For many families, SAT and ACT preparation is seen as a rite of passage reserved for junior year—a focused season of practice tests, tutoring, and strategy. It’s a familiar timeline, and on the surface, one that makes sense. After all, these exams are typically taken in the spring of junior year, so why worry when test prep typically takes four months?
The reality is that the most successful students have already begun preparing for the ACT or SAT well before their first test prep session–even if they aren’t aware of it. They arrive at their first session equipped with the habits, skills, and confidence needed to make their efforts effective.
This is why pre-test prep is so important for some students. Rather than jumping straight into practice exams and content drills, pre-test prep focuses on building the academic, organizational, and cognitive foundations needed to see the greatest impact of test prep—along with making the whole process far less stressful.
Below, we’ll explore what’s needed to be successful on the SAT and ACT, why foundational skills matter more than many realize, and how starting early can position students to achieve stronger results with greater ease.
Developing Executive Functioning Is Essential Test Prep
It’s easy to assume that success on standardized tests comes down to content knowledge—knowing the formulas, understanding grammar rules, and critical reading skills. While those elements are certainly important, they’re only part of the skills it takes to do well on these standardized tests.
Strong test performance also depends on the underlying skills and habits that are often needed to excel in school—and certainly in college. Consistent study habits, effective time management, the ability to follow through on long-term goals, and the mental stamina to stay focused through dense reading passages and multi-step problems are all essential soft skills for doing well on the ACT and SAT.
Students must be able to manage their time during the test but also in the months of prep leading up to it. They need to process complex information efficiently, avoid careless errors, and apply strategies consistently under pressure. In math, this means fluency—not just memorization—and it requires sustained attention and comprehension across a variety of texts for reading sections.
When students haven’t developed these executive functioning skills, it can be challenging to apply concepts learned during test prep to mock exams—and the actual test—if these executive functioning skills are not in place. Ultimately, these skills—like not having a consistent study habit—can seriously limit how much a student’s score will rise, frustrating the student (and parents).
Building Strong Executive Functioning Skills Before Junior Year
Students who feel overwhelmed by their workload but still aspire to high academic achievement often benefit the most from early preparation. The key isn’t just studying more—it’s learning how to study effectively.
Ninth and tenth grade offer an ideal opportunity to cultivate executive functioning skills because your student’s classes are challenging, but they often aren’t as demanding as junior year courses. These classes allow students to work on things like planning and backward-mapping assignments, managing long-term projects, breaking large tasks into manageable steps, and monitoring progress along the way. They can also learn to adjust their strategies when something isn’t working for them—a skill known as metacognition where they think about their own thinking process.
When these habits are established early, they become second nature by the time junior year arrives, and they often don’t struggle as much with balancing test prep along with their schoolwork and extracurriculars.
Moreover, these executive functioning skills have a direct impact on test preparation. Students who can plan effectively and track their progress are more likely to retain strategies, use their study time efficiently, and build confidence through consistent practice. Just as importantly, they often experience less test anxiety.
What Pre-Test Prep Looks Like
Pre-test prep is designed to bridge the gap between where students are now and where they need to be for successful SAT or ACT preparation.
These one-on-one sessions are tailored for freshmen and sophomores who want to build a strong foundation before formal test prep begins. Rather than focusing solely on test content, pre-test prep emphasizes the skills that make that content stick—like organization and time managemen—as well as the building upon your students’ math fundamentals, reading comprehension, and understanding of grammar rules.
By the time they begin formal SAT or ACT prep, students who have taken pre-test prep are not starting from scratch. They understand how to study for these tests and are ready to make the most of every session. The result is a more productive experience—and often greater score improvements.
Final Thoughts: Start Early, Stress Less, Gain More
Starting early isn’t about adding pressure to already busy students. It’s about creating readiness. When preparation begins before the stakes are high, students have the time needed to build skills gradually and develop confidence in their abilities.
Doing well on the SAT or ACT is never a short-term sprint—it’s always a long-term process. The ninth and tenth grade are a perfect time for students to develop the executive functioning skills needed to do well on these exams—and to perform at their throughout high school and beyond.
If you want to help your student maximize their score on the ACT or SAT, pre-test prep provides the boost many students need to do their best on these standardized tests. If you or your student are interested in preparing for the SAT or ACT in ninth or tenth grade, the Enrichery offers Pre-ACT & SAT Basics and Executive Functioning Coaching. Contact us today to schedule a meeting and let us find a pre-test plan that’s tailored to your student!
