<p>Okay, so I got my PSAT score back and I got a 183...but as a sophomore I got a 184...the thing is though..I was reviewing the math questions I got wrong, and I realized that I made the stupidest mistakes. For example, for four of the math questions I got wrongs, 3 of them I had circled the right answer on the test booklet but plugged in the wrong one or completely left it blank (thinking it to be wrong) on the answer sheet..Also, I had a 60 in CR as a sophomore, and as a junior I have a 57 (and this is after taking an SAT Prep course)! I ma reallly mad! The prep courses don't teach you how to not make stupid mistakes!! Any advice would be greatly greatly appreciated (especially *true positive advice).</p>
<p>Thank You. (And please forgive any grammatical mistakes made above)</p>
<p>Oh, and I just realized that I made the same stupid mistakes in Writing…I circled the right answer on my test booklet and answered incorrectly on my actual answer sheet…arrrggghh! Is this a common mistake or is it just me???</p>
<p>try circling all your answers on your test booklet and then filling in the bubbles on the answer sheet after every page you finish to save time and make less mistakes. Except on the cr section try finishing all the questions for a passage then fill in the bubbles so you dont lose focus on the passage, save time, and make less mistakes.</p>
<p>The funny thing is that as I am looking back at my test booklet, I see that I had actually circled the correct answer and plugged in the wrong one (accidently?) . It’s got to be by mistake for the writing section, because the answer I apparently “chose and plugged in” versus what I actually circled , sounds grammatically ridiculous…</p>
<p>Here’s how I take the SAT and other tests that rely heavily on multiple choice questions and bubbled answer sheets: First, I find the answers to 5-6 questions, then fill them in. I find the answers to the next 5-6 questions, then fill those in. It seems to be a fairly effective method - helped me score a 210 on my sophomore year PSAT, and I’m expecting my score to be even higher this year. </p>
<p>Thank You … Looking back at my answer, I feell that if I actually didn’t make the stupid mistakes my score would have been 1900+ … Advice is greatly appreciated</p>
<p>Do you have this kind of problem with all electronically scored exams, or just really high-stakes exams like the ACT/SAT/PSAT?</p>
<p>If you have this problem ALL THE TIME. Go see your guidance counselor about screening for learning disabilities. There may be an Executive Function or Dyslexia issue here.</p>
<p>If you have this problem only on high-stakes exams, talk with your guidance counselor about ways you can reduce your stress level during that kind of exam so that you are better able to handle the emotional pressure.</p>
<p>If you feel that overall your performance on standardized exams does not reflect your actual abilities, take a long hard look at the current list of colleges and universities that don’t require standardized exams at [The</a> National Center for Fair & Open Testing | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org%5DThe”>http://www.fairtest.org)</p>
<p>And yes, every single year some students do better on the PSAT than on the SAT. Stop worrying about this. You are going to be fine.</p>