What is a good PSAT score for a sophomore?

[Anonymous]

The highest score on the psat is 1520 so two of the above posters are lying. The SAT goes to 1600.

[Anonymous]

My DS got a 1420 sophomore year and... a 1420 junior year. Zero test prep.
For what that's worth.

[Anonymous]

"The highest score on the psat is 1520 so two of the above posters are lying. The SAT goes to 1600."

No one is lying. The scores above 1520 were both for the SAT.

Most everyone got that, why didn't you?

[Anonymous]

"My DS got a 1420 sophomore year and... a 1420 junior year. Zero test prep.
For what that's worth."

It's an important data point. It shows that students who have already had all the necessary math as freshmen don't automatically improve.

The fact that it is rare means that lot of students prep and that prepping helps significantly.

My dear 1420 sophomore got a 1600 with 6 weeks of one on one prep.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

1220 - excellent if she hasn't already taken Algebra 2, yet. Above average if she already has taken Algebra 2.

[Anonymous]

Our sophmore got a 1320 this year, up from 1190 Freshman year. Three questions wrong on the verbal. No test prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1220 is a great PSAT score...as you pointed it, it's in the 94th percentile. A good SAT prep class should bump up the score 150 to 250 points.

My oldest son had a 1290 PSAT in 10th grade and ended up with 1530 on his first try at the start of Junior year. Several practice tests and a prep 10-week prep class (meeting 2 times/week for 2 hrs) did the trick.

Regarding the national merit score, there is a link on the test results which will take you to the NMST score. I think 94th percentile should be around a 183...222 or 223 was the required score in Maryland/VA. That's a good initial reference point. She would need to get into the 99th+ to get qualified. However, if you move to North Dakota, she is a shoe in for a national merit winner (the required score is different for each state).

PP, would you mind letting me know which prep class did your DS attend?

Bump.

[Anonymous]

DS had 690V, 520M as a sophomore. Best SAT scores were 750V, 700M. Took a lot of work to get that math score up, but it's do-able.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

PP your post is very encouraging because DD only had 2 months of Algebra 2 under her belt when she took the PSAT which led to a big discrepancy between the verbal and math scores. Am hoping that Math comes up significantly in Junior PSAT and the SAT once she has more Math classes under her belt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"The highest score on the psat is 1520 so two of the above posters are lying. The SAT goes to 1600."

No one is lying. The scores above 1520 were both for the SAT.

Most everyone got that, why didn't you?

Because the post was about only the PSAT, jerk. Reread and see that the higher numbers do not reference the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

PP your post is very encouraging because DD only had 2 months of Algebra 2 under her belt when she took the PSAT which led to a big discrepancy between the verbal and math scores. Am hoping that Math comes up significantly in Junior PSAT and the SAT once she has more Math classes under her belt.

She not only hadn't had Algebra 2, yet, she likely had been away from Algebra 1 for a good awhile before she took the Sophomore PSAT. She went it to that test w/o Algebra 2 and rusty on her Algebra 1 to boot.

I think you can expect a better score next year .

[Anonymous]

Our DC is a mediocre student (mostly B's but sometimes a C), and so we were bracing for the worst. DC got a 1110 (83rd percentile) without preparation, which was a relief. Not unexpectedly, the reading/writing score was much higher than the math score though. We'll see if DC can bring up the score a bit with some prep.

[Anonymous]

Ours got 1060, due to forgetting her calculator.....sigh! 570V and 490M and she is in pre-calc....zero prep.

[Anonymous]

On PSAT y DC got 1170 in 10th and 1290 in 11th.

Did individual Khan Academy and a book, and got 1540 on the SAT on first sitting.