PSAT-> SAT score increase for International student- chances of flagging?

Test Preparation
1

I read one of the old posts on the forums and was curious about my cousin’s situation, so I decided to make this account and ask for him.

He took the PSAT in fall 2015 while in 10th Grade and received 1110/1520, however he did the SAT in December 2016 and received his score of 1390/1600 with a full score report. He has understandably worked very hard for over a year, and did not even take his PSAT seriously .

He is afraid that CollegeBoard will flag his score due to an unusually high score increase, this is fairly common for kids in his test center. He has spoken to his GC and said that since his score was reported immediately without any delays he is safe from a CB investigation. However, when I did some research for him I discovered that ETS choses to launch investigations and cancel scores months after they are reported due to large discrepancies.

He has no reason to cheat, and has a high GPA, SAT prep facility proof etc, but from I’ve heard it is uncommon for ETS to remove a flag and accusation once they choose to initiate it. We live in Pakistan and it will be very hard to fight a legal battle over this in case anything happens. Moreover, I doubt ETS will give him a re-test since we don’t live in the United States.

I haven’t informed him about this yet as I don’t want to unnecessarily worry him, though I would like to confirm a few things:

  1. Are there chances of his SAT test being flagged even though it has been over 6 weeks since the test and the scores have already been reported to him as scheduled?
  2. What would you advise doing if they are witheld by ETS?

Thanks a lot!

2

Between your SAT and PSAT? Not a chance.

3

This is one such example, but I found multiple while researching this:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1645710-urgent-sat-score-rescinded.html

Are you certain, as this is a fairly recent example?

4

It doesn’t strike me as any remarkable increase. PSAT really doesn’t mean anything outside of NM. The PSAT isn’t taken seriously by the vast majority of 10th graders who would go in cold. Why does an international in Pakistan sit the PSAT? Or is he a US citizen? I doubt his SAT result is high enough to garner any such interest,

5

Yes but upon researching online I did discover around 350+ increases (in old SAT composite score terms) from PSAT or any previous SAT to SAT results in flagging, though I did not find a set criteria to trigger the investigation for the new SAT composite.

The embassy school offers the PSAT as practice since it’s a certified collegeboard agency so we take it there. However his score was reported on time, he is afraid there will be a complication later on due to such a steep increase?

6

Bump

7

To provide an update- he’s just informed me his counsellor has said there is nothing to worry about regarding the PSAT as it is just for practice and scores ARE supposed to improve. He has also registered for the January SAT to try and further improve his score to a 1400-1450. Thanks to whoever replied! ^

8

@Sybylla yes he is a US citizen and if I’m not wrong would qualify for scholarships etc. but he only took the PSAT for an understanding of the format of the SAT

9

^ also, I missed out on some info earlier- he just told me the December one was actually his second SAT- as his first one after the PSAT was in the 1200-1300 range so his GC said this gradual improvement was a reflection of his persistent test prep!