And now for the "average" PSAT score thread...

[BakersDozen]

This is the thread for those of us who do not have dc taking the PSAT in middle school or as 9th graders and scoring in the 190s or above. ;)  This is for those who have completely average kids all around.  This is for those who have dc who, with hard work and a lot of practice, raised their first score despite the fact that Critical Reading is terribly challenging and Algebra is like a foreign language.  This is for parents who, when they see an average in the 80s, are thrilled because the average was so much lower.

 

So if your dc has average scores this year, post here!!  And by average I mean 190s and below and testing was done 10th and 11th grade.  Scores above 200 but with a section that scored in the 70s is NOT average.   :)    

 

Ds: Cold turkey PSAT sophomore year - 152; second test attempt - 182.  I could not be more thrilled with what this kid did!  He worked so hard and overcame a lot of his struggles with reading comprehension and his writing skills jumped by 15 points.  I was hoping he would break 170 so his score is very surprising!

 

Dd: First PSAT (again, cold turkey) at age 14yo - 153.  Second attempt - 195.  Critical reading increased by 19 points, math (her worst subject) by 13 points, writing by 10 points.  Her practice tests were in the high 190s and that's exactly what I was hoping for.

 

Celebrating here the fact that my dc, for whom timed testing does not come easily, worked hard, practiced hard, and tested well when compared to their own personal experiences.  Both dc are thrilled and pleased with their results and that is exactly how I want them to feel.   :)

 

You all can see why I snorted when I read the thread about someone's dc scoring in the 190s as a freshman and the mom is fretting about NMS possibility in two more years, lol!  

 

 

[teachermom2834]

I think those are great scores. I'm still waiting for ours but I'm sure they will be average. :) I would be over the moon to see the kind of improvement yours had.

 

Thanks for starting the thread. I started an "average scores" thread last year but I felt like the only one on it with truly average scores.

[BakersDozen]

 

 

I started an "average scores" thread last year but I felt like the only one on it with truly average scores. 

Yeah, I read that thread and was a bit taken back by what others considered "average".   :)  

[klmama]

Womanintheshoe, what did your dc do to increase their scores so much?  Was it mostly the additional year of math, or something else?

[BakersDozen]

 

 

Womanintheshoe, what did your dc do to increase their scores so much? 

My first dd raised her score by 20 points just with an extra year of math and English; had we done test prep like we did this fall I bet she would have raised her score a lot more.

 

For test prep I used a PSAT practice book.  Each week starting in August we focused on a section in-depth.  When the next week came I added another section yet continued the practice on the previous sections we'd discussed.  They took 6 practice tests in all, two in testing conditions.  We also watched the SAT DVD put out by Chalk Dust (which I recommend to anyone even if their dc is not taking these tests).  

 

Next time around I will start test prep in the summer rather than with all our other schoolwork.  I will also slow down my girls who, like my 15yod, are flying through their school yet need a "gap year" or something when they reach 9th grade.  I believe that had I had her do a review year that she would have grasped math concepts better and scored better.  She is an "A" student in all her other subjects, however, and asked to not be held back so maybe I did what was right for her...who knows.

 

I don't hold out hope of ever having a score above 200 from my dc, lol.  Those who have dc who score 200+ should be super proud and pleased because that is awesome!!!  What I want is improvement, that's all.  If I see a dc struggle with a section yet work hard to raise their score despite the difficulties they encounter, then I'm thrilled and want them to be as well.   :)

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

The average subsection score is <50 for juniors and <45 for sophomores. Or <150 composite and <135 composite respectively.

 

Sounds like the op's kids had some great improvement on the second test.

 

Last year I dug around into the numbers considered college benchmark numbers. They might be in the thread from last year. We're trying to get our last Latin final studying in before we lose power again.

 

Not sure I would snort at anyone posting genuine questions and concerns, no matter what their kids' scores. I assume that everyone is here to learn, commiserate, vent or maybe all three at the same time.

[BakersDozen]

 

 

Not sure I would snort at anyone posting genuine questions and concerns, no matter what their kids' scores. I assume that everyone is here to learn, commiserate, vent or maybe all three at the same time. 

Well, I snorted.   :)  If my freshman (or even sophomore) scored in the 190s I would be thrilled, not worried in any way.  Her dc's scores were incredible and I snorted because I can't imagine my dc getting scores like that (or higher) and worrying about anything.  She need only come by this thread to see how well her dc did.   :)  Sorry...it was not a derisive snort, truly.  

