Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 13:39     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Here is my tip. Sign up for the test twice in a row. Part of this is relaxation and experience with the actual test. Best scores from multiple students I know, including my second, were received in the second of back to back tests.

Also, I second the advice to try the ACT.

This is all if your student wants it. Your student is great and will succeed from her work ethic no matter where she goes.


Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 13:20     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The blue book practice tests are skewing high right now especially beyond 1450. This is my experience. So a kid who averages 1580 is getting 1530 at most. I think the digital SAT has had some issues in its infancy. Too many high scores. That’s been remedied as of maybe March? but the practice tests still reflect that beginning.


I agree with this. My kid scores higher on blue book practice tests than on the actual exam (taken twice). I chalk it up to differences in scaling after the psat disaster (the psat scores were way too high, which meant that NMSQT required near perfect scores).


I disagree, based on conflicting but equally anecdotal experience.

My kid’s highest verbal on a practice test was a 750. Their highest math on a practice test was 770. But those were different tests. They took all ten practice tests, and their highest single-sitting composite score was 1510.

Single-sitting SAT score? 770 verbal, 800 math.

Some kids turn it on under the pressure of test conditions, the same way some athletes are clutch in key moments. Other kids are rattled by the pressure. Practice is invaluable, but it isn’t quite the same thing as playing the game.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 12:59     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:The blue book practice tests are skewing high right now especially beyond 1450. This is my experience. So a kid who averages 1580 is getting 1530 at most. I think the digital SAT has had some issues in its infancy. Too many high scores. That’s been remedied as of maybe March? but the practice tests still reflect that beginning.


I agree with this. My kid scores higher on blue book practice tests than on the actual exam (taken twice). I chalk it up to differences in scaling after the psat disaster (the psat scores were way too high, which meant that NMSQT required near perfect scores).
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 11:36     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:I find it curious that people think the verbal section of the SAT is hard to prep. My DC is not reader at all. Hates it. Reads books for AP English classes and is an excellent writer, but nothing for pleasure since about age 10. I’m not kidding. It is upsetting as a parent that reads all the time and I read to him nightly even through 8th grade (!) when I would read chapter books each night! He scored a perfect score on English and Reading section of the ACt (36s). It was shocking. 35 on the test overall not superscored. OP, maybe try the ACT.


I’ve been telling people to do the ACT as well, it’s easier to get a high score on the ACT than the SAT. Congrats to your son! Regular and consistent childhood reading matters - especially to 8th grade which isn’t common.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 11:28     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:My daughter is an excellent student taking on the most rigorous classes offered at her DMV private . As a junior, she’s already in AP Calculus BC and AP Lang and excelling in both. Based on the honors list numbers at her school , she’s around the top 10-15% of her class. She took 3 AP classes as a sophomore and scored 5’s on all three.

Here’s the issue: she just can’t seem to do well on the SAT in spite of studying hard for it and having excellent tutors.
She scored a 1460 on the first benchmark blue book practice test with zero prep back in June , so we thought it would be easy to get past the 1500 with some tutoring.
Fast forward 6 months, some 20 tutoring sessions, hours of studying on her own and her December SAT came in at 1440.
Kids at her school who are around her level have mostly scored 1530+.

Granted a 1440 is somewhere around the 96 percentile but it’s not even in the ball park of the schools she was hoping to apply for next year.

She’ll retake the test in the Spring but we are just perplexed at why this is happening. We are also doubtful that her score will go up much in the next 3 months if it hasn’t budged in the last 6 months. How can a student who is clearly capable, prepped so much, not be able to do well on the test?

Has anyone had this experience with their child before ? Would love to hear your thoughts.

No mean comments please.

TIA


TAKE THE ACT!!! Many kids just do better on that one!
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 10:09     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What are "the 13s?"
There are 8 schools tied st 13 on the most recent US News LAC ranking. Referring to them as such provides some anonymity and people who care about LACs get the reference. People who discount LACs or think only the so-called WASP schools are “worth it” likely won’t. The premise of this s entire thread seems to be “I’m terrified my kid won’t get into Duke even though they totally deserve it because they can’t break 1500.” Probably not a lot of LAC fans here.


I had never heard that before but I have a kid at a 13! Makes sense. The schools are so small you do risk identification.


