In the United States, 9th graders typically take the college entrance examination, commonly known as the SAT or ACT, during their junior year of high school, which is the 11th grade. Therefore, for the class of 2026, who are currently in 9th grade, they would likely take the college entrance examination in the spring of 2025. This timing aligns with the standard practice of administering these exams during the first semester of the junior year, which is typically between March and May.

The rationale behind this timing is rooted in the educational structure and the importance of these exams in the college admissions process. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the majority of high school seniors take the SAT or ACT during the spring of their junior year. This is because the scores from these exams are often used by colleges for admission decisions, and students have the opportunity to retake the exams if they are not satisfied with their initial scores. Additionally, taking the exams in the junior year allows students to focus on their coursework during their senior year, which is when they are applying to colleges.

Data from the College Board, which administers the SAT, and the ACT Inc., which administers the ACT, supports this trend. For instance, in the 2019-2020 academic year, the majority of SAT test-takers were in the 11th grade, with a significant number also taking the exam in the 12th grade. Similarly, the ACT reported that the majority of test-takers were in their junior or senior year. This indicates that the spring of the junior year is the most common time for 9th graders to take these exams, as they prepare for the college admissions process.