1. PSAT Scores Are Back! Now What?
Erin McLean, Kaplan Test Prep
Hall High School 2018
Hi, I’m Erin McLean, and I’m the program manager for Kaplan test prep here in CT. I’m here to talk to you all today about what your PSAT scores mean and how to use them to direct your studying from now on.

2. From the PSAT to College Admissions
1. Understand the PSAT Score Report.
2. Determine whether the ACT or SAT is best for you.
3. Make a Test Prep Plan to get a higher score.
4. Take the official ACT and/or SAT.
5. Apply to colleges.
We’ll cover all the steps you’ll need to take from now until you apply for college – it sounds like a lot , but we’ll break it up into manageable chunks.

3. 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade From the PSAT to College Admissions
Take the PSAT.
Explore the ACT and SAT.
11th Grade
Study for the PSAT.
Determine whether to take the ACT or the SAT.
Prep for the ACT/SAT.
Take the ACT/SAT.
12th Grade
Take the ACT/SAT again if needed.
Apply to colleges.
Get in to college!
From the PSAT to College Admissions
Here’s the timeline that many students find helpful when planning out their post-secondary lives. You’ve already tackled about half of it! I imagine most of you are here, determining whether to take the SAT or the ACT. Since you all have to take the SAT to graduate, I’m guessing you’re planning on taking the SAT, but I’ll talk a little bit about the ACT as well so you have all the info you need. Once you’ve picked your test, you’ll prep, and then take the exam! Once you hit senior year, you can take the test again if you need to, and start applying to colleges. Then you’ll wait for what seems like forever to hear back, then choose your school from there! It’s an exciting time, and it’ll take a lot of work, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

4. Understanding the PSAT Score Report

5. PSAT Score Distribution
PSAT Sections
Score Range
Evidence-Based Reading & Writing
Math
We’ll start with talking about how the PSAT is scored. This bell curve shows you how everyone in the US does on the PSAT – most students will fall in that middle 50%, making the “average” PSAT score a 920. You got a score for each subsection – the reading and writing and math – and both of those range from 0%
99%
Top score
50%
Median score

6. Your Scores Your Scores
PSAT scoring can be pretty complex – you won’t just get one score, you’ll get what seems like a million. You’ll get an overall score for both the math and evidence based reading and writing sections, which will be a number anywhere from 160 to When you add your math and reading scores together, you’ll get your total score, which will be a number anywhere from You’ll also see a number below that tells you what percentile you’re in. For example, this student scored better than 28% of the rest of the students that took the same test. You’ll also see the colored line below your score, which indicates whether or not you’re on track for college readiness. Don’t worry if you end up in the red or yellow zones – you’re still learning and your curriculum here at Winchester will undoubtedly prepare you for college.

7. Your Scores (cont.)
But wait, there are more scores! You’ll also get a score ranging from on each of the individual sections – Reading, Writing and Language, and Math – as well as Cross Test Scores, which measures how well you did on questions pertaining to history and questions pertaining to science. And finally, you’ll also get a breakdown of your subscores. These subscores can be really useful to you! They measure how well you did on specific types of questions and can be really helpful when you go to take the SAT – you’ll know exactly what you need to work on, so that you can study smarter, not harder. For example, this student did the best with heart of algebra, so she should focus more on command of evidence or expression of ideas questions.

8. College & Career Readiness Benchmark for
PSAT Benchmarks
What’s a Good PSAT Score?
PSAT Sections
College & Career Readiness Benchmark for
10th Grade
11th Grade
Evidence-Based Reading & Writing
430
460
Math
480
510
The PSAT also lets you know if you’re hitting the benchmark for college readiness. If you score above a 460 in reading and a 510 in math, you’re 75% likely to get a C or better in your first year college courses! If your numbers are lower than that, no need to worry – a little test prep and review of the major concepts on the SAT will bring you where you need to be.
Scoring above the Benchmark gives a 75% likelihood of achieving a C or better in first year college courses.

