Frequently Asked Questions

Starting too early is not ideal as it can lead to frustration and burnout.

•  Highest scores are usually earned in the spring of junior year through the fall of senior year.
•  It is ideal to have testing completed by the end of junior year. For early decision, early action, and rolling admissions, many students like to complete testing by June of junior year. Most of these schools, however, accept scores from the October test taken in the senior year.
•  For some regular decision schools, the last test date is December of senior year.
•  The Ideal testing calendar would allow you to take the test of choice at least three times. While all three dates may not be needed, it is best to plan for three test dates in case they are.

No college requires both SAT and ACT scores. 

No, they are all scored on a scale that is determined before the test date.

SAT Test Dates

Both tests are accepted equally everywhere.

There are so many components that go into creating a student’s college list and recommending majors, and the college decision is such a big one for a student and family on many levels. Sandy does not feel comfortable making recommendations without gathering and assessing all of the background information that comes with the Best Fit Package.

Allow time to complete 4 hours of homework between each session. For some students a week apart works, for others 2 weeks. Over breaks, sometimes students prefer to meet five days in a row.

The sessions just need to start after the practice test(s) and finish before the real test date.

The best choice between the Best Fit College List Package and Test Prep depends on your personal goals and timing.

• Starting Early (End of Sophomore Year): Begin with the Best Fit College List. We will then develop a testing plan based on that list.

• Already Have Test Scores: We can build your College List immediately using your current scores. We will then offer suggestions for future testing or prep based on your list and scores.

For students who completed the Best Fit College List Package, a suggested timeline for application work is

Senior Strategy and Kick Off Spring of Junior Year

• Meeting 1 in May
• Meeting 2 in June

College Essay Package - June or July after Junior year

Full Application Review -August-December, depending on due dates

Hourly Consulting - as needed

Yes, you will be offered that option at checkout.

How to Register and What You Need

Fees and Deadlines

Test Day Essentials

• Your Admission Ticket (in the Bluebook app or printed).

• An acceptable photo ID (must be a physical, non-expired ID and match your registration name/photo).

• A pen or pencil for scratch work.

• An acceptable handheld calculator (if you prefer not to use the one embedded in the Bluebook app).

• Power cord or portable charger. | | Q: What is considered an "acceptable" photo ID? | An acceptable ID must be a physical, unexpired photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport, or an official school-issued student ID card. Your name on the ID must exactly match the name you used for registration. 

Post-Registration & Scores

SAT Dates and Deadlines

This depends upon many factors (college, major, high school transcript, high school profile, unique student circumstances), and it is a very important decision. For students who have completed Best Fit Package with EDNavigators, we can help you decide whether to send scores and to which colleges. Scheduling links for this meeting are on your CCP dashboard.

Colleges that REQUIRE SAT/ACT Scores - as of October 2025

•  All Public Universities in Florida (e.g., University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida)
•   All Public Universities in Georgia (e.g., University of Georgia, Georgia State University)
•   Auburn University: mandatory beginning Fall 2027. For the Fall 2026 admission, test scores are preferred, though exceptionally qualified applicants with a GPA of at least 3.6 may be considered without them.
•   Brown University
•   California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
•   Cornell University (Required for 2025-26 applicants)
•   Dartmouth College
•   Georgetown University - Requires ALL Scores
•   Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
•   Harvard University
•   Johns Hopkins University (JHU)
•   Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Requires ALL Scores
•   Purdue University (Main Campus - West Lafayette)
•   Stanford University
•   The Ohio State University (OSU)
•   University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Huntsville, and Birmingham) - starting the 2027-28 academic year, “campuses will set minimum high school GPA thresholds for test optional eligibility and expectations for testing requirements - starting 2028-29 Tests will be required
•   University of Pennsylvania
•   University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)
•   Yale University

•   Princeton University (Test-optional for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles, but will be test-required starting in Fall 2028)

Colleges that RECOMMEND or Strongly Consider Scores

•   Carnegie Mellon University: "Strongly encourages" scores for specific programs, like the School of Computer Science.
•   New York University (NYU): While test-optional, NYU lists standardized test scores as "Very Important" in its admissions considerations (Common Data Set).
•   Tulane University also lists test scores as "Very Important" despite having a test-optional policy.
•   University of Michigan: Similar to NYU, UMich remains test-optional but indicates that scores are "Very Important" to its evaluation.

 Many colleges are test-optional only through the high school graduating class of 2025. It is essential to check each college website for the latest information. 

Some colleges give scholarships based on test scores. 

California State System

Catholic University

Dickinson College

Hampshire College

La Salle University

Loyola University New Orleans

Northern Illinois University

Pitzer College (part of the Claremont Colleges)

Reed College

Stonehill College

University of California System

University of Washington

Washington State University

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

No, your scores belong to you. The only way colleges will know you took the test is if you select to have The College Board send the score report to them (you can choose WHICH score dates) or write your scores on your application. You can take the test multiple times, but only send/report scores from one or two test dates to the college. The college will not know you took the test multiple times. (Note: The exception here is if your high school puts your test scores on your transcript that gets sent to colleges with your application. Most don't, but it is worth asking.)

It isn't easy to give a simple yes-or-no answer because the policy varies from one institution to the next. It relates more to how a college handles score reporting:

Standardized Testing Policies and Multiple Sittings

The perception of taking standardized tests multiple times is less about colleges making a judgment on how many times you tested and more about the college's specific score-reporting policy. This policy determines how many of your attempts they actually see.

Score Reporting Policies and Strategy

Example College Policies (Requires vs. Recommends All Scores)

The schools not listed below generally participate in **Score Choice**. *Note: College policies frequently change, so always verify on the official admissions website.*

In most cases, yes. In college admissions, the answer to many questions is, "It depends." That holds true for this question as well. Many factors go in to a university's admission decision. Very often the selected major plays a role.

They are updated annually on this page of the Common App

This is the list as of Oct 2025