The SAT is a standardized test that all colleges and universities in the United States use to evaluate potential students. The SAT is administered by the College Board.
The SAT is offered seven times a year: October, November, December, January, March, May and June. Students can register for either the SAT through their high school counselor or on the College Board’s website.
SAT test dates for the 2023 testing year were recently released by The College Board, and if you’re planning on taking the SAT, it will be important to be aware of all of these dates. This article will give you everything you need to know to successfully plan out your 2023 SAT test dates, and we’ll walk you through the following:
- A list of all of the upcoming SAT test dates for 2023
- Everything you need to know about registration deadlines for the SAT, including cancellation dates
- An overview of SAT testing accommodations and the corresponding dates to apply for them
Table of Contents / Quick Reference Guide:
- The Upcoming SAT Test Dates For the 2023/2024 School Year
- Understanding The Best Time To Take the SAT
- How Many Times Can a Student Take the SAT?
- Which Month Is The “Easiest” Month to Take the SAT?
- An Overview of SAT Testing Accommodations
- SAT Accommodations Deadlines
- Planning Ahead For Your SAT Test Date
- Frequently Asked Questions About The SAT
- Related SAT Resources
Upcoming 2023/2024 School Year SAT Test Dates
The following table lists the SAT test dates that have been scheduled for 2023 (and 2024). The College Board recommends that you register for these tests at least six weeks prior to the date listed. You can register online or by phone at 866-756-7346 (toll-free) or by mailing a registration form along with payment (check or money order) to:
College Board Services P.O.* Box 6200 Princeton, NJ 08541-0600
| SAT Test Date | Deadline to Register | Deadline to Cancel |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 11th, 2023 | Feb 10, 2023 | Feb 28, 2023 |
| May 6th, 2023 | Apr 7, 2023 | Apr 25, 2023 |
| June 3, 2023 | May 4, 2023 | May 23, 2023 |
| August 26th, 2023 | July 28th, 2023 | August 15th, 2023 |
| October 7th, 2023 | September 8th, 2023 | September 26th, 2023 |
| November 4th, 2023 | October 6th, 2023 | October 24th, 2023 |
| December 2nd, 2023 | November 3rd 2023 | November 21st, 2023 |
| March 9th, 2024 | February 23, 2024 | Not yet released |
| May 4th, 2023 | April 19th, 2023 | Not yet released |
| June 1st, 2023 | May 17, 2024 | Not yet released |
Anticipated Fall 2024 School Year Test Dates
The below dates from the College Board are anticipated SAT test dates for Fall 2024, and are subject to change.
- August 24, 2024
- October 5, 2024
- November 2, 2024
- December 7, 2024
When Is the Best Time To Take the SAT?
One question many students have is: When should I take the SAT? In other words, when is the best time to take the test?
There are a number of factors that go into answering this question, but the most important one is your own schedule. Some students are concerned about taking the SAT too early in their academic careers, but there isn’t a magic age at which you should take the SAT. If you’re preparing for college and plan to apply for admission at some point after high school graduation, then you probably want to take the SAT early so you have time to retake it if necessary.
If you’re planning to apply for admission after high school graduation, then it’s best to take your first SAT during senior year (or even earlier). Most colleges will accept scores from one test date only, so if you take both tests late in your senior year, you may end up having no scores accepted by any of your top-choice schools if they have already filled their initial class slots with students who took their first tests earlier in the year.
How Many Times Can I Take the SAT?
You can take the SAT as many times as you want to, however; we recommend that students take the SAT only 2-3 times. Additionally, you may take the exam up to three times per test administration, or five times in total if you are taking the September, October, December and March SATs (these tests are not cumulative).
The College Board recommends that students take the SAT at least twice before they send their scores to colleges. If you choose to take the SAT more than two times, we recommend that you use your most recent scores when applying to college.
Related Reading: How To Check Your SAT Scores If You’re Taking the SAT Multiple Times
Which Month Is the “Easiest Month” For the SAT?
If you are planning on taking the SAT, you may be wondering what month is the best time to take it. While there is no magical “best” month for taking the SAT, there are some differences between months that can help you plan your test date.
According to data from the College Board, October is one of the easiest months for students to get high scores on the SAT. The average score in October 2018 was 1490 out of 2400 points (or 511 out of 800 points per section). This is lower than average scores in January or March but higher than average scores in June or July.