9. PSAT Percentiles What’s a Good PSAT Score? Percentile 10th Grade Score
1360
1450
95th
1250
1350
90th
1180
1280
80th
1090
70th
1030
1120
60th
970
1060
50th
920
1010
40th
870
960
Since you all took the unofficial test, there won’t be percentile scores that let know you how you performed in comparison to everyone else on that page. However, you can estimate what percentile you would have been in using this table! For example, if you got a 1010 as a junior, you scored better than 50% of the rest of the students that took the same test.

10. National Merit National Merit
PSAT - 320
PSAT - 920
PSAT
National Merit Cutoffs in 2016 ranged from
ONLY juniors can be considered for National Merit. 0%
99%
Top score
50%
Median score
Source:

11. PSAT & SAT Scoring SAT: 400-1600 PSAT/NMSQT: 320-1520
Many students ask me how their PSAT score compares to their SAT score. In a nutshell, whatever score you get on the PSAT would be the same score that you would have gotten if you had taken the SAT instead that day. The SAT goes up to 1600 because there are 80 points of more difficult content that they add to that test that isn’t covered in the PSAT.
Composite Score Range

12. SAT or ACT Choosing the SAT or the ACT

13. Test Scores in Admissions
Test Scores in College Admissions
95% of college admissions advisors are confident that the SAT and ACT are effective tools in measuring students’ future success at their schools.
95%
Standardized tests aren’t something that your teachers and counselors want to put you through for fun – how you do on these tests does matter to college admissions officers. When we surveyed them, 95% of college admissions professionals think that these tests are useful in determining who will do well at their school. It’s certainly not the most important factor in college admissions – that honor belongs to your high school transcript – but colleges are looking at these scores, so it’s important to do your best on them. In a lot of ways, too, the scores are one of the only ways to truly compare a student from Hall with a student from China or a student that was homeschooled.
Sources: Kaplan Test Prep College Admissions Officers Survey, 2011 and National Association for College Admission Counseling, 2014

14. Submitting Both Scores
Test Scores in College Admissions
Is there any advantage to an applicant submitting both an SAT and ACT score instead of only one score, assuming both scores are strong?
Approximately 80% of college admissions advisors state that there is no advantage to submitting both an ACT and an SAT score.
Source: Kaplan Test Prep College Admissions Officers Survey, 2012

15. Structure & Timing SAT ACT 4 sections: Evidence-Based Reading (65 min)
3 hours
______________________________________
3 hours & 50 min. with essay
4 sections:
Evidence-Based Reading (65 min)
Evidence-Based Writing & Language (35 min)
Math No Calculator (25 min)
Math Calculator (55 min)
Optional Essay (50 minutes)
ACT
2 hours 55 minutes
___________________________________
3 hours & 35 min. with essay
4 sections:
English (45 min)
Math (60 min)
Reading (35 min)
Science (35 min)
Optional Essay (40 minutes)
Okay, these tests are important, but what are they really like, and how do they compare? Both tests are divided into four sections and an optional essay. You should take the essay at least once, just in case a school requires it – it would be terrible to have to sit through the entire test when all you need is the essay score.

16. SAT Overview Category Features The SAT
scoring, 3 hours without essay
Reading
65 minutes, 52 questions
Writing
35 minutes, 44 questions
Math
25 minutes, 20 questions, no calculator
The material on the SAT is very similar to the material you saw on the PSAT you took. The SAT as a whole requires you to read a lot – obviously you’re reading on the reading and writing and language sections, but you also will read a lot of word problems in the math section, and you’ll also read a passage and respond to it when you write the optional essay.
Math
55 minutes, 38 questions, calculator
Requires reading a passage, describing development of argument, 50 minutes long
Essay

17. SAT Scoring Composite Score Area Score: Math Test & Cross-Test Scores
- Out of 1600 Points
- Sum of the two Area Scores
(Optional) Essay Score
Three separate scores for Reading, Writing, and Analysis (each out of 8 for a total of 24)
Area Score: Math
Out of 800 Points
Area Score: Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing
Out of 800 Points
The SAT is scored similarly to the PSAT – your main score will be your composite score, which is the sum of your math and reading and writing scores. Each section is out of 800 points, and the total is out of 1600 points.
Test & Cross-Test Scores
3 Test scores: Math, Reading, Writing & Language
2 Cross-test scores: Science, Social Studies/History
Scored out of a range of 10-40

