When Should You Take the SAT? A No-BS Timeline for 2025

"When should I take the SAT?" is one of those questions that sounds simple but actually requires you to think through a bunch of variables: What schools are you targeting? Are you applying early? How much prep time do you realistically need? Do you want room for a retake?

There's no single right answer. But there are definitely some wrong ones—like taking the SAT for the first time in December of senior year and hoping for the best. Let's figure out a timeline that actually makes sense for your situation.

The 2025 SAT Test Dates

First, here's what you're working with. The College Board offers the SAT seven times a year:

Test Date	Registration Deadline	When You'll Get Scores
March 8, 2025	February 21, 2025	Late March
May 3, 2025	April 18, 2025	Late May
June 7, 2025	May 22, 2025	Late June
August 23, 2025	August 8, 2025	Early September
October 4, 2025	September 19, 2025	Late October
November 8, 2025	October 24, 2025	Late November
December 6, 2025	November 21, 2025	Late December

Register early. Popular test dates (especially October and August) fill up fast, and if your preferred testing center is full, you'll end up driving an hour to some random high school.

The Ideal Timeline (If You're Planning Ahead)

If you're a junior who's thinking about this early—good for you. Here's the playbook:

Fall of Junior Year: Take the PSAT in October. This doesn't count for college applications, but it's good practice and qualifies you for National Merit scholarships. More importantly, it gives you a baseline. If you score a 1250 on the PSAT, you know roughly where you're starting.

Winter/Spring of Junior Year: Start serious prep. Take a practice test, identify your weak areas, and work on them. This is when most students should take their first real SAT—either March or May works well.

Why spring of junior year? Because you've had most of the school year to cover relevant math concepts. And if your score isn't where you want it, you have the whole summer to improve before taking it again.

Summer Before Senior Year: If your spring score needs improvement, this is your prep window. No school distractions, plenty of time to focus. Aim to take the SAT again in August.

Fall of Senior Year: If you still need to improve (or if you're retaking for superscore purposes), October is usually the last comfortable date for regular decision applications. November works too, but it's cutting it close.

If You're Applying Early Decision or Early Action

Early deadlines change everything. Most early applications are due November 1-15, which means:

• Your last safe SAT date is October. Scores come out around two weeks after the test, so October scores arrive mid-to-late October—just in time for early deadlines.

• August is actually your last comfortable date. This gives you scores in early September, time to decide if you need to retake in October, and breathing room if anything goes wrong.

• Don't count on November or December scores for early applications. They won't arrive in time.

Here's what a realistic early decision timeline looks like:

1. First SAT: Spring of junior year (March or May)
2. Second SAT: August of senior year
3. Emergency retake: October (if August didn't go well)
4. Early applications due: November 1-15

The key insight: if you're applying early, your SAT journey basically needs to be done by October. Don't leave your first attempt until August—that's too late to recover if something goes wrong.

If You're Applying Regular Decision

You have more flexibility. Regular decision deadlines are typically January 1-15, which means:

• December is technically viable for a final SAT attempt. Scores arrive in late December, right before most deadlines.

• November is safer. It gives you a buffer if there are any issues with score delivery.

• October is ideal if you want to be done and focused on essays.

A reasonable regular decision timeline:

1. First SAT: Junior year (any date from March through June)
2. Second SAT: August or October of senior year
3. Third attempt: November if needed

Choosing Between Spring Test Dates

March, May, and June all work for a first attempt. But there are trade-offs:

March is early. Pros: You're done before AP exams and end-of-year chaos. You have time for multiple retakes. Cons: You might not have covered all the math content yet. Spring break might interfere with prep.

May is popular. Pros: More prep time than March. Scores back before summer. Cons: This is also AP exam season. If you're taking 3+ AP tests, you might be spread thin.

June is the latest spring option. Pros: Maximum prep time, school year is essentially over. Cons: If you need to retake, your next shot isn't until August. Less recovery time.

My general advice: if you feel ready, go earlier. You can always retake. But if you know you need more time, don't rush it just because someone told you "junior spring" is the default.

Fall Test Dates: August vs October vs November

For most seniors, the question is: August, October, or both?

August is underrated. Yes, it's right after summer, which can feel abrupt. But if you've been prepping over the summer, you're actually at peak performance. You haven't been back in school mode yet, so you're not juggling homework and extracurriculars. And if August doesn't go well, you still have October and November to retry.

October is the most popular SAT date. Everyone takes it, including all the students who procrastinated. Testing centers are packed. But it's also comfortable timing—you're settled into senior year, early deadlines are still a few weeks away, and scores arrive with time to spare.

November is the backup plan. It works for regular decision, but it's tight for early applications (if your school accepts late scores) and gives you no room for error. I wouldn't make November your only attempt.

How Many Times Should You Take the SAT?

The sweet spot is 2-3 times. Here's why:

First attempt: Establishes your baseline. Even if you've taken practice tests, the real thing is different. Test-day nerves, weird proctors, distracting testing environments—these are things you can only get used to by doing it for real.

Second attempt: This is where most improvement happens. You know what to expect, you've had time to address weaknesses, and you're more relaxed. Average improvement is 40-60 points.

Third attempt: Smaller gains, but still possible. Worth doing if you're close to a target score or trying to improve one section for superscore purposes.

Fourth attempt and beyond: Diminishing returns. If three attempts haven't gotten you where you want to be, additional prep is probably more valuable than another test. Or it's time to accept your score and focus on other parts of your application.

Some Scenarios

Scenario 1: I'm a junior who hasn't started prep yet. Take a practice test now to see where you stand. Aim for your first real SAT in May or June. That gives you the summer to improve before an August or October retake.

Scenario 2: I'm a senior who hasn't taken the SAT yet. Take the August SAT. Seriously, don't wait. You need at least one score on record before application season, and August gives you October as a backup.

Scenario 3: I have a 1400 but want a 1500 for my reach schools. If you're a junior, you have time. Focus on your weaker section and plan for a fall retake. If you're a senior, one more attempt (August or October) is reasonable. But be realistic—a 100-point jump is significant and might not happen.

Scenario 4: I'm applying early decision and it's already August. Take the August SAT. If your score is fine, great—you're done. If not, you have one more shot in October. But know that October is your last chance for early apps.

The Bottom Line

The best time to take the SAT is when you're prepared—but not so late that you have no room to recover. For most students, that means a first attempt in spring of junior year, with fall of senior year reserved for retakes.

Don't overthink it. Pick a date that gives you enough prep time, register early, and go from there. The SAT is important, but it's not the only thing that matters.

If you want to see what score you're aiming for based on practice tests, try our Digital SAT Score Calculator. It'll help you set realistic targets and figure out whether you need that retake.