Many experts recommend that students start preparing for the SAT® as early as the eighth grade and make their first attempt at the test as a sophomore in high school. Why should your student start so early? The SAT® isn’t like any other standardized test that your student has been exposed to, and since they can use their best scores as submissions to whatever college or university they’d like to attend, this is great advice. With many colleges and universities still expecting students to submit their scores prior to admission, earlier is better when it comes to SAT® prep.