18. ACT Overview Category Features The ACT
1-36 scoring, three hours without essay
English
45 minutes, 75 questions
Math
60 minutes, 60 questions
Reading
35 minutes, 40 questions
The ACT has similar sections to the SAT. The English section involves fixing grammatical issues and organizational problems, much like the writing and language section of the SAT. The math has fewer word problems and you can use a calculator the whole time, but you have less time per question than on the SAT. The reading is largely the same as the SAT. The science section is kind of like an additional reading and math section – it mostly asks you to read graphs and interpret how different experiments are related. The essay doesn’t require you to read another passage, but instead requires you to analyze three different sides of an issue.
Science
35 minutes, 40 questions
Requires analysis of 3 different perspectives , 40 minutes long
Essay

19. Average of the four sections (Optional) Essay Score-Score between 2-12
ACT Scoring
English
Out of 36 Points
Composite Score
Out of 36 points
Average of the four sections
Math
Out of 36 Points
÷ 4 =
Reading
Out of 36 Points
The ACT scoring seems a lot simpler than the SAT scoring – you’ll get a score of 1-36 on each of the four sections, then your composite score will be the average of all four of those sections.
(Optional) Essay Score-Score between 2-12
Science
Out of 36 Points

20. Reading Passage Topics
Humanities
SS/History
Sciences
SAT
ACT
Literature
Careers
These graphs show you the different topics the reading passages are about on both tests. As you can see, the ACT has a lot more science content – but that’s only because of that additional science section. The SAT also has a reading passage each time about a different career.

21. Data Analysis/Problem Solving
Math Skills Tested
Data Analysis/Problem Solving
Algebra
Geometry
Trig
SAT
ACT
Here’s the same type of graph, but in terms of math content instead. Both tests will test you heavily on your knowledge of algebra, but the ACT will test you more on geometry and trigonometry than the SAT will. The SAT will test you more on your ability to solve problems and analyze data. These graphs can help you figure out which test might be right for you – for example, if you’re really good at geometry, the ACT might be a good fit for you. The best way to find out is to take a practice test of each, or Kaplan’s combination SAT vs ACT test that we offer for free online.

22. SAT and ACT: Top Differences
The SAT has a greater focus on History & Social Studies passages, while the ACT requires more Science reading.
Both focus on Algebra, but the SAT has a greater emphasis on Data Analysis & Problem Solving.
Both essays are optional, but the SAT essay requires additional text analysis.
The SAT has a No Calculator Math section.
The SAT Math section has grid-in questions and Item Sets – a few questions require you to work with the same data for two questions.
Scoring Breakdown : SAT: 50% Verbal – 50% Math
ACT: 50% Verbal – 25% Math - 25% Science
SAT?
What’s the Difference?
This slide is pretty good at detailing the major differences in one place – I talked about most of them as we went through. The one I didn’t really cover before is that the SAT math test has questions that are not multiple choice – for some, you need to come up with your own answer. There are also item sets, which are questions that require you to use the same information – for example, a data table – in two questions.

23. SAT and ACT: Top Differences
SAT and ACT: Top Similarites
ACT?
Both have 4 sections and an optional essay is last.
No penalty for incorrect answers!
Multiple choice questions give four options.
Both are equally accepted as college admissions tests.
SAT?
What’s the Similarity?
The SAT and ACT are more similar than different. These similarities are mostly in structure, but they’re also similar in content, too, which we already talked about.

24. Make a Test Prep Plan Make a Test Prep Plan To Get a Higher Score
Now you’re probably thinking, okay, these tests are important and cover a lot of material. How can I do my best? I’ve got you covered.

25. Setting yourself up for success: SAT & ACT
DO…
Why
Read, read, read!
Reading comprehension is heavily tested – reading for fun will help
Pay attention in class
The SAT and ACT reflect skills learned in the classroom
Get an SAT or ACT book and do practice problems
The types of questions repeat a lot
Get to know the format
The instructions are always the same
Take practice tests
You’ll know what to expect on test day
The best ways to set yourselves up for success are here. Read books both for fun and for class – reading comprehension is heavily tested on both of the tests. Pay attention in class, since the skills you learn in class will be instrumental for problem solving on the test. Do lots of practice and understand the format of the tests, since the question types and instructions are always the same from one test to another.