 

I looked up average scores for home schoolers from years past on-line and found benchmarks that were a bit higher.  It seemed 170-180 was a good "average" range to use as a guide, at least for home schoolers and especially for this forum.  

[Blossom'sGirl]

I am so glad you started this thread.  DS (10th grade ) and I went to the local school today to get his scores.  They have never had a homeschooler test there and put the code on with the school.  I knew better but let it go this year.  Anyway, the counselor just gushed about how great he did and even said that he preformed better than most of the juniors.  This is a very small school district.  He got a 163.  So I thought he did really great till I started reading the posts on the board about all these scores over 200.  The counselor gave me the impression that those scores are more like genius levels.

It really helps to know that my average ds is not alone.  

 

I have said in the past and still say that I am glad for WTM boards because they help me set our sights higher, but I also have to remind myself that academics is not our sole reason for homeschooling.

[Sisyphus]

I love this thread!

 

No scores here yet, but I would be over the moon with average for Ds, a sophomore. He has some challenges and tests terribly. Our goal is just to get to average my his junior or senior year!

 

So average scoring moms, here is someone hoping to get in that club!

[TechWife]

Totally average here - junior took the PSAT cold and made 153. Yay! It did what it was supposed to do, let us know what to work on for the real deal. Based on the breakdown of the math sections, I can see I should apply for accommodations for the SAT and ACT so that he has a fighting chance of at least having time to look at all of the math problems. 

[StephanieZ]

Your kids did beautifully. Congratulations on doing such a super job preparing them! Sounds like your study plan worked very well! Nicely done!

[Melissa B]

My dd took the SAT rather than the PSAT, but she did so average (1600) that she has decided not to take the PSAT next fall. There is no way she is willing to study enough to raise her score 55 points or more.  :001_rolleyes: She only needs to raise her ACT a couple of points to earn the highest state scholarship. That is much more doable and should be a one (more) and done. 

 

Average test scores haven't stopped her from doing just fine as a dual enrollment student and I have no doubt she will do great as an average student at a state university.  :D

[teachermom2834]

My dd took the SAT rather than the PSAT, but she did so average (1600) that she has decided not to take the PSAT next fall. There is no way she is willing to study enough to raise her score 55 points or more.  :001_rolleyes: She only needs to raise her ACT a couple of points to earn the highest state scholarship. That is much more doable and should be a one (more) and done. 

 

Average test scores haven't stopped her from doing just fine as a dual enrollment student and I have no doubt she will do great as an average student at a state university.  :D

 

Still waiting here but this is what I expect from my ds.  I'm expecting a score in the 160s or low 170s and doubt we will even fuss with the PSAT or SAT again.  He did much better on the PLAN test and his practice ACTs are good enough for what he needs to do to get highest scholarship at the regional state universities.  I don't see it making sense for him to worry about the PSAT or SAT.  He might take it again as a junior but I can't see spending time prepping for it.

[Shelly in VA]

Ds: Cold turkey PSAT sophomore year - 152; second test attempt - 182.  I could not be more thrilled with what this kid did!  He worked so hard and overcame a lot of his struggles with reading comprehension and his writing skills jumped by 15 points.  I was hoping he would break 170 so his score is very surprising!

 

Dd: First PSAT (again, cold turkey) at age 14yo - 153.  Second attempt - 195.  Critical reading increased by 19 points, math (her worst subject) by 13 points, writing by 10 points.  Her practice tests were in the high 190s and that's exactly what I was hoping for.

 

Celebrating here the fact that my dc, for whom timed testing does not come easily, worked hard, practiced hard, and tested well when compared to their own personal experiences.  Both dc are thrilled and pleased with their results and that is exactly how I want them to feel.   :)

 

Incredible score changes! Clearly your kids worked really, really hard to do that. Strong work!!!

[StephanieZ]

My dd took the SAT rather than the PSAT, but she did so average (1600) that she has decided not to take the PSAT next fall. There is no way she is willing to study enough to raise her score 55 points or more.  :001_rolleyes: She only needs to raise her ACT a couple of points to earn the highest state scholarship. That is much more doable and should be a one (more) and done. 

 

Average test scores haven't stopped her from doing just fine as a dual enrollment student and I have no doubt she will do great as an average student at a state university.  :D

 

There is some JR year test for the ACT similar to the PSAT, and it has scholarships, too! Google it up and see if you can get access to it in your state!

