PSAT Scores…
Now What?
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The Princeton Review
800-2Review
PrincetonReview.com
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
• Stands for Preliminary SAT / National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test
• Practice test for the SAT
» You’ll get an idea of how standardized tests
work
» See how you perform in a high-pressure testing
situation
» You get SCORES to give you a starting point
• Junior year scores are used as qualifying test for
National Merit Scholarship
How is the PSAT Scored?
•
•
•
•
3 sections (Math, Critical Reading, Writing)
20 – 80 for each section
60 – 240 combined
Average PSAT score 141 (juniors)
GA National Merit Qualifying Score (class of 2013):
214
PSAT → SAT
You can use your PSAT score to help you predict
how you might score on the SAT if you took it right
now without any preparation. Simply add a zero to
each of your PSAT scores.
EXAMPLE:
Critical Reading
Math
Writing
Total
PSAT
52
51
53
156
—>
—>
—>
—>
SAT
520
510
530
1560
PSAT → SAT
Not an exact science.
Major differences between PSAT and SAT
oSAT is much longer – takes almost 4 hours
oSAT has harder math than the PSAT
oSAT has a mandatory essay included in the
Writing Skills section
4 Major Parts of Your PSAT/NMSQT Results
Your Scores
Your Skills
Understanding
Your
PSAT/NMSQT
Results
Your Answers
Next Steps
3 Test Sections
Critical Reading
Mathematics
Writing Skills
Your Scores
Score Range
Percentile
If you are a junior, your scores are
compared to those of other juniors.
If you are a sophomore or younger
student, your scores are compared to
those of sophomores.
National Merit Scholarship
Corporation Information
The Selection Index is the sum of your critical reading,
mathematics and writing skills scores.
If it has an asterisk, you do not meet all of the eligibility
requirements for the competition.
The Percentile compares your performance to that of other
college-bound juniors.
The Entry Requirements section displays information you
provided on your answer sheet.
Your Skills
See how you did on each skill. The same skills are tested on the SAT.
Your Answers
You will get your test book back with
your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you
can review the questions.
Your Answers:
Student-Produced
Responses
Some of the math problems required you
to grid in answers instead of selecting an
option. For these questions, you will see
the correct answer(s) written out.
Next Steps
What’s next?
Visit PrincetonReview.com. There you can:
•Search for colleges
•Get a personalized SAT study plan
SAT
Everything You Need to
Know About the
SAT
Where will your scores take you?
Visit PrincetonReview.com
for more score data!
Higher End of This List:
SAT: 2260
ACT: 34
(CalTech)
Lower End of This List:
SAT: 1850
ACT: 27
(Elon University)
Middle of This List:
SAT: 2050
ACT: 31
(Georgetown University)
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PrincetonReview.com/CollegeSearch
Everything You Need to
Know About the
SAT
SAT
What does SAT stand for?
SAT
What do SAT Scores
Really Measure?
How well you take the SAT
SAT
• Don’t take your scores personally.
• SAT scores are NOT a measure of your
intelligence.
• Anybody, with the proper coaching, can learn how
to increase their scores.
SAT
• There are 10 sections on the test:
» 3 math
» 3 writing
» 3 reading
3 + 3 + 3 = 10
???
Experimental Section
SAT Scoring
• Each section (Math, Reading and Writing) is
scored on a scale of 200-800.
• The mean is around 500 for each section.
• The Writing score is a combination of Grammar
(20-80) and Essay (2-12).
• The Grammar portion of the Writing section
makes up about 70% of your Writing Score.
SAT Scoring
• Each correct answer earns 1 full point,
regardless of level of difficulty.
• Each unanswered question earns a student 0
points.
• Each incorrect answer to a Student-Produced
Response question earns a student 0 points.
• Students lose 1/4 point for each incorrect
answer to a multiple-choice question.
Why Students Struggle with the SAT
SAT
High School
Number of Questions on
the exams
Designed so you can’t
finish or you really have to
rush to finish
Designed so you can finish
Answer Choices
Written to trick students
and filled with common
errors
Goal is to assess
strength’s and
weaknesses, not to try to
get a student to answer all
questions incorrectly!
Essay
25 min
Hours & weeks
Reading
Under serious time
constraints
Read at home
Writing
GRAMMAR!