In contrast to October, January and March tend to have slightly lower scores than other months — with average scores of 1480 in January 2019 and 1477 in March 2019. These two months also have lower percentage of perfect scores compared to other months (0% perfect score rate). However, they still have higher average scores than June or July.
Understanding SAT Accommodations
Testing accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities, who may need extra time to complete the SAT. These accommodations also include additional test time and a reader. Testing accommodations are not available for students who have learning differences that are not diagnosed by a qualified professional, such as an educational or psychological evaluator.
Extra time: You have the option of taking up to five additional hours to complete the SAT. This can be used on both sections, or split between them. The total number of extra minutes cannot exceed five hours.
Reader: If you are blind or visually impaired, a reader may read aloud the material on some sections of the test. You must request this accommodation at least seven business days before your scheduled test date and provide documentation from an appropriate professional that confirms your disability.
Scratch paper: You will not be provided with scratch paper during any portion of the test, but you may keep notes in a small notebook during any section of the exam.
Braille: For students who cannot read print or use an audio-described format, Braille versions of all SAT test content are available upon request through our Braille contractor at least two weeks before your scheduled testing date.
In order for a student to receive SAT accommodations, the student must meet one of two criteria. First, students must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in place from their school district or state education department. The IEP must include a written assessment of the student’s needs and recommendations for appropriate accommodations.
Students without an IEP at their school may request testing accommodations through Disability Services at The College Board. These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis using documentation from medical professionals and other relevant materials in order to determine whether a student qualifies for testing accommodations on the SAT.
How To Request Accommodations For the SAT
The first step in requesting accommodations for the SAT is to fill out a registration form. You can find this form at College Board website (www.collegeboard). You’ll need to fill it out and send it back as soon as possible after registering for the exam.
If you’re planning to use extended time on the SAT, then you must submit this form at least 10 days before your scheduled test date (or 9 days if you’re taking an October or December test). If you’re planning to use audio description or text-to-speech software, then you must submit this form at least 30 days before your scheduled test date (or 29 days if you’re taking an October or December test).
SAT Accommodations Deadlines
| 2023 SAT Test Date | Accommodations Request and Required Documentation Must Be Received by: |
|---|---|
| PSAT 10 Testing Window February 21 – March 24, 2023 | December 9, 2022 |
| SAT School Day March 1, 2023 | January 10, 2023 |
| SAT March 11, 2023 | January 20, 2023 |
| SAT School Day March 22, 2023 | January 31, 2023 |
| PSAT 10 Testing Window April 12 – April 28, 2023 | February 21, 2023 |
| SAT School Day April 12, 2023 | February 21, 2023 |
| SAT School Day April 25, 2023 | March 6, 2023 |
| Advanced Placement (AP) Exams NOTE: Two windows May 1–5, 2023 May 8–12, 2023 | January 18, 2023 |
| SAT May 6, 2023 | March 17, 2023 |
| SAT June 3, 2023 | April 14, 2023 |
How To Efficiently Plan Your SAT Test Dates for 2023
One of the most important parts of SAT prep is determining when you are going to take the SAT. In order to select the best SAT test date for your specific needs, there are a few things you may want to keep in mind.
Understanding College Application Deadlines
If you’re planning to take the SAT, you’ll want to know about the college application deadlines for each institution. That way, you can choose an appropriate SAT test in order to allow enough time between the test and when your applications are due. Many college application deadlines are in the late fall or early winter, which means that SAT test dates usually fill up fast for Summer or Fall test dates – you’ll want to be sure that if you’re planning on taking the SAT around this time that you’ve registered early enough so that you can complete the SAT by the time your applications are due.
The most important thing to remember is that you will have to submit all of your college applications before any of them are reviewed by the admissions office. Some schools have early application deadlines, while others don’t consider an application until after the regular deadline has passed. If you have a choice, it’s in your best interest to choose an SAT date that leaves you some flexible time before your college applications are due.
The second thing to consider is when you want your results back. Most colleges send out their acceptance or rejection letters within a few weeks after they receive your application materials. If this is important for you, make sure that you register for an SAT test date that gives you enough time to receive and respond to any offers from schools.
Next up is knowing how many times you plan on taking the exam and whether or not you want these scores included in your report card/transcripts that go out with each application. Schools can request two free score reports from College Board when reviewing an application (a third report costs $15). You can request these documents at any time during the application process.