26. Free Online Resources: Journey to College
What’s a good PSAT score?
Learn what this score means and what you can do to improve it in time for the SAT or ACT.
Free Parent Event: PSAT Scores are Here
Now what? Join us for a live, interactive session to learn more about your child’s score.
Free Student Events: SAT® & ACT® Prep Weeks
Start your prep right with two weeks of free, live instruction for the SAT and the ACT.
Visit kaptest.com/journeytocollege
We’re also here to help! We’re running a major event right now called the Journey to College, which has a lot of different FREE test prep resources. You can access it online, and feel free to attending any or all of our events. You can explore more about what makes a good PSAT, have your folks attend an online event that explains all this testing stuff to them, and most importantly, a special week of free prep for the SAT and the ACT coming up later this month.

27. SAT and ACT Questions of the Day
Sign up at
SAT
ACT
Questions are reviewed in detail so next time that question type comes up, you’ll be ready.
You can also subscribe to our free “question of the day” to help keep your skills sharp – practice makes perfect!

28. Next Steps What do you need? When does it start?
Where can you register?
Free SAT Prep Week
Free ACT Prep Week
Jan 14th – Jan 17th
Feb 11th – Feb 14th
kaptest.com/journeytocollege
In Person SAT/ACT Classes
SAT: Winchester Rec Center
ACT: Arlington Center for the Arts
March SAT
Jan 27th, Sat & Sun at 2 pm
Feb 1st, Tues & Thurs at 6 pm
May SAT
Jan 28th, Sun at 5 pm
Mar 28th, Mon & Wed at 6 pm
April ACT
Mar 4th, Sat & Sun at 1 pm
kaptest.com/college-prep
Or KAPTEST
Live Online SAT/ACT Classes
Anytime! Lots of different schedules available.
Personalized One-on-One Tutoring
Anytime! Tutors available on your schedule.
1-800-KAPTEST
The first priority for you guys should be to sign up for the SAT free prep week that’s happening this week. The free prep week will include two sessions with strategies for the English and math sections, a practice test, and a bootcamp style review. It’s completely free and you do it from your couch, so it’s a no brainer!
Next, once you figure out which test you’re going to take, you can sign up for either our free self paced course or our classroom course. The self-paced course is only free for Winchester students, and it’s ideal for a self-motivated student since you’ll be preparing on your own. If you need more structure than that, you’re welcome to join us for one of our classes. We run classes for the SAT at the Winchester Recreation Center right here in town, and the ACT class is not too far away in Arlington. We have four classes for the SAT coming up – two for the March SAT and two for the May ACT. Each class runs for 8 sessions, with two of those being full practice tests. If you need more of an individual approach, we also offer personalized one on one tutoring, with a 10% discount offered for Winchester High students!

29. Make a Test Prep Plan Take the Official ACT or SAT
Once you’ve done all your prep, you’re ready to take the official test!

30. So, when can you take these exams
So, when can you take these exams? They’re both offered mostly every month. You can see your counselors and they’ll let you know where the tests are being given nearby if they’re not being given at Winchester.

31. Apply to Colleges Make a list Visit schools over breaks or at college fairs Check out financial aid options Find the best fit for you!
After you’ve crushed the test, it’s now time to apply to colleges! Work with your counselor to create a list, try to visit schools over school breaks or find a nearby college fair to learn more about them. The most important thing is to find the best fit for you – educationally, socially, financially, and location-wise. Get excited – you’re choosing where you want to be fore the next part of your life!

32. Thank You!
Questions?
or call
For more information, visit kaptest.com or call KAPTEST.
Thank you guys so much for having me, and I hope this was helpful! Here’s my contact info if you have any questions once I leave here today, but I’m happy to take a few now if you’ve got them. Enjoy the rest of your evening, and good luck on your tests!