<p>I just got my PSAT score from school and got a 183.
53 in Critical Reading
69 in Mathematics
61 in Writing Skills
I definitely made a few careless errors in Writing Skills and I feel like with enough practice I can improve my Mathematics score. My Critical Reading… I’m sure 53 is as high up as it will go…
So is my current PSAT score 183 a bad score?
I’ve been told that if you put a 0 at the end of your PSAT score it is an approximation of your SAT score… 1830.
I think with enough practice I can pull through with a 2000 on the SAT… Is that a safe enough score to get me into USC, Harvey Mudd, UC Berkeley, or Stanford?</p>
<p>I am currently a junior, with a 4.5 cumulative gpa by the end of junior year as long as I get straight A’s again 2nd semester. I created a club this year, which I am president of. I helped my friend create a club this year, which I am vice president of. I am treasurer, secretary, and representative of a few other clubs. I was an ASB honorary representative my freshmen year. I have received a small scholarship in my community this year. I took the SAT Subject Test: Math Level II and received a 780.
I am also considering taking the Physics and Chemistry subject tests.</p>
<p>PleasePleasePlease tell me my chances getting into the colleges I named off and please be brutal.</p>
<p>First, do you have a safety school and have you talked to your parents about paying for college? It would be a good idea to run net price calculators on college websites. For UC Berkeley, are you a California resident?
You want to apply to extremely selective colleges, so you should try to score higher than 1830 on the SAT. But you have a good score in the grand scheme of things, and a comparable SAT or ACT score would be high enough for most colleges. Last year’s average PSAT [score[/url</a>] for juniors was around 143.
Different schools have different grading systems, so this doesn’t mean anything to me. Do you know your unweighted GPA or your class rank? Have you been taking the most challenging courses available? Will you take calculus by the end of your senior year (for Harvey Mudd)?
<p>I didn’t find the PSAT to be an accurate representation of my intellect. I scored a 160 on the PSAT then scored a 32 on the ACT. I didn’t study for either. You should take the SAT or ACT once to gauge where you are actually at then try studying and see if you improve.</p>
<p>@halcyonheather I am currently ranked 1 at my school. I am taking the most challenging courses available plus taking college courses over the summer. I will be done with AP Calculus at the end of my junior year. I have already taken AP Statistics</p>
<p>@nickxx I will try taking the next available act. I have taken a few ACT practice tests and score around 30 for the writing… 26 for reading… 33 for math… have not taken the science portion</p>
<p>I’m a sophomore, but I got a 179 on the PSATs. Not at ALL what I am capable of doing and not a good representation of my grades or abilities. Today, I took a practice test for the first time without doing any sort of prep and got a 31 which is 2060.</p>
<p>Maybe it is just an easier test, but the ACT is a curriculum based test. It doesn’t test any odd words nor does it attempt to trip you up with awkwardly phrased questions. I will be taking the official ACT in February and I am aiming for a 34, which I know I can do. (its for a summer program, don’t worry) </p>
<p>I bet you could to! Try it out.</p>
<p>P.S: The science part is actually the most difficult for me, and I am a science person. Just a heads up. The other thing that isn’t that great about the ACT is the time, especially in reading and science. (although I finished the math section with 32 minutes left … )</p>
<p>There are many great students who are not necessarily top test takers. It is one reason why many schools are moving to test optional.</p>
<p>By all means apply to those on your list, but acknowledge how incredibly difficult each of the schools on your list is to get into into. Students with near 2400s are sometimes deferred or rejected. You may have done this already, but look carefully at the Common Data Set for each school to get an idea of how intense the competition for slots is. And then look for some similar schools where you can get an equally superb education, but which are slightly less selective. You’ll sleep better at night, having applied to a wider range.</p>
<p>I looked at practice tests before I took it and I noticed that I knew the answers to all of the questions. However, it’s difficult to simulate the test even when timing yourself. I would just focus on the rules and concepts that you are tested on like grammar rules, graph reading, simple geometry, etc. </p>
<p>thanks everyone! all very informative and helpful! @livelaugh7 ACT is a much more straightforward exam. I wouldn’t say it’s an easier test, but doesn’t try to mess with your mind. I for sure will try taking the ACT! Thanks!
@MidwestDad3 wow, I didn’t know about the “Students with near 2400s re sometimes deferred or rejected…” that’s really interesting… Why is that???</p>
<p>Hi, you want me be brutal, so yes it is not good,</p>
<p>SAT is not evrything, but you want high enouugh score so good college don’t ignore you. 530 on reeding must get better, you seem good at other thing gso if you study right way you shouldtry get 2100.</p>
<p>@FailingInLifeSince98 haha yeah thats what I meant. (It is 12:10 and I’m trying to finish up one of my APUSH outlines so i can go out tomorrow and not have to stress about some of my homework!)</p>
<p>For Berkeley, it also depends on what college you’re applying to. The College of Engineering is far more selective than the College of Letters and Sciences.</p>
Honestly there’s no point trying to give you college advice when you’ve only taken your PSAT. I had a score very similar to yours and ended up with 2200+ on my SAT. It happens. What I did was during my junior year I created a list of colleges that would be realistic based on potential SAT scores. So one section would be 1700-1800 and I had many schools with 40-70% acceptance rates, slighty lower for 1800-1900 and it kept going until 2200-2400 which had safeties but was also reach heavy.
Your PSAT score means nothing if you plan on studying before the SAT.
So I am a sophomore and I got a 65 on the PSAT (650 SAT scale) and I just took a practice test today and got a 700 so it really just depends I guess on the test…