When should you
take the SAT?
A simple grade-by-grade guide. Select your graduation year and get expert recommendations.
Class of
You're in 12th grade in the 2026–27 school year.
Seniors have 5 SAT tests in their Fall semester. October is the last date guaranteed before most Early Decision deadlines, and December is the last date for most Regular Decision deadlines. We suggest seniors to take the SAT as early as they can to get scores back in time for their applications, and to leave room for retakes if needed.
Click a Test Date
Select a test date above to see when to start prepping.
Exact test dates vary year to year. View official dates on College Board