PSAT Scores… Now What?

1. PSAT Scores…Now What? Presented by The Princeton Review 800-2Review PrincetonReview.com

2. What is the PSAT/NMSQT? • Stands for Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test • Practice test for the SAT • You’ll get an idea of how standardized tests work • See how you perform in a high-pressure testing situation • You get SCORES to give you a starting point • Junior year scores are used as qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship

3. How is the PSAT Scored? • 3 sections (Math, Critical Reading, Writing) • 20 – 80 for each section • 60 – 240 combined • Average PSAT score 141 (juniors) GA National Merit Qualifying Score (class of 2013): 214

4. PSAT → SAT You can use your PSAT score to help you predict how you might score on the SAT if you took it right now without any preparation. Simply add a zero to each of your PSAT scores. EXAMPLE: PSAT SAT Critical Reading 52 —> 520 Math 51 —> 510 Writing 53 —> 530 Total 156 —> 1560

5. PSAT → SAT Not an exact science. Major differences between PSAT and SAT • SAT is much longer – takes almost 4 hours • SAT has harder math than the PSAT • SAT has a mandatory essay included in the Writing Skills section

6. 4 Major Parts of Your PSAT/NMSQT Results Understanding Your PSAT/NMSQT Results Your Scores Your Skills Your Answers Next Steps 3 Test Sections Critical Reading Mathematics Writing Skills

7. Your Scores Score Range Percentile If you are a junior, your scores are compared to those of other juniors. If you are a sophomore or younger student, your scores are compared to those of sophomores.

8. National Merit Scholarship Corporation Information The Selection Index is the sum of your critical reading, mathematics and writing skills scores. If it has an asterisk, you do not meet all of the eligibility requirements for the competition. The Percentile compares your performance to that of other college-bound juniors. The Entry Requirements section displays information you provided on your answer sheet.

9. Your Skills See how you did on each skill. The same skills are tested on the SAT.

10. Your Answers You will get your test book back with your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that you can review the questions.

11. Your Answers: Student-Produced Responses Some of the math problems required you to grid in answers instead of selecting an option. For these questions, you will see the correct answer(s) written out.

12. Next Steps What’s next? Visit PrincetonReview.com. There you can: • Search for colleges • Get a personalized SAT study plan

13. SAT Everything You Need to Know About the SAT

14. Where will your scores take you? Visit PrincetonReview.com for more score data! Higher End of This List: SAT: 2260 ACT: 34 (CalTech) Lower End of This List: SAT: 1850 ACT: 27 (Elon University) Middle of This List: SAT: 2050 ACT: 31 (Georgetown University)

15. PrincetonReview.com/CollegeSearch Everything You Need to Know About the SAT

16. SAT What does SAT stand for?

17. SAT What do SAT Scores Really Measure? How well you take the SAT

18. SAT • Don’t take your scores personally. • SAT scores are NOT a measure of your • intelligence. • Anybody, with the proper coaching, can learn how • to increase their scores.

19. SAT • There are 10 sections on the test: • 3 math • 3 writing • 3 reading 3 + 3 + 3 = 10 ??? Experimental Section

20. Each section (Math, Reading and Writing) is scored on a scale of 200-800. The mean is around 500 for each section. The Writing score is a combination of Grammar (20-80) and Essay (2-12). The Grammar portion of the Writing section makes up about 70% of your Writing Score. SAT Scoring

21. Each correct answer earns 1 full point, regardless of level of difficulty. Each unanswered question earns a student 0 points. Each incorrect answer to a Student-Produced Response question earns a student 0 points. Students lose 1/4 point for each incorrect answer to a multiple-choice question. SAT Scoring

22. Why Students Struggle with the SAT

23. The Answer Choices Why Students Struggle with the SAT • The SAT writers are at their best when writing answer choices they know will lure you in! • How do they know which choices you’ll like/not like? • Students have shown them in past experimental sections. • People are PREDICTABLE!

24. Guessing If you don’t know an answer, should you guess? It depends

25. Not difficult math. Everything you need to know for SAT math you’ve learned by the end of your sophomore year! Questions in 2 math sections of the SAT will be in order of difficulty. The first third will be easy, the middle third will be medium difficulty, and the final third will be hard. Keep in mind that easy questions will have easy answers. Difficult questions will have difficult answers. Knowing the order of difficulty in a test section helps you significantly when eliminating answer choices and determining your testing strategy. SAT Math

26. SAT – Math Sample Problem 18. In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines? • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 How many actually understood what the question was asking? Using 2 straight lines they are asking you to divide this DOUGHNUT into the maximum number of shaded regions.

27. SAT –Math Sample Problem 18. Go ahead & give it a try! In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines? • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 By a show of hands, who thought the correct answer was? E) 2 D) 3 C) 4 B) 5 A) 6

28. SAT –Math Sample Problem 1 1 2 4 2 4 3 3 The question basically asked you to divide this doughnut into the highest number of shaded regions possible using 2 straight lines!

29. SAT –Math Sample Problem 18. In the figure above, what is the greatest number of non-overlapping regions into which the shaded region can be divided with exactly two straight lines? • 6 • 5 • 4 • 3 • 2 50% chance of getting this right - why might you eliminate 6? no way that easy Strategies used: Rephrase the question in your own words, test writing - is it going to be that easy, P.O.E, physically cross off the wrong answers in the test booklet, Guess after P.O.E, Final leading word. P.O.E.

30. SAT –Math Sample Problem 1 2 5 3 4

31. These are little, open-book tests. Make sure you goback to the passage and come up with your own answer before looking at the answer choices. On long passages, the questions will appear chronologically. Speed up your search for an answer by knowing where to look! SAT Reading Comprehension: Passages

32. How long do you think your English teacher takes to grade your essays? How long do you think your SAT graders will take to grade your essays? SAT Writing: Essay

33. SAT essays are graded in approximately 60 seconds. 2 graders spend about a minute each to give you a total score from 2-12. No, we’re not kidding! SAT Writing: Essay

34. SAT Writing: Essay • