The Plateau Effect: Why Over-Testing Decreases SAT and ACT Scores

Many families believe that the secret to a high standardized test score is repetition, leading students to take the SAT or ACT five or more times. However, research consistently shows a plateau effect where students typically achieve the highest results on their second official attempt. Beyond this point, additional hours of study rarely translate into significant score increases because the test is measuring existing knowledge rather than exam familiarity. While practice tests are useful, the “real jitters” of an actual exam environment cannot be perfectly simulated, making the first and second official tests the most critical windows for performance. For more on optimizing test schedules, visit the official ACT website at https://www.act.org.