<p>So thrilled that DD went up 13 pts from last year (soph vs. frosh), and is definitely a contender for NM now if she would take the time to study and/or do practice tests. (Imagine that!)</p>
<p>I’m excited that DD went up significantly in both W and CR and went DOWN 3 pts in math. It’s been too long since she did PSAT-level questions in school, so without reviewing it’s no shocker, and besides, math is BY FAR the easiest for her to study.</p>
<p>I disagree with the PSAT not showing intelligence…it DOES, but only up to a certain point (190’s? 200+?) After that, it shows diligence and perseverance, and maybe a healthy dose of OCD. Back in my day, when the cotton gin was invented , PSAT scores could be used to get into Mensa.</p>
<p>I find it ironic and sadly hilarious that one of the most common complaints in schools in the US is “all they do is teach to the test” and yet what is the requirement to get into a good college? Why teaching yourself THE TEST, of course! :-)</p>
<p>I mean, I agree with Hoosierdog. I put no prep in the PSAT and did all right. I got a 216, which in MA means, no NMSF, but I do feel like at some level, after 210ish it doesn’t matter. I got a 77 in Math, 71 CR, and 68 writing, which was graded on a killer curve (3 wrong). I misread a math question and misgridded a writing one, but I woudn’t have made it anyway. I think the PSAT is only good for practice.</p>
<p>My score: 222, CR=69 (6 wrong) M=77 (1 wrong) W=76 (1 wrong)
I was definitely surprised by the CR on this test. I got an 800 CR on the SAT yet a 69 on 10/12 PSAT. Here are the answers for the Wednesday test; I’ve also included difficulty level in parentheses: CR: Section 1 Vocab:
B pinpointing…determine (e)
B reviewing…sponsoring (e)
D industrious…lazy (e)
C exhibit…reproduce (e)
A flamboyant (m)
D unfettered (m)
D misanthropic (h)
C ruses…artifice (h) Passage about urban change and landscape
A report spoken dialogue (h)
A critical (m)
B elitist and shortsighted (h)
E homogenous (h) Passage about Emily Bronte
C discuss challenges faced by biographers of Emily Bronte (m)
A The short diary papers (e)
C dissimilar (h)
E considerable (m)
A They find Emily Bronte’s background surprising given her literary genius. (m)
D I and II only (m)
A A writer’s private journals (e)
C introduce an extended literary analogy (m)
E The sixth elaborates on a comparison suggested in the fifth. (m)
A emphasize a somewhat different sense of a previously used word (h)
B unreliable (m)
B unfortunate but understandable (m) CR: Section 3 Vocab
C channel (e)
B trendsetter (e)
A confirmed…hunch (e)
D deplorable (h)
D pedestrian (h) Passage about Chen Zhen
D frightened (e)
B simile (m) Passage about tides
B enormous size of an entity and small amount of knowledge most people have of it (m)
C so commonplace as to be easily ignored (m) Passage about Duncan and Professor Mo
A Professor Mo wants to minimize Duncan’s ability as a teacher. (h)
E is self-conscious about making the class’s request (e)
D is sympathetic to his students’ requests (m)
C is annoyed that the students prefer Duncan to him (m)
B pompous (m)
E contrast the behavior of Professor Mo’s and Duncan’s students (m)
C Duncan wants to approach Professor Mo in a politic way (m)
D bring up (e)
B mocks Duncan by exaggerating his courtesy (m) Passage about extraterrestrial life
A fundamentally imprudent (m)
E Passage 1 describes an activity that Passage 2 condemns. (m)
B concession (h)
D Public fascination with a possible discovery (m)
C irrelevant, since any life found on Mars will likely be quite simple (m)
<p>I’ve got a question about the right answer for critical reading- you said # 9’s answer was A report spoken dialogue. That’s what I had but it was marked incorrect. The answer they give is C) distance the author from a viewpoint. ???</p>
<p>Total: 203. Not exceptional. But I’m only a sophomore, so when I actually try next year, I hope I will do better. And the cutoff score for the National Achievement Scholarship is lower, right?</p>
<p>are these scores okay for a sophomore who did zero prep work prior to taking it?
i’m a bit dissatisfied, especially with my math results since i’m normally quite strong in math. going to start taking practice tests this winter break in hopes of bumping it up by at least 30 by junior year PSAT.</p>
<p>I’m a junior. I got an 80 on critical reading (missed one), 76 on writing (missed one), and 67 on math (I missed lots. In a classic mistake, I got hung up on one question and realized I had to do 10 questions in like 2 minutes…oops), so that gives me a total of 223. Will I make the semifinalist cutoff for Oregon, does anyone know? And anyone know around what scores the finalists have? Probably 230’s or higher, right?</p>
<p>Got a 206 in Georgia, so no NMSF for me. Just Commended. I wanted to cry when I saw the scores, because in practicing for the PSAT, I was consistently scoring 225 or higher. :/</p>
<p>But whatever, I’ll just go get my sat up over 2k, and try to move my 32 ACT to 34. :/</p>
<p>However, since I’m African American, I will probably get the Achievement NMSF cause of the lowered limits.</p>
<p>I’m not sure whether this has been said yet, but cutoffs are announced in September and are based off of how students in that state performed. Your classmate is either a secret agent for the College Board (perhaps one of those that enforces the NO TALKING ABOUT MC QUESTIONS rule?) or wrong.</p>
Back in my day, when the cotton gin was invented