Help with guidance on PSAT/SAT
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Anonymous
Don't do anything. Longer prep doesn't do anything. My DC's school had PSAT in 9th and 10th grades and took the "real" PSAT in 11th. Scores went up 100 points each year. We chose not to prep for the PSAT but did do an online classes (Khan Academy) for the SAT. My suggestion - If your school doesn't offer the PSAT in 9th or 10th grades, try to take the test elsewhere (maybe Khan academy or other place) cold, without prep. This will give you an idea of where your child will be in the SAT. If you think prep is necessary, then do so by all means. PSAT itself gets you into the pool for National Merit scholarship which if you are so inclined can get you admitted to a few state schools in FL, TX, AZ and AL (and more). Some are full pay scholarships. Most kids in this area don't seem to want to go to those schools so NM status is just an accolade at that point. Only the colleges that offer merit aid for merit scholars and want to improve their profile through those students actively scout those students. Some kids prep for the PSAT and take the SAT around the same time in Junior year. Might work as well. We didn't. |
Anonymous
I'm confused by this. The PSAT and SAT aren't scored on the same scale. what do you mean? |
Anonymous
Yes but theoretically a person that scores a 1200 on PSAT would score same on SAT on the same day. The difference is the cap 1520 vs 1600 not an issue except if you are in the top .01%. DD went from roughly 1100 to low 1400's between sophomore PSAT and SAT junior year. |
Anonymous
| ^^ I meant SAT senior year. |
Anonymous
+1 The PSAT and SAT are, actually, scored on the same scale, although the ceiling is different. There is no conversion to correlate PSAT with SAT. College Board set it up this way so that students would see "growth," or increase in score, between the time they take the PSAT fall of junior year and the time most take the SAT, spring of junior year and/or fall of senior year. |
Anonymous
I don't think so. My kids took the SAT in September and PSAT in October (I think). Just a month later and their SAT was definitely much, much higher. https://blog.collegevine.com/psat-to-sat-score-conversion-predict-your-score/ |
Anonymous
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https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-suite-growth-estimates.pdf
This is what CB predicts. 70 points between PSAT and final SAT is realistic and average but that’s also usually almost a school year Oct to April/ May or September. Obviously some do better. I think the ones that do better shortly after taking PSAT are the ones that that realize SAT counts. |
Anonymous
Oh SAT was higher and taken earlier. Curious what difference was if you wouldn’t mind sharing. |
Anonymous
NP. The Oct 16, 2020 PSAT had a really bad curve, so bad that Compass Prep wrote an article about it. (Maybe that's why your kid's SAT was higher. My kid's PSAT dropped from the PSAT the year before. He went on to score 180 points higher on the SAT just afterward.) https://www.compassprep.com/major-drop-in-psat-scores/ |
Anonymous
That's interesting mine went up 130 points from prior year and 100 points up again SAT just afterwards but DC's SAT scores stagnated between freshman and sophomore year. |
Anonymous
Almost exactly what the conversion chart shows. SAT was 1530 and PSAT was 1460. SAT taken one month prior. |
Anonymous
| But, there is no conversion chart applicable to the Redesigned SAT. Can you link the chart you are referring to? |
Anonymous
Check out compassprep. They have a lot of articles on PSAT and the mapping between PSAT and SAT. |
Anonymous
Literally there is no conversion between PSAT and SAT. Compass prep is talking about PSAT/SAT vs ACT. |
Anonymous
OK. The very first google search result.. https://blog.collegevine.com/psat-to-sat-score-conversion-predict-your-score/ You are welcome! |