<p>I just started SAT prep last month (january) and took Collegeboard Practice Test #2 from the Official Study Guide and got an 1860 in the beginning of jnauary.</p>
<p>In the beginning of february, after alot of self-studying, I took Collegeboard Practice Test #3 and got a 2150 on it.</p>
<p>Between these two practice tests, I've been prepping with PR and Kaplan practice tests. I've been saving the CB tests because theyre supposed to be more accurate. But this 2150 I got is the highest score I've ever gotten.</p>
<p>I'm thinking its a fluke. but I decided to sign up for the March SATs in the hopes that I'll be able to get near around about 2200.</p>
<p>However, I've heard stories from my friends who got 2200s on practice tests and then got in the low 2000s on their actual SATs.</p>
<p>Are the collegeboard tests EASIER than the actual SATs or are they actually accurate? From your experience have you done better or worse on them than the actual collegeboard sat tests?</p>
<p>From my personal experience, I think the BB’s math is harder (almost certain), reading is easier, and writing is about the same compared to the real SATs I’ve taken. </p>
<p>I’ve always scored higher on the real SAT than practice SATs. Last summer I was consistently getting 2000 - 2100 on practice SATs and I got 2200 on the Oct SAT and 224 on the PSAT. This winter I was scoring 2050 - 2150 on practice tests and got 2260 on the Jan. SAT. </p>
<p>It’s probably cause I try 2x harder during the real thing.</p>
<p>The first 3 or 4 BB tests are actual prior SAT tests so they are very valid, at least for the time they were originally given (not sure how, if at all the test questions have evolved). Once you get into the BB tests that only provide you with a range, you are taking tests that were not previously administered. What we did was to use the mid-point of the range as our son’s “score” for guidance.</p>
<p>As far as trying harder during the real thing, I do think for many, the actual test results in better focus than the practice tests, so a better score. For others, test anxiety may take over.</p>
<p>I’d say they are very accurate… they’re definitely at least the most accurate indicators available. There are instances in which some questions from the BB might be easier or harder than a specific test date, but they are generally very similar in difficulty. </p>
<p>Your score will vary, which is why the BB often gives score RANGES rather than specific points, because your next score will almost certainly fall in that range. Some people also have test anxiety, or may be sick on the test date, so there are several reasons that your official SAT scores might vary from a practice test.</p>
<p>Only ever took the math practice tests (the one I needed to raise). I scored from 680-710 on them, then scored 720 on the actual SAT. I call that fairly accurate, given variances between tests, environments, my state of being, et cetera.</p>