<p>My suggestion is this. Have your son do a practice test this weekend from the 10 Real's, and see how he fairs with the test in general, and in the analogies and math bits that are slated to go away in particular. If he does well on the old test, he could do a bit of prep and go for SAT classic. I tend to think Xiggi has a pretty good handle on this sort of thing. My son followed his methodology (with a little of mine mixed in), and went from a 195 PSAT junior year to a best composite M+V+Writing of 2240. He was also able to be done with SAT's junior year, and concentrate on SAT II's senior year. Scheduling all the takes and retakes is a project in itself.</p>
<p>Bluebayou, Interesting to hear PR's thoughts that the March test may have an easier curve. Certainly didn't seem that the curve was easy on the "new" PSAT. </p>
<p>My daughter is taking the MArch test but is wondering if she should also plan on taking the May AND June tests --- or just do two this year and plan on taking it again in October. She'd like to get the tests over with this year because she wants to use the EA option at all of the schools on her list. But, I'm not sure repeatedly taking it within a few months of each other is going to work out.</p>
<p>Carolyn, one of the reasons why the curve might be easier on the March 2005 test -and following SAT- is that it is important for the scores to remain in line with the past. I think that TCB refers to this as longitudinal integrity or some other fancy psychometric term. </p>
<p>While the test is changing rapidly, the population that takes the test does not. TCB cannot afford to have 50-60% of its testers regressing by a large margin. Simply stated if Joe Blogg -to borrow from PR- was supposed to score 500-520 on the old test, he should get a similar score on the new one. It is for that reason that I believe that the new SAT will be easier but also less predictable. It will be easier for students who prepare less and rely more on the HS curriculum. On the other hand, the lesser predictability will hurt a bit the students who have relied on extensive preparation. One might argue that there is contradiction here: why would a less predictable test be easier to coach as PR claims? There is a simple answer: it will make PR life easier because the relation between the test and the HS material will grow. Rather than become more complex. the material tested will be clearer to the better than average HS student. Add a sprinkle of test awareness and a healthy dose of forced practice, and here you've got it: a new national course. Let's remember that PR excels at one thing: help average students earn average scores. </p>
<p>Back to the PSAT ... With the focus on the upper 10%, TCB does not need to worry so much about the statistics of the average testers and can make the test as diffciult or as easy as they please.</p>
<p>Carolyn: has your D considered the ACT as a trial run in the spring? Even the UC's accept the ACT. </p>
<p>Xiggi:</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on ACT? I concur with Carolyn -- the PSAT definitely did not seem any easier.</p>
<p>With regard to TPR's view of the world...perhaps their marketing dept can chime in, but from what I've read, their claims that the test is 'easier' to prep for are based on: 1) no analogies, and the need to memorize vocab lists ad infinitum; 2) no quantitative math comparisons; 3) the new writing section is essentially the old SATII Writing, and, the essay is extremely formulaic, with no facts required. As far as math additions, the third-year math is only ~5 problems.</p>
<p>btw: Kaplan should also be held in the same (low?) esteem, because they, too, claim that the new test is easier to coach. They suggest taking old bcos some kids do better with analogies....</p>
<p>Bluebayou - Funny, we were just talking about the ACT as a possibility on the way home this afternoon. I have to read up on it a bit to see if it would work for her.</p>
<p>Californiadreaming; ( I love your handle!) and Ohio Mom; wow, terrific! Congrat! Your children have done something most difficult, increasing their number of correct difficult questions. They can go anywhere.
We are much more in favor of the new SAT and foregoing all the SAT 2s. I could be very wrong in our approach but we want to put the CB tests aside after a couple tries.It's time to move on, not be bogged down in test after test. I really don't know how one can put in proportion that first new SAT score. How can one judge whether to retake the test? What are your kids being told at school? Are they telling them to take the new SAT 2 times ?
Momsdream; thank you and I appreciate it. We are not in your league but we try!</p>
<p>BHG-
gosh, that's right, you'll have the new SAT scores and the college listings will have the SAT Classic, and you need need to see where your kiddos are likely applicants. There are a couple of options. You could take the CR and Math components of the new SAT and see where they put your kids with the old scores. The other option is to take the colleges old scores and multiply by 1.5 to approximate writing. If child falls within whatever percentage your're looking for by both criteria, its probably a likely fit.</p>
<p>Going back to the original question, d's junior PSAT score went up 35 points. She attributes this almost entirely to the new test being 'so much easier'. I've pointed out she was one year smarter in October 2004 compared to Oct 03 but she believes the absence of analogies and quantitative comparisons really helped her. BTW the PSAT was the first standardized test she'd ever taken (she's not in a US school) and her ony prep was a last minute instruction on the car ride over as to how to 'bubble in'. For the 04 test, she did some self prep with the 10 Reals. The original plan was to have her take the old SAT in January and then the new one in Spring (the March test is not available overseas). But she argued that as she found the 'new PSAT' so much easier, she should wait till the new SAT is given here in May. So that's the current strategy - she took the SAT 2 writing last year and did fine, so will take the two other SAT 2s in June.</p>
<p>Optmizerdad: You could have optimized your calculation method. 2/3 of 210 is also 140 !! If this was a SAT question, I would have optimized my test time by 15 seconds !!!</p>
<p>Simba:
You're right, but the intent of my post was not optimized calculation - it was to show the logic. A cryptic answer like '2/3 of 210 = 140' may not have done this, even if it was fast :-) .</p>
<p>A hasty clarification - and again, replying to the OP's question - I think in my d's case, the increase in score was due to increased familiarity with the test format. I would much rather she took the old SAT this month - my fond hope was she'd do well enough to be done with SAT Is but she has said flatly to get real, that isn't going to happen. I am hoping the new SAT correlates closely with the new PSAT - we have no GC to advise us so I too am interested in BGHs query as to other PSAT experience.</p>
<p>samuck,
endurance is a factor in the SAT - more so now that it is longer. Practicing for the test - both in terms of familiarity and stamina - seems to help a lot of kids. Also, make sure your D is in no way sleep deprived when she takes any of the tests - she should get enough sleep for the 2-3 nights before the test, not just the night before.</p>
<p>Even though the New SAT will be on a 2400 scale, most colleges say that they will not be using the writing score for admissions evaluation. CR and M will be 1600, as before.</p>
<p>My guess is that a 2400 won't hurt anyone chances!</p>