<p>I took practice test 1 out of the BB last weekend. I scored a 2360, with an assumed essay score of 10. I know it's bad practice to assume an essay score, but I figured that's roughly where my score would be - a prior essay I wrote scored an 8-- and that wasn't even a completed essay. In addition, I've been in Honors/AP English courses since 9th grade.</p>
<p>I'm planning on taking on the real SAT next-next weekend, the November test. So my question is: Just how much of a difference is there between a practice test score and a real test score? Are the BB practice tests easier or harder than the real test? How much can stress and anxiety affect your score?</p>
<p>From my experience from my daughter and her friends, they are all scoring slightly lower that they do on practice tests. Maybe this is because of nerves, who knows.</p>
<p>For me, it was the opposite. I took three practice tests from SparkNotes and scored around 2100 (can’t say exactly, because there was no essay). Then, in the actual test, I got a 2190 (and, the section scores were hugely different from what I expected - despite being a math/science person, I scored 800 in reading and “only” 720 in math). I guess stress has a different effect on everyone.</p>
<p>Both times I took the SAT, I did 50-100 points better on the real thing than the practice.
I think it’s because the stress of the actual test helps me focus.</p>