Grammar has little
emphasis in most schools
Math
Intentionally hard to
Straight forward
understand and convoluted
Why Students Struggle with the SAT
The Answer Choices
• The SAT writers are at their best when writing answer
choices they know will lure you in!
• How do they know which choices you’ll like/not like?
» Students have shown them in past experimental
sections.
» People are PREDICTABLE!
Guessing
If you don’t know an answer,
should you guess?
It depends
SAT Math
• Not difficult math. Everything you need to know for SAT
math you’ve learned by the end of your sophomore year!
• Questions in 2 math sections of the SAT will be in order
of difficulty. The first third will be easy, the middle third
will be medium difficulty, and the final third will be hard.
• Keep in mind that easy questions will have easy
answers. Difficult questions will have difficult answers.
• Knowing the order of difficulty in a test section helps you
significantly when eliminating answer choices and
determining your testing strategy.
SAT – Math Sample Problem
18.
In the figure above, what is the greatest number of nonoverlapping regions into which the shaded region can be
divided with exactly two straight lines?
A) 6
B) 5
C) 4
D) 3
E) 2
How many actually understood
what the question was asking?
Using 2 straight lines they are asking you to divide
this DOUGHNUT into the maximum number of shaded regions.
SAT – Math Sample Problem
18.
Go ahead & give it a try!
In the figure above, what is the greatest number of nonoverlapping regions into which the shaded region can be
divided with exactly two straight lines?
A) 6
B) 5
C) 4
D) 3
E) 2
By a show of hands, who thought the correct answer
was?
E) 2
D) 3
C) 4
B) 5
A) 6
SAT – Math Sample Problem
1
1
2
4
3
2
4
3
The question basically asked you to divide this doughnut into the highest
number of shaded regions possible using 2 straight lines!
SAT – Math Sample Problem
18.
In the figure above, what is the greatest number of nonoverlapping regions into which the shaded region can be
divided with exactly two straight lines?
A) 6
B) 5
C) 4
D) 3
E) 2
50% chance of getting this right - why might you eliminate 6?
no way that easy
P.O.E.
Strategies used: Rephrase the question in your own
words, test writing - is it going to be that easy, P.O.E,
physically cross off the wrong answers in the test
booklet, Guess after P.O.E, Final leading word.
SAT – Math Sample Problem
1
3
2
4
5
SAT Reading Comprehension:
Passages
• These are little, open-book tests. Make sure you
go back to the passage and come up with your
own answer before looking at the answer
choices.
• On long passages, the questions will appear
chronologically. Speed up your search for an
answer by knowing where to look!
SAT Writing: Essay
How long do you think your English teacher
takes to grade your essays?
How long do you think your SAT graders will
take to grade your essays?
SAT Writing: Essay
• SAT essays are graded in approximately 60
seconds.
• 2 graders spend about a minute each to give
you a total score from 2-12.
No, we’re not kidding!
SAT Writing: Essay
Using the graders to your advantage:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Length counts. Use those lines.
Think before you write!
Neatness will count.
Answer the question.
Conclusion.
Triumph of style over substance.
Keep it simple.
If you can’t spell it, don’t use it.
SAT/ACT Optional Schools
•
Over 815 colleges and universities across the United States admit a
substantial number of students without regard to test scores.
•
This list of schools includes colleges and universities that deemphasize the
use of standardized tests by making admissions decisions about substantial
numbers of applicants who recently graduated from U.S. high schools.
•
Some schools exempt students who meet grade-point average or class rank
criteria while others require SAT or ACT scores but use them only for
placement purposes or to conduct research studies.
•
Please check with the school's admissions office to learn more about
specific admissions requirements, particularly for international or nontraditional students.
•
For a complete listing of SAT/ACT optional schools visit www.fairtest.org.
WARNING!!
• In many cases, SAT and ACT scores are very
important in determining financial aid awards.
• Even if a school is SAT/ACT optional you still want to
take the tests (yuck) and do well. Higher scores =
more money.
• You may change your list and decide to apply to a
college that requires SAT/ACT scores!
A word about SAT Score Choice
•Since virtually all colleges use the highest single-sitting score OR mix
and match subject scores, it doesn’t make sense for students to not
release all of their test results.
•Some schools require you send all of your scores.
•Using Score Choice could do more harm than good, especially when
dealing with schools that mix and match subject scores.
•It’s confusing, you’ll end up paying for additional reports or even
forgetting to submit scores, resulting in late applications.
