The Hidden Costs of Delaying Test Prep: What Parents and Students Often Overlook

It’s October of senior year. Your teen just realized their SAT test date is only four weeks away. College applications are due next month, but they’ve barely looked at their SAT prep book.

Delaying SAT prep with a “we’ll start next month” mindset can mean missing out on $20,000 or more in scholarships, money that could help pay for tuition, housing, or books. In crunch time like this, the importance of early test preparation becomes clear; it would have given your child more time to practice, less stress, and a much better shot at higher scores and financial aid.

SAT and ACT scores carry a lot of weight. In fact, several colleges use them to award merit-based scholarships or to help distinguish applicants, especially in cases where many students have similar high GPAs. According to Forbes, more students are earning A’s these days, which makes good test scores stand out even more during admissions.

So, what happens if your teen procrastinates on test prep?

In this blog, we’ll break down the consequences of delaying test prep and how getting started sooner can give them advantages, both academically and financially.

Academic Costs of Late Test Prep

Delaying SAT or ACT prep means students end up cramming, remembering less, and feeling way more stressed. Without enough time to learn and practice new strategies, most students see their scores drop.

Compressed Learning Timeline

When students start test prep late, most end up trying to squeeze months of material into a few weeks. But, cramming is rarely effective. 

Research shows that spreading out your studying can give students much better results than pulling all-nighters. With so little time, important strategies don’t sink in, and students lose out on opportunities to improve their approach before test day.

Missed Integration with School Curriculum

When students start SAT or ACT prep early, they can learn test strategies with other important topics in their classes.

Students who procrastinate may find themselves trying to manage test prep, schoolwork, and extracurriculars all at once. And when procrastination affects test scores, it can lead to missed assignments or highlight difficult areas in core subjects, such as algebra or grammar, at a time when students need to feel confident.

Financial Costs That Add Up

The consequences of delaying SAT or ACT prep can put a strain on your budget. Missed scholarship opportunities, extra fees, and rushed tutoring can add up to thousands of unexpected dollars for families.

Lost Scholarship Opportunities

Many colleges award merit scholarships based on test scores. Even a 50- to 100-point boost on the SAT can translate to thousands of dollars in tuition savings. Delaying SAT prep can prevent your student from reaching the score they need for financial aid that would have made college more affordable.

Cost of Repeated Testing

Latecomers end up retaking the SAT or ACT multiple times in an attempt to make up for lost time. This can result in additional test fees, extra transcript costs, and potentially enrolling in expensive accelerated prep courses just to get one more chance before the deadlines. This is how last-minute test prep risks add up in ways families don’t always anticipate.

Emergency Tutoring Fees

When deadlines approach, families may be forced to pay high prices for last-minute tutoring sessions. These emergency courses are more expensive and don't have the same impact, as they leave less time for progress.

Emotional and Mental Toll

When students delay SAT or ACT prep, many end up feeling overwhelmed and unprepared, with hardly any time to build confidence. That pressure can drain their motivation and well-being.

Increased Stress and Burnout

Trying to manage last-minute test prep alongside AP classes, activities, and all those college applications can cause burnout. It's not uncommon for students in this situation to feel anxious, lose sleep, and experience a decline in their confidence.

Performance Pressure

If your child only has one chance to take the exam, stress to score high can become a major problem. Sloppy preparation typically leaves students feeling out of control and puts them at greater risk of not performing at their best on exam day.

Missed Strategic Opportunities

Waiting until the last minute to start SAT or ACT prep makes it tough for students to play to their strengths. With less time, it’s harder to try out different study methods. Early test preparation can help students figure out which approaches raise their scores, decide whether the SAT or ACT is a better match, and set themselves up for more college and scholarship options.

Less Time to Improve Weak Areas

Students who begin prep early can find areas where they struggle, like difficult math problems or reading passages, and spend extra time getting better. Those who wait have to rush through everything, missing the chance to target and fix their biggest weaknesses.

Narrower Testing Windows

When students procrastinate, this last-minute test prep risks their only chance to take the SAT or ACT before the application deadline. This means fewer opportunities to retake the test or attempt both exams to determine which one best matches their abilities and test-taking style.

Opportunity Cost: What Could’ve Been Done Instead

Starting early makes it easier to transition from junior high to senior high school, with less stress and more options. Waiting until the last minute typically means missing opportunities and increasing pressure as deadlines pile up. Here's a quick comparison:

Why Early Test Prep = Long-Term Success

Students who know the importance of early test preparation feel less stressed along the way. With consistent, low-pressure practice, they have time to steadily improve, resulting in higher scores and stronger college applications. These improvements make students eligible for more competitive colleges and increase their chances of earning merit-based scholarships.

In fact, early preparation can give students a 200-point increase on the SAT, according to College Board data. As many top schools bring back test score requirements for the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, having a higher score is more important than ever. 

Starting early also means students can spread out their workload, which helps them focus on essays and applications during senior year instead of trying to manage everything at once.

Score at the Top’s Early-Prep Advantage

Score at the Top helps students avoid the risks of last-minute prep by creating a clear, personalized path to higher scores. Whether your child is aiming for a top-tier college or trying to qualify for merit aid, our early-intervention approach gives them the structure, support, and steady progress they need to succeed.

• We start with diagnostic testing to pinpoint each student’s strengths and where they need the most support.
  

• From there, we build custom prep timelines that span 3 to 6 months or longer, helping students improve at a steady, stress-free pace.
  

• Tutoring is flexible and adapts to your schedule. We offer in-person, online, and hybrid options to support your students wherever they are.
  

• For forward-thinking families, we offer year-round programs that begin as early as 9th grade.

We also focus on core skill-building. From grammar and vocabulary in earlier years to math fundamentals, such as percentages and slope formulas, we help students build their confidence and prepare for long-term success.

Real-World Results

Sometimes, early test preparation can completely change the outcome. One Score at the Top parent, Andrea Fina, shared, “My son had the best experience… wish we knew about them sooner. Increased his ACT score by four points in two months… Carlos and Bob are outstanding. Thank you…” 

Seeing a student's ACT score increase with early support and proper coaching can translate into impressive gains, like higher test scores and more college admissions choices.

Time Lost Is Opportunity Lost

The consequences of delaying SAT and ACT prep can be costly for students, far beyond academic performance. It can limit financial aid, cause emotional stress, and force hasty decisions. Starting early promotes confidence, flexibility, and long-term success.

Ready to build the right timeline for your child’s success? Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Score at the Top expert today and give your student the time and tools they need to succeed.