<p>No PSAT scores here yet. Usually our school gives them out before winter break, but others in our district have complained – they want everyone to give them out on the same day in January. Not sure why you would wait when you have them?</p>
<p>Our school gave out a date of distribution in first week of school in January. I know other schools in the school district don’t wait that long.</p>
<p>Our school gives them out to sophomores during one 6th period, juniors during the next 6th period. They meet in assigned rooms with their GC in order to go over what the test means, answer questions, etc. </p>
<p>My personal concern is that my DDs math score was only 49. She was in accelerated math for years, and has only recently dropped down to the “regular” level of her advanced class (basically, she is taking the same class as the Junior regular level, rather than the Sophomore honors level, if that makes sense…) She is very insistent that she wants to be a vet. She’s taking AP Bio (an “honors bio” that is less demanding than AP is available) and works VERY hard to get a B. She’s a solid A-/B+ student in mostly Honors classes, her school’s Naviance scattergram puts her as a match at some great schools like Mt. Holyoke, Scripps, Bates, and Hamilton. Colby is a low reach according to the Naviance, but is an active-alum legacy so gets an extra bump there.</p>
<p>Some kids do better on ACT Math if they were at Math in school but their SAT scores don’t reflect it.</p>
<p>Does the PSAT math = the SAT math? I know SAT math includes some Algebra 2. So Bossymommy, if your daughter is just now in Algebra 2, you might see an uptick in the math naturally. </p>
<p>What I don’t really know is if the PSAT math covers the same topics as the regular SAT. Figure there are some more experienced parents here who could answer that question.</p>
<p>Piesquared, she is in Algebra II now, as are most juniors. Most sophomores at her school take Geometry. She was on the Honors track through 8th grade in math, so took Algebra I in 8th grade, Geometry in 9th, and is now taking Algebra II (and holding a 97 % average in the class) </p>
<p>I really think she’d benefit from some help with test taking and study skills. Of course, she is a 15 year old girl, so convincing her that adults have wisdom about these things is an uphill battle. LOL.</p>
<p>The only difference between PSAT and SAT as far as I know:</p>
<p>An additional section that is considered experimental to try out new questions but not labeled as experimental;</p>
<p>Essay.</p>
<p>These two add about an extra hour plus may be another 10 minute break to the test.</p>
<p>The content is more or less the same in PSAT and SAT. A rule of thumb is that the PSAT score is out of 240 - multiply by 10 and figure out roughly what your score on the SAT will be. For D, it was bang on target !! They also say you can roughly count on a 10 point increase each year - from a freshman to a sophomore, a sophomore to a junior. I don’t remember know - do they have negative scoring in the PSAT? They do have that in the SAT - 1/4 point off for each negative answer.</p>
<p>If you logon to the PSAT/SAT site, they will have a detailed analysis of the test, including the questions and the answers she got wrong. There will be explanations on why a certain answer is the right answer and there’s also a way to get more questions on the same area so you can improve your scores. All really great - but you have to get the kid to do it 
S knows about all this, but couldn’t really care! We don’t have his scores from this year yet - we’ll see…</p>
<p>I know I posted to this thread a long time ago…but now that PSATs and PLAN results have made the whole college thing more real I hope to become more active…My Class of 16 son is my second child to go thru the application process - my daughter is currently a second year at UChicago. College Confidential was immensely helpful in navigating the process - it can be a wild ride! </p>
<p>As for my son, he is taking a completely different path than his sister. Chose not to go to our very good local HS and instead enroll in a brand new Public School all boys leadership academy. His will be the first graduating class. Less than 50 young men in his grade rather than the 600 or so he would have had at the local public! He loves it so far and thru a partnership with a local college he will begin college classes next year.</p>
<p>Looking forward to hearing all about your wonderful kids over the next few years…</p>
<p>S got his PSAT score Back last week Also. It felt weird creating the college board account when S14 isn’t through the process yet. </p>
<p>Kid #2 is a different kid- better test taker but poor work ethic. Very little Competitive spirit </p>
<p>He has named one LAC that he thinks he would
Like to explore. </p>
<p>Good luck to all those taking semester exams next week</p>
<p>DS hasnt gotten his PSAT’s back yet…but his GC showed him NAVIANCE…which he stated indicated a GPA of 3.5…for last year…which he was disappointed with (It’s not too bad, give he’s also had a poor work ethic…especially last year…) This year, his “work ethic” is “evolving”…and I see some overall improvement…but, I think it will take this entire year to fully develop…so, I’m hoping he has a 3.7 GPA by the end of this year…and we’ll see what happens Junior year. Of course…he saw a LAC he likes…but…he’s going to need a 4.2 to get in there… HA!! (maybe it will at least motivate him??)
:)</p>
<p>Got the PSATscores today. Good but not amazing. I was a little surprised that the reading and writing was % wise muchbetterthan the mathgiven that he loves math and tolerates LA for the sake of his GPA. Others had said that math review was important when their child was in our HS accelerated math program. He is in pre-calc. Anyone else have a similar experience? Also anyone know of an engineering program that DOES consider the writing portion? Maybe he just found how to distinguish himself.</p>
<p>isnt this PSAT for sophmore year? CHEERINGSECTION: I think your S will have plenty of time to improve in math…never fear!! and, I think all schools are looking more at the writing/reading sections…so, good start!
our school did not hand them back yet…not sure why…</p>
<p>Can someone fill me in on what we should expect our kids to be getting? What do folks on College Confidential consider a good score for a sophomore to get? What is a great score? Thanks.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is a “should” for sophmore year. I figure it is a “baseline” score that you use to know they’ll be getting “higher in” for next year (because they learn more, and they know the test style) In terms of scores, it would depend on the school you’re looking at for your kid. I look at FISK guide, for example to get ideas for “ranges” of SAT scores – or NAVIANCE… you can add a zero to the end of the cumulative score of the PSAT to give you an “idea” of where your kid falls for a given school…</p>
<p>Haven’t heard from S at all this past week - no idea if they’ve received their PSAT scores yet.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The scores are reflective of a kid’s potential at this point and all expectations are specific to the kid and the kid’s goals.</p>
<p>If the goal is make national merit in 11th grade, this score provides an indicator of the gap that needs to be covered preparing for the next 9 months or so. Since the goal varies by state, someone in Arkansas and someone in Massachusetts will have two entirely different goals because one needs to aim for 205 and the other 225.</p>
<p>If the goal is to do well in SAT for college apps, again the score is an indicator of where the kid is in the SAT prep. You have baseline score, you have a score to aim for and start working on improving the skills which are found to be needing improvement.</p>
<p>Sorry I was unclear DRMOM123. I was asking if others have found that the math on the PSAT is more focused on a traditional math course progression than an accelerated one. The review is said to be necessary to refresh problem-solving specifics for math concepts my son covered 1-2 years ago. Our school offers a lunch time review program to assist the students but it is encouraged for juniors not sophomores. The PSAT is taken “cold” so that the students get a true feeling for where they are.</p>
<p>cheeringsection: AHHHH. now I get it (your question). I don’t think I have an answer-- I assume the PSAT is based on whatever is “typical” math for 11th grade. Our school also has the kids in sophmore year take it “cold”.</p>
<p>My sophmore son got an 1800 on his PSAT, can anyone give me an idea of how hard it will be to raise that above 2250 on the real SAT?</p>