<p>I'm currently a junior in high school. Last year, I took the PSAT and scored a 172. Over the summer, I've been doing a few diagnostics and took some SAT classes. I've been "preparing" but not really as well as I should be. Anyway, as of now my scores are around a 1900.
I was originally planning to take the SAT in October, but now I am unsure and considering January. My goal is a 2200+. But my question is, is it even realistic to believe I can bring my score up from a 1900 to a 2200? Would there be a point waiting to take the SAT in January if I'm not even gonna get that score? And if it can be achieved, what are your suggestions on how to make it happen?
I'm not sure if this is realistic or the stress+pressure from my parents and peers is making me want to give up.</p>
<p>No, it’s not. If you prep and do your best in October, you should be around 1900-2000. After that, you could retake and see if you can do better than 99% test takers, but going from PSAT 172 to 2000 would already be a considerable achievement as it’s better than 93% test takers!</p>
<p>I definitely think you can get it to above a 2200. I think 2200 is a score anyone can reach with effort. You have two options: focus on one or two sections for October and get those really high, then take it again later and get a high superscore. Or you can just delay it from October and try to get it all in one shot. I do not believe it would be feasible to get a 2200 by October because of all of the new adjustments with school. </p>
<p>It’s been done, but it’s rare. If you are already working on your preparation and that’s brought you to a 1900, you’ve probably already grabbed all the low-hanging fruit.</p>
<p>I started at 1800 and finished above a 2300 with a month or so of preparation (took last October). So did most of my friends. You can definitely do it!</p>
<p>@puzzled123 - Congrats on your amazing improvement and score! (: Just curious, what did you do to prepare in that month? I’m taking it in October, too, and hopefully getting a 2300+, but my practice test scores are falling a bit short.</p>
<p>itsisha: you’ll notice there are two types of comments on your thread: from adults who are used to college applicants (who think 1900 or thereabouts is how high you can hope to get, 2000 at most) and from students who are currently prepping and think anything’s possible as long as you prep a lot.
I can’t tell you the number of kids who were confident they would get their score past 2000. Let’s not forget that 2100 = a score better than 98% test takers, and 2200= better than more than 99%. By definition, very few people get to that level and if all students who thought themselves as top 2% were in the group, it’d lose meaning…</p>
<p>You have probably heard this before, but the key to cracking the SAT is to practice, practice, practice. You have to become a try-hard. I took 36 diagnostic tests. Yes, that means on some days I took more than one! Looking back at it now, it was definitely worth it.</p>
<p>Also, make sure everything is perfect on test day. How you’re feeling that day can improve your score by a good 50+ points. Visit the test center at least once before. Know where the bathrooms and water fountains are. Sit in the back corner of the room. Bring fresh fruit for the breaks. Bring the watch you always use for diags. Sleep for 8 hours. Wear something comfortable. Get a ride to the test center, and practice some questions in your weakest section on the car-ride there. I say this because on the night before, I scored 70 points lower than on my real! </p>
<p>I’d say 300 pts is imaginable with much practice: 172 is similar to an SAT 1720 and 2000 would be roughly +300. Pretty good progress already compared to +50/100 average progress. You might practice a lot and stretch this to +350 and get to 2050 or so. That would already be pretty impressive.
+500 points seems pretty undoable. Take the test in October. See how you do. If you want to, take it again once more. But don’t skip the October test and wait till January in the hopes you’ll go from Top 22% to Top 0.5%.</p>