PSAT Scores…Now What?

Presented byThe Princeton Review

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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:

PSATSAT

Critical Reading 52 —> 520

Math 51 —> 510

Writing 53 —> 530

Total 156 —> 1560

PSAT → SAT

Not an exact science.

Major differences between PSAT and SAToSAT is much longer – takes almost 4 hoursoSAT has harder math than the PSAToSAT has a mandatory essay included in the

Writing Skills section

4 Major Parts of Your PSAT/NMSQT Results

Your Scores

Your Skills

Your Answers

Critical Reading

Mathematics

Writing Skills

Understanding Your

PSAT/NMSQT Results

Next Steps

3 Test Sections

Your Scores

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.

Score Range

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information

The Entry Requirements section displays information you provided on your answer sheet.

The Percentile compares your performance to that of other college-bound juniors.

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.

See how you did on each skill. The same skills are tested on the SAT.

Your Skills

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.

What’s next?

Visit PrincetonReview.com. There you can:

• Search for colleges• Get a personalized SAT study plan

Next Steps

Everything You Need to Know About the

SAT

SAT

Lower End of This List: SAT: 1850ACT: 27

(Elon University)

Higher End of This List: SAT: 2260ACT: 34

(CalTech)

Middle of This List: SAT: 2050ACT: 31

(Georgetown University)

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Visit PrincetonReview.com for more score data!

Where will your scores take you?

Everything You Need to Know About the

SAT

PrincetonReview.com/CollegeSearch

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

???

SAT

Experimental Section

• 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.

SAT Scoring

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 understand and convoluted

Straight forward

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!

Why Students Struggle with the SAT

If you don’t know an answer, should you guess?

It depends

Guessing

• 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

SAT – Math Sample Problem

In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines?

A) 6B) 5C) 4D) 3E) 2

How many actually understood what the question was asking?

Using 2 straight lines they are asking you to dividethis DOUGHNUT into the maximum number of shaded regions.

18.

SAT – Math Sample Problem

In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines?

A) 6B) 5C) 4D) 3E) 2

By a show of hands, who thought the correct answer was?E) 2 D) 3 C) 4 B) 5 A) 6

Go ahead & give it a try!

18.

SAT – Math Sample Problem

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

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

In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines?

A) 6B) 5C) 4D) 3E) 2

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.

no way that easy

P.O.E.

50% chance of getting this right - why might you eliminate 6?

18.

SAT – Math Sample Problem

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4

5

1

• 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 Reading Comprehension: Passages

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 Writing: Essay

• 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 non-traditional students.

• For a complete listing of SAT/ACT optional schools visit www.fairtest.org.

SAT/ACT Optional Schools

• 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!

WARNING!!

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.

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.

What about the 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!

SAT and/or ACT?

• HS Transcript is your #1 priority!• Extracurricular Activities: quality over

quantity• Prep for and take your first PSAT• Consider SAT Subject Tests

9th and 10th Grades

SAT ACTJanuary February March AprilMay JuneJune SeptemberOctober OctoberNovember DecemberDecember

11th Grade: Test Dates

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!

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

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Over 4 out of 5 Princeton Review Graduates were accepted into at least one of their top-choice schools.*

*Among students responding to our 2009 survey.

Prepare for the SAT with The Princeton Review at 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 allotted class is filled. 

• 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)IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

What you get:• A completely custom prep plan• A focus on your strengths and weaknesses• A schedule built around your lifestyle • In-person or web-based sessions• Comprehensive or pay-as-you-go packages• 4 proctored practice tests• Up to 17 additional practice tests

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Small Group InstructionTAILORED PREP IN A SMALL GROUP SETTING

What you get:• Maximum 4 students per class• A focus on your strengths and weaknesses• Interactive Admissions and Financial Aid Seminars• Access to both our SAT and ACT Online courses with

40+ hours of video lessons• 24 hours of in-person or web-based instruction• 4 proctored practice tests• Up to 17 additional practice tests

What We Offer:

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Ultimate ClassroomOUR MOST INTENSIVE AND POPULAR OPTION

What you get:• 30 hours of in-class instruction• 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

ClassroomA SHORTER COURSE COVERING THE ESSENTIALS

What you get:• 18 hours of in-class instruction• 4 proctored practice tests• Up to 15 additional practice tests• Additional online practice tools

What We Offer:

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LiveOnlineFOCUSED 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)!

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

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