<p>I feel that this has probably been addressed before, but is there some kind of formula? On the college board website it seems it will predict the junior PSAT, but I couldn't find how to predict the SAT results. I'm very aware that this would be an inexact science, but I sort of remember that there is a rough number you add for each year to give you some kind of idea. Thanks!</p>
<p>You can add 100 points to get your SAT score UNLESS you take a whole bunch of practice tests (available free from College Board) which would bring it up higher than that. The 100 points assumes you will be taking more math and continuing reading books with harder vocabulary.</p>
<p>Not sure of any formula, but my son's scores showed major improvement. From 180 PSAT in 10th grade, to 218 PSAT in 11th grade (he's a NMSF). SAT scores showed further improvement at 2220. Absolutely no studying or test prep whatsoever. YYMV, but I was pleasantly suprised at how much improvement there was.</p>
<p>S, in the days of 1600 SATs, went up 230 points from his M/V portion of PSAT in tenth grade, to his SAT in 11th. No studying or test prep. I think just familiarity, and taking it more seriously, made the difference.</p>
<p>190 sophmore PSAT to 236 Junior PSAT, so there is really no definite way to predict scores.</p>
<p>I really don't think you can make any hard and fast predictions. Because there are fewer questions on the PSAT there's a much bigger IMO margin of error. My son's first (sophomore) PSAT scores became +70 CR,-40 M, -50W compared to his first SAT score in spring of junior, and +70CR, -30M, -50W compared to his second SAT score in fall of senior year. His second (junior) PSAT scores became +40CR, +20M and -110W compared to the first SAT scores and +40CR, +30M and -110W compared to the second SAT scores.</p>
<p>It also really depends on how high the PSAT scores are as to how likely SAT scores are to be improved. My son scored perfect scores in different section each time he too the PSAT, but neither of them was the same section he got the perfect score twice on the SAT.</p>
<p>My observations about PSAT/SAT improvement.</p>
<p>1) Big jumps are not unusal.
2) There is no telling if or when a big jump will happen.
3) Study courses are not the reason for big jumps.</p>
<p>Here's a thread someone made about that awhile ago</p>
<p>I calculated the correlation & regression line for what people posted at some point, and there was a very weak (positive) correlation.</p>
<p>Consider this- a student getting the equivalent of 500's is not likely to score in the 700's and conversely. Knowing which ballpark your child is in can help you grossly know how high to aim. Major fine tuning comes later. Of course most students will be in between the extremes and the variations will matter most.</p>
<p>The 10th grade PSAT wasn't as dead on, but the 11th grade PSAT was. If you multiplied his PSAT score by 10, you got his SAT score. Exactly. But S was also the poster child for such a correlation. He is not a reader and made no effort to prepare himself for the SAT.</p>
<p>I have come to the conclusion that the devil is in the details for each person. </p>
<p>The most useful approach is to do what Collegeboard tells you to do- which is to use the online analysis tool to figure out which categories of questions you got wrong and why. </p>
<p>IMO if most of the incorrectly answered questions were on material that hasn't yet been encountered by the student, then the score will likely improve a lot even without test prep. </p>
<p>OTOH, if the student incorrectly answered questions based on material that the student "ought" to know because s/he has encountered it in class before, then the student better get some remediation and/or test prep to improve.</p>
<p>"material that hasn't yet been encountered by the student"</p>
<p>You mean for math? Because in W and CR, that stuff isn't really covered in the classroom.</p>
<p>On average scores go up, but not by much.</p>
<p>
[quote]
</p>
<p>juniors taking the PSAT/NMSQT in October and
the SAT the following spring have corresponding SAT scores
that are 10 points higher in verbal, 12 points higher in math,
and 14 points higher in writing. However, scores on the SAT
will not always be higher than those on the PSAT/NMSQT.</p>
<p>Of PSAT/NMSQT test-takers who took the SAT in the spring,
54% had corresponding SAT verbal scores that were higher, 8%
of the scores stayed the same, and 38% were lower; 56% had
corresponding SAT math scores that were higher, 8% of the
scores stayed the same, and 36% were lower; 55% had corresponding Writing Subject Test scores that were higher, 7% of
the scores stayed the same, and 38% were lower.</p>
<pre><code>● Data for the verbal and math scores are based on about 548,000
students who took the PSAT/NMSQT as juniors in October
1997 and the SAT as juniors in spring 1998. Data for the writ-
ing scores are based on about 77,000 students who took the
PSAT/NMSQT as juniors in October 1997 and the Writing
</code></pre>
<p>Subject Test as juniors in spring 1998.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Sophmore PSAT: 224 (68CR 80M 76W)
Junior PSAT : 227 (76CR 80M 71W)
Senior SAT: 2290 (770CR 800M 720W)</p>
<p>Slow, steady upward trend (I also didn't do much studying for these tests; I think my SAT score would have been higher if I had studied more for it).</p>
<p>no way to predict scores
Sophomore PSAT: 202 (60CR 69W 73M)
Junior SAT (October): 2090 (670R 69W 730M)
Junior PSAT (which i took a few days later): 203 (60R 63W 80M)
Junior SAT (December): 2180 (690R 710M 780W)</p>
<p>Junior PSAT 178
SAT 1 after a LOAD of practice 2300+</p>
<p>no private or kaplan, etc tutoring. Just use blue book, barron's and grubers.</p>
<p>my D (current senior):
Sophomore PSAT: 204
Junior PSAT: 215
Junior SAT in March:CR770,M710,W690 (chose to not take it again)</p>
<p>my nephew (current Junior):
Sophomore PSAT: 217
Junior PSAT: 208 (yep, it went down quite a bit)
Junior SAT in Oct:CR 730,M780,W720 (to take it again this Spring-thinks he can up the CR/W)</p>
<p>The general trend seems to be if you can get over 200 on the PSAT you can hit some 700's on the SAT.</p>
<p>I guess my daughter disproves some of what you have all said. </p>
<p>On her 10th grade PSAT, she scored low 170s (I don't remember the score, but it was 500s in all 3 areas). She retook it in 11th grade, did prep that included some tutoring, and took the SAT twice. Her SAT score in the fall of senior year was more than 400 points higher than her initial PSAT.</p>
<p>So, prep helped -- although she never devoted more than a couple hours a week toward it. Her 10th grade PSAT was the flag that told us she would need prep. I remember being somewhat panicked by her scores, and wondering just how high she would be able to raise them. Anyway -- it is possible to score in the 500s in 10th grade and end up with 700s. (One of her friends raised her 400 scores to high 600s.)</p>
<p>I should add that her school system de-emphasizes standardized tests and test prep, so any test prep was bound to help. And she may be an exception to the rule.</p>