<p>I'm a Junior, and I just got my scores back for the January 25th SAT. My scores were 570 Critical Reading, 680 Math, and 690 Writing with a 10 on the essay.</p>
<p>When I practiced for the SAT, I used books from the Princeton Review and the College Board.</p>
<p>My Critical Reading score baffles me, because on my practice tests for CR, I consistently got 700, 700, 710...
I have no idea how my score could have dropped 130 points in a single section on test day, that just seems absolutely outrageous.</p>
<p>Maybe it was because I didn't get a lot of sleep due to anxiety, or maybe I just didn't practice enough, but you know, excuses aren't ever very helpful in solving problems.</p>
<p>Other than that, my Math score was somewhat below what I expected, as I usually got 700 to 720 on practice tests, but Writing was better than expected, as I usually get 8s on my essays but I got a 10 this time, and I usually score between 600 and 660 for Writing.</p>
<p>Is more practice the solution to keeping my Critical Reading score stable and going up? I have February break soon, and I'm planning to take at least several tests over those 9 days.</p>
<p>Has this ever happened to any of you guys? Thank you for any feedback.</p>
<p>Yeah. I got much lower than what I had expected on the test.</p>
<p>What books/tests did you use to practice?</p>
<p>I’m sorry, I didn’t read your post carefully. PR and College Board tests are usually accurate…Did you practice taking the test in one, 3 hour sitting simulating testing conditions? Sometimes the stamina wears off during the actual test.</p>
<p>What math class and English class are you in right now? What are your grades in those classes?</p>
<p>While lots of people do lots of practice for the SAT, I’m guessing that not many get up at 6 am on a Saturday morning (after doing what on Friday?) to take a practice test in an unfamiliar location with lots of distracting people in the room. Test stress is real and it does impact your performance.</p>
<p>There is definitely a strategy with the SAT in order to be successful. The ACT is a lot more straight forward and tests what you know, not on how you take a test.</p>
<p>Work on your math skill and your vocab for the SAT.</p>
<p>I’m only in regular English 11 right now because my school for some reason wouldn’t let me take AP English, which is strange, because I was in English 9 H and English 10 H and had higher grades than some AP English kids who came from regular English 10. And in response to AmararnthineD, I usually take these tests as a whole in single sittings. The only times I have taken sections alone is in Math. And Crazymomster, I am not sure what parts of Critical Reading I did worse in, but in school I generally get 100% on my SAT vocabulary tests. I know my Math skills are good enough to get an 800, I just need to cut down on silly mistakes. The 680 might have been only 5-6 wrong, but I know I can cut down on mistakes by practicing more.</p>
<p>Practice tests are designed, in part, to make you feel like they are helping…build confidence. The test is designed to determine how well you can think, not how well you can practice. Scores are fine. Go to college. Learn. Work hard. No one cares when you get to your first job what your SAT scores were.</p>
<p>Nerves + inadequate sleep = inability to focus + lower scores
Retake the test.</p>