Sharing Practice SAT Score

I wouldn't bother with test scores. Your son's are promising but only the real scores count.

Anyway, IMO it's not correct to think you can generate interest with academic credentials, no matter how stellar.

Coaches are looking for players, not students. They don't care one bit about a kid's academics until they determine that a kid can play.  When they want a kid that's when they become interested in grades and scores.

I agree with JCG. Most importantly, his practice test score could be misleading, especially if he will take several more practice exams.  Keep at it and get him signed up to take the real test very soon.  They only take your highest score (most schools), so there is no penalty for taking it a few times.  My son took it 2x (Oct and Nov) fall of Junior year right before he committed.  He had a fever the morning of the first, so we immediately signed him up for the very next one, and he popped +140 points. Good luck!

My son's practice scores were higher than his real scores.  

In my opinion that's like the parents that say his pop time is 1.6, I clocked it myself. Or, I don't have a radar gun but I'm pretty sure it's in the 90's.

Only the official scores count. Just tell them you haven't taken them yet.  Also, just take them already and don't send them to any schools unless you like them.

We ended up not including the practice score in the emails (and I agree academic results do not generate baseball interest).   Interestingly, he says the PSAT last week seemed easier than the practice tests he's been taking.  He's also heard that some SAT tests are just harder than others.  Another good reason to take it multiple times, which he will do unless he knocks it out of the park the first time.

good call to not include the score, and good luck in AZ.  Hope the rain stays away this weekend.  Totally screwed up the Sr. Classic last weekend.

2020Hopeful posted:

We ended up not including the practice score in the emails (and I agree academic results do not generate baseball interest).   Interestingly, he says the PSAT last week seemed easier than the practice tests he's been taking.  He's also heard that some SAT tests are just harder than others.  Another good reason to take it multiple times, which he will do unless he knocks it out of the park the first time.

For what it's worth:  My son also said last week's PSAT seemed easier than other, similar tests he has taken.  Some days' tests are indeed easier than others--but the scores supposedly are scaled so that this is taken into account.  That is, an easier test isn't supposed to result in higher reported scores (but who knows?  and a test may seem easy because it happened to focus on material your kid knows well). 

My oldest went through the college application (but not baseball recruiting) process recently, and IMO your son definitely should take the SAT more than once.  If nothing else, some days he may just feel better than others (particularly as a teenager getting up in the dark on a Saturday).  You can choose which scores to share with schools, so there is no downside (other than spending hours filling in test sheet bubbles).  

smokeminside posted:

good call to not include the score, and good luck in AZ.  Hope the rain stays away this weekend.  Totally screwed up the Sr. Classic last weekend.

Thanks!  Yes, I heard about the rain out for the Sr. Classic last weekend.  What a bummer.  Been watching the forecast like a hawk and so far it's looking great Thurs/Fri, with 20% chance of rain on Sat/Sun.  So, we may still see some rain, but shouldn't be a rain out.  Crossing fingers....

Chico Escuela posted:

Some days' tests are indeed easier than others--but the scores supposedly are scaled so that this is taken into account.  That is, an easier test isn't supposed to result in higher reported scores (but who knows?  and a test may seem easy because it happened to focus on material your kid knows well). 

 

I've heard this too, that there is some curve applied to even out scores for the harder versions and easier versions of the test. 

2020Hopeful posted:

Chico Escuela posted:

Some days' tests are indeed easier than others--but the scores supposedly are scaled so that this is taken into account.  That is, an easier test isn't supposed to result in higher reported scores (but who knows?  and a test may seem easy because it happened to focus on material your kid knows well). 

 

I've heard this too, that there is some curve applied to even out scores for the harder versions and easier versions of the test. 

Yes, this is 100% true.  In fact, I am 95% sure that one can actually achieve a "perfect" score without getting all of the questions correct.  It all depends on how well the overall group taking that test, that day does.

My 2020 has taken both the ACT and SAT and I would highly recommend that your kids take both as the tests are a little different. We opted not to send the scores anywhere at this point as he will retake with the hope of increasing the score. It's helpful to have a baseline, but I agree that until a school wants you as a baseball player it's sort of a mute point.

Chico Escuela posted:

Some days' tests are indeed easier than others - but the scores supposedly are scaled so that this is taken into account. That is, an easier test isn't supposed to result in higher reported scores.

Bingo. Despite what millions of high school students believe, neither the SAT nor the ACT "curve" their test results to how the students perform on a particular test on a particular day. What the SAT and ACT both do is "scale" each test according to how difficult the test is. However, this "scaling" is done before the test is given and is not affected by how the students perform.

For example, on the Math section of the ACT, some ACT tests will allow you to get only 2 wrong out of 60 and still get a 35 on the Math section (36 is a perfect score); on other more difficult ACT tests, they will allow you to get 3 wrong out of 60 and still get a 35 on the Math section. So if your son takes an ACT that allows 3 wrong in Math to get a 35 on the Math section, and your son gets only 3 wrong, he will get a 35 on the Math section - regardless of how other students taking that test that day perform.

Attached is a screenshot of one particular "scale" for one particular ACT test. Every student taking this particular test would be scored off this predetermined "scale" regardless of how well or poor other students perform on this test that day.

My 2020 took the SATs blind in early October. We had them automatically sent to the NCAA eligibility center. You should have some idea what your kid needs for the schools he's targeting and base your tutoring/test prep  expenses on that. Based on his initial score, we're going with test prep for the second time through.

The highest that any test taker can score on the PSAT is a 1520. Most students who take the PSAT achieve higher scores on the SAT. Each question on the SAT is worth fewer points. Practice under simulated testing conditions helps as does more exposure to math in the high school curriculum. It is quite common for a student to have an SAT score that is at least 100 points better than their score on the PSAT.