DS just got his PSAT scores -- he took the Math part w/o a calculator

[unsinkable]

How much of a detriment was this?

 

He was in the 52nd percentile for Math but in the 91st for critical reading.

 

Also, he is just doing Geometry this year.

 

Any opinions? Advice?

[Michelle in AL]

I'm not sure they need a calculator on too many problems, but it certainly could quicken your pace. Did he finish the section? I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

My dd always score around the 60th % for reading and the 97% for math. Huge discrepency that's shown up on ACT and SAT>

[Teachin'Mine]

I would definitely recommend that he use a calculator on future tests. It will save a lot of time on some questions. If he's doing geometry then I'm assuming he's only done algebra I and not algebra II yet. Having completed geometry and algebra II will help tremendously. What grade is he in? His reading percentile is great!!!! :)

[unsinkable]

I'm not sure they need a calculator on too many problems, but it certainly could quicken your pace. Did he finish the section? I wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

My dd always score around the 60th % for reading and the 97% for math. Huge discrepency that's shown up on ACT and SAT>

 

Thanks!

 

He skipped 7 questions.

 

I was hoping he might have done BETTER with a calculator so he could concentrate in the concepts instead of using energy for the calculations. KWIM?

 

What does your DD want to do with her math talent?

[unsinkable]

I would definitely recommend that he use a calculator on future tests. It will save a lot of time on some questions. If he's doing geometry then I'm assuming he's only done algebra I and not algebra II yet. Having completed geometry and algebra II will help tremendously. What grade is he in? His reading percentile is great!!!! :)

 

Thank you!

 

He is in 10th. I homeschooled him until high school and now he is at an all boys Catholic school.

 

I don't know if DS didn't know he could use a calculator or if he wasn't paying attention or what.

 

I wish his homeroom teacher would have noticed/made an announcement before the test began. I realize that ultimately it is DS's responsibility but how hard would it be to have a box of calculators in cases like this?

[AuntieM]

Thank you!

 

He is in 10th. I homeschooled him until high school and now he is at an all boys Catholic school.

 

I don't know if DS didn't know he could use a calculator or if he wasn't paying attention or what.

 

I wish his homeroom teacher would have noticed/made an announcement before the test began. I realize that ultimately it is DS's responsibility but how hard would it be to have a box of calculators in cases like this?

 

Honestly, an unfamiliar calculator on test day could slow him down. If you want an improved score for next year, I suggest getting an approved calculator now and start practicing with it. Any time shaved off "easy" questions will leave time for the more difficult ones.

 

Fantastic reading score! He should be well prepared for next year's test just by getting farther along in his studies. Good work, Mom!

[Laurie4b]

I don't think a calculator would have made that much of a difference. I'll ask the older ds's when they get home, but I don't think they used one much. What will make a difference is that the test covers algebra I and geometry and he hasn't finished geometry.

 

ETA: Ds 's said lack of a calculator would make a difference. Though all of the problems can be done w/o one, that it does go faster with one.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Laurie4b

[Night Elf]

Ds14 is in geometry too and uses his calculator daily. Yesterday, I made him do some problems without it because he really needs the practice with radicals. I told him I worried that tests would ask for an answer under a radical sign sometimes and not a decimal approximation. But I really don't know.

 

I wonder if homeschoolers can take the psat somewhere. I'll have to look into that. :)

[Brilliant]

 

I wonder if homeschoolers can take the psat somewhere. I'll have to look into that. :)

 

Yes, you can take it at any school. When my dd took it, I just called the school closest to us - the guidance counselor in charge was so nice about it (I was apprehensive). If you run into resistance, I've heard private schools tend to be more accommodating.

[Brilliant]

How much of a detriment was this?

 

He was in the 52nd percentile for Math but in the 91st for critical reading.

 

Also, he%

Edited January 26, 2011 by OC Mom

[plansrme]

I wonder if homeschoolers can take the psat somewhere. I'll have to look into that. :)

 

I see you are in GA, so I thought I would pass along my experience with our local public high school. I am in Cobb Cty, and I called my n'hood high school the day before the PSAT (it's in October--I do not suggest waiting until the day before) to ask if my daughter could take it. They said sure, no problem, and I asked about the fee. They asked what grade she was in, and I said 10th (this is sort of true--it's a long story), and they said the county was paying for all 10th graders to take it and just come on with no $$. I dropped her off at the front door at the appointed time, told her who to ask for in the office, and she called me when she was finished. Super easy. It was much easier arranging it through them than through a local private school, which I also tried.

 

Lots of homeschoolers take it. There is a lot of discussion on the HS board about it. Just be sure to put the homeschool code for your state (you can find this on the HS board next September'ish) on the test form, rather than the code for the school where you are taking it, as this will ensure that the results are mailed to you, not to the school.

 

Terri

[Hannah C.]

