I’m seeing more and more students say “no thanks” to the June ACT. Are you one of them? Maybe you just needed a break from test-taking. Or maybe you felt you just couldn’t make the time, given that your IBs, APs, Regents, and/or final exams were also all ramping up around that late May/early June period. In prior years, you would have been reading a passionate plea from me, imploring you to continue studying despite the stressful time of year. After all, if you just spent a few months getting ready for the April test, what’s another two months, right? Junior year is tough, and them’s the breaks.
But that’s not the message of today’s post. Over the past few years, ACT and SAT dates have shifted, making the June ACT (and the June SAT, for that matter!) no longer a required entry in every single junior’s standardized testing timeline. It’s now simply one of the many moving pieces of the puzzle. Which means that for some students, it may be optional!
When is it ok to skip the June ACT?
There are a few valid reasons why you may have chosen to sit this one out. In order for me to feel ok about one of my 11th-grade clients skipping the June ACT, they’d typically need to meet 2-3 of these criteria:
1) You’ve already taken the February and/or April tests.
You’ve already prepped, you feel confident in your understanding of the pacing and all key concepts, and at least a couple of your section scores (English, Math, Reading and/or Science) are getting you to your target score…or pretty close, at least.
2) All of Your finals and final projects are in late May / early June.
If your finals and other tests directly overlap with the second weekend of June, your study time and sanity might just be stretched too thin to perform well on those AND take the ACT. And you do need to perform well in your classes at the end of junior year! Your transcript is THE most important component of your college applications, so I don’t want you to sacrifice grades for standardized test prep. But this trade-off only works if you know you WILL have the time to devote to the SAT/ACT once your junior year academics are over.
3) You aren’t ready.
Perhaps you simply haven’t prepped much or at all for the ACT and wouldn’t be ready for the June sitting. If you KNOW you aren’t ready, you probably shouldn’t take the test… but again, this only works if you can commit to a test prep plan and really go for it in July and/or September.
What if I already missed the June ACT?
Never fear—I’m here to help! Here’s your gameplan.
1) Set your sights on July.
Though as of June 13 (when this post was published), you don’t have all the time in the world, you still have some to work with before the July test sitting! Because the ACT powers that be added a mid-July test date a few years ago, you now have another option that works for Early Decision and Early Action college applications. But this only solves your problem if you take the time to study for it in June through early July—not if you’re at lacrosse camp or traveling in Mexico during that time!
2) Double down from mid-June to mid-July.
You need to start thinking about the ACT almost immediately after your final exams are finished. Yes, I know that doesn’t feel great—you would’ve way rather taken a pause after the pressure from school lets up. But hey, you did already just take a two-month pause from the ACT. And the four weeks leading up to the July test are crucial! Treat them a bit like boot camp. If you saw a tutor once a week before, see her twice weekly in the month before July 15. And you should take 2-3 mock tests in testing conditions the few weeks before the sitting, too. Hang in there—the late-junior/early-senior year period is challenging, but it won’t last forever.
2) After the july test, Take a breather (not a “break”).
Allow yourself to take a week or two off once you’ve sat for the July test. But remember: you still need to stay connected to the content and pacing, because you’ll likely have to do it all again in September and/or October! That means maintaining a regular study schedule, even if it’s not as high-intensity as the last month was.
4) If you can’t take the July ACT, get serious about September and/or October!
I’ll be honest: you need to nail the September ACT for Early Decision or Early Action applications. And you ALSO need to get your college essays done (here’s some helpful advice on how to go about that)—you don't have the luxury of putting them off until after your ACT anymore!
Shifting testing timelines are confusing, I know.
But hopefully these tips will help you navigate the changes—whether you’re planning well in advance (go you!) or whether you're freaking out (breathe, review my article archive, and do the best you can with where you are). I’m well equipped to help both types of student, by the way! Reach out if you need help making the best SAT/ACT study plan for YOU.
