<p>The title basically says it all. Here is a breakdown of my results:</p>
<p>PSAT (October 2007)
79/67/80 (226)</p>
<p>SAT (January 2008)
76/67/73 (2160)</p>
<p>Is this much of a decrease normal? Also, I am a predicted National Merit Finalist. Is a 100-pt decrease acceptable? This is my utmost concern, as I believe that both scores are strong enough for the schools that I plan to apply to or attend. </p>
<p>Thank you for any input!!</p>
<p>I’m in the SAME EXACT boat, and I’m retaking, because I figure, why not?</p>
<p>Oct SAT-2120
Oct PSAT-220</p>
<p>Idk though, I learned a lot of math from that oct test to january (like I learned about functions, whereas I skipped all those questions before). </p>
<p>I think you should take it. Maybe not this year, but definitely october.</p>
<p>Can anyone help us out?</p>
<p>yes; retake it, if you think you can improve by 100+ points or more.</p>
<p>I think that you would definitely want to retake it. In order to be a finalist, one of the requirements is to earn SAT scores that confirm your PSAT scores. I don’t know how close your SAT scores should be to PSAT scores, but both of your SAT scores are 8-10 total points off from your PSAT scores. That may be okay, but it is too risky to assume that you will be the finalists. BTW, when you compare SAT and PSAT scores, the essay portion of SAT is not used.</p>
<p>Here are the finalist requirements
<a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf[/url]”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf</a>.</p>
<p>i think her SAT scores wouldn’t not confirm her PSAT scores…they’re very vague on the “take the SATs to confirm ur PSAT score” so I doubt that anything less than, say, a 300 point decrease would keep you from finalist. Also, like 90% of semifinalists become finalists and of the 10% that don’t, maybe 9% didn’t get paperwork on time. So I doubt the SAT thing keeps many people from finalist</p>
<p>those scores are fine for ‘confirmation’.</p>
<p>I had a similar situation. My PSAT score was 232 (76/80/76) and my SAT score was 2180 (720/700/760). I couldn’t believe my math went down 100 points! Anyway, I just retook it today. My parents thought I could improve and get closer to my PSAT score. Hopefully I will do better this time!</p>
<p>Dancing banana, I had the exact same thing - math went from 80 on the PSAT to 700 on the January SAT, which seems ridiculous. Writing and reading made sense (80>>800, 74>>720, respectively), but the the whole thing with math was bizarre. Does anyone know if it’s still an appropriate range for NM stuff? In any case, I think/hope that I did better this morning.</p>
<p>I would think that with the “ranges” they give you for your score, like math (570-700), they would understand a slight dip. Furthermore, on my PSAT score report, it only predicted my 80 writing score to translate to a 670-750 or something on the PSAT. </p>
<p>I’ll probably retake it anyway- I’m not really happy with the scores that I received. Thanks everyone for the help and advice!</p>
<p>guys/gals, remember that 100 points on math can be only three bubbles. And, the SAT includes ~5 problems on Alg II which the psat does not.</p>
<p>I think as long as your score falls within the predicted SAT ranges they give you (which are really weird, like 670-770 if you get a 80 on math), then you should be fine.</p>
<p>i suggest just taking it again if you believe you can get in the 2200 range…</p>
<p>it could give you more scholarship money (possibly) and could make your entry that much more appealing</p>
<p>Well, you really do have a good reason to think you might be able to increase your score by 100 points or more, so why not?</p>
<p>happy to see this thread. Also saw a drop in DS scores in January from the PSAT…220 PSAT (720/730/750) to 210 SAT (690/760/650). Plan on retaking in May as it would seem that he could definitely do better on the CW. Hoping that the 210 would still provide confirmation even if nothing gets better…</p>
<p>if you’ve got a stratergy for pulling up your score, why not</p>
<p>My math score went down 120 points ]: 80 to 680 ]:</p>
<p>Good luck to ya’ll.</p>
<p>just an update to this thread: i pulled up my score to 2190, close to my 220 by the march sat w/a 50 increase in math</p>