What is a realistic SAT score to shoot for?

[teachermom2834]

I realize this is question involves pure speculation but I figure someone here might indulge me.

 

In planning for SAT II tests, AP classes, etc. for my current 9th grader's future high school years I would like to have some idea of the type of college he might be able to get into someday. He hasn't taken the SAT, yet, so I don't have a feel for what sort of test scores he is likely to have. He did take the PSAT this year (in 9th) and got a 150. (47 CR, 52 M, 51 W).

 

I realize those are not great scores. He is a good student, though. He is using Kolbe (which is not easy) and doing well. He is a hard worker. I do not want him to have unrealistic expectations for the type of college he might get into.

 

I am thinking that with those kind of 9th grade PSAT scores that a 1200 CR/M SAT score is realistic. Does that sound right? Surely he will increase his score some from 9th to 11th or 12th grade. Right? He plans to study over the summer and is willing to do test prep.

 

Any thoughts on where he might end up starting with those kind of 9th grade scores? I'm trying to plan ahead for the rest of his high school years but have no idea what kind of school will be realistic for him to apply to. I don't want to be lacking what some of those better schools look for. On the flip side, if he is not going to be able to try for those tougher schools, I kind of want to at least know in the back of my mind that some of the details might not be so important. I feel like it would be easier to know what to plan for him if I had an idea of what kind of test scores he will have.

 

Thanks!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

What level math is he in now? A general rule of thumb for juniors is to add a zero to the CR and math score. But if a student is still learning a lot of the math that shows up on the test then there might be a bigger change in the math score from 9th to 12th grade.

 

 

[Tiramisu]

I think your ds will get higher than 1200. My dd did and she could never do Kolbe as written. We are enrolled but are liberal with accommodating her.

 

After going through the college application process, I've seen that you can get decent scholarships once you get above a 1200, if you also have a decent GPA, at many private colleges.

 

Dd got good SAT scores, had a good GPA, took a full academic course load, but took no AP classes or SAT II's. It didn't hurt her on her applications not to have them, but she was not applying to Ivy League. My experience has made me want to lighten up the next time around. If we decide to do SAT II's or AP classes it will be based on each child's particular interest and not for the sake of college admissions.

 

It might help if you have an idea of what college your ds might attend as you plan high school.

[regentrude]

I'm trying to plan ahead for the rest of his high school years but have no idea what kind of school will be realistic for him to apply to. I don't want to be lacking what some of those better schools look for. On the flip side, if he is not going to be able to try for those tougher schools, I kind of want to at least know in the back of my mind that some of the details might not be so important. I feel like it would be easier to know what to plan for him if I had an idea of what kind of test scores he will have.

 

Since guessing how test scores may develop is just that, guessing, I would recommend actually taking the reverse approach:

decide what coursework is important to you in high school and what level of challenge he will be able to handle. Have him do rigorous coursework that prepares him for college. Retake the test in 10th grade to see where you stand, and let the test scores fall where they may. Do some specific test prep in 11th grade.

 

I would not use my guess at anticipated test scores as a guideline for planning high school.

[Gwen in VA]

Instead of speculating about SAT scores, I would focus on --

 

1) Choosing rigorous classes for next year -- classes that will challenge but not overwhelm him.

 

2) Keep talking to him about where he wants to head after high school. If he is heading into engineering he will likely want to emphasize a different set of classes in high school than if he wants to become a classics major.

 

3) Help him pursue extracurriculars that delight him. These can make a HUGE difference in his life!

 

4) Be willing to adjust any plans that you make right now, depending on his abilities, his desires, and what appears to be falling into place for him. Advance planning is good, but plans WILL change as you find out what your kid likes and dislikes in high school. (I had one kid who thrived on online AP classes and another who hated them with a passion. I have one who is doing minimal AP's so she can pursue all kinds of crazy music classes at the local 4-year college -- it all depends on the kid, even though I could NOT have predicted these paths when they were in 9th grade!)

 

My youngest will be a senior next year, and we are still trying to figure out one or two details of her schedule!

 

Relax and enjoy the ride!

[Musicmom]

I think 9th grade is early and his scores now are not really any indication of what his scores might be later. He's going to learn more math, read more college-level material and mature a LOT in the next couple of years--so he could very well score dramatically higher. Sheer experience with testing also contributes to the scores. I agree with Regentrude about giving him rigorous coursework and focussing on preparing him well for college. Aim high. Have him do test prep and take the PSAT again for practice in 10th grade, and then again in 11th (when it counts for National Merit.) Have him prep well for and take the ACT in 10th as well. Then shoot for the SAT and a second ACT in 11th. By around the end of 10th grade and into 11th, I think you'll be seeing much more clearly what he's capable of and can begin looking at colleges accordingly.

[Tamarind]

Dear Teachermom,

Gwen, Regentrude and Tiramisu have all given you great advice. Although I agree that your focus should be on meaningful coursework, I think your goal of 1200 on the SAT is a realistic expectation. None of my daughters did any standardized testing before 11th grade, and we concentrated on the ACT rather than the SAT. Between fall of grade 11 and grade 12, one daughter's scores stayed the same; one improved 3 points; and one improved 5 points.

I believe all of my daughters to be talented and articulate students and I am sometimes surprised at the differences in their scores!

[creekland]

I fully agree that a 9th grade score is a difficult one to predict from without knowing the courses already taken.

 

In general, I shoot for 1300+ (M/CR) for a nice score for the college bound. That said, kids who score much lower successfully get into colleges, and as others have said, one can get scholarships from some schools with scores a bit lower (1100+). Therefore, the 1300+ is more of a personal goal than anything "needed." My youngest may not get there due to his choice of going to ps and his not being willing to study/prep for the test. I'll still love him. ;) His college choices will be affected though - but they should be if he's not willing to do the work to get something. He's definitely capable.

 

If any of mine weren't capable - my goals would shift accordingly. As I've mentioned several times I have a nephew who was unable to graduate from high school due to current regs (tests that needed to be passed). I don't love him any less just because he couldn't pass an academic bar! One's worth is not based upon any piece of paper nor any score. However, their choices for colleges/jobs are somewhat based upon them unless one has far more $$ than we do.

 

No matter what one scores, once one gets into college you never really need the scores again for anything I've seen. The scores don't mean success in college (work ethic means a ton more). They just mean one has a foundation to be able to succeed if other factors are also there. If we can afford to send him to school, my youngest will do well as long as he's in a field he enjoys. He loves learning (about things he wants to learn about). He's just not so great at doing things he doesn't care to do.

[Nscribe]

I am going to suggest something different. Why not take a day and do a mock SAT and ACT. Practice tests are available all over the web, in guides and so forth. Set up the conditions, treat it like an experiment and do it. The results of a mock test at home are not binding, but they may satisfiy your curiosity and allow you to have some insights early in the high school game. Take it for what it is worth, a very rough indicator but not determinative of what the student will do two years later with far more in their resource bank. Most of the guides offer a scoring guide and the stakes of doing this are only as high as you make them.

[teachermom2834]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. This is my first high schooler and I do have days where I think he will never get into any college. Lately I have been struggling with how much emphasis to put on all the tests- SAT, SAT II, AP, etc. while not losing sight of what I want our homeschool to be. We do not have our sights set on top tier schools so I am sure he will be okay when all is said and done.

[speedmom4]

From what I have seen most scholarships are based only on the Critical Reading and Math portions of the SAT not the composite score.

 

My daughter earned an SAT score of ten times her PSAT score the first time she took it. I would use the PSAT score to gauge the possible SAT score.

 

Elise in NC

[jhschool]

Just because the PSATs were poor (are they actually that bad?)

doesn't mean (1) the SATs will be poor; and

(2) you have to limit your child to a "realistic" college.

 

You don't know the potential of your child right now. A 9th grader is generally a

very young creature. Who knows, maybe it's a late bloomer?

 

In any case, my advice would be:

 

apply to 3 colleges that are "in your range," (realistic colleges),

also apply to 1 "safe" college

(you know you'll get in no problem, or community college backup);

but also:

apply to

1 college that you know is above you but that has a field that you love.

You never know!

[at the beach]

CTY (Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth) lists qualifying PSAT scores for 9th grade as being greater or equal to 53 for Math and 51 for Verbal. Your son isn't that far off from that. :) If you look at PSAT percentile ranks, you will see that a 51 in math for Sophomores is 69% and for Juniors it is 55%. That is a big difference in % rank for each year. CR of 47 is 64% for Sophomores and 49% for Juniors. Again, big difference in % ranks for Sophomores and Juniors. http://www.collegebo...mean-scores.pdf Your son's scores are probably very good for a 9th grader. Because your son is only in 9th, I think it's too early to know what's realistic as far as 11th or 12th grade SAT scores.

[creekland]

This is my first high schooler and I do have days where I think he will never get into any college.

 

Your son's 9th grade scores are right where our school's junior average is and most of those get college acceptances (granted, not tippy top schools). I'm sure he'll do just fine with another couple of years of education under his belt. That, alone, can increase scores just as he learns more. ;)