Q: My son, a junior, didn't take the new SAT. Do colleges still value it, even though it has changed a lot? Should he take both the SAT and the ACT, or does one substitute for another with colleges? This process seems like such a grind!

A: The path to college can seem like a rocky road, says Sally Reed, editor of College Bound, a newsletter for high-school guidance counselors. "To make it easier, plot a reasonable timeline for the 'must-do' list -- including college visits -- so that important dates don't creep up on you," Reed advises. "Take a deep breath and ask your son to take the lead. You can advise, but he needs to own the process and preparations and make the decisions on where to apply."

When it comes to the new SAT versus the ACT, "either test is fine," says Jonathan Chiu, national SAT/ACT content director at the Princeton Review. "Colleges are accepting the new SAT as willingly as they are the ACT. There is no bias for or against one test or the other."

Coming up, the SAT is offered on May 7 and June 4. Deciding to take the SAT on either -- or both -- of those dates depends on a few factors, says Chiu:

-- Is he an AP student currently being crushed with AP prep? If so, he'd be better off preparing for the June SAT or ACT instead of the May SAT.

-- Is he carrying a heavy academic load? He may want to focus on great grades through the academic year for the best transcript, skip the May test, and sign up for the June SAT.

-- Do his prospective colleges require SAT Subject Tests? If so, Chiu advises taking Subject Tests in May and/or June. Between the two test dates, May could be more advantageous for students who have a number of AP tests to take mid-May. "The two-week time frame between AP tests in May and the first June Saturday SAT test administration can be a real disadvantage to those students. It's extremely challenging to retain information (like U.S. history) in that lull, when students may be watching movies every day in class post-AP test instead of covering content."

-- If he's applying for Early Decision or Early Action and has the resources to take the SAT multiple times, have him take the test in both May and June -- and possibly even October of his senior year -- to take advantage of colleges that will "superscore." (Superscoring is when a school accepts your highest score for each SAT section, regardless of the date you took the test.)

-- If he isn't comfortable doing math without a calculator, he should take the ACT. And students who feel time-pressured on tests should know that the SAT gives students, on average, 39 percent more time to answer questions, notes Chiu.

Chiu says many students who aren't sure whether they would do better on the SAT or ACT make their decisions after taking free practice tests of each, which are offered by the Princeton Review. The experience of taking each full-length test helps them determine which one suits them best. "Our score reports can help him identify where his strengths and weaknesses lie in each," he says.

To find practice tests, go to: princetonreview.com/events.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My fifth-grade daughter's class has been watching presidential debates as homework. She is upset that candidates say things that would get kids into trouble if they said them in school. She's developing a cynical attitude that I want to counter. What's the best way?

A: In classrooms and living rooms, discussing the road to the White House should be a fun, every-four-year opportunity to teach civics, history and "why we value living our democracy," says Marissa Gehley, a youth counselor with deep experience in California school districts. "But lately, I've been getting calls from parents and teachers saying, 'How do I deal with the bullying and name calling and the hate we're seeing on TV?'"

Gehley tells parents that it's really important to address students' concerns head on without being political.

"Since when," she asks, "did it become not OK to say that, 'In our class or in our home, we don't bully people, call them names or disparage them because of their race, ethnicity or disability'?"

Gehley adds that parents should teach the Golden Rule:

"Kids want assurances that we wish to treat others the way we wish to be treated. Being inclusive, respecting others' points of view are very much a part of American exceptionalism."

She acknowledges that kids have real questions, like "'Will my family have to leave our home? Will this or that candidate send my dad to war again? Will my aunt be hurt if she attends a rally?' Give kids a chance to ask their questions and discuss them honestly. Just having you listen can dispel a child's fear."

An Orlando, Florida, fifth-grade teacher wrote to me complaining that she "never expected to hear a question about a candidate's genitals in our social studies class."

But in this column, I try to calm worried parents by telling them to do two things: Clearly state that name calling and disrespect are not in your family's values, and talk to your children about the entire election process, not just the one-off comments in the debates. Use resources such as Time For Kids, Newsela and Scholastic News and C-SPAN Classroom.

Another great resource I've found is iCivics, a website inspired by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. It offers games, lesson plans and other educational content to teach students about our democracy.

"There isn't a kid in America who doesn't find this election relevant, and so parents will find many teachable moments," says Emma Humphries, chief engagement officer at iCivics. "For example, if your daughter says a particular candidate is going to win because a poll says so, this is a good opportunity to teach about polling. Is the poll scientific? Who conducted it and how many people were asked? The website realclearpolitics.com does a nice job presenting multiple polls and averaging the results."

Humphries says that families will especially enjoy the the iCivics game "Win the White House": "It shows the many steps candidates must take to win and helps explain tricky concepts like the Electoral College."

While they may be tempted, parents shouldn't run away from a discussion about the campaign, says Humphries. "When we confront fear and cynicism with knowledge and more engagement, kids can see that people have this really inherent good nature. They don't want violence, but more civility and dignity."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our daughter, Emma, just turned 3. We're thinking of putting her in full-time preschool as my wife returns to work. My mother, a retired nurse, would love to take care of her. But in our community, attending preschool is the norm. Does preschool always benefit a child?

A: This is a hot topic in parenting and policy circles. Two decades ago, most parents in your position would have chosen "loving grandmother" over preschool in a heartbeat. But today, parents worry that "a child who's supposed to read by the end of kindergarten had better be getting ready in preschool," writes early childhood educator Erika Christakis in The Atlantic.

There is a lot of research on preschool effectiveness. Not surprisingly, much of it depends on the quality.

While the data on some pre-K programs suggest that early benefits often fade by the end of the third grade, a recent RAND Corporation analysis of high-quality programs in several states shows several benefits, writes Lynn Karoly, the study's lead author. Quality programming showed the "largest effects on school readiness and with sustained effects at older ages."

According to the study, preschool can reduce referrals to special education and grade repetition and produce increased high school graduation rates. RAND researchers also found that while kids across all income levels benefit, the positive consequences "tend to be larger for more disadvantaged children."

Before you go and enroll Emma, determine if she's ready. Christakis, author of "The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need From Grownups" (Penguin, 2016), writes that "expectations that may arguably have been reasonable for 5- and 6-year-olds, such as being able to sit at a desk and complete a task using pencil and paper, are now directed at even younger children, who lack the motor skills and attention span to be successful."

Make sure that Emma gets the experiences during the next two years that kids need but may not get in kindergarten. A new University of Virginia study, "Is Kindergarten the New First Grade?" shows that kindergarten teachers in 2010 devoted much less time to art, music, dramatic play, dance and child-centered play than teachers did in 1998. Researchers reported a greater focus on math and reading, often with daily worksheets.

Christakis and other experts caution parents against preschool models that ignore a child's developmental stages.

How should you decide? Make an appointment with the early childhood specialist in the district Emma will attend. Discuss the readiness skills they expect in kindergarten.

Visit preschools. Are they child-centered places where Emma will thrive? Or is the focus solely on an academic curriculum that affords little creative play and sparse "listening and talking" between teachers and children?

Assuming that that her grandmother won't plop her in front of a television or a tablet all day -- that she will provide Emma a language-rich experience, with plenty of hands-on activities that develop early math, listening, speaking, reading and science learning -- consider an arrangement that gives Emma the best of both. Your daughter will benefit from a loving grandma who shows her why we measure ingredients when we bake a batch of cookies, and she will learn how to be a part of a group and make new friends in preschool.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)