Are elementary and middle school standardized tests a strong predictor of ACT/SAT score?

[Anonymous]

I’d bet they are but I’ve never seen anyone discuss this. I assume it’s very rare for kids to jump much — especially without serious outside help (tutor, better school, etc.). For example, if a student is 80-percentile on state tests in 4th 5th and 6th grade, are they extremely likely to remain at 80-percentile for the state on ACT/SAT in 11th? So parents can sort of ballpark where their child will be using ACT/SAT score report for their state?

[Anonymous]

I know I had a big jump, 300 points between my PSATs and my SATs when in high school. I went from just over 1000 to a respectable 1300. I remember my mother had a hard time hiding her shock I'd done so much better on the SATs because I think she was thinking I'd come with an 1150 or so.

What changed? I took an SAT prep course and did a bunch of practice tests. So basically I studied how to take that particular test. It had nothing to do with real knowledge or intelligence.

[Anonymous]

Probably not. Nearly all students take the state tests, but not all the students take the SAT and the rest. Those skew more towards the smarter students. In general, the student’s percentile would drop.

For example, my kids scored 600s and PA on almost all of their SOLs yet were 1450 or so on the SATs.

[Anonymous]

Where is the 99% on the SAT?

[Anonymous]

approximately 1500. I know 1450 is 98%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d bet they are but I’ve never seen anyone discuss this. I assume it’s very rare for kids to jump much — especially without serious outside help (tutor, better school, etc.). For example, if a student is 80-percentile on state tests in 4th 5th and 6th grade, are they extremely likely to remain at 80-percentile for the state on ACT/SAT in 11th? So parents can sort of ballpark where their child will be using ACT/SAT score report for their state?

The only common factor is that test -taking skill/strategy can to some extent be carried over from one to the other. If your kid scores in the 80th percentile on state tests, you should expect that he/she will need a lot of prep to score acceptably on SAT/ACT. The state testing pool consists of nearly all of the students in a given grade while the SAT/ACT testing pool consists only of college-bound students and is much smaller. The percentile rank will not align.

[Anonymous]

No, the content is nothing alike.
My kid scored 99% each year (3rd-6th) on state tests. She took the SSAT (private school admissions test but very similar to the SAT) and received between a 33% and 75% on the various sections on her first try (with zero prep). She's now studying and I'm sure the scores will rise but the content isn't the same as the other standardized tests she's taken.

[Anonymous]

SSAT is.
DD got 93% on SSAT and it predicted that she would get between 93% and 97% on the SAT.
She got 99 % after receiving a great high school education.

Take the SSAT as practice even if kid isn’t going to private school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:SSAT is.
DD got 93% on SSAT and it predicted that she would get between 93% and 97% on the SAT.
She got 99 % after receiving a great high school education.

Take the SSAT as practice even if kid isn’t going to private school?

No prep by the way. Just a good education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SSAT is.
DD got 93% on SSAT and it predicted that she would get between 93% and 97% on the SAT.
She got 99 % after receiving a great high school education.

Take the SSAT as practice even if kid isn’t going to private school?

No prep by the way. Just a good education.

I can’t remember what her test scores were in elem school (& she went to a wacky alternative middle school that didn’t test)- maybe 80-90%? I remember one 70th percentile at least. I wouldn’t put too much stock in those tests - they’re for the school , does the kid even care about doing well? They’re a good guideline but not a huge deal.
Focus on getting your kid a great education.