is a 1400 achievable for most kids?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's possible. In this case, your child would benefit from one on one SAT tutoring, either virtual or in person. Lots of great options if you search dcum.

[Anonymous]

You don't mention ACT. I'm sure the colleges will take a similar ACT, right?
They are not the same. It was explained to me that 50% do the same on both, 25% have a natural proclivity for ACT and 25% have a natural proclivity for SAT. The SAT has a non-calculator math section that can impede a group of kids. Plus the SAT reading requires a good test-taker and some are better than others. The ACT on the other hand, is very time pressured, and this can be a problem. Do timed sittings of both at a test prep place. Find your best test - and then put all your efforts into that format.
I had a kid who got a 1400 on SAT (barely) but never got close in ACT terms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't mention ACT. I'm sure the colleges will take a similar ACT, right?
They are not the same. It was explained to me that 50% do the same on both, 25% have a natural proclivity for ACT and 25% have a natural proclivity for SAT. The SAT has a non-calculator math section that can impede a group of kids. Plus the SAT reading requires a good test-taker and some are better than others. The ACT on the other hand, is very time pressured, and this can be a problem. Do timed sittings of both at a test prep place. Find your best test - and then put all your efforts into that format.
I had a kid who got a 1400 on SAT (barely) but never got close in ACT terms.

Me again - also I was told the ACT reading has all the answers right there - it's a matter of finding the best one. The SAT requires more inferences.

[Anonymous]

Personally I think they can achieve this through multiple test taking. It’s just a matter of practice and taking the test over and over.
The more you do it, the higher your score each time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1400 is 97th percentile, so, no, I don't think everyone could achieve it. A 200 point increase is maybe doable, depending on how much prep already went into getting the 1180.

Opinions don’t matter here. The data is clear.

[Anonymous]

Oldest kid took it 3x. Best score was 1360. Had a 6mo prep before 1 exam and then another private tutoring 2x/week for 2 mo for another. Just couldn’t get there.

Youngest child took it cold and got 1500.

I’m going to say some of it is innate ability that’s the starting point. I think prep will get you 100-150 pts but that’s about all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't mention ACT. I'm sure the colleges will take a similar ACT, right?
They are not the same. It was explained to me that 50% do the same on both, 25% have a natural proclivity for ACT and 25% have a natural proclivity for SAT. The SAT has a non-calculator math section that can impede a group of kids. Plus the SAT reading requires a good test-taker and some are better than others. The ACT on the other hand, is very time pressured, and this can be a problem. Do timed sittings of both at a test prep place. Find your best test - and then put all your efforts into that format.
I had a kid who got a 1400 on SAT (barely) but never got close in ACT terms.

Me again - also I was told the ACT reading has all the answers right there - it's a matter of finding the best one. The SAT requires more inferences.

I don't know ACT, but SAT English has lots of "what is the person opinion of the test author" which makes it very hard to get an 800 without being an expert in psychology of test writers.
Authors whose work is used in SAT hate the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1400 is 97th percentile, so, no, I don't think everyone could achieve it. A 200 point increase is maybe doable, depending on how much prep already went into getting the 1180.

Opinions don’t matter here. The data is clear.

What data?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s possible with good prep. Evidence: some schools have an average of 1500.

Please name those schools, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s possible with good prep. Evidence: some schools have an average of 1500.

Please name those schools, lol.

HYPS

[Anonymous]

Math and grammar can be improved with hard work. Reading comp is much harder to improve. So it depends on where the current weaknesses are. Superscoring potentially helps a lot.
That’s a lot of points to raise. Not impossible but I wouldn’t say probable, given there was already some prep. If he already did some private tutoring or good class, a lot of the easy gains may have already been achieved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it’s possible with good prep. Evidence: some schools have an average of 1500.

Please name those schools, lol.

DC's high school has an average of 1525. But it's a test-in school, so it filters for good test takers.

[Anonymous]

This topic has been beaten to death on this forum but a 1400 is a good score! We have to get out of this strange unhealthy universe where people are wringing their hands and agonizing over anything less than a 1550.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This topic has been beaten to death on this forum but a 1400 is a good score! We have to get out of this strange unhealthy universe where people are wringing their hands and agonizing over anything less than a 1550.

Huh? OP is trying to get up to a 1400 because they know that’s their target as a recruit at top colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This topic has been beaten to death on this forum but a 1400 is a good score! We have to get out of this strange unhealthy universe where people are wringing their hands and agonizing over anything less than a 1550.

Huh? OP is trying to get up to a 1400 because they know that’s their target as a recruit at top colleges.

True. Also, at the most competitive colleges 1550s are sometimes the minimum for entry.