Is my first practice SAT Score unsatisfactory?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I'm a first semester sophomore, and got a 720 on math, a 660 on writing, and a 700 on reading, for a total score of 2080. I was devastated at this, because Harvard, Dartmouth, Stanford, and Princeton have average SAT scores of around 2200-2400. But, this was my first practice SAT, and I haven't even studied for it yet. I am starting to study more for it. Was my initial practice SAT score bad? I believe it is, but please tell me your opinion. I have always been the #1 of my school (not class, but school), and have a maximum GPA of 4.58 (it's not as high because my school only offers four honors classes to take sophomore year).</p>

<p>I do admit I didn't have a very good breakfast this morning (actually, I took the first half of the test on an empty stomach). </p>

<p>Also, can you also state your very first (practice or actual) SAT score, preferably for each section? </p>

<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!</p>

2

<p>Oh, also, I don’t have any SAT books yet. Do you know which books are the best? A list of 12-14 books, would be greatly appreciated, as well! Thanks.</p>

3

<p>One more thing. My goal is 2400, or at least 2350. Do you think this is achievable? My desire is to be accepted into Harvard or Dartmouth. My teachers and my parents think that I should be able to get a 2350+ no sweat. Can you who have taken the SAT please give me your opinion and advice? Maybe I wasn’t taking it as seriously this morning, since I haven’t studied, and I am on Christmas vacation. My parents were talking about business over the phone in their home offices, and I believe a television was on. I was on the verge of tears when I realized my score. How soon do you think I can get a perfect score? Or, am I worrying too much? Some people on other sites have told me I am not worrying enough, and that I am prone to failure. Are they correct, or are they just attempting to bring me down due to their own lacking test scores? Thanks for responding.</p>

4

<p>dont worry its more than fine for a sophmore. some people get way lower than that like 1700-1900 psat(JUNOIR) and get 2300+++++</p>

5

<p>Oh geez relax. That’s a damn good score for a sophomore.</p>

6

<p>Definitely a reach for Ivy Leagues. I’m not going to lie like others, your shot at Ivy’s are pretty slim with that SAT Score.</p>

<p>First step at improving your chances to Ivy’s: Stop making excuses.</p>

<p>No one cares that : You didn’t eat breakfast, your parents were on the phone, it is Christmas break, a television was on. </p>

<p>. If you’re looking for someone to hold your hand and say, “WOW kid, you really have things going for you! Keep it up!” on the internet, then you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.</p>

7

<p>

</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Are you going to try and convince me that 2080 isn’t a damn good score for a sophomore? What I said wasn’t manipulating the truth at all.</p>

<p>I never said not to take the SAT again. Obviously you’re going to need to practice and bring it up. But for the first practice test, 2080 is a very good score.</p>

<p>My first score as a sophomore was a 2080. My superscore now is 2360.</p>

8

<p>If a 2080 is “bad” then my superscored 1990 would just be considered pitiful. I managed to get into Wharton at Penn with that 1990. You should realize that the national average for SATI is about a 1450, give or take a few tens of points. </p>

<p>2080 is good enough for any average or good college. If you raise it to 2200+ then you’re pretty safe for prestigious schools as far as the SAT factor goes. (Even 2100 is usually good enough.) There’s no need to buy 12-14 books, I mean really, why waste $200+ on just SATI prep books? You still have SATII prep. They’re all a total waste after January of senior year. You’re already pretty solid on Math and CR, so it should only take a little more practice to improve. As far as writing goes, it is the easiest section to improve on. Just drill the 17 grammar rules the SAT covers in your head and you’ll always know what type of errors to look for. Some good book suggestions are Barron’s and the Collegeboard blue book. Other books are pretty unnecessary, but if you REALLY want to use that extra money then Princeton Review & Peterson’s can be helpful. I got PR & Peterson’s for free, so I didn’t buy them myself.</p>

<p>SAT is definitely something that you shouldn’t just wing or go into unprepared without practice. Key to getting a good score on the SAT is by constantly practicing problems so you know the shortcuts & skills required to solve the problems. I admit that I barely ever practiced for the SAT, adding on to the fact that I’m just not good at the type of questions the SAT asks. Thus my score is significantly below Ivy averages.</p>

<p>But I think as a sophomore, you should be more concerned with what type of extracurriculars you do, or should start to do, as to enhance yourself and your application. SATI is just one factor of your college application. Having a 2400 and straight A’s but lousy ECs can equate to a rejection from prestigious schools. </p>

<p>Oh, and I got a 176 on PSAT in sophomore year and a 184 in junior year. That should give you an idea that your 2080 isn’t bad at all.</p>

9

<p>Well, I am only a first semester sophomore. I took the test again today (these are only practices), and I got a 2160. Don’t try to intentionally bring me down. I mean, I haven’t even spent 10 seconds studying. This was my first test EVER. </p>

<p>Since my test score, I’ve contacted someone at Princeton. They said I should be fine, since I’ve taken this test as a first semester sophomore. </p>

<p>Also, a friend of mine who was accepted in Yale (I’m not interested in Yale) said his SAT score was 2100 as a senior, and he was still accepted.</p>

<p>But, I see the point you are trying to get across, and I am certainly studying harder and trying hard! I already bot a few books and SAT apps for my iPhone. Of course, I won’t be studying for the next few weeks, since I have exams coming up.</p>