Multiple Attempts at the SAT
You can take the SAT up to three times within a single year, but each test date requires its own registration fee. If you choose to take the SAT more than once, make sure that you have enough time to study and practice between tests. If this is your first time taking the test, then you don’t need to worry about retaking it multiple times. Just focus on getting a high score on your first try and then move on to applying for colleges.
Some students take the SAT once and then decide whether they want to retake it. If they do decide to retake it, they usually wait at least a year before doing so. Others take it twice — once in junior year and again in senior year. This can be helpful because if you don’t get the scores you want on your first attempt at the test, you can try again with an improved strategy and better preparation. This is called “superscoring” and allows you to get a higher composite score by combining multiple scores from different administrations of the same exam.
If you’re thinking about superscoring, note that there are some restrictions on how many times you can take each section of the exam: You can only take each section once per testing window (which runs from September through December). So if you don’t do well on an early administration of an SAT subject area (say, math), then come back later in that testing window and try again.
Creating an SAT Prep Plan & Schedule
If you want to do well on the SAT, then you need to create an effective SAT study plan and schedule that aligns with your desired test date. One important tip for your SAT prep is to set aside time for studying every day. This doesn’t mean every day — it means every day that works for you as an individual. Make sure that whatever time frame you choose fits your needs as well as possible so that you don’t feel stressed or rushed when you study each day.
Another important tip – don’t cram! Cramming might seem like a good idea at first glance because it allows you to study at any moment during the day, but it won’t help you retain information as well as if you had studied in small chunks throughout the week (or longer). When studying for the SAT, try making flashcards or taking practice tests instead. To avoid cramming, it’s extremely important to know when you’re planning to take the SAT far enough in advance to give yourself enough time to effectively prepare and study. Generally speaking, here’s how much time you should be setting aside to prepare for each section of the test:
- Reading: 15-20 hours
- Writing: 15-20 hours
- Math (No Calculator): 15-20 hours
- Math (Calculator): 20-25 hours
- Essay: 25 hours
As you can see, effectively planning your SAT preparation is just as important as the preparation itself. To give you a better idea of how to structure your study schedule, we listed the upcoming 2023 – 2024 SAT test dates along side the best month to start preparing for your respective test date:
| SAT Test Date | When To Start Preparing For the Exam |
|---|---|
| June 3, 2023 | February 2023 |
| August 26th, 2023 | April 2023 |
| October 7th, 2023 | June 2023 |
| November 4th, 2023 | July 2023 |
| December 2nd, 2023 | August 2023 |
| March 9th, 2024* | November 2023 |
| May 4th, 2024* | January 2024 |
| June 1st, 2024* | February 2024 |
Should I Take the SAT For Test-Optional Schools?
If you’re applying to test-optional schools, you may wonder if it’s even worth taking the SAT. For example, some schools will consider applicants who took the ACT, but not the SAT.
Test optional schools are colleges and universities that don’t require standardized tests as part of their admissions process. In other words, these schools don’t require students to submit their SAT or ACT scores when applying for admission. Instead, they focus on your high school transcripts and work experience instead of your test scores. This is called holistic review.
If you are applying to a test-optional school that does not require you to submit SAT scores and you think your scores would make a meaningful contribution, than by all means you should take the SAT – otherwise, you may be fine without it.
When should I start preparing for the SAT?
How much time you will need to prepare to take the SAT will vary depending on your specific academic needs, but a general rule of thumb is to start preparing for the SAT at least 2-3 months in advance of test day. Keep this amount in mind when you’re planning to schedule your test date as you’ll want to be absolutely sure that you’re providing yourself with enough time to prep for the exam. Remember, cramming a week before the test is not a good strategy!
Are You Preparing To Take the SAT in 2023?
If you’re planning to take the SAT and need a little extra help in your prep, our team of online SAT tutors are here to help you succeed. Additionally, we have a wealth of SAT resources to help make the most out of your SAT planning:
- How Much is the SAT? An Overview of Fees and Registration Costs
- What’s a Good SAT Score for 2023?
- Must Know SAT Grammar Rules for 2023
- Choosing Between Taking the SAT and the ACT
- An Overview of the SAT and SAT Test Prep
- SAT Prep and Khan Academy: What They Won’t Tell You
- 100 Ways To Increase Your Score on the SAT
- The Best Ways To Prepare Yourself for the SAT and ACT
- What’s a Good PSAT Score for 2023?
