Should My Student Take the September ACT?

Every summer, parents ask the same question: 

Should my student take the September ACT? 

The answer depends on your student’s grade level, current score, college goals, and application timeline. For some students, September is the ideal opportunity. For others, waiting until October - or skipping the ACT altogether - may make more sense. 

Here are five questions to help you decide. 

Is your student a junior or a senior? 

For rising seniors, September is often one of the final opportunities before many college application and scholarship deadlines. While October (and even December)  scores are still accepted by many schools, September provides additional flexibility and helps reduce the stress of waiting on one last score.

September is a great option if:

• Your student wants one final opportunity to improve their score. 

• Your student hasn’t taken the ACT yet. 

• Your student missed the June or July tests. 

• Your student is hoping to qualify for additional merit scholarships.

For rising juniors, the September ACT is an excellent opportunity to establish a baseline score while leaving plenty of time for additional preparation and future test dates. Knowing where a student stands early makes it much easier to build an effective study plan. 

Does your student already have an ACT score? 

If your student has never taken the ACT before, September is a reasonable time for a first official attempt. Students can start preparing before school starts, and the first few weeks of the school year are often less demanding than later in the semester. Testing early allows students to identify their strengths and weaknesses well before application season. 

If your student has tested before, it’s important to take all of the factors into consideration. Ask:

• Was the score close to the student’s goal?

• Did they prepare the first time? 

• Were nerves or unfamiliarity with the test a factor? 

Many students improve several points by simply preparing more strategically between test dates. 

What ACT score does your student actually need? 

Many students and families have an “ideal” score in their mind without knowing if it’s actually necessary. 

The truth is that the right score is different for every student. 

Before deciding whether to take the September ACT, research your student’s target colleges. Look at both admissions expectations and merit scholarship opportunities. A two-point increase might not change anything at one university, while at another it could result in thousands of additional scholarship dollars.

Many colleges no longer publish strict admissions requirements because they use a holistic review process. However, most publish the academic profile of their incoming class, which can serve as a helpful benchmark. 

Don’t guess your goal score! Many families often overestimate or underestimate the score their student actually needs. A 29 may be just as valuable as a 34 depending on the student’s college list and scholarship goals. Before spending months chasing a higher score, research each college’s admissions profile and merit scholarship requirements. The goal isn’t to earn the highest score possible - it’s to earn the score that opens the most doors for your student. 

Is there enough time to prepare?

Preparation time is one of the biggest factors in determining whether September is the right

test date. 

As a general guideline: 

• 6-8 weeks (or more): Excellent amount of preparation time.

• 4-6 weeks: Still very realistic with a focused study plan.

• Less than one month: Improvement is certainly possible, but students should have realistic expectations. Depending on application deadlines, waiting until October may provide a better opportunity to maximize their score. 

Remember: taking another ACT is only valuable if the time between tests is spent preparing effectively. 

Are colleges your student is considering “test-optional”? 

Test-optional doesn’t automatically mean that testing isn’t worthwhile. Strong test scores can strengthen applications, particularly for highly competitive schools and honors programs. Scores are a strong component of many scholarship opportunities and a couple of points can often make the difference in affordability. The decision should be based on the student’s overall application and where they are applying. 

When September makes sense

The September ACT is often a good choice if your student:

• Is a rising senior needing one final score

• Is seeking merit scholarships

• Didn’t prepare last time

• Is testing for the first time

• Has at least several weeks to prepare

When September might not be the best choice

September may not be the ideal test date if:

• Your student already has the score they need

• Has very little time to prepare

• October timing better fits application deadlines

• Student’s college list truly doesn’t benefit from additional testing

Final thoughts 

There isn’t one right answer for every student. The best decision depends on:

• College goals,

• Current ACT score,

• Scholarship opportunities, 

• And the amount of preparation time available. 

If you’re unsure whether the September ACT is the right choice, we’d be happy to help. At Adaptive Academics, we can evaluate your student’s goals, review their current score, and help determine whether another ACT is likely to be worthwhile. If it is, we’ll create a preparation plan designed to maximize their improvement.