[Wildiris]

Just got DD's (She's a junior) PSAT score:191. We decided at the last possible registration date to do this test. She could have studied more. She says her score puts her in the top 7%, which is OK but not good enough to reach her goals. I doubt her score will put her in the Merit Scholar category which was my reason for her taking the test. This score is equivalent to her SAT score last Dec., and that score was equivalent to her ACT score from the spring before in her freshman year of high school. No improvement. 

 

What she wishes she studied more-geometry formulas. She is slated to take the SAT again in Jan. I hope she studies this time. :confused1:  

[Mom22ns]

Hoping to get scores today. My ds only took the test once. We expect average scores. For ds it was an inexpensive practice run for actually college entrance exams, nothing more. No stress, no studying, just a few hours out of a morning.

[Laura in CA]

Well, I could post in both threads LOL. Can make for some awkward family dynamics ... but my sons are good friends & respect each other's strengths. Most of the time.

One son : 230 on PSAT as a 14yo, no prep. Breezed to NM semifinalist as a junior.

Other son : ~ 180 on PSAT as junior ... OK, I just went and looked it up. 163 in 7th grade (talent search, qualified); but then 3 years later only 10 points higher at 173, and gr. 11 - 179. Could he have raised his scores more if he'd done test prep? (It was like pulling teeth to get him to do even ONE practice test.) Perhaps -- a bit. But it does seem (as a PP said in one of these PSAT threads) he was approaching his natural God-given limit ...
Anyway, now he's quite happy in the honors program of a large, decent state uni.


ETA: One son is a voracious reader ("Brothers Karamazov" for fun; "The Night Circus" in German for, yes, fun); the other is not ("Car and Driver" is about it). Guess who's who? :D

[beachnut]

Sooo bummed about DS's score (and I feel very guilty because it's a good score...188). BUT he DROPPED 8 points from last year's score after a fair amount of test prep.

 

Last year, as a sophomore, he scored a 196 and I was thrilled, thinking that with some test prep, he's close enough to the cut off that he just might achieve it in his junior year. I knew it was very possible to increase your score by 10-20 points from year to year. Well, his score decreased this year and I'm SO disappointed. Trying hard not to convey this to my son.

 

And please know that I realize it is a good score and I should be proud of my son. And I am. But I truly never expected a DECREASE, esp. after all the time we took out of our school schedule and during the summer to devote to test prep. I am not really into the "competitive high school race" that so many parents are into (no AP courses here, except an AP Art Drawing Portfolio course), but I always expect to see improvement from year to year. Worst of all, his scores decreased in Critical Reading and Writing...his two strongest areas.

 

Feeling very frustrated and doubting my decision about curriculum we used, about homeschooling through high school, etc.

[HRAAB]

My dd got 172 in 10th - no test prep of any kind until the night before looking over a sample test.  We debated whether it would be worth her time to do test prep this year and decided not to bother.  She has a heavy enough school load as it is.  This year, 11th grade, no prep, she got a 180.  Her critical reading score dropped a couple points (???? her highest score last year) but her math score went up.  

 

She will take the SAT in Jan or Feb and decide where she should spend her time studying, and then take it once more next fall.  She'll take the ACT, too.  And that's it.  Except her friend is trying to convince her to take at least two subject tests.  Big sigh.  Testing is stressful.  She doesn't have text anxiety, but it is still stressful.  I think it's harder on me than her.

[Farmgirl70]

My student's scores are not good--not even quite average (132).  We did a little prep, but not too much, and he is anxious about testing.  We took it mostly for the experience and to determine what to do for the SAT.  That said, let me encourage all you whose children have average scores out there….

 

My oldest had the best scores--about 179 on the PSAT and 1970 or so on the SAT--not genius scores, but good.  We did moderate test prep.  I don't really believe in this sort of testing, so we did our best to balance test prep with getting on with our academics and other life pursuits.  She is a sophomore in college who is very engaged and has a 3.95 GPA right now.  More importantly, she is really engaged in her learning process.

 

Next one, ds, scored about the same as his younger brother on his PSAT.  So loathed the SAT that it was like pulling teeth to get him to prep for it.  He took the ACT instead and got overall above average, but not impressive, scores.  He is finishing his freshman semester in college.  Things are looking promising for a 4.0 this semester.

 

For us, anyway, these tests have not been a great predictor of future success.  The youngest wants to do more prep for the SAT, so we will come January.  We'll do our best and let it rest with that.  One can be a good student and not necessarily do well on the SAT.

