<p>My son rec'd. his results today of a practice 9th grade PSAT. His scores were:</p>
<p>153</p>
<p>64 Percentile</p>
<p>Critical Reading: 51</p>
<p>Math: 53</p>
<p>Writing Skills: 49</p>
<p>What does this all mean for a ninth grader? He thought it was awful, and all I could do was Google, and then think of you all? Looking for help in deciphering it.</p>
<p>Was it the genuine PSAT, or some third-party company's simulated PSAT?</p>
<p>It was the real deal. They took it at their school, by invitation, with the 11th graders.</p>
<p>Thanks for the links!</p>
<p>My son took it 9th grade, and again this year in 10th. I didn't think twice about it last year, in part because I don't think there are percentiles for 9th grade test takers. For 10th grade there are percentiles, and my sons scores were just enough to get him thinking about the future; I can't think of a better outcome then that. I think you should try to minimize it's significance.</p>
<p>My understanding is (translation: something I think I read a couple of times but am too lazy to go look up) that even with no study, the typical PSAT test taker will see a 10-12 point rise in scores between the sophomore and junior years. Extrapolating from that, I think with no prep, your son might see a 20 point rise to 172 or so by junior year.</p>
<p>Of course--if he preps-- he will do even better.</p>
<p>My son took the test with some prep (one practice test, a few hours going through the book and some vocabulary practice) as a freshman and scored 200. I think the practice test score was 15 points or so lower. Two years later he scored 228 (with probably 16 hours of prep stretched over a month prior to the test). </p>
<p>Preparation makes a huge difference. If your son was invited to take it, it means he is thought to be a very bright student in his school. If he is interested in performing well on the test, get him some prep books (and check out the Xiggi method on the test prep forum).</p>
<p>Just found info. saying that if you take PSAT in grades lower than the 11th grade, your pecentile is measured at a sophomore level.</p>
<p>My son is interested in performing well, but as a "newbie" high schooler, he is not yet interested in prepping independently as of yet. I, however, am interested in anything that could help with the cost of his college career, and I know that the PSAT has that possibility. He was told that he would be invited to take it again in the 10th grade.</p>
<p>I think I will compile a few of the links on here, and when he is ready, or becomes more interested in these tests, then I will share them with him.</p>
<p>I needed more clarification for me, as I did not take the PSAT, and it's been a gazillion years since I have been out of college, so all testing is a mystery to me at this point. My bottom line question is would his current score be a good score for his current grade level? If he could score at least 15 to 20 pts. more in 11th grade, what does that mean with regards to merit money? Would there be any?
Again, thanks for any helpful tips/advice.</p>
<p>It really depends on the state. In some small population, economically challenged states like Mississippi, the PSAT score that makes the cutoff for National Merit Scholar is 20 points or more lower than in a state with a richer, better education population like, say New Jersey.<br>
I think that around 200 points is "commended", but NMS status scores range from a low of around 202 to high of about 226.<br>
If your son is motivated to hit the threshold score and you provide him with the resources, he can.</p>
<p>Here's my general advice on test prep: </p>
<p>READ, READ </p>
<p>To learn how to score well on a standardized test reading section, the number one piece of advice is READ, READ, READ, and READ. Read about what you like to know more about. Read things that are fun for you. Find books and magazines about interesting topics and read them. Turn off the TV and read. Put away the video game controller and read. Read hard things, and read easy things. Read a lot. </p>
<p>For years, I wondered why it came so readily to mind to write "READ, READ, READ" in all capital letters like that when I give advice on this subject, as I have frequent occasion to do. Recently, I reread the section "Suggestions for Study" in the front matter of John DeFrancis's book Beginning Chinese Reader, Part I, which I first used to learn Chinese back in 1975. In that section of that book, I found this passage, "Fluency in reading can only be achieved by extensive practice on all the interrelated aspects of the reading process. To accomplish this we must READ, READ, READ" (capitalization as in original).</p>
<p>DeidreTours, thanks for the advice. We are N.C. residents, so of course, like most of the motivated students around here, he has UNC-Chapel Hill desires. He also likes UMD-College Park, John Hopkins, and the new one is NYU, (not sure why he is suddenly loving NYU, except to say that he and his classmates have began some whisperings of what school they would like to one day attend).</p>
<p>TokenAdult, I will be sharing your READ, READ, READ post with him. I always encourage it, but I really don't think that it has sunk in yet. He does not shy away from reading assignments, but he does not really read for pleasure, (exception: Manga).</p>
<p>I agree with the "read, read, read" suggestion. Another tip: The PSAT report will show which questions were "easy" "medium" or "hard." It will also show what he answered correctly and where he made an error. This information can be very useful in figuring out where to focus his efforts. Some errors may be due to carelessness, especially in 9th grade when he may not take it all that seriously; some may be due to lack of knowledge he is bound to acquire in the next couple of grades (especially in math); and some may be due to lack of familiarity with test-taking techniques.</p>
<p>The xiggi method (check it out on the SAT-AP forum on CC) is very good. But Xiggi (now in grad school) would also advise to "read, read, read." By that, I mean, read anything. It does not have to be literature (my S was/is a sci-fi fantasy fiction buff).</p>
<p>Xiggi is in grad school now?! and I remember when....</p>
<p>Writing score is just grammar and can be raised really easily.</p>
<p>I suggest going on line and working with a PSAT site. My S found a free one and ended up a semi-finalist. (Not as good a finalist I know, but couldn't quite make the 224 cut off that year.)</p>
<p>He enjoyed it because it was computer time.</p>
<p>My younger son's scores went up quite a bit from sophomore to junior year on the PSAT with minimal studying. He did a couple of math practice tests. Most freshman won't have covered a lot of the math that's on the test - so it's very easy for that score to go up on it's own. He went up 30 in verbal (he's a big reader and already had a very high score), 90 in math, and 70 in writing.</p>
<p>Mythmom, could you provide a link to the site that your kiddo used? I think my freshman would prep more if it was online vs. a book (and he REALLY needs to practice the writing section).</p>
<p>Ditto on the link for online PSAT prep. Also have a 9th grade son who would be more inclined to prep online than open a book.</p>
<p>I'll ask DS when I next speak to him. He's away at school. A sophomore at his chosen college.</p>
<p>My only basis for judging scores on out of grade level testing has been using CTY type cut offs. To qualify for they're summer programs a 9th grade score of
CR: 51/61
M: 53/67
The lower scores are those for they're slightly less rigorous summer program. Your son's scores are comparable to around the top 3% for his age.</p>
<p>I'm curious about the "top 3% for his age". I'm guessing the average 9th grader doesn't even take the PSAT, so the 3 percent could reflect 9th graders who take PSAT's?</p>
<p>Well my percentile is really more of an estimate based on a combination of findings from Duke TIP and CTY. Duke TIP publishes the percentile scores of their seventh graders who took the SAT (top 5% on nationally normed test). It gives a breakdown and I believe the top 50% was around 450 and above but I'm not quite sure. Then CTY estimates an average 50 point increase from year to year up through 11th grade which I have found accurate based on personal experience. Then convert the SAT to the PSAT. So you see there is a lot of room for error here but I think it gives the OP a good idea that her son is definitely at the top in his standardized testing.</p>