5 Steps to Balance Standardized Test Prep with Schoolwork and Extracurricular Activities

Balancing standardized test prep with schoolwork and extracurricular activities is one of the most common—and solvable—challenges high-achieving students face. If your child is aiming for admission to an elite college, managing SAT or ACT prep on top of classes, clubs, and everything else isn’t optional. It’s essential. The key is knowing how to prioritize without burning out, breaking down, or otherwise losing motivation. Let’s discuss 5 steps to balance standardized test prep with schoolwork and extracurricular activities.

Test prep isn’t just “another thing to do.” It’s a high-value, score-determining, future-shaping process. Done right, it creates opportunity.

The Myth of “Fitting Test Prep Into Your Schedule”

There’s a belief—often fueled by optimism and denial—that test prep can simply be “fit into” an already overloaded calendar. Unfortunately, this usually results in students deciding that midnight on Tuesdays is a great time to start a math section.

To be clear, test prep does not fit in. It takes up space. It’s a serious commitment for huge, life-altering returns on investment in the form of university admissions and scholarships worth tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. If your teen’s schedule is already very crowded, something’s going to give, so prepare for that, and ensure that it’s not sleep.

Step 1: Recognize the Importance of SAT or ACT Prep

This first step is mental, but extremely important, since it lays the groundwork for all the others. As previously alluded to, your child’s SAT or ACT score can be the difference between acceptance to, or rejection from, their dream school that can set them up for future success. It also can either open or close the door to scholarships that not only are worth large amounts of money, but that also help with graduate admissions and employment later on. Many people have a difficult time conceptualizing how a single test may be often weighted by admissions officers more heavily than all four years of high school grades combined, but since it is the only level playing field on which to compare applicants, it is.

Step 2: Treat Test Prep Like a Core Academic Class

You wouldn’t cancel AP Chemistry every time soccer practice runs long. You shouldn’t cancel test prep either. Once it’s on the calendar, it should be treated with the kind of reverence typically reserved for final exams, because in a sense, the SAT or ACT is the ultimate final exam for high school students.

Set aside regular blocks—two or three sessions per week, 90–120 minutes each, plus time for test prep homework. Weekends work well, as do early evenings.

The key is consistency. The goal is habit. The enemy is “They’ll get to it when they have time,” which too often turns out to be “never.”

Step 3: Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize

When it comes to college admissions, less is often more. Your child doesn’t need to be a member of 14 clubs, which sends the message that they’re all over the place. Choosing 3–4 extracurricular activities that actually mean something and that energy can be put into usually is a more effective strategy and results in the leadership positions admissions officers love to see. Importantly, it also allows time to prepare for the SAT or ACT, and for schoolwork,

Step 4: Create a Schedule That Works in the Real World

In an ideal world, your child would have unlimited time and zero distractions from their schoolwork and test preparation. Unfortunately, in this world, that almost never happens, so it’s imperative to create a schedule that’s realistic—even one that’s slightly relaxed will have value. A schedule so intense that it’s unmanageable won’t.

Step 5: Say “No” to the Unnecessary

At some point, the most strategic thing a student can do is say “no.”

No, I don’t need to join another club just to fill a line on my application.
No, I don’t need to attend a group study session where no one actually does anything.
No, I don’t need to obsess over distractions that won’t affect my future.

Test prep requires a controlled schedule, and part of that involves removing things that dilute focus.

Final Thoughts: Control the Schedule—Don’t Be Crushed by It

Balancing test prep with school and extracurricular activities doesn’t require genius. It requires structure, prioritization, and the willingness to accept that not everything can be done all the time with no trade-offs.

At The Best Test Prep, we can help you build a realistic, effective test prep schedule and provide the coaching, discipline, and motivation your child needs. Our students attain stellar scores on the SAT or ACT—often in the 1550+ or 35+ range—and once it’s over, watch the doors open for them.

📞 Call (844) 672-PREP to have an effective test prep schedule created for your child.