Take the PSAT. The test won’t be considered in college admissions, but it can help you prepare for the real thing.
Students who have taken the PSAT tend to be more motivated to study and less stressed about what to expect in the actual exams. The SAT and ACT are challenging exams and students should have a plan for studying and knowing what to expect. Students who score exceptionally high on the PSAT are eligible for a National Merit Scholarship, and many colleges and universities award scholarships to National Merit Scholars. Perhaps most importantly, the PSAT gives you a gauge of how well you might do on the SAT or ACT. If you don’t score well on the PSAT, you will have time to study and improve your performance.
The SAT or ACT needs to be taken by the fall of your senior year, but most high school students take their exams in the spring of junior year. This allows you to take the test again if you didn’t score as well as expected. Admissions will only consider your highest test score.
In addition to taking the PSAT, you should plan on dedicating a certain amount of SAT/ACT study time each week. Many students form study groups and take unofficial prep exams. There are also numerous books and websites dedicated to entrance exams, the most well-known of which is Kaplan.