A little advanced planning can go a long way when it comes to admission testing.
One of the first steps in designing the most effective test prep plan is to determine a target test date. The November SAT might seem like an ideal time until you realize that it’s the day after Homecoming! Sitting down early to compare the test dates with your personal and school calendar can save you the headache of trying to switch test dates or registration down the line.
Below, we’ve compiled a chronological list of the ACT and SAT test dates. Dates marked with an asterisk (*) are announced or estimated.
Need help registering for one of these test? Click here to learn everything you need to know about registering for the SAT and ACT.
Note for 2020 dates: The April ACT and May and June SAT/Subject Test dates were canceled due to COVID-19. The June and July ACTs were administered, but there were many local cancellations.
** = College Board has added a September date. ACT also added a date in September and two dates in October. Additionally, ACT is allowing all students to register for the non-Saturday testing dates.
| Test Date | Test | Registration Deadline | Late Registration | Multiple Choice Scores Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 29, 2020 | SAT & Subject Tests | July 31, 2020 | August 18, 2020 | September 22, 2020* |
| September 12, 2020 | ACT | August 14, 2020 | August 28, 2020 | September 22–October 6, 2020* |
| September 13, 2020** | ACT | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| September 19, 2020** | ACT | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| September 26, 2020** | SAT only | August 26, 2020 | September 15, 2020 | October 9, 2020* |
| October 3, 2020 | SAT & Subject Tests | September 4, 2020 | September 22, 2020 | October 16–22, 2020* |
| October 10, 2020** | ACT | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| October 17, 2020** | ACT | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| October 24, 2020 | ACT | September 18, 2020 | October 2, 2020 | November 3–17, 2020* |
| October 25, 2020** | ACT | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| November 7, 2020 | SAT & Subject Tests | October 7, 2020 | October 27, 2020 | November 20–26, 2020* |
| December 5, 2020 | SAT & Subject Tests | November 5, 2020 | November 24, 2020 | December 18–24, 2020* |
| December 12, 2020 | ACT | November 6, 2020 | November 20, 2020 | December 22, 2020– January 5, 2021* |
| February 6, 2021 | ACT | January 8, 2021 | January 15, 2021 | February 16–March 1, 2021* |
| March 13, 2021 | SAT only | February 12, 2021 | March 2, 2021 | April 1, 2021* |
| April 10, 2021 | ACT | March 12, 2021 | March 26, 2021 | April 20–May 4, 2021* |
| May 8, 2021 | SAT & Subject Tests | April 8, 2021 | April 27, 2021 | May 27, 2021* |
| June 5, 2021 | SAT & Subject Tests | May 6, 2021 | May 26, 2021 | June 24, 2021* |
| June 12, 2021 | ACT | May 7, 2021 | May 21, 2021 | June 22–July 6, 2021* |
| July 17, 2021 | ACT (Not Offered in NY) | June 18, 2021 | June 25, 2021 | July 27–August 10, 2021* |
| Test Date | Test | Registration | Late Registration | Multiple Choice Scores Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 24, 2019 | SAT & Subject Tests | July 26, 2019 | August 13, 2019 | September 6, 2019 |
| September 14, 2019 | ACT | August 16, 2019 | August 30, 2019 | September 24– November 8, 2019 |
| October 5, 2019 | SAT & Subject Tests | September 6, 2019 | September 24, 2019 | October 18–24, 2019 |
| October 26, 2019 | ACT | September 20, 2019 | October 4, 2019 | November 12–December 30, 2019 |
| November 2, 2019 | SAT & Subject Tests | October 3, 2019 | October 22, 2019 | November 15–21, 2019 |
| December 7, 2019 | SAT & Subject Tests | November 8, 2019 | November 26, 2019 | December 20–26, 2019 |
| December 14, 2019 | ACT | November 8, 2019 | November 22, 2019 | December 26, 2019– February 7, 2020 |
| February 8, 2020 | ACT | January 10, 2020 | January 17, 2020 | February 25– April 3, 2020 |
| March 14, 2020 | SAT | February 14, 2020 | March 3, 2020 | March 27–April 2, 2020 |
| June 13, 2020 | ACT | May 8, 2020 | May 22, 2020 | June 23–August 7, 2020 |
| July 18, 2020 | ACT (Not Offered in NY) | June 19, 2020 | June 26, 2020 | July 28–August 31, 2020 |
Once you’ve selected a target test date, you can start thinking about how far in advance you should begin your preparation. Download our guide to popular prep timelines for more information.
Download Compass Testing Timelines
Popular testing locations fill up, so savvy families make sure to register for the ACT or SAT early!
To register for the ACT, click here.
To register for the SAT, click here.
To register for the SAT Subject Tests, click here.
In the table that follows, we compare fees and policies for ACT, SAT, and Subject Tests.
| Policy or Fee | ACT | SAT | Subject Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday testing for religious reasons | Available | Available | Available |
| Standard Fee | $52 + $16 for Writing Test | $49.50 + $15 for Essay | $26 base, $26 per Listening test, $22 per non-listening test |
| Late registration Fee | add $30 | add $30 | add $30 |
| Change test date | add $32 | add $30 | add $30 |
| Change test center | add $32 | add $30 | add $30 |
| Change test type | n/a | add $30 | add $30 |
| Standby/Waitlist | add $55 | add $53 | add $53 |
| Included score reports | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Additional reports | $13 each | $12 each | $12 each |
| Score choice | per test date | per test date | per test subject |
| Cancel scores | Until Thursday after test | Until Thursday after test | Until Thursday after test |
| Calculator | No Alegebra functions; TI-89 and -Nspire CAS not permitted | Algebra functions OK; TI-89 allowed | Math Subject Tests only, not permitted on Physics |
| Essay Verification | $50—for multiple choice; $40 will confirm the essay was not mis-scanned | $55—Score Verification will confirm the essay was not mis-scanned | n/a |
FYI, the College Board has committed to getting scores out faster:
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/educators/k-12/score-schedule
Ollie,
Thank you. I believe that the multiple-choice score windows that we have in the table agree with the current schedule. Students should note that Essay scores will typically be released 5-11 days after MC scores.