Anonymous wrote:Some kids are good at taking standardized tests, have no test anxiety AND are really smart. When you combine those three things, easy to score high.

+1
Easy for DC1, impossible for DC2

Did anyone feel that taking Latin as a foreign language made a difference on the verbal score?

Prep Matters--worth it to us because kid got into HYP and was multimillionaire by age 30. (Husband + I grew up LMC + went to schlubby univs.).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school kid. In STEM Magnet program. NMS.

1. Took all the PSATs offered to him. 9th, 10th and 11th.
2. Linked his PSAT scores on CollegeBoard to Khan Academy by the click of a button.
3. Khan Academy analysed his scores and created personal study guides for all the tests he took.
4. He then followed the targeted and personalized study guide.
5. He also practised on the 8 official SAT full tests as available on the CollegeBoard website.
6. He aced the PSAT - 100%. And he scored 1590 in SAT. 800 in verbal, 790 in math.

Nice!

Yes. No cost for the prep. This was the standard tried and tested method followed by most of his cohort.

Having said that, most average kids should not have any major knowledge gaps in SAT and PSAT Math and English. In other words, SAT and PSAT are basically test of speed and accuracy. Most average kids should be able to score 100% in it, given enough time.

Khan Academy pinpointed exactly where they needed to work, and improved his speed and accuracy. Made him understand how to solve some tricky problems, use testing shortcuts to arrive at the right answers.

PSAT and SAT questions come only in some flavors. If you go through the test papers (available for free) on the collegeboard website, you will ace the test. You don't have to take a gazillion tests or even buy different SAT test books.

Just do the tests that are made available to the public by CollegeBoard and familiarize yourself with the questions. CollegeBoard does not deviate from that. SAT is not set up to make students fail. SAT is set up for the average student to be able to go to college.

^^^ both public school magnet kids.

Both of my kids got 1600 on the first try.

The first did no prep. The second did one prep class at Montgomery College.

Anonymous wrote:Public school kid. In STEM Magnet program. NMS.

1. Took all the PSATs offered to him. 9th, 10th and 11th.
2. Linked his PSAT scores on CollegeBoard to Khan Academy by the click of a button.
3. Khan Academy analysed his scores and created personal study guides for all the tests he took.
4. He then followed the targeted and personalized study guide.
5. He also practised on the 8 official SAT full tests as available on the CollegeBoard website.
6. He aced the PSAT - 100%. And he scored 1590 in SAT. 800 in verbal, 790 in math.

Nice!

Public school kid. In STEM Magnet program. NMS.

1. Took all the PSATs offered to him. 9th, 10th and 11th.
2. Linked his PSAT scores on CollegeBoard to Khan Academy by the click of a button.
3. Khan Academy analysed his scores and created personal study guides for all the tests he took.
4. He then followed the targeted and personalized study guide.
5. He also practised on the 8 official SAT full tests as available on the CollegeBoard website.
6. He aced the PSAT - 100%. And he scored 1590 in SAT. 800 in verbal, 790 in math.

Public school

Two of mine.

Child #2 first time zero prep. She has zero test anxiety, understands test taking, and is generally very intelligent. Straight A student not because they studied. Got to college second year realized studying was required LOL

Child #1 not as good a test taker. Used Prep Matters. About $3000. Ended up with same as Child #2 on verbal, math missed two.

Anonymous wrote:Not looking for perfect. Just high score. 1300 or above. But yeah it depends on the student and how motivated they are to do well, etc.

Holy Moly. Life is a breeze if you are not Asian American.

Anonymous wrote:Did you throw money at tons of tutoring? Was your kid self motivated and used Kahn Acadeny or something else to prepare? Did they use AI? Was it be super they were always in private school and had that advantage? Or simply because they are super smart and hardworking and just took the test once or twice and got a great score of 1400 or above?

What is the true secret of success?

It is KHAN ACADEMY. Founded by a South Asian Muslim guy called Salman Khan.

KAHN is a Jewish name. It is not KAHN ACADENY.

God save your kid. Unless, you are the troll kid who is posting.

1400 is not a great score.

^obviously far, not fat, and we are public school.

Anonymous wrote:Some kids are good at taking standardized tests, have no test anxiety AND are really smart. When you combine those three things, easy to score high.

So fat this is my kid who got one question wrong on the PSAT10 and a 1510 on their first SAT practice (past test) with no prep.

Anonymous wrote:Some kids are good at taking standardized tests, have no test anxiety AND are really smart. When you combine those three things, easy to score high.

That's my kids - all got 1550-1590 on the SAT. English was a breeze - think they all got 790-800. Math was the more variable one - mainly because the math on the SAT is much easier and different then what they are learning in school at that point. Brushing up using Khan Academy did the trick if needed. Think they all started out without any Khan Academy at about 1470-1530.

ACT in our case, but with both DCs it was working individually with a good tutor that gave them the edge and set the schedule for putting in the necessary amount of prep work. They scored 29 and 32 in blind practice tests, and then went on after prep to score 36 and 35.