Standardized Testing Today: Is SAT/ACT Prep Still Worth the Investment?

With some colleges requiring standardized testing and others remaining test optional, families are understandably unsure about how much time and money to invest in SAT or ACT preparation.

The question I encourage families to ask is not simply, “Does my student need to take the SAT or ACT?”

Instead, ask: “Could a strong SAT or ACT score help my student?”

The answer will be different for every student.

Start With a Baseline

Before committing to months of test preparation, I recommend having a student take a full-length practice SAT or ACT under realistic testing conditions.

A baseline score gives us a place to start. It can help determine which test is a better fit, identify areas for improvement, and give us an idea of how much preparation may be worthwhile.

From there, we can look at the colleges a student may be considering and ask whether a stronger score could add something meaningful to their application.

For one student, a modest increase may make their score worth submitting.

Another student may already be in a competitive range and need only some targeted practice. For someone else, extensive preparation may not be the best use of their time.

All three are reasonable outcomes.

Look at the Student’s College Goals

There is no single SAT or ACT score that is “good.”

A score needs to be considered in the context of the student and the colleges they are considering. Testing ranges published by individual colleges can help families understand how a student's score compares with those of recently admitted students.

This is also why testing shouldn't be considered separately from the rest of college planning.

Students have limited time. Hours spent preparing for a standardized test are hours they aren't spending on academics, athletics, activities, work, or other priorities. We want to know that the time being invested has a purpose.

Test Prep Should Be Individualized

Effective preparation doesn't mean completing endless practice tests or questions.

First, we need to understand where the student is losing points. Is it content knowledge? Timing? Reading comprehension? Math skills? Grammar? Test anxiety? Careless mistakes?

Once we understand the student’s strengths and challenges, preparation can become much more focused.

For some students, that may mean several months of consistent work. For others, it may be a shorter period of targeted preparation.

The goal isn't a perfect score. It is to help each student determine whether testing can strengthen their college application and, if it can, create a realistic plan to help them get there.

SAT and ACT preparation should never be something a student does simply because everyone else is doing it. Like every other part of college planning, the decision should make sense for the individual student and their goals.

For many students, that confidence is just as important as reviewing the academic material.

Start With Information, Not Pressure

Families do not need to decide immediately that their student will spend months preparing for standardized tests.

Start with a baseline.

Determine whether the SAT or ACT is the better fit.

Look at the student's goals.

Consider the colleges they may be interested in.

Then ask whether a stronger score would meaningfully expand their options or strengthen their application.

Standardized testing is once again becoming an important part of the conversation at many colleges, but that doesn't mean every student needs the same testing plan.

The best approach is a thoughtful one: test, assess, strategize, and then decide where your student's time and resources will have the greatest impact.

Ultimately, SAT/ACT preparation should not be something families invest in simply because everyone else seems to be doing it. It should be an intentional decision based on the individual student—and how testing fits into the bigger picture of their college admissions strategy.