SAT, ACT Testing Date Windows Are Getting Smaller for 2010 Seniors

It is confusing to research the dates and locations for these two college board exams in the Spartanburg and Greenville area. It seems students in the Greenville area have more test centers and dates available than those in Spartanburg.

If you plan to take either test, start working with a test facilitator such as myself, Dr. Linda B. Greer ( business site: http://www.academicsupward.org/ or telephone 864-278-2018), for one-on-one assistance in the SC Upstate. Group sessions are expensive and often do not raise scores as effectively as personal coaching where individual targeting of weak areas can be addressed. As Manager and Owner of Academics Upward, I have seen many college board exam clients improve their scores as much as 15-20% after completing a test prep contract with me.

However, a student must allow 5 weeks prior to his/her test date and open four consecutive Saturday mornings for coaching time before the Saturday exam date the fifth week. The start of Dr. Greer's coaching will also coincide with early registration for a client's exam since the deadlines without late fees occur approximately one month prior to the chosen test date.

As for Spartanburg area high school students, Spartanburg High School will hold testing for SAT on Dec. 5, 2009 and Jan. 23, 2010. All other SAT testing after these two dates will only be available at one of the locations in Greenville. So if you want to sleep as late as possible before your 8 AM Saturday exam, your choice of test dates is limited at this point.

In order to work with Academics Upward Tutoring for the Dec. 5, 2009 SAT test date, a client would need to start by Saturday, Oct. 31 or Nov. 5, depending on availability for Saturday during Thanksgiving weekend.

To prepare for the Jan. 23, 2010 SAT test date in Spartanburg, a client would need to start by Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, to allow for Christmas break starting Sat. Dec. 19, 2009.

ACT Test Dates for Spartanburg area high school students held at Spartanburg High School are also limited. The only date left at this point is Feb. 6, 2010. To prepare for this exam, a client would need to contract with Academics Upward Tutoring by Sat., Jan. 9, 2010. All other ACT testing dates will be held in Greenville at various locations.

Since most of the best colleges require scores about January of your high school senior year, it is important not to put off your test date until the last minute. Try to think of this as the head of your college application, not the tail.

Here's wishing you the most blessed of holidays in 2009 and peace in the New Year!