Each year there are 14 total national college admissions exams offered (seven each of the SAT and ACT), making 14 total opportunities (not including individual State in-school exams, e.g., March in CT). As you can see in the linear academic calendar, these exams are fairly evenly distributed across the 12 months (one each approximately every 7.5 weeks), with a couple of notable exceptions.
Twice a year each, in Oct/Nov and June/July for the ACT, and in Oct/Nov and May/June for the SAT, two exams each are offered closer to ONE MONTH apart than two, and the 3+ week difference does make a difference in terms of bottomline scores for students who prepare for them (i.e., most college-bound students). Therefore, for students who study both material (i.e., content) and strategies (knowing how to approach each exam), there are four best times a year in terms of minimizing learning losses when students can sit for two exams in about a month (again, not including the State in-school exams) rather than nearly two: two each in the fall and two each in the spring. These opportunities can can be thought of as TWOFERS (as in two exam chances per single preparation, not just one).
Because they typically represent last opportunities before most students submit applications to colleges and because some juniors haven’t yet seen all the material in school, the fall entrance exams typically attract more seniors than juniors, while the spring exams typically attract more juniors.
Moreover, April may be the last month of junior-year normalcy/sanity before challenging course material reaches their zeniths and students must contend with the already competing interests of final projects, final exams, and, in many cases, AP exams.
That makes April an ideal month to buckle down and study for either or both exams, with two of each on the near horizon (THREE ACTs including 4/15, which is on the very near horizon). As an added benefit, the MATH review necessary for both exams usually doubles as great review for fundamental skills and material juniors often see on their math finals and comprehensive tests throughout the late spring.
CPE has you covered with a range of classes and private tutoring for every admissions exam throughout the year. If you’re lucky enough to be DONE with your entrance exams, refer a friend and earn CA$H referral rewards! We’re here to help :-).