I'd definitely send your ds with a calculator that he's familiar with and that's approved for use on the test next time. :) There's a time limit you have to worry about, and the calculator will speed up the process, as well as make sure that the numbers aren't accidentally calculated wrong.

 

I think I was 82nd % or so in the math when I took it my junior year (68 was my numerical score -- and I ended up being a Nat'l Merit scholar). I'd finished geometry and was taking Algebra II at the time, and I did have a calculator.

 

When I took standardized tests, there was always a homeschool code written up on the board along with the public school code. The test proctor would point it out to any homeschooled students who happened to be there. This was the case for PSAT, SAT, and AP tests. So you shouldn't have a problem with that!

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Sounds like my dd! She did 91% on reading/verbal and 54% on math. She's doing Algebra 2 right now, but, during the test she got the numbers off track and didn't realize it until she was at then end--by then it was too late to fix it. What can you do?

 

She's actually doing a lot of extra math right now since she wants to go to medical school here and will definitely need it!

[unsinkable]

Thanks, everyone!

 

He left that day w/a little string bag that had pencils...I just assumed his calculator was in there. It's just as much my fault.

 

"Got everything you need?" is a pretty doofy question to ask a 14 year old boy!

[Laurie4b]

Thanks, everyone!

 

He left that day w/a little string bag that had pencils...I just assumed his calculator was in there. It's just as much my fault.

 

"Got everything you need?" is a pretty doofy question to ask a 14 year old boy!

 

Actually, I think it's a good question to ask a 14 year old boy. He ended up wanting a calculator, he didn't have one, and he got a lower percentile score. If you leave it as his responsibility (not yours or the school's), it's lesson learned without too great a price. I think the more of those kinds of lessons they can learn in high school, the better prepared they are for life. I think that those kinds of learning experiences sink in more quickly and at a deeper level than they do when they come in the way of reminders, etc.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Laurie4b

[unsinkable]

Actually, I think it's a good question to ask a 14 year old boy. He ended up wanting a calculator, he didn't have one, and he got a lower percentile score. If you leave it as his responsibility (not yours or the school's), it's lesson learned without too great a price. I think the more of those kinds of lessons they can learn in high school, the better prepared they are for life. I think that those kinds of learning experiences sink in more quickly and at a deeper level than they do when they come in the way of reminders, etc.

 

Thanks.

 

It is just such a BIG thing to blow. It's not like forgetting it was gym day and not having sneakers. Or forgetting your homework or lunch money, KWIM?

[AuntieM]

Thanks.

 

It is just such a BIG thing to blow. It's not like forgetting it was gym day and not having sneakers. Or forgetting your homework or lunch money, KWIM?

 

If he were in 11th grade - the year the PSAT counts "for real" - this would have been a big thing to blow. But for a 10th grader, it's easily chalked up as a learning experience. No worries.

[unsinkable]

If he were in 11th grade - the year the PSAT counts "for real" - this would have been a big thing to blow. But for a 10th grader, it's easily chalked up as a learning experience. No worries.

 

I thought this was the year?

 

WTheck am I thinking of?

 

I thought you take PSATs in 10th and SATs in 11th? Because you need the SATs by fall of senior year?

 

Obviously, I'm confused! :confused:

[creekland]

I thought this was the year?

 

WTheck am I thinking of?

 

I thought you take PSATs in 10th and SATs in 11th? Because you need the SATs by fall of senior year?

 

Obviously, I'm confused! :confused:

 

The PSAT for merit scholarship contention is in the fall of your junior year. Any other year it's just practice and doesn't count. Your state matters. If you're homeschooling and are looking to move, my middle son advises people to consider which state they are moving to based on NMSF scores. Since we moved from FL (his native state) to PA (our home state now and for his test) he ended up just being commended instead of a semi-finalist. Actually, he pointed out that in 30 states he'd have been a semi-finalist using last year's scores. PA just isn't one of them. Poor guy. :tongue_smilie:

 

SAT/ACT can be taken anytime, but most take it in the spring of their junior year.

[MomsintheGarden]

I thought this was the year?

 

WTheck am I thinking of?

 

I thought you take PSATs in 10th and SATs in 11th? Because you need the SATs by fall of senior year?

 

Obviously, I'm confused! :confused:

 

While you can take the PSAT and/or the SAT in any year, the PSAT only counts for the National Merit Scholarship competition when taken in the Junior year.

 

So definitely no worries!

 

If you think he has a chance to score above 200 or especially the cutoff for Semifinalist in your state, I suggest that you have him study in earnest for the PSAT. You can have him do the free SAT question of the day every day, starting now. You can have him spend extra time getting proficient with his calculator between now and next fall. You can also have him systematically study the McGraw-Hill PSAT prep book a bit each day from July or August until the test in October.

 

Or not.

 

If you go to the high school and college board, you will see plenty of parents talking about how their dc got wonderful merit scholarships without becoming a National Merit Semifinalist, Finalist, or Scholar. The actual scholarship students won from the NMS Corp. are a one-time payment of $2500, a nice chunk of change but not as much as some students get for all four years from other sources. There are colleges that give full tuition or even free rides+ for NM Finalists, but there are plenty of other opportunities.

