The scratching of No. 2 pencils fill the air of a hushed classroom on a purposeful Saturday morning. Many juniors and seniors are beginning to plan their futures, and the College Board is right on schedule with the first SAT testing date of the year, October 3.

“I’m interested in taking the SAT so early in my junior year because it is a great experience to test it out now,” junior Kota Benjamin said.

Benjamin is planning to be among the students who will be taking the SAT for the first time, though she did not settle upon this decision until recently.

“I have been focusing on my classes and just forgot to look up when the earliest SAT test is,” Benjamin said. “It will give me a good insight on what to expect for future SAT tests.”

Despite her last-minute choice to register, Benjamin intends to prepare well for the October test.

“By senior year, I can strive to get even better scores and also know how to prepare and study,” Benjamin said. “I want to be sure that I’ll be able to do my best.”

The registration deadline for the October 3 SAT testing date is Wednesday, September 3.