<p>Hey everybody. So, it seems like May is the time when all the average kids take SATs. I know all of my friends, none of who studied, all of the people in my gym in health class (who also didn't study) and basically every other junior took the test on Saturday. January, on the other hand, is not when average kids take it, it seems. Seniors have already applied, so they're not taking it, and it's slightly early for most juniors unless the kids are more determined to go to a good school.</p>
<p>So, since all of these average kids took the test on Saturday, does that mean the curve will be more in favor for the kids like us on CC who studied abunch and have taken it before???</p>
<p>I was thinking the same thing, I was one of the 6(about) kids in my school, out of 461, who took it in January and March. And most of the kids who took the May one didnt study so I suppose it could slightly help us.</p>
<p>Curve is pre-determined. Though, for some reason, a lot of people at my school did take the test in May.</p>
<p>Simply because most people are uneducated about the SATs test dates. Everyone takes it May because it SEEMS ideal. January and May, on the other hand, are considered “too early”
In my area, people say May SATs typically have the most generous curves.</p>
<p>why is the curve predetermined???</p>
<p>How exactly do the pre-determine the cure? I thought it was based upon how the rest of the test takers do. Can you please explain.</p>
<p>I believe curves are determined by how difficult the exam is considered, on that specific month, to the people at Collegeboard.</p>
<p>What if they thought it was easy and everyone did bad on it. What do they do then?</p>
<p>I doubt that rarely happens; that’s why they have experimental sections.
However, if that does happen, I don’t think anythings done, but, keep in mind, I don’t work for Collegeboard.</p>
<p>There was a thread that explained all of this.</p>
<p>I think that the SAT administered for a specific month is a collection of reused sections and experimentals from previously administered tests. The curve is pre-determined based on the performance by students on these sections.</p>
<p>In every SAT test, they give you an extra section that is not scored. That section may be used in another SAT test and they use the results of the people who had the section to determine the curve.</p>
<p>The curve depends only on the difficulty of the test, not on the quality of the people taking the test. These two things (test difficulty, quality of test takers) have overlapping effects. For example, an easy test and/or very good test takers could result in high average raw scores. To separate these two things, the equating/experimental sections have questions repeated from earlier tests so a separate, direct determination of the test taker quality can be made. This cannot be done before the test is administered; the curve is not predetermined.</p>
<p>See [thread=760312]this thread[/thread] for gory details.</p>