My kid scored 1500+ on the SAT and I would have been thrilled to have them attend any of the “13’s”. I’m a biased SLAC grad and dismayed at the way some on this board write off the LAC’s as some sort of fallback. They’re an alternative to the T-25’s, not a fallback.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 09:06     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
I find it curious that people think the verbal section of the SAT is hard to prep. My DC is not reader at all. Hates it. Reads books for AP English classes and is an excellent writer, but nothing for pleasure since about age 10. I’m not kidding. It is upsetting as a parent that reads all the time and I read to him nightly even through 8th grade (!) when I would read chapter books each night! He scored a perfect score on English and Reading section of the ACt (36s). It was shocking. 35 on the test overall not superscored. OP, maybe try the ACT.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 08:58     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What are "the 13s?"
There are 8 schools tied st 13 on the most recent US News LAC ranking. Referring to them as such provides some anonymity and people who care about LACs get the reference. People who discount LACs or think only the so-called WASP schools are “worth it” likely won’t. The premise of this s entire thread seems to be “I’m terrified my kid won’t get into Duke even though they totally deserve it because they can’t break 1500.” Probably not a lot of LAC fans here.


I had never heard that before but I have a kid at a 13! Makes sense. The schools are so small you do risk identification.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 08:57     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps your high school is "grade inflated"?

That would explain the misalignment of very high grades and lower SAT. Highest AP scores (5's are just the 90th percentile) are much easier to reach than over 1500+ SAT scores (98+%ile).


What explains a 1590 score low gpa kid? Lots of rigor. Took the highest rigor classes. Ended up 3.7. Would love to exchange places with OP.


Or smart but lazy.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 08:53     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps your high school is "grade inflated"?

That would explain the misalignment of very high grades and lower SAT. Highest AP scores (5's are just the 90th percentile) are much easier to reach than over 1500+ SAT scores (98+%ile).


What explains a 1590 score low gpa kid? Lots of rigor. Took the highest rigor classes. Ended up 3.7. Would love to exchange places with OP.


Poor executive function and/or prioritizing something other than classes.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 08:27     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:What are "the 13s?"
There are 8 schools tied st 13 on the most recent US News LAC ranking. Referring to them as such provides some anonymity and people who care about LACs get the reference. People who discount LACs or think only the so-called WASP schools are “worth it” likely won’t. The premise of this s entire thread seems to be “I’m terrified my kid won’t get into Duke even though they totally deserve it because they can’t break 1500.” Probably not a lot of LAC fans here.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 07:57     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps your high school is "grade inflated"?

That would explain the misalignment of very high grades and lower SAT. Highest AP scores (5's are just the 90th percentile) are much easier to reach than over 1500+ SAT scores (98+%ile).


90%+ is considered an A at most schools. Seems silly to claim someone earning a 5 on the AP test didn’t earn an A in the class

Also, the 98%+ile you are referring is scoring that in one sitting. Superscore for that score is far more common.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2025 20:42     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps your high school is "grade inflated"?

That would explain the misalignment of very high grades and lower SAT. Highest AP scores (5's are just the 90th percentile) are much easier to reach than over 1500+ SAT scores (98+%ile).


What explains a 1590 score low gpa kid? Lots of rigor. Took the highest rigor classes. Ended up 3.7. Would love to exchange places with OP.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2025 20:14     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:Perhaps your high school is "grade inflated"?

That would explain the misalignment of very high grades and lower SAT. Highest AP scores (5's are just the 90th percentile) are much easier to reach than over 1500+ SAT scores (98+%ile).


+1
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2025 19:51     Subject: SAT score not commensurate with GPA/ AP scores / academic rigor despite prepping and tutoring
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Echo above comments on being hard to improve reading. Similar experience with DD. Tried all kinds of methods including studying most frequent 1000 SAT words over 3 months, perfecting punctuations, getting 5 on AP lang at end of junior year (too late for lit), etc. Her reading bounces between 670 and 730 in 4 attempts over 9 months. She did get 800 on math so my uneducated guess is perhaps she's grown up on tik tok and "teenager texting style" too much and hardly read anything serious.


Have you taken a practice verbal SAT to see how easy it is?

Of course, 99% of high school grads must be illiterate!


PP. Why the venom? My DD has taken all the digital blue book practice tests. She just couldn't crack 750 on reading and 730 on actual test. Too bad she is inferior to you


You're DD seems pretty smart. Maybe she can teach you reading comprehension.