[Mom22ns]

Ds got his scores today. Very average as expected. His math was actually slightly below average which doesn't surprise me. He is taking Algebra 2 now and math is his weakest subject. His other scores were very respectable, well above average, although not exceptional. This kiddo wants to pursue an English/Creative Writing degree. Everything that related, scored high. 

 

It was a dry run, with no studying. I'm glad to know the results and glad to be done with it. We'll work on ACT math prep this spring to try to get the composite up for actual college admissions.

 

Comparing PLAN scores to PSAT scores, I think this is an ACT guy and unless it goes badly, I probably won't bother having him take the SAT. That was really what I most wanted to know.

[Mahelle]

Well my son, 10th grade, got a score of 173. Reading 60, Math 59 and Writing 54. That's actually well above average according to the percentile reports. 93%, 91%, 86% respectively. Nothing to complain about from my perspective!  :laugh: 

[bugs]

Here is my daughter's score when she was in 11th - 148.  Now to me THAT is average.  It is in no way indicative of her ability to do well in college; she is on her way to graduating with Honors at the cc. (see how I slipped a brag in there anyway  :lol: )  Not sure my son will do much better.

[Laura in CA]

As mentioned in another (SAT?) thread, the P/SAT measures ... how well a student does on the P/SAT :)

Kudos to all the kids (my son among them) who did NOT "ace" the PSAT, but are doing well in college.

(Yes, my other son skated to NM Semifinalist, but in addition to intelligence and finding tests "fun," he is disciplined and loves learning ... his PSAT score is just a part of why he is doing well in his dual-enrollment classes.)

 

In fact, I'm not sure anyone thinks doing well on the PSAT guarantees success in college, or that the converse is also true ... it's just that high P/SAT scores bring in scholarship $$$ at (some) schools, so for students who *can* test well, it behooves them to do some test prep.

 

I recently read what Richard Atkinson, then president of the University of California, had to say about the whole testing business. He's the person you can blame for the addition of the essay portion of the SAT. As with many things in life, his original good intentions got distorted owing to forces outside his control. (And now the UC system has pretty much dropped the SAT subject test requirement except for certain majors ... ) Here's one quote: 

 

 

In the early 1990s I served as chair of the Board on Testing and Assessment (BOTA)—a board of the National Research Council charged with advising the federal government and other groups on issues of testing and assessment. The defining moment for me occurred at a meeting of BOTA in Washington, D.C. where representatives of the College Board (the non-profit organization that owns the SAT) presented their views on college admissions tests. I left that meeting less than satisfied. The College Board has a superb record on the technical aspects of test development and also on administering tests and ensuring their security. But at that meeting, the notion that the SAT was a “true measure of intelligence†dominated their perspective. They seemed oblivious to research suggesting that achievement tests were a better predictor of college success than aptitude tests.

 

On my way back to California I stopped in Florida to visit my grandchildren. I found my granddaughter, then in 6th grade, already diligently preparing for the SAT by testing herself on several books of verbal analogies. She also had a book with lists of quite obscure words to memorize and then construct analogies using the words. I was amazed at the amount of time and effort involved, all in anticipation of the SAT. Was this how I wanted my granddaughter spending her study time?

 

On the plane trip back to California I drafted an op-ed piece about college admissions tests. It made a series of points. One was that admissions tests should not try to measure “innate intelligence†but should focus on achievement—what the student actually learned during the high school years. Such tests should have an essay component requiring the student to produce an actual writing sample. And the tests should cover more mathematics than an eighth grade introduction to algebra.

Finally, I said that an important aspect of admissions tests was to convey to students, as well as their teachers and parents, the importance of learning to write and the necessity of mastering a firm grounding in mathematics.

 

...

 

By the time I gave my ACE speech, we had four years of data on all freshmen admitted and subsequently enrolled at a UC campus. We had approximately 80,000 student protocols. A protocol included the student’s high school grades, SAT scores (verbal and quantitative), three SAT Subject Test scores, family income, family educational background, the quality of the student’s high school, race/ethnicity, and several other variables. And, of course, the protocol included the grade record of the student in her or his freshman year at a UC campus.

 

In brief, the study shows that the SAT Subject Tests were a better predictor of college grades than the SAT. The combination of high school grades and the three SAT Subject Tests accounted for 22.2% of the variance in first-year college grades. When the SAT was added, the explained variance increases from 22.2% to 22.3%, a trivial increment.

