<p>Ok so the beginning of sophomore year (october 2012) I took the PSAT.
I got a projected score of 1460 on the real SAT.</p>
<p>This summer, I took an SAT pretest at Sylvan Learning Center. I got a 1450. I have never looked at whatever material is on the SAT and I had no idea what types of questions I would be asked. </p>
<p>I'm preparing to study EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY HARD for the SAT's. See, my GPA is above a 4.0 and I take AP and honors classes so I don't understand why I did so badly.</p>
<p>Is it possible to bring my score up 500-600 points? Have any of you guys done the same thing? I'm so stressed out right now because I did SO poorly it's almost unheard of.</p>
<p>Whats your score breakup?</p>
<p>I scored a 149 on the psat soph year and a 163 junior year… scored a 2060 on the sat</p>
<p>koalabrig, I think slashed2gnr means your individual reading, math, and writing scores.</p>
<p>Sign up for Collegeboard’s SAT question of the day. It will email you daily questions that are formatted like the types on the actual test.</p>
<p>Do not worry at all! Beginning of sophomore year I got a 166 on my PSATs lol. I walked into it completely blind – no knowledge of the test or how the points (and deductions) worked. This score was obviously odd to me (although I didn’t even understand how good/bad the score was lol) because I am generally a pretty good student. However, I hadn’t even completed Algebra II yet which explained my weak math score and there are many other explanations such as this. </p>
<p>Sophomores just aren’t ready without prep. (at my school anyway). Junior PSAT I got a 206 and then a 2120 on my SAT. Yep, 166(0) to 2120. If you are a pretty smart kid in general, then this 1450 definitely doesn’t define you in anyway. You just simply aren’t ready to be taking this test AND you haven’t had any prep. By junior year you will be ready and your score will be drastically different. </p>
<p>I would also start considering the ACT if I were you. All along I thought I would be better at the SAT (I’m from the northeast), but was pleasantly surprised with the ACT (even without prep). I scored a 33 on my ACT so turns out I don’t even need my SAT/PSAT scores, so I’d recommend you be open-minded to that too. Good luck :)</p>
<p>Sounds like ACT would fit you better, but it is possible to improve. i got 1780 psat to 2190 sat. But I scored like 2400s on practice tests.</p>
<p>Odds will be that you can’t, unless you go you go the mimic route, which is getting all the old tests that you can, and then memorize the answer to the related question, hoping that SAT recycles a lot of questions that you’ve studied. I’m not saying it’s right, but it is reality.</p>
<p>^ You guys make me feel a whole lot better. I got a 169 on the PSAT sophomore year and literally wanted to cry. </p>
<p>But this summer, I went over all the questions I missed from that test in October and I feel like an idiot for getting some of these wrong. Chances are, you learned A LOT over the year of sophomore year (I know I certainly did) and will do better anyway. I’m in the same boat as you, an Ivy league sort of candidate (lol I hope). Don’t let this score affect you :)</p>
<p>Don’t even pay attention to sophomore PSAT scores. I got a 178 PSAT Sophomore year. My Junior year (MNSQT) I got a 203 and a 2060 on the SAT. You will do fine. As an honors and AP student, you will have a slight advantage.</p>
<p>It’s a cliche to say that the SAT tests how well you take the SAT but to a large degree that’s really true. My kids’ scores improved substantially (300 or more points) from their first PSAT to first SAT, with taking practice tests. But they were in a high range to begin with so idk about bringing your score up as far as you need to to apply to competitive colleges. D1 was thrilled to find the ACT which is a more straightforward test, and she got 34 on first try with little prep. Since you are a good student, I highly recommend you try the ACT and not waste time trying to decipher and outsmart the SAT.</p>
<p>^ Agree with honeybee. I took the ACT blind and got a 32.</p>
<p>And by blind I mean first time, no prep or studying. Not literally blind :D</p>
<p>It may be a good idea to take the ACT as well, but I definitely think you can improve your score with some studying and review. You will likely do much better once you get familiar with the types of questions they ask and the level of math you need to know. I did poorly on the PSAT, but did much better on the SAT just by completing another year of high school and going through a prep book. Get a prep book of your choice and go through it. Then retest and see what you score is.</p>
<p>You are still a Sophomore, heading into Junior year, don’t worry about PSAT scores. But in your Junior year, this is the time to step up. No more fooling around. I know you probably hear that a lot, but it’s serious. You have a lot to do for your next 2 years and it’s going to fly by. </p>
<p>Start Junior year with the right SAT tutor and by the time you take your first SAT test, you’ll sprint through it. Most juniors in my school don’t start studying until May, the month of their first actual SAT. Afterwards, they end up really stressful, which is what you are doing right now. But instead, you have a year more than they do :). don’t worry</p>
<p>Son’s PSAT score went from 173 in sophomore year to 219 in junior year. The verifying SAT score was more than 50 points higher than the 173. </p>
<p>In my opinion if you earned 1460 without prep then a score between 1800 and 2100 can be achieved with a little hard work.</p>
<p>@RainbowPitbull older thread, but your story gives me hope, 133 sophomore year, 166 junior year. :o</p>