<p>I'm going to lay out a "hypothetical" here and would like your thoughts/observations. Be honest and blunt, rather than supportive, ok?</p>
<p>Student is a sophomore. PSAT is a Wednesday. Friday before PSAT student ends up in hospital for several days, released on Sunday, still not feeling well. Major family trauma. Student suspended from school Monday and Tuesday, disciplinary hearing Tuesday after school. Student allowed to take PSAT because was high scorer in grade freshman year. Student takes test, entering school for first time since suspension and hospitalization, not physically 100%, but almost. Emotionally, nervous (paranoid?) that everyone is talking about student because of suspension.</p>
<p>What impact would you realistically expect to see on PSAT scores from prior year to that circumstance? Be honest.</p>
<p>depends on the kid
My daughter had off the charts scores the day before she broke out with chicken pox even though she vomited in the parking garage previous to test.</p>
<p>But in 10th grade does PSAT even count for anything?
I thought it was to determin NMS placement and that was only for your 11th grade scores.</p>
<p>it might lower, or it might be higher... if the student isn't feeling well (physically or mentally), there's a good chance he won't do as well on the test. however, since he's had experience w/ the psat already, he might still do ok. you should remember, though, psats don't really matter, especially when they're taken before a student's junior year...</p>
<p>Doesn't sound like ideal conditions, to say the least. Only jr year counts for anything, so I wouldn't care. (Actually, I'd hope for a drop in score so it would put the fear of God into her --actions have consequences, etc.)</p>
<p>Honestly, Zoosermom? I think it would depend on the kid. Odd as it sounds, within or intersecting with the subset of kids who are generally great test-takers, there's a smaller subset of those who thrive in tougher conditions - including absolute personal/family chaos. The test situation is a safe place where they know exactly what is expected and exactly how to control things. </p>
<p>And you said the kid was the high scorer from the year before. I'm going to guess the score this year was even better.</p>
<p>And I sure hope it wasn't Zoosergirl or Zooserboy! Yikes.</p>
<p>It was Zoosersister and I know the scores don't count, but they were so WEIRD for her that it made me wonder. they were still very good, don't get me wrong, but head-scratchingly out of the norm. I'm trying to get a sense of which scores are representative, the freshman ones in optimal conditions or the sophomore ones which were clearly not. She is an amazing test-taker and always has been, thankfully, but I would expect her to do at least a bit of prep for the PSAT and the SAT/ACT next year. I was hoping to have these scores to really know where she stands but not sure if that's the case.</p>
<p>Jeepers. These tests tend to be pretty robust, so it wouldn't necessarily be surprising if there were no big difference between last year and this year. But . . . given that there was a significant difference, it seems pretty safe to observe that she had lots of distractions that day.</p>
<p>Look at it this way: What if her scores had been a lot better? What would you have told her to do next year, to "prepare" for her real PSATs? Get arrested?</p>
<p>zoosermom, it won't mean squat if you don't let it mean squat. If OTOH she starts doubting herself -uh-oh.</p>
<p>Blow it off. Laugh it off. "Well, that wasn't our best idea now was it?" </p>
<p>Great test-takers are confident they are great test-takers. Get her back in the saddle with some other standardized testing. When is the PLAN offered? If not- take the ACT. These things are not reported unless you want them to be reported. </p>
<p>Get her back on the horse. Don't let her doubt for too long that she can ride .</p>
<p>"Look at it this way: What if her scores had been a lot better? What would you have told her to do next year, to "prepare" for her real PSATs? Get arrested?"</p>
<p>Thanks Curm, that's very good advice. She is doubting her ability with math now and actually told me that last year's PSAT and the specialized high school test in 8th grade were flukes. I don't think that's true. I think the ACT or PLAN might be just the answer.</p>
<p>The PSAT is a bit of a crapshoot. My daughter's score as a junior is significantly lower than her sophomore score. She knew it coming out too. We put it in the "all things for a reason" pile. Thankfully she took the SAT two weeks after the PSAT and did very well. I don't doubt there are quite a few kids who have semi-finalist scores as sophomores and miss it as juniors. The curve is brutal, kids can have a bad day even when they're not sick or dealing with being suspended, you just never know.</p>
<p>I second Curm, how you approach it is everything. The scores are nothing this year, next time she'll have an additional year of math behind her and she'll do better as long as she doesn't continue to question herself.</p>
<p>My S had high scores in math the two years he took the PSAT, then, months after the second PSAT, he took the SAT and fell about 50 points on the math. Luckily, the boy had confidence, and figured it must be an anomaly. We had gotten his wrong answers and the answer key, and he looked it over and realized he'd made several bonehead computing errors. He immediately retook the SAT, was careful (for a change) in his work, and went up 80 points (his verbal went up too, must be that being careful thing.)</p>
<p>Anyway, my point is to agree that she should have more confidence in her abilities--good test takers stay good test takers. Like Curm said, retaking as fast as he could was important for my S, and it confirmed what he already knew about his abilities.</p>
<p>Sophomore year PSATs are practice only. If he is feeling well enough let him take it, if he is ill, sign him up for an SAT review class over the summer. Noone looks at scores before Junior year.</p>
<p>I'm just remembering, I took PSAT junior year and scored well enough to be NMS semi-finalist. I took the SAT a few months later and scored so low on Math that I had to test out of remedial math when I started college Early Admission after junior year. I wasn't feeling well the day I took the SAT, but now I wonder if my test was wrongly scored.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Be honest and blunt, rather than supportive, ok?
[/quote]
If I was the parent of a kid who did or was involved in something serious enough to result in several days' hospitalization and school suspension, I wouldn't be worrying about the PSAT scores.</p>
<p>My high school had a "practice PSAT" before the PSAT. My guidance counselor excitedly told me that I had the highest score in the class on this thing, but my PSAT's were not in NM range and my SAT's were lower! Since my junior is starting out low, I hope she doesn't follow my lead!</p>