 

The data indicate that the predictive validity of the SAT Subject Tests are less affected by differences in socioeconomic background than is the SAT. After controlling for family income and parents’ education, the predictive power of the SAT Subject Tests are undiminished, whereas the relationship between SAT scores and UC grades virtually disappears.

 

The UC data yield another important result. Of the five admissions tests—the verbal and quantitative sections of the SAT and the three SAT Subject Tests—the best single predictor of student performance was the writing test. Given the importance of writing at the college level, it is not surprising that a test of actual writing skills correlates strongly with college grades.

 

Once the results of our study were fully understood, the College Board decided to replace the SAT with what I’ll call the New SAT. ...

 

 

This is probably way TMI, but it shows that thinking minds don't put too much stock in a one-day non-achievement test ... weird how the PSAT is so popular still for scholarship $$$ ... I guess it's easier to use a single score than to do a 'holistic' analysis.

 

You can read the whole articles here ("Reflections on a Century of College Admissions Tests" / "The New SAT: A Test at War with Itself") and here ("College Admissions and the SAT: A Personal Perspective").

 

 

 

[Sisyphus]

A million years ago, I took the sat in 7th grade for...something.I got special classes at a college out of the deal, but ,y parents were imploding at that time and I didn't get to go, no one to watch my siblings after school if I did. Some sort of talent search I guess. Anyway, Never had algebra, or even pre algebra.

 

My math score was exactly the same 3 years later, post algebra 1,2 and geometry.

 

Average!

 

Still waiting here. Please average please average please average,lol.

[Amy in NH]

Eldest son was a Merit Finalist.

 

Second son doesn't like academic work in any way and says that he's not going to college.  He got a 198 cold turkey as a sophomore, and a 189 as a junior.  He refused to study at all.  Disappointing, but if he's not going to college then he won't need that scholarship...

[teachermom2834]

I knew I'd be posting here but finally got 10th grade ds scores so I could make it official.  He got a 162.  59 Reading, 52, Math, 51 Writing. 

 

Good news is he went from a 47 to 59 in Reading.  He stayed exactly the same in Math and Writing. 

 

It is expected but still a little disappointing I'll admit.  I would have liked to be surprised. 

 

He did much better relatively on the PLAN.  He also has been taking ACT practice tests and doing much better.  I know the tests are different but such a big discrepancy is strange to me.  I guess the PLAN and ACT practice tests had given me hope that PSAT might be better.  His scores are good enough to go to any of the schools he is interested in.  He'll just be looking for scholarship money.

 

There is a genuine upside to getting such solidly average scores.  He is so far off of the scores needed for National Merit that it is easy just to let this go and not spend time prepping for the test next year.  If he was closer I would feel compelled to do a bunch of test prep.  Knowing that is out of reach is kind of nice in a way. 

 

DS took the ACT this morning and I really hope he is able to get a score similar to the PLAN projection and the practice tests he took.  If he can get a decent score I won't worry about PSAT or SAT at all anymore. 

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest was nowhere near NMS level in 10th or 11th grades. She got 176 in 10th grade and 181 in 11th grade. Her SAT score was exactly a factor of 10 times her PSAT score. Her SAT score did not budge, so I enrolled her in a B&M prep class and her score went up over 200 points. Getting her SAT over 2000 got her a nice scholarship.

 

My middle dd got 219 in 10th grade. I knew she was a strong contender for NMS since that was just a few points below the cutoff. Unfortunately, while she did well on the practice tests and consistently scored over 220, she didn't sleep well the night before the PSAT and her score was only 202. That was enough for commended, but not NMS. She did really well on the SAT she took a few months later, just over 2200, and got a nice scholarship.

 

My youngest took a practice test this summer and got a 152, which was higher than I thought she would get. We didn't end up getting in any prep time at all for the test and had a lot of medical stuff going on with my dh and me the week before the test. We were both super thrilled that she managed a 169 for her 10th grade score. She is hoping to bring that up over 200 to at least get into commended range for 11th grade. We plan to do a lot of prep work this summer.

 

And just so you know, average is a little below 150. And since the average score for each section is 5 points higher for 11th grade than for 10th grade, that means the average change in score is a 15-point increase.

From the college board website:
"In 2012, the average score for eleventh graders was approximately 48 in critical reading, 49 in mathematics, and 47 in writing skills. The average score for tenth graders was approximately 43 in critical reading, 44 in mathematics, and 42 in writing skills."

 

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/scores/report.html

[Elisabet1]

I would not consider 190's to be average. My daughter scored 182 in 10th grade and 216 in 11th grade.