If the SAT goes like my PSAT score, I will have the lowest score of all my friends. I swear I’m a bright kid and take AP classes, study and do my work but my scores would suggest I’m closer to a slacker in less advanced classes. This terrifies me because I know I deserve better and I’m worried it’s going to kill my chances in a good school.*
What is your score and your GPA? Are you a Va resident?
Here are the stats for UVa:
Middle 50% rate for SAT scores:
660-740 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
660-760 Math
How far below the 25th percentile are you? Did you prep for the SAT? You may want to try the ACT.
I am a current Junior so I have yet to take the Sat (I am soon) but am basing this off my PSAT score. Believe me with my current scores I am well aware of the fact that I am not going to get into UVA ( it says I am in the 76th percentile) which is why I’m extremely nervous and anxious. I swear I am a good kid and student and I’m well aware of students who don’t care about their education or class but who got way higher than me. I understand life isn’t fair but now I’m worried that I’m out of any at least esteemed options and have to bank on the fact I’m from Virginia which is pretty well received academically. I also have to bank on the fact that I have around a 3.9 GP, so hopefully some colleges pay more attention to that then test scores. I’m not so concerned with getting into UVA per se, it was just an example of the level or tier I always thought I’d be going to. Maybe I’m worried for nothing. My parents agreed I should enroll in a test prep course but I’m worried it won’t be enough.
What PSAT scores are you basing this off of? Last year’s? It has to be, since this year’s scores aren’t out.
Stop comparing yourself to your friends. Run your own race. Prep for the standardized tests and quit worrying about what everyone else is doing.
Studying and just increasing your familiarity with the SAT and the questions it asks can boost your score a lot. Just keep practicing. Also, have you tried taking the ACT? Some students prefer it over the SAT because it is more straight forward.
I think that you are worrying unnecessarily.
First of all, SAT preparation can improve your scores and it is normal with some SAT preparation to have SAT scores which are at least a bit higher than PSAT scores. Also, there are many SAT optional schools. A 3.9 GPA is a very good GPA that will get you into very good universities.
Having the lowest SAT score of your friends really doesn’t mean anything, other than perhaps that you have smart friends.
I am confused by the statement: “I am well aware of the fact that I am not going to get into UVA ( it says I am in the 76th percentile)”. If you are in the 76th percentile for UVA students, and you are in-state, then unless I am missing something your chances should be excellent.
In terms of “students who don’t care about their education”: Don’t worry about them. Eventually either they will learn to care about their education or they are going to run into trouble at university. Either way this isn’t a problem for you.
You should have some faith. If you are currently doing well academically then there is a reason for this: You are smart and are studying and take your education seriously. These reasons will continue to help you going forward.
Try the ACT. Many kids find they perfrom better on one test over the other. Find schools based on your stats. Plenty of kids do just fine without going to UVA. Look at test optional schools. Some people just don’t test well.
In addition to the good advice already shared by others, here are a few positive thoughts for you … first your GPA is very good. Second, you are motivated by your desire to do well so don’t let the fear of doing poorly drag you down! Third, you can take the SAT more than once to try and improve your score.
My D did not do well on the PSATs she took sophomore or junior year. She hated the format of the test so she decided to focus on the ACT. Her PSAT score was equivalent to a 24 ACT. We were prepared to focus on test optional schools. But she got a 29 on her first ACT with little prep. She took it again hoping for a 30. She prepped mostly on the science section and got a 33 composite. She liked the ACT format much better, even before she received her scores.
So far my kids have done significantly better on the SAT than the PSAT. Prepare with the already published tests and then take the test. Once you have some actual results then you can fine tune or switch to ACT. It takes a little more time for some kids to get a decent score. Don’t despair. And in the case you don’t get the score that puts you in the range you want you can still find good schools to accept you. Most importantly keep up your gpa.
don’t stress to much…when i took the psat my sophomore year i did no studying and i got the lowest of most of my friends with a 1280…then i took the sat after studying and got above a 1500, and ended up doing better than almost all of them. it’s all about what you put into it. if you master the test and really mentally prepare yourself for it, that can make all the difference. work hard, and i’m sure it will pay off.