usually  need to practice more.   So if any of these things  applies to you, and you are still trying to decided between tests,  please consider the following: Yes,  the College Board has now released two additional practice tests, but that brings  the grand total only to six, plus two PSATs. If you are planning to study for months and months, you will  exhaust your supply of authentic tests very quickly. You cannot  compile a stash of old, released exams from your friends and the Internet because no old released exams exist. If you want to take numerous full-length practice tests, you will either be forced to re-take the Official Guide tests something I never recommend or rely on third-party exams, which may or may not accurately reflect the content of the actual exam and which I never endorse either.   (Note: as per disgruntled former College Board employee Manuel Alfaros revelations, released College Board exams  #5 and #6 may not accurately reflect the content of the administered tests either.) The bottom line is that if youre planning to start prep in the fall of junior year (or earlier) for a spring test, youre going to need a substantial amount of practice material; and if youre not using official tests, you  are likely to miss key  issues that could have a noticeable effect on your score.   And assuming that you cant get access to the leaked exams, there is no way around it.   For that reason, I am  very strongly encouraging anyone who is scoring more or less comparably on the SAT and the ACT, and is seeking the type of score gains that will likely require long-term tutoring,  to please seriously consider the  ACT.  There is only so much any tutor or student can do with the limited a supply of authentic SAT material, and to insist otherwise is  unfair to everyone involved. Yes, that test poses its own challenges, most notably involving speed, but at least it is possible to say that students can be prepared thoroughly and  will have the opportunity to practice until they can get things right. Not to mention the fact that you can be sure the  released exams you take were the same tests that were actually administered.