<p>Hi,</p>
<p>My son has taken two practice tests called a "PSAT"; these were clearly "practice" SATs.</p>
<p>Princeton Review offers a PSAT but they also offer a "practice" SAT (and also a "practice" ACT).</p>
<p>Question #1. What is the difference between a PSAT and a practice SAT? </p>
<p>Question # 2: If there is a difference between a PSAT and a practice SAT, why would someone take a PSAT (which is generally described as an abbreviated version of a SAT that provides an indication of how a student would score on a SAT)? I.E., why not just take a practice (non-counting) version of the actual SAT?</p>
<p>Question #3: What is the mechanism or process by which a practice test remains a practice test vs having a test be submitted as a real test? (Is there any chance that a student could sign up for a test at a place like Princeton Review thinking the test is just a practice and then have the test be submitted as a real test?)</p>
<p>Question #4: If it is possible to take practice SAT (rather than just a PSAT) and a practice ACT (which supposedly is also offered by Princeton Review), why wouldn't a student take a practice SAT and a practice ACT and then determine which test to take "for real" (ie, submit)?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any info and help with these questions.</p>
<h1>1 PSAT is “preliminary” not “practice” and much shorter and perhaps easier. A practice SAT is just that-a full length practice SAT. You should really go to the College Board site and get a basic understanding of the two tests, their format and their uses.</h1>
<h1>2 The PSAT places students in contention for National Merit, and it also provides you with national comparison statistics when you take it. It is officially administered by the College Board, whereas practice SATs are not.</h1>
<h1>3 No chance because it is not an official SAT. Princeton is offering the practice so you will sign your child up for their review classes. It is not affiliated with the real thing.</h1>
<h1>4 Do you mean decide which test your student will perform better on and then take one official test rather than the other? Sure, why not?</h1>
<p>Hi ProudMomx3,</p>
<p>Thanks - your answers were very helpful.</p>
<p>Two more questions, please/thanks:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>On the ACT I understand there is a written/essay component that might be “optional”? Is it truly optional, or is it recommended, or required?</p></li>
<li><p>When taking the actual/real ACT or SAT test, do students get to take the test, see the results, and then decide if they want to submit the test score? Or do they have to declare ahead of time if the test score will be submitted for a given test? Or does each/every test get submitted to an official repository that is viewed as part of each college application? When taking multiple official/submitted tests, do colleges take the average of those test scores, or the highest, or lowest? (What should be the strategy for how many times a SAT or ACT test should be taken?)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks again</p>
<ol>
<li> Yes it is optional but it would be up to the college you apply to whether or not they require writing.</li>
<li> When you take the exam you can specify that the score be sent to your choice of colleges, score unseen, at no charge. Afterward it is your choice to send it to a college or not, (a college will never see your score without you choosing that it be sent to them) and there is a fee associated to do so. Again, you have to look at each college’s policy. Some allow score choice where you pick your best score(say you take the SAT 3 times)and send it and that is all they see , but other schools require that you send every score that you receive. So if you take it 5 times, they are going to know it. Then there is also “super score” which some colleges do–they will take your best score in each section from all sittings. Geez, I never realized how complicated it all is until I started typing this…
As far as how many times to take the exams…the general consensus is usually twice, but no more than 3 times. Statistically it is shown that students don’t improve beyond the 3rd take, and colleges frown on excessive sittings. This is just the information I have repeatedly read, I am no expert. Generally a student will test in the spring of Jr. year, and if they are not satisfied, study over the summer and give it another shot in the fall of sr. year just in time for applications. It also depends on your students math background, as the Math section requires Algebra II-if the student is not accelerated generally schools teach Algebra II Jr. year so it the student would not be ready until the spring of Jr. year. If your student is accelerated then consideration can be given to taking the exams earlier on Jr. year to allow time for 3 sittings.</li>
</ol>