It’s that time of year for juniors to begin taking the SAT and ACT, standardized tests for the nation. These tests are needed for college applications, and the higher score you have, the better chance you have of being accepted into the college or university. Many students are already preparing for the upcoming testing dates.

Kayla Parnell, junior, is using a website provided by the school to help her study.

“I am using Khan Academy’s SAT prep to study for the SAT I plan to take in December. I hope to score at least a 1300 for scholarships, but I would like to get higher,” said Parnell.

Gurtinder Kaur, junior, has been attending a prep class for the SAT since the beginning of summer.

“To prepare for the test, I’ve been taking weekly study sessions and taking as many practice tests as possible,” said Kaur.

Although the tests can be very stressful, Kaur is not that nervous to take them.

“On scale of 1-10, I would say I’m around a five because this is a big factor on my college application, but I know I’ve been working hard to reach my goal of at least a 1450,” said Kaur.

Joanne Mai, junior, is nervous, but knows there are other things considered when applying for colleges and universities.

“I would rate my nervousness a 7 out of 10 because although the tests are a main part of what colleges are looking for, obtaining a high GPA and having extracurricular activities are major deciding factors as well,” said Mai.

At Lake Ridge, there is a SAT/ACT course provided during the school day to prepare students for the standardized tests. Ms.Cole, also an AP English 3 teacher, helps teach the preparation class.

“We do a lot of practice tests, work on building vocabulary, test taking strategies, and I teach them how to write the essay for the writing portion,” said Cole.

Ms.Cole thinks the class really benefits the students.

“The class gives them a time set aside just to practice and study for the SAT and ACT,” said Cole.