<p>Is there a limit to how much you can improve on the SAT?
If I am a junior and I have improved from a 1600 to 1900 how much more do you think I can go??</p>
<p>2400 - [your score] = limit on how much you can improve</p>
<p>More likely, you can probably gain a couple hundred points with study, if you’re dedicated.</p>
<p>I’ve been lurking cc for a while and a lot of people say if you start out so low (1600) then you can’t get above 2300, or it’s very very unlikely to happen… so Im worried</p>
<p>It’s very very unlikely to get above 2300 in the first place. There’s nothing saying someone can’t improve a lot, though setting your sights on 2300 might get you disappointed (as it would disappoint 99% of all other test takers if everyone aimed for 2300). I think you can break 2000 if you try at it and probably make it past 2100, if you prep well. But it all depends on the individual.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>The SAT is certainly a good predictor of future success in college, but it’s not an IQ test. With enough preparation (I think I took about 5 full length practice tests in between my first and second sitting), you can certainly get a 2400. Of course, as BillyMc said, it is very, very hard to get above 2300, and exceedingly hard to get a 2400 thanks to the crazy math curve, but if you go through enough practice tests and have a sound understanding of all the material, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to get 2250+. Also understand that the test is constructed in such a way that you could have a really, really good day and do about 200 points better than you would on a really, really bad day. That’s why there are score ranges in college admissions.</p>
<p>You could potentially improve a few hundred more points, but the higher your current score, the more preparation it takes to increase your score.</p>
<p>If you work hard, you could probably break 2100, but it’s not worth trying to break 2200.</p>
<p>Try, with every practice test you take, to identify at least one pattern in your mistakes, and then work on eradicating that pattern before your next test. There are only so many kinds of questions the SAT can ask you, so over a long enough period of time, with assiduous preparation, the impossible becomes possible.</p>
<p>I appreciate your responses, RedSeven, but I just don’t agree with them.</p>
<p>“You could potentially improve a few hundred more points, but the higher your current score, the more preparation it takes to increase your score.”</p>
<p>While this may be true for scores that are far below average, this is generally untrue. A person who scores in the 2100+ range on the first try can very easily get to 2400. It’s just a matter of familiarization with the test, since the test-taking ability is already there.</p>
<p>“If you work hard, you could probably break 2100, but it’s not worth trying to break 2200.”</p>
<p>Not true at all. Set your goal as high as you dare to. The more you take the test, the better you’ll do. That’s a guarantee.</p>
<p>PWNtheSAT, you’re right on target.</p>
<p>I don’t want to sound mean, but this “You can do it!” stuff isn’t helpful. Theoretically, YES, you could get a 2300+ with enough practice. But I really think you should be shooting for 2100+ and anything over that is a bonus. If you start consistently scoring 2000-2150 on practice tests, then you can hope to have a good day and get a 2200-2250, but it’s probably not worth it to make test prep your life just to get a few points higher. Your grades matter a lot more in college admissions. No one gets into a school because of scores, it really only keeps them out. SATs should help reaffirm your grades and show that you can compete with other applicants in your GPA range, and maybe they’re used as a “tiebreaker” if one applicant has much higher scores than another, but what you really should be focusing on is your schoolwork.</p>
<p>Post, you have a point there. You should definitely set manageable goals for yourself, and be realistic. But while schoolwork and GPA are more important than standardized test scores, it’s important not to understate the importance of those tests scores. Grade inflation is rampant in the United States, and colleges know it very well. Standardized tests (i.e. SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, APs) are called so for a reason–they’re standardized. They’re the only real standard there is in college admissions, since grades can be so fickle and inaccurate. And while you won’t get into your top choice with dreadful grades, a great SAT score can certainly save your application from being rejected or passed over. Many colleges have a threshold for SAT scores, while there is rarely a definitive threshold for GPA.</p>
<p>^well put</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>Thank you, my friend.</p>
<p>By the way, what on earth does 10char mean?</p>
<p>there’s 10 character minimum to all posts on CC. If their post is under 10 characters, people usually add “10char” to put it over the limit.</p>
<p>You can always improve, but you’ll tend to get diminishing returns. Theoretically, I suppose anyone could get a 2400, but in actuality, you probably won’t unless you started high already.</p>
<p>Bear in mind that your score isn’t the only factor in college admissions. Raising it a few hundred points may make your app look better, but going from 1600 to 2300, if your grades don’t reciprocate the latter score, might make you look lazy.</p>
<p>Post: ah, that makes sense!</p>
<p>Notanengineer: I suppose you could make the laziness argument, but I can’t imagine someone trying to score worse on their SAT on purpose just to make everything look consistent. I don’t see how that’s a good idea at all, actually.</p>
<p>I went from 165 on the PSAT my frosh year to 2250 now (and hopefully 2300+ in March). There’s really no limit to improvement. My score just progressed gradually (up to 2000 without study by the end of Soph year), and then studying made it jump that gap from 2000 to 2250+ in a matter of about six months.</p>
<p>The only thing unfortunate for you is that time is not on your side, but you have improved a lot already. I would mainly focus on writing / math because those are the two scores easiest to improve. And since you’ve had some great improvement already, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some more marginal score increases soon!</p>
<p>Here’s where I stand on all of this, I guess. I think everyone here knows that you’re best served to be well-rounded when you apply to college, but this particular board is dedicated to SAT prep. I trust you to handle the rest of your well-roundedness on your own. If you’re coming here looking for a 700 point improvement, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s REALLY hard to do, but I’m not going to question your motivations for doing so, nor your wisdom in deciding to go for it, if that’s what you decide. </p>
<p>Is the SAT the most important thing in the world? Probably not. Is it up to me to tell you so? Definitely not. Will I chime in with some free advice on how best to improve your score if you ask on here? Yep.</p>
<p>Be careful how much you improve between tests! My friend’s score was rejected by CollegeBoard because he had a 600 point increase between his first and second attempts. I don’t know what the threshold is, and this is an extreme situation, but I’m just throwing this out there.</p>