Q. When should I take the SAT? Some of my friends are taking it now and are stressed about it, but I don't know if I should sit for it now or in the spring?

A. Dear Reader,

This is such an important topic, especially for upperclassmen, so thank you for asking it! Some of the most important factors to consider while deciding when to take the SAT are the amount of time you have to study and the amount of  time you think you’ll need to study. If you participate in any extracurricular activities like sports, for example, you should consider how much time that leaves you for studying, especially  if you want to take it during your sport’s season. Based on your PSAT score, you can gauge your strengths and weaknesses by using Khan Academy to sync your score, allowing you access to practice problems and exams focused on the topics you struggle with. Additionally, think about how much time you spend studying for your classes at school. How many APs are you taking? Will you need to spend a lot of time studying for those APs? If you are taking a lot of APs, I recommend taking the SAT in the fall or winter sessions, because you will most likely be stressed and have less time to study in the spring. 

It is very normal for your friends to feel stressed about taking the SAT, because it is one of the first exams you’ll take in your student career that has a big impact on your future endeavors. However, it is worth noting that you can take the SAT more than once. Additionally, most colleges are test optional now, and some are even test blind. This coupled with the fact that there’s also the ACT, a different standardized test which includes a science section, should help assuage your stress. Overall, the decision of when to take the SAT is very dependent on your own schedule, so consider the factors above to see how much time you will have to prepare.

Sincerely,

Hoda & Anna

Q. When do I know that I should drop out of a class? When is it worth it?

A. Dear Reader,

Thank you for asking such a great question! As we’re nearing the end of the first marking period, if you’re thinking of dropping a class, you need to do it now. While dropping from a class definitely isn’t ideal, it’s nothing to be ashamed of and might benefit you greatly. In my mind, there are two reasons that you should drop out of a class: content and teachers. If the content is the problem, really ask yourself before you drop if there’s any chance that you will catch up. However, should you feel yourself falling  further and further behind, dropping down a level might be the best course of action instead of beating yourself up for a grade that’s unfeasible. If the teacher, not the course, is the issue, it’s a bit more complicated. While we have great teachers here at MLWGS, some teachers and students just don’t work together, and that’s okay. Still, I would recommend talking to the teacher about ways to ameliorate the situation before dropping the class in order to get a different teacher. It is important to note that changing one class may end up changing your entire schedule, as some classes may only have a few sections. If this is a concern for you, I would recommend speaking to your class counselor about it. The bottom line is that if a class is causing undue stress that won’t get better, you should drop it. Your mental health and time should be your priority, and if dropping a class will help, then do it.

Sincerely,

Hoda & Anna