<p>Thanks, cuteaccountant, for your comments. I do have quite a few ECs. I am a concert pianist, eagle scout (senior patrol leader), official church pianist, award winning pretrial attorney for our mock trial team, I’m soon to be the senior editor for one of the most prestigious and award-given yearbooks in the nation, and I’m on the varsity volleyball team. I also am involved in track and field/cross country and swimming. I also have many hobbies. I was on Jeopardy for Kids in 2005 as the only alternate player chosen from the entire US and Canada. I have a red-belt in Karate, and have already made an official CD for my piano playing.</p>

<p>I also do a lot of community service. I also serve as a marketing writer for a large real estate company here in Southern California. It’s more of a summer job. I also might get a summer job as a salesman for the local Mercedes Benz/Audi dealer, due to my extensive knowledge about luxury and sports automobiles. Who knows? Maybe I can get a discount on a high school car! Just kidding. ;)</p>

<p>I have straight A’s with All honors classes possible. I’m sure I have more extra curricular activities, but they escape my mind for the moment.</p>

<p>I am also going to meet with my academic counselor to see what awards I can possibly earn, such as National Merit, AP Scholar State/Nationals, etc.</p>

<p>Thanks, Lewdawgdude, Secret Asian Man, AP Tester, and CuteAccountant! </p>

<p>Please give any more advice possible!</p>

10

<p>Yeah, I’m not going to wing the PSAT or SAT. I just wanted to see where I was at, and I wasn’t pleased at all with that 2080.</p>

<p>Oh, and APTester, I wasn’t trying make excuses to explain my low score. I was intending for someone to say that a lack of food or concentration may or may not have had anything to do with the low score</p>

11

<p>My advice would be to learn to write without sounding like a pretentious, spoiled, fool. You might not be able to hold back from bragging in conversation, but in writing there’s really no excuse. Grow some modesty, the admissions officers will appreciate it.</p>

<p>“I have always been the #1 of my school <a href=“not%20class,%20but%20school”>U</a>”</p>

<p>“My parents were talking about business over the phone in their home offices”</p>

<p>"Thanks, cuteaccountant, for your comments. I do have quite a few ECs. I am a concert pianist, eagle scout (senior patrol leader), official church pianist, award winning pretrial attorney for our mock trial team, I’m soon to be the senior editor for one of the most prestigious and award-given yearbooks in the nation, and I’m on the varsity volleyball team. I also am involved in track and field/cross country and swimming. I also have many hobbies. I was on Jeopardy for Kids in 2005 as the only alternate player chosen from the entire US and Canada. I have a red-belt in Karate, and have already made an official CD for my piano playing.</p>

<p>I also do a lot of community service. I also serve as a marketing writer for a large real estate company here in Southern California. It’s more of a summer job. I also might get a summer job as a salesman for the local Mercedes Benz/Audi dealer, due to my extensive knowledge about luxury and sports automobiles."</p>

<p>After reading your first few posts I thought you were just ■■■■■■■■. Surely someone as intelligent as yourself would realize you’re completely overreacting. I mean, even you yourself note “I haven’t even spent 10 seconds studying.” So how could you possibly be “on the verge of tears when I realized my score”?</p>

<p>But no, it seems you’re serious. You really are upset. The reason for this overreaction, I assume, is because for one of the first times in your life, the thing you wanted won’t handed to you on a silver platter, with no effort required.</p>

<p>Or maybe you really are just ****ing with us. In which case, I applaud you. It’s quite the performance.</p>

<p>Oh yes, I almost forgot. If you are serious, and therefore become offended by my post, I assure you I’m not jealous.</p>

12

<p>Whoa whoa, I’m not trying to make anyone jealous. I’m not trying to brag. Don’t get me wrong. If I seemed to be snobbish, I truly do apologize. Please accept my apology. </p>

<p>But, I was on the verge of tears. I didn’t cry, but I was really saddened, since I thought I did really well. </p>

<p>I listed those things to explain my extra curricular activities. And yes, I have always been at the top of my school. I don’t take that back. I’m not trying to rub it in anyone’s face.</p>

<p>If I didn’t say official church pianist, people would just assume that you’re some guy that plays the prelude every other month. </p>

<p>If I didn’t mention award-winning pretrial, then maybe colleges might assume you just went along with the mock trial team for the ride. But, I have won some awards, just like many others on the team.</p>

<p>And, our yearbook has won some of the most prestigious awards in the world. I am not saying that I by myself have won those awards. It was the whole staff working together that won those awards, and our great advisor, who is internationally acclaimed.</p>

<p>My parents work from home. How is that bragging? Many people have offices at home.</p>

<p>And for the car thing, maybe I was sounding a little condescending (wasn’t intentional), in which I am sorry for offending you. But seriously… you don’t think there are any other teens that don’t like Mercedes AMG, Lamborghini, or Bentley?</p>

<p>But, I suppose I was overreacting, and I’ve already realized that. It’s probably that I’ve had such as stressful weak. A friend of the family just died unexpectedly, and one of my dad’s employee’s sister is dying of cancer, which is really sad.</p>

<p>By the way, I’m just curious by what you meant by saying, “I’m just ****ing with you guys.” Explain yourself. ;)</p>

<p>Please respond so I can see if you understand. Thanks.</p>