Hi guys!
Do you find that your test scores fluctuate? The first time I took the PSAT I got a really bad score (165), then I studied a little and got a 203. I started an SAT class and for the diagnostic test I got a 1690 (and it was with Kaplan!). Does that mean I just got extremely lucky for my second PSAT? I’m just confused. I think it partially has to do with the fact that I hadn’t built up any stamina to take the SAT and didn’t actually know how long it was. I could feel myself burning out about halfway through the test. Naturally I’m going to study a lot more; I’m just very confused about this.
Something similar happened to me! I got a good score on my PSAT, so I was pretty confident when I took the SAT for the first time because everyone said you usually do better on the SAT than the PSAT. I actually did worse on the SAT. On the bright side, I took 3 SAT’s and each one was better than the last, and in the end I got a higher score on my final SAT than I did on my PSAT. From what you said, it seems your scores fluctuate due to your level of studying, and that’s something I definitely found to be true in my case. Study for your SAT and use the score you get as a starting point in deciding what to study for future tests. Put extra time into the sections that you did worse on, but don’t completely forget about the other sections either. You need to practice consistently in every section in order to maintain a more steady score range. Don’t let yourself slack in your practice because you studied and did well on the previous test. Focus on weak areas but practice everything consistently. What I did was practice individual sections throughout the week (anything as little as one section per day is better than nothing) and on the weekends I tried to do the essay and one of each section (M, CR, W) back to back. Lastly, I took a full-length practice test in its entirety about 2 times before the actual test. This will help build up stamina and also help you switching gears from math to reading to writing in quick succession. By taking a few sections at at a time with just a couple full-length tests throughout, you’ll be less likely to burn out. This is just what worked for me, but I hope it helps you as well!