DS can’t get past 1490 on the SAT’s. Any recommendations ?

[Anonymous]

Stop now. It's enough. You'll see.

[Anonymous]

Better parents? Your weaknesses are shining through unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Better parents? Your weaknesses are shining through unfortunately.

MYOB!

[Anonymous]

Give him up for adoption?

quote=Anonymous]DS is a rising junior and an excellent student at his school. He already took honors precalc as a sophomore and achieved a near perfect score in that class. He’s aiming at a few T20 schools and knows that’s it’s almost a must to get over 1500 on the SAT.

He’s taken 4 practice SATs over the summer and his score is ranging between a 1450 and a 1490, almost equally split between Math and English. He’s already taken several sessions with a tutor he likes at a reputable testing place in the area. The tests aren’t revealing any particular areas of weakness.

If your child was in a similar position , what has helped the most? More practice tests? Changing tutors? Simply more studying ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior and an excellent student at his school. He already took honors precalc as a sophomore and achieved a near perfect score in that class. He’s aiming at a few T20 schools and knows that’s it’s almost a must to get over 1500 on the SAT.

He’s taken 4 practice SATs over the summer and his score is ranging between a 1450 and a 1490, almost equally split between Math and English. He’s already taken several sessions with a tutor he likes at a reputable testing place in the area. The tests aren’t revealing any particular areas of weakness.

If your child was in a similar position , what has helped the most? More practice tests? Changing tutors? Simply more studying ?

If a rising junior is at 1490, 1500+ will get achieved once the SAT is taken the summer going into senior year.

Focus on rigor and getting As.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a strong advocate of taking test after junior year. No matter what curriculum the kids have in junior year, it will help tremendously on the verbal part if there are some advanced humanities courses (comprehension, analytical). Math part is inherently easy and can be prepped. Often times 1550+ can be easily obtained one and done.

This just isn’t true. There are many students who have 3.9+ and cannot even get 1400. They have other skills and strong ECs, so they go TO and do quite well.

It’s rare to get over 1500 let alone 1550.

With 1490 sophomore year? you bet they will 1550+ junior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior and an excellent student at his school. He already took honors precalc as a sophomore and achieved a near perfect score in that class. He’s aiming at a few T20 schools and knows that’s it’s almost a must to get over 1500 on the SAT.

He’s taken 4 practice SATs over the summer and his score is ranging between a 1450 and a 1490, almost equally split between Math and English. He’s already taken several sessions with a tutor he likes at a reputable testing place in the area. The tests aren’t revealing any particular areas of weakness.

If your child was in a similar position , what has helped the most? More practice tests? Changing tutors? Simply more studying ?

Sorry, that's just wrong.

[Anonymous]

This whole SAT thing and spending so much time practicing the test is just utterly stupid and a colossal waste of time and money. Looking back, I regret every single moment of it. My SAT outcome had no effect whatsoever on how well I’ve done so far in my life and the college I attended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior and an excellent student at his school. He already took honors precalc as a sophomore and achieved a near perfect score in that class. He’s aiming at a few T20 schools and knows that’s it’s almost a must to get over 1500 on the SAT.

He’s taken 4 practice SATs over the summer and his score is ranging between a 1450 and a 1490, almost equally split between Math and English. He’s already taken several sessions with a tutor he likes at a reputable testing place in the area. The tests aren’t revealing any particular areas of weakness.

If your child was in a similar position , what has helped the most? More practice tests? Changing tutors? Simply more studying ?

Just take the test. October, June (if necessary) or June, August (if necessary)

[Anonymous]

Sophomore year, moms came here inquiring about sat.
Junior year, moms then ask about what to do with no ECs.
It should be reversed. Devote the efforts to ECs in sophomore year, creating some really big impact. Then just take the test in junior. That will eliminate both questions.

[Anonymous]

Send him to trade school. No hope at being a professional and thus no point in going to college. Save your money.

[Anonymous]

If he does not get over 1500, you can go test optional at top schools.
1500 is a key threshold for top schools; ideally, you would want to be at or over the average for the reported SAT score.
With our DCs, it helped to start taking the real test, and to say "there is always another shot, every month, so do your best and realize no one test matters much." We said this to take off the pressure, and all of them took it a couple of times, and improved a lot to mid-1500s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a rising junior and an excellent student at his school. He already took honors precalc as a sophomore and achieved a near perfect score in that class. He’s aiming at a few T20 schools and knows that’s it’s almost a must to get over 1500 on the SAT.

He’s taken 4 practice SATs over the summer and his score is ranging between a 1450 and a 1490, almost equally split between Math and English. He’s already taken several sessions with a tutor he likes at a reputable testing place in the area. The tests aren’t revealing any particular areas of weakness.

If your child was in a similar position , what has helped the most? More practice tests? Changing tutors? Simply more studying ?

Me personally, I'd have my kid focus on their essays and doing well in school. I'd also seriously consider why they are so obsessed with T20 schools. I'd put much more effort into finding great Targets to apply to. Because that is likely where they belong (I say this as parent of a kid with a 1480/790 Math/8AP/3.96UW student). They didn't get into any T25. They were Deferred then rejected at a T10, Rejected at a T20, WL at T30, 1st year abroad at NEU and accepted everywhere else with great merit. Attending a school that was ranked ~ low 30s when they started (but USNWR regrouping means privates went down in ranking and large state U went up when class sizes no longer matter, and the other changes). They got into a great school, are excelling there. Were a TA starting spring of Soph year, continued junior and now into senior year, been doing research for a full year and did it over the summer as well. Tops of their class (have a 3.95+ in their major courses). They landed where they should be. And they have plenty of smart cohorts....everyone they know was "WL/Spring start/Fall soph start" at 1+ T30 schools (most have it for several). They are surrounded by "kids all qualified for T25 schools but who didnt' win the lottery".

[Anonymous]

Leave him alone.

[Anonymous]

If he wants to retake he should keep practicing. Use free sites using official test banks like https://cognivo.xyz/