<p>Just a curious question. Not that if there is an answer to this that my daughter has any options. Is there any data on how final scores vary depending upon the month in which the test was taken ie in one month 2 wrong produced a MT of 800 while another took a perfect score for the 800. I do know that this is all test by test but if I recall the score is dependent upon the other test takers for that day. I am sure that there may be patterns to what kind of student takes a test on a given month thus impacting the scores. Is there a pattern?</p>
<p>I don’t know the pattern you mentioned above, but there is a pattern may be helpful. It is said that every May, College Board will refresh the SAT test a little bit, and the change will remain until the next May. (But the changes CB makes are certainly not very conspicuous.) So if you are using an Official Guide 2007-2008, you’d better not take the test after April 2008.</p>
<p>Basically, when all the unprepared kids show up, THAT is when you want to take the test. Nobody has any way of knowing for sure when that is, but I would think it would be when all of the seniors who only take the SAT once come out (maybe December?)</p>
<p>Don’t test in a certain month because of that hunch though, because if at all, it wouldn’t change raise score substantially.</p>
<p>That makes sense. Good thing you feel that there isn’t a huge difference since this is the only chance for my daughter to fit it in this year unless she skips the SAT II’s in June.</p>
<p>Any statement that one month is better than another month is just a silly rumor. See </p>
<p><a href=“College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools”>College Board - SAT, AP, College Search and Admission Tools; </p>
<p>for the full story on how scores are equated on the SAT.</p>
<p>But still, aren’t the High, Low, and Medium ranges determined by the scores of students taking the actual test?</p>
<p>The only way the month-curve thing wouldn’t be a factor at all would be if the ranges are determined prior to the actual test date.</p>
<p>^ I think they actually are pre-determined based on the equating sections of previous administrations. The College Board has not publicized exactly how it formulates its curves though.</p>
<p>tokenadult - Complicated read but interesting. Going to make a 2nd pass through it. During the next read I am going to try and see if any of the three calibration methods are affected by the makeup of the students taking the particular test. Thanks</p>
<p>I hear that more intelligent students take the test in January, so the curve is tougher.
Whereas March is an easier curve because more broad ranges of students take it then.</p>
<p>What about June?</p>
<p>My niece took the Oct.07 test. Reading:9 wrongs,690. Then she took the Jan.08 test.Reading:6 wrongs, 1 skip,690!</p>