A perfect score in 8th grade does not matter at all to colleges. They care what you can do once you are in high school. And a student who gets perfect scores and grades, but has nothing interesting about themselves beyond that won’t get into top schools. A kid would be much better off pursuing skills or pleasure in an EC that they really like than studying for and taking standardized test. Start worrying about this at the end of sophomore year of HS. There are better things for students to spend their time at the age she is at now.
So…now younare saying if your kid doesn’t get a perfect score, she would challenge that score with the College Board…as an 8th grader?
Is that what you mean?
My kids did tons of practice tests. For one kid…scores were pretty much the same as the practice tests on the real thing.
For the second kid…nope. Practice tests were consistently higher than her real SAT scores. YMMV on this.
It is not big deal to take or not. I want to know she is gifed. By news about perfect scored students in 8th grade, they are in Harvard now. Also if my child got good score and keep good grade then, it will become useful score.Most important is for us that my child is confident.
@Jayku Practice tests 7 and 8 are old administered SAT tests. They are now practice tests but just a few months ago they were the tests that the kids had to take. So to answer your original questions yes, the actual test is exactly like the practice test (especially test 7 and 8). Now, do kids score the same in the real test as they do in practice? Some do and some don’t. That depends on the individual and how they deal under stress. In general it is not unreasonable to expect high scores if your child does very well in the practice tests.
All of the students who scored perfect SAT scores in 8th grade are NOT at Harvard. Where did you get that information?
I really think you are putting too much emphasis on the results of these standardized tests. As noted upstream, the elite schools in the United States are looking for lots of things…not just perfect SAT scores. Those elite schools get TONS of applications from kids with top SAT and ACT scores…and top GPAs.
What is your 8th grader doing beside getting a top SAT score…if indeed that happens…because it’s those OTHER things that will set your kid apart from other similarly well qualified applicants.
And if you are out of this country…please keep in mind…your kid’s college applications will be reviewed in the pack from the region where you reside. Many areas have some very tippy top applicants who will also be applying.
Anyway…back to my point…the SAT score is ONE data point in college admissions…it is not THE data point in college admissions.
ETA…getting a perfect score on the SAT does NOT mean your kid is gifted…sorry…that is not the criteria used to identify gifted kids. So let go of that idea.
@Jayku When she did the SAT were you careful to time her?
“In my opinion, getting a perfect or near perfect score as an 8th grader will impress colleges.”
Very little a kid does before high school impresses colleges. It’s what he/she does for 3.5 years of hs, up to submitting the app.
“But perfect score can go top school that everybody know…”
OP, you have a lot of learning before you can begin to understand how colleges choose. Intparentmom gave you a hint. Thumpermom is trying to make the same point.
If you want to learn if she’s gifted, look at the testing for the gifted programs someone named above.
But even doing a gifted program is not a hook. The “top school that everybody know” are looking for much more. Look at the number of 2400s or now 1600s that Princeton rejects. Learn what matters besides stats. And that’s what the colleges say, not hearsay on a forum.
Ps. Regardless whether we have “mom” in our user names, we’ve been through this for many years.
@thumper1 I mean that they got perfect score in 8th grade and they are in Harvard. If 8th grader got good score and they can have possibilities to go top school than others . But Bunch of people who got good score may not go to top shool. Why is it important? It is not arguable issues because we just want to know how much new sat hard. If 8th grader sat score is not useful, she can test on Jun that is counted as high school test. if she will finish at high score this time, can keep challenge.
@lookingforward i did mistake. I mean that they may not go to top school. I am sorry.
@lookingforward my child is in gift class from Elementary . Its point is about ability of reading and math.
OP, the way you word this is confusing. You may mean you know some kids in Harvard now who got top scores.
But that’s not why they got the admit. H isn’t fussing over 8th grade results, 4 years before applying, when kids are limited in experiences. They want to see what they chose, did, and accomplished more recently.
Read up on “holistic.” Don’t assume. As we say, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
Nor will a tippy top college swoon over a score in 9th grade.
I was referring to outside gifted programs. But whether in-school or a supplemental program, not a hook. What matters is how she takes on responsibilities, grows, and shows her thinking during hs. That’s more than stats. More than what she does as a young child.
And I’m telling YOU…all kids with perfect SAT scores in 8th grade are NOT at Harvard.
Please tell us where you got this information. Who told you that if your kid gets a perfect SAT score in 8th grade…they will be a Harvard candidate?
And for the record…being in a gifted program in grade school through high school also won’t guarantee your acceptance into any elite school.
Conversely…,there are many students at these competitive schools who do not EVER get perfect ACT or SAT scores…and they are never in gifted programs. Imagine that.
Why is it important? I don’t care about IVY.
@jayku I think the responses reflect your unintended message. You have an 8th grader who has completed all of the available SAT tests available online. That is an abnormal focus for an 8th grader, even the ones taking the test to qualify for gifted programs and camps. Most of the kids we know who take the test in 8th grade don’t prep. They just walk in and take it once and then move on. It isn’t something they focus on. The fact that your child has is atypical, and more importantly and what you are seeing responses saying, 100% unnecessary and not really valuable in and of itself. To serve a purpose, yes. Just for a score, no.
Your posts also equivocate. On the one hand you say you don’t care about an Ivy, yet otoh, you post that a 1600 will make her competitive for Harvard (which misses the bigger point that correlation does not equate to causation.)
a 1600 in 8th grade is fabulous. No doubt about it. But, it is simply a test score. The BIG picture is that once a test score hurdle is met, it is met. Age the scored is achieved is going to be pretty irrelevant. The test score will simply check a box for one component of the application. That is where posters are expressing concern. Your dd obviously doesn’t need to do testing or test prep right now. She should be using that time to pursue things that she enjoys and bring her pleasure. It is those very things…the things pursued b/c of the love of doing them, those are the things that an 8th grader and high schooler should be doing and what complete the whole in holistic admissions.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek. I didn’t question about what is good for my D. My D has academic potential.I first intention is that she is going CTY and,she tested sat practice. Surprisingly she got all perfect and I doubt that real test is hader than practice and asked to people how much SAT is hader than practice. More important is that I hope she is well. I don’t care for IVY because she wants to be a doctor which doesn’t matter school title but if she did well, I know she may get good chance for top school than she doesn’t well. SAT is not most important thing. I wish that she does more volunteers and enjoy student’s life during high school year. To finish SAT in Jun, is going to be recorded to 9th SAT . I am sorry if I am annoying some people but I don’t understand why she should not care about SAT test even though she has ability of it.
The SAT is something most 8th grade students don’t give a hoot about. They are doing lots of other things…growing and maturing…and finding things that interest them.
She is 13 and wants to be a doctor? That is really jumping the gun. It’s 9-10 years before she would start medical school…and LOTS could change in that time…LOTS.
Just because you CAN do something…doesn’t mean you SHOULD.
@thumper1 . Why shouldn’t my daughter have a dream? You seemed to be jealous of my D.
I’m not jealous of your daughter…why in the world would I be?
So…go,ahead and have her take the real SAT test. That’s how you will find out if the real test and the practice tests yield similar scores…for her.
@thumper1 . No more talk about it. You are too much overreaction.If SAT test is not appropriate for 8th grade, college board should ban for 13 years old to take it. Also CTY should suggest to young students to take IQ test. It is proven that young students can take it if they are possible.