For too many high school students, the college admissions process doesn't really become a big deal until it's almost over. Granted, many kids don't really begin thinking about college until their senior year, and usually things turn out OK. It's not the ideal situation, but there's still plenty of time during senior year to write essays, fill out applications, and even visit schools.

But one part of the admissions process that's very difficult to deal with at the last minute is the SAT (as well as any other tests you need to take). In fact, to maximize your score, preparation should begin during the fall of your junior year. Here's what you need to be doing at each stage of the process.

Junior Year

First Semester

• The PSAT (Practice SAT) is given in mid-October. Is this an important test for you? Probably not. The PSAT is not part of the college admissions process, and colleges won't care about your score. For most students, the PSAT is just an opportunity to prepare for the SAT and get an indication of how they'll do when faced with the actual exam. However, those who expect to score very high on the PSAT (in the top 5% of all students) should probably do some prep before the test, as the PSAT is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

• This is the time to come up with a testing game plan. If you plan to hire a tutor or enroll in a class, do your research right now so you can make sure everything fits together in your schedule. Think about which tests you'll need to take (SAT and/or ACT? Subject Tests? TOEFL or other tests?) Plan when you'll take each test for the first time and determine how that fits with your study schedule.
   

Second Semester

• Take every one of your exams for the first time. For those taking the SAT, March is probably the best time to start (make sure you sign up at least five weeks in advance). For the ACT, April is probably OK. If you plan to take the SAT Subject Tests, think about May or June.

• Study! If you're taking a class, it should finish before the first time you take the test. If you're doing private tutoring, you should start well in advance but make sure you have at least one review session within a few weeks before the test. If you're studying on your own, put together a detailed study plan so you don't find yourself cramming--that may work on history or math tests, but even for the smartest students the SAT just works differently. You need lots of practice, which takes time.

• React and regroup. Make sure you request the detailed answer report to go along with each score report, so you can know which questions you missed. Decide, based on your performance while practicing, whether you "overachieved" during the exam or whether there's still room to improve. If you're going to try to take a test for a second time (you usually should!), plan additional tutoring or study time. Many test-prep firms will let you repeat your course for free or with a substantial discount.

• If you took the SAT or ACT in March or April, you've still got another shot at either test in June. If you're going to retake, you should take advantage of this opportunity to try again when the materials are still fresh in your mind.
   

Summer

• If you're planning to take any of the tests again in the fall, the summer can be an ideal time to prepare. The fall will be hectic, with an important semester of school underway and college applications on your plate. Summertime is more relaxed, and you can study for a few hours a week without the same stresses you have during the school year.

• Think about what you actually need to score to get into the colleges you're considering. Are you there yet? Close? Are you doing so well that you can consider schools that before seemed a reach? At some point, your application ambitions will have to match up with your performance on the SAT or ACT.
   

Senior Year

First Semester

• At most competitive colleges, this semester is your last chance to submit an SAT or ACT score. Make it count.

• If as you finalize your college list you see you still need to add a few points to your score, you need to start asking yourself tough questions about whether you can score high enough for the school (s) you want to attend. If you're still underperforming, is it test-day jitters or more general problems? If after more than six months you've never gotten more than a 1600 in practice, you're probably not going to score an 1800 on the next exam.
   

Second Semester

Most students will be done with the process at this point. If you're still taking exams, make sure you finish as soon as possible. Schools with rolling admissions policies favor students who apply earlier rather than later. If you want a college to factor in your most recent test scores, your application will be delayed until those scores come back.