Difference in PSAT scores?

SignatureCC
Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:06:36 +0000

My case is relatively similar to your’s, barring the distribution of scores.
In my sophomore year, I got ~220 on the PSAT with my highest score being math (high 70s) and writing and CR roughly equal in the low 70’s.
Junior year, I got a 229 on the PSAT, although I do feel that I got sort of screwed over. (1 writing question stupid mistake cost 5 points, bubbling error in math, would have been a 238). However, my whining doesn’t justify my score. I think that I simply was not feeling lucky that day. But my November SAT score was a 2400, which I partially attribute to luck, so your PSAT does not necessarily correspond to the SAT.

tl;dr It is very difficult to comfortably predict within +/- 5 points of how you’ll do on the PSAT because of the harsh curve. For instance, (-1) in math was 4 points off and (-1) in writing was 5 points within the last two years (-2 was 10 points off). Thus, one or two stupid mistakes, misreads, bubbling errors, or unusually difficult questions could cost you 10 points, making predictions highly inaccurate. I personally think with a 221 sophomore year, you could range anywhere from 210 to 240.