•Why is it even there?
College Board’s newest money maker.
Competition with the ACT.
What about the ACT?
SAT
ACT
When is it administered?
Seven times per year
Six times per year
What is tested?
Math, Reading, Writing,
Essay
Math, Reading, Writing,
Science, Optional Essay
What is the test
structure?
Ten-section exam plus a
Masked experimental
section.
Four-section exam.
Experimental section is
OPTIONAL and is clearly
marked.
Penalty for wrong
answers?
Yes
No
What do the tests
measure?
How well you take the SAT
How well you take the ACT
Offered in my state?
Yes
Yes - accepted by virtually
all schools in lieu of SAT
scores.
SAT and/or ACT?
Which test should I take?
• There is NO downside to taking both tests. We
encourage it!
• Free Practice Tests (SAT, ACT)
• Princeton Review Assessment (PRA)
• Look online at www.princetonreview.com to find a
practice test near you!
9th and 10th Grades
•
•
•
•
HS Transcript is your #1 priority!
Extracurricular Activities: quality over
quantity
Prep for and take your first PSAT
Consider SAT Subject Tests
11th Grade: Test Dates
SAT
January
March
May
June
October
November
December
ACT
February
April
June
September
October
December
Timeline Considerations
• How many times will you take the SAT and/or ACT?
• How much prep do you need?
• What extra-curricular activities do you have that will
impact your prep schedule?
• Are you taking AP tests?
• Do you need to take SAT Subject Tests?
• Will you be submitting any early applications?
Ready to Prep!
• Last year, The Princeton Review helped
more than 3.5 million students realize their
college dreams.
• Over 4 out of 5 Princeton Review graduates
who got into college were accepted into at
least one of their top choice schools.
• 99% of Princeton Review graduates who
have applied to college have been accepted.
How we can help!
Over 4 out of 5 Princeton Review Graduates were
accepted into at least one of their top-choice schools.*
Our job is to raise scores
• We are the experts: we know these tests cold
• We have developed test-specific strategies—that other
companies copy
• We’ll teach you the content you need to know
• We’ll show you what vocab you need to learn for the SAT
• We’ll help you develop an appropriate pacing strategy
• We’ll help you manage test anxiety
• We have options for every schedule and learning style
*Among students responding to our 2009 survey.
44
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Chattahoochee HS!
• The Princeton Review has partnered with the Fulton
County Board of Education and your high school to
provide SAT test preparation to Juniors and Seniors.
Fulton County students receive this preparation at their
school & receive a significant discount.
• Tuition: $ 125 per student until the first 25 seats of each
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• Registration and information: Register online at
www.princetonreview.com (under SAT classroom and
your zip code). Seats are limited! The course consists of 6
classes and 3 practice exams
What We Offer:
Private Tutoring (one-on-one)
Small Group Instruction
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU
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Maximum 4 students per class
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What We Offer:
Ultimate Classroom
Classroom
OUR MOST INTENSIVE AND POPULAR
OPTION
A SHORTER COURSE COVERING THE
ESSENTIALS
What you get:
•
30 hours of in-class instruction
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150-point score-improvement guarantee on the
SAT†
•
Interactive Admissions and Financial Aid
Seminars
•
Access to both our SAT and ACT Online courses
with 40+ hours of video lessons
•
4 proctored practice tests
•
Up to 17 additional practice tests
What you get:
•
18 hours of in-class instruction
•
4 proctored practice tests
•
Up to 15 additional practice tests
•
Additional online practice tools
47
What We Offer:
LiveOnline
FOCUSED PREP AND A CONVENIENT FORMAT
•
Prep anywhere you have access to an Internet connection
•
Get the same results-driven instruction as our Classroom course
•
Review concepts in online breakout rooms dedicated to problem areas and individual
questions
What you get:
•
18 hours of LiveOnline instruction
•
Up to 19 practice tests
•
Additional online practice tools
LiveOnline courses are held in this Blackboard Collaborate
classroom (formerly known as Elluminate)!
48
Q&A
For official information from the test makers, visit:
• CollegeBoard.com (SAT, PSAT, SAT Subject Tests, APs)
• ACT.org
For other information from us:
• Call 1-800-2-Review
• PrincetonReview.com
For information about colleges:
• Check out our best-selling guide: The Best 377 Colleges, 2013 Ed.
• Visit PrincetonReview.com
49