Looking back at my summer before junior year, I realize how much time I wasted telling myself "I'll start when school does," which turned out to be a trap. June passed by without any SAT prep, and by August, I hadn’t practiced at all. When junior fall hit, it felt overwhelming and stressful, something I wish I could have avoided. One thing that truly made a difference when I finally committed was setting aside just 30 minutes a day to study. I started using Lumist’s courses, which are super straightforward. The platform basically guides you step-by-step with no guesswork, which helped me stay consistent. The AI tutor was especially helpful—it explains why answers are wrong in a few easy steps so you don’t have to dig through textbooks, which can be a huge pain. My SAT score jumped from 1290 to 1480 by March simply because I stopped procrastinating during the summer. It proved to me that small, consistent efforts during the summer before junior year can pay off big once school starts. For sophomores heading into junior year, my advice is: don’t wait until school begins to prepare. The summer is a perfect opportunity to lay the foundation. Even with just a half hour per day, using reliable study aids like Lumist and maintaining that steady habit can save you from the stress of falling behind and help you build confidence for the challenging year ahead. Remember, getting ahead on your SAT prep is also about quality—focus on understanding your mistakes, and let tools that break down concepts help you improve efficiently. Don't let the summer slip away like I did; make those weeks count!