Do people generally do better or worse on the PSAT compared to the SAT?

[skittles555]

<p>I have heard that people do worse on the PSAT from the people here on CC. But my teachers say people do better on the PSAT because it’s eaiser. Which is true?</p>

[billabongboy9828]

<p>Usually, people do not study for the PSATs, so their PSAT scores end up being lower than their SAT scores.</p>

[BillyMc]

<p>I took the PSAT twice (once required, once for NMSF). First time PSAT + 0 at end = first high school SAT. Neither had any prep, though.</p>

[mabsjenbu123]

<p>SAT is usually better.</p>

[QuantMech]

<p>Many smart students who will do well on the SAT do not do quite as well on the PSAT, because there are fewer questions on the PSAT and each mistake reduces the score proportionately more. For example, one mistake on the PSAT math often drops the score to 76, whereas one mistake on the SAT more commonly yields a score of 770 or 780 (and in very rare cases, it can even be 800). If you don’t make mistakes in math, or if you catch them all, this won’t matter, of course.</p>

<p>The SAT has more advanced math than the PSAT. However, many of the students on CC will have completed the math covered on the SAT by freshman year in high school or before, so this makes no difference.</p>

<p>The PSAT might be easier for a student who lacks stamina, because it is shorter.</p>

<p>But I would guess that your SAT total will be equal to or higher than your PSAT score. (240 PSAT scorers excepted.)</p>

[fignewton]

<p>The scales on the PSAT and SAT are designed to be comparable (except for a factor of 10); the primary reason the curve is harsh on the PSAT compared to the SAT is due to the difference in length of the tests. In other words, a score of 60 on the PSAT math suggests that the same student would have scored a 600 on the SAT without further preparation (plus or minus the usual range given to estimate true ability).</p>

<p>You can find data comparing how students scores changed from the 2007 PSAT to an SAT in spring of the following year [url=<a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>Understanding PSAT/NMSQT Scores - SAT Suite]here[/url</a>]. Quoting from that document:</p>

<p>

Of the PSAT/NMSQT test-takers who took the SAT in the spring, 60% had SAT critical reading scores that were higher, 7% had scores that stayed the same, and 33% had lower scores; 58% had SAT math scores that were higher, 8% had scores that stayed the same, and 34% had lower scores; 62% had SAT writing scores that were higher, 6% had scores that stayed the same, and 32% had scores that were lower than their corresponding PSAT/NMSQT scores.

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