PSAT scores are out, how did your 10th grader score on it vs. SAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By some miracle, 10th grade DS taking the test cold achieved a perfect score of 1520. Please forgive my ignorance (first kid), but is this a valid enough predictor for next year’s PSAT (when it actually counts for National Merit) and SAT that he can completely forgo test prep? I would really love to save the money, but don’t wish to sandbag my kid relative to his peers who will be taking boot camps and such this summer.

I mean…how important is it to your kid to get a perfect score every time? What’s his history with standardized tests?

My 9th grader scored in the 99+%ile on the PSAT 8/9, and he’s always been a good test taker. (My older kid isn’t as strong on standardized tests, so this is my first go-round with a no-prep high-scorer.) I assume he’ll keep doing better and don’t have any inclination to have him do prep just for the sake of getting a perfect score—which your kid already has!

If I were you, I’d have him take the SAT next summer and see how he does; if any obvious issues emerge, he could do some self-guided prep before the PSAT in October.

But mainly, I’d be telling your kid that he did great and not to expect a perfect score every time. He’s clearly going to do really well, regardless, and how he sleeps the night before or the particular combination of questions on the test is more likely determine whether he gets a perfect score or something just shy of it than how much he preps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By some miracle, 10th grade DS taking the test cold achieved a perfect score of 1520. Please forgive my ignorance (first kid), but is this a valid enough predictor for next year’s PSAT (when it actually counts for National Merit) and SAT that he can completely forgo test prep? I would really love to save the money, but don’t wish to sandbag my kid relative to his peers who will be taking boot camps and such this summer.

I mean…how important is it to your kid to get a perfect score every time? What’s his history with standardized tests?

My 9th grader scored in the 99+%ile on the PSAT 8/9, and he’s always been a good test taker. (My older kid isn’t as strong on standardized tests, so this is my first go-round with a no-prep high-scorer.) I assume he’ll keep doing better and don’t have any inclination to have him do prep just for the sake of getting a perfect score—which your kid already has!

If I were you, I’d have him take the SAT next summer and see how he does; if any obvious issues emerge, he could do some self-guided prep before the PSAT in October.

But mainly, I’d be telling your kid that he did great and not to expect a perfect score every time. He’s clearly going to do really well, regardless, and how he sleeps the night before or the particular combination of questions on the test is more likely determine whether he gets a perfect score or something just shy of it than how much he preps.

He’s totally fine not getting a perfect score, but would like to stay in the 99+ percentile. If his 1520 is a good enough predictor for that, he’ll be happy.

[Anonymous]

A few things...

1. PSAT scores not used for anything on college applications other than national merit semifinalist / commended status

2. My math/science kid did much better on ACT since questions more literal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By some miracle, 10th grade DS taking the test cold achieved a perfect score of 1520. Please forgive my ignorance (first kid), but is this a valid enough predictor for next year’s PSAT (when it actually counts for National Merit) and SAT that he can completely forgo test prep? I would really love to save the money, but don’t wish to sandbag my kid relative to his peers who will be taking boot camps and such this summer.

I mean…how important is it to your kid to get a perfect score every time? What’s his history with standardized tests?

My 9th grader scored in the 99+%ile on the PSAT 8/9, and he’s always been a good test taker. (My older kid isn’t as strong on standardized tests, so this is my first go-round with a no-prep high-scorer.) I assume he’ll keep doing better and don’t have any inclination to have him do prep just for the sake of getting a perfect score—which your kid already has!

If I were you, I’d have him take the SAT next summer and see how he does; if any obvious issues emerge, he could do some self-guided prep before the PSAT in October.

But mainly, I’d be telling your kid that he did great and not to expect a perfect score every time. He’s clearly going to do really well, regardless, and how he sleeps the night before or the particular combination of questions on the test is more likely determine whether he gets a perfect score or something just shy of it than how much he preps.

He’s totally fine not getting a perfect score, but would like to stay in the 99+ percentile. If his 1520 is a good enough predictor for that, he’ll be happy.

99th percentile is easy to attain. My son got a 1450 (a few years back) and he was in 99 percentile. If he scored 1520 on the PSAT, leave it and start prepping for the SAT when the time comes. He will likely get close to a perfect score...but unlikely to be perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where do you access the scores if you're in Fairfax County?

College board website, ask yr child for their login and PW

Virginia isn’t supposed to be released until tomorrow. I don’t know if people are using vpn, were released early into Khan Academy or Naviance or where. If you don’t see them at CB, that’s to be expected until tomorrow morning.

I knew it wasn’t supposed to be released till tomorrow (we are FCPS) but on a lark I checked just now. Child’s scores are posted. No VPN fakery, either. Just tried it on my phone on the CB site (kid had told me their email and password) and there it all was!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By some miracle, 10th grade DS taking the test cold achieved a perfect score of 1520. Please forgive my ignorance (first kid), but is this a valid enough predictor for next year’s PSAT (when it actually counts for National Merit) and SAT that he can completely forgo test prep? I would really love to save the money, but don’t wish to sandbag my kid relative to his peers who will be taking boot camps and such this summer.

I mean…how important is it to your kid to get a perfect score every time? What’s his history with standardized tests?

My 9th grader scored in the 99+%ile on the PSAT 8/9, and he’s always been a good test taker. (My older kid isn’t as strong on standardized tests, so this is my first go-round with a no-prep high-scorer.) I assume he’ll keep doing better and don’t have any inclination to have him do prep just for the sake of getting a perfect score—which your kid already has!

If I were you, I’d have him take the SAT next summer and see how he does; if any obvious issues emerge, he could do some self-guided prep before the PSAT in October.

But mainly, I’d be telling your kid that he did great and not to expect a perfect score every time. He’s clearly going to do really well, regardless, and how he sleeps the night before or the particular combination of questions on the test is more likely determine whether he gets a perfect score or something just shy of it than how much he preps.

He’s totally fine not getting a perfect score, but would like to stay in the 99+ percentile. If his 1520 is a good enough predictor for that, he’ll be happy.

99th percentile is easy to attain. My son got a 1450 (a few years back) and he was in 99 percentile. If he scored 1520 on the PSAT, leave it and start prepping for the SAT when the time comes. He will likely get close to a perfect score...but unlikely to be perfect.

Apologies if I wasn’t clear - he wants 99+ not just 99 percentile on the SAT, so between 1550-1600. Is the 1520 PSAT still a good enough predictor?

[Anonymous]

It's way too early to fret over SAT scores now. My daughter got a 1330 Junior year PSAT, then subsequently got a 1370 SAT two months later. After some prep, she got a 1530 SAT. Most kids will shine once they start studying and practicing.