 

Definitely keep the PSAT "up there" because your son has a chance, but don't stress about it, either.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

[unsinkable]

The PSAT for merit scholarship contention is in the fall of your junior year. Any other year it's just practice and doesn't count. Your state matters. If you're homeschooling and are looking to move, my middle son advises people to consider which state they are moving to based on NMSF scores. Since we moved from FL (his native state) to PA (our home state now and for his test) he ended up just being commended instead of a semi-finalist. Actually, he pointed out that in 30 states he'd have been a semi-finalist using last year's scores. PA just isn't one of them. Poor guy. :tongue_smilie:

 

SAT/ACT can be taken anytime, but most take it in the spring of their junior year.

 

Oh, wow! That is tough!

 

I'm sorry.

[unsinkable]

While you can take the PSAT and/or the SAT in any year, the PSAT only counts for the National Merit Scholarship competition when taken in the Junior year.

 

So definitely no worries!

 

If you think he has a chance to score above 200 or especially the cutoff for Semifinalist in your state, I suggest that you have him study in earnest for the PSAT. You can have him do the free SAT question of the day every day, starting now. You can have him spend extra time getting proficient with his calculator between now and next fall. You can also have him systematically study the McGraw-Hill PSAT prep book a bit each day from July or August until the test in October.

 

Or not.

 

If you go to the high school and college board, you will see plenty of parents talking about how their dc got wonderful merit scholarships without becoming a National Merit Semifinalist, Finalist, or Scholar. The actual scholarship students won from the NMS Corp. are a one-time payment of $2500, a nice chunk of change but not as much as some students get for all four years from other sources. There are colleges that give full tuition or even free rides+ for NM Finalists, but there are plenty of other opportunities.

 

Definitely keep the PSAT "up there" because your son has a chance, but don't stress about it, either.

 

HTH,

GardenMom

 

Thanks for the advice. DS is bright but he still has the "moments" where his brain isn't plugged in. Maybe by next fall, the neurons will be firing better!

[unsinkable]

Thanks to everyone in the thread! It helped me put this in perspective.

 

I appreciate all the responses even if I didn't answer each of them.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Thank you!

 

I wish his homeroom teacher would have noticed/made an announcement before the test began. I realize that ultimately it is DS's responsibility but how hard would it be to have a box of calculators in cases like this?

 

What the test proctors can say is very strict and scripted. I would consider this info part of the test prep and not part of the day-of-test instructions.

[creekland]

Oh, wow! That is tough!

 

I'm sorry.

 

It was tough for a while, but I think he's over it now. He has a 99th percentile ACT, and like MomsintheGarden said, there are other opportunities to get a bit of money (merit-wise) from colleges than the NM way.

 

Technically, with a 99th percentile ACT he should have easily qualified for NMSF in any state according to the sites that compare the two. He didn't - at least - not on that day with that test (only one chance for it).

 

So, I guess another bit of advice is not to stick with just one test or the other, but to try both as some students definitely do better with one. My oldest son was also better on the ACT.

 

Your son has really good "first test" scores. As he completes more math and naturally learns more via reading/writing he could be competitive for some nice merit aid in the future - whether PSAT/SAT or the ACT.

 

And yes, chances are, a calculator that he was used to would have been somewhat helpful, but learning more math ought to be even more helpful. Our school offers calculators to kids who don't have them. Apparently, not all do.

[creekland]

What the test proctors can say is very strict and scripted. I would consider this info part of the test prep and not part of the day-of-test instructions.

 

In our school the scripted part comes after making sure each student is totally prepared. We do have extra supplies (calculators, pencils) on hand if needed. Part of what messed my son up was timing. On the first math portion he was using his watch, but didn't coordinate it with the school's clock. The proctor used the school's clock - which was behind him (no turning around to check it). He didn't finish three problems. Accurately answering 2 of the 3 would have put him over the threshold for our state. Just one would have been on the line.

 

Such is life - and another bit of advice... each student should have their own watch AND double check the time with the school's clock (or use a stopwatch). Live and learn.

[Night Elf]

I see you are in GA, so I thought I would pass along my experience with our local public high school.

 

Thank you Terri! I looked at the college board site and it suggested we register in June for the October test. Now I just have to remember to do that. :)

[Night Elf]

"Got everything you need?" is a pretty doofy question to ask a 14 year old boy!

 

:lol:

[creekland]

Thank you Terri! I looked at the college board site and it suggested we register in June for the October test. Now I just have to remember to do that. :)

 

Umm, college board might recommend that, but I know our school doesn't start accepting registration until the middle of September. I can't imagine any school accepting them before summer break, but I could be wrong. I don't know about "everywhere."

 

At our school you also wouldn't be able to do a last minute (or day before) walk up. They only order the number of tests they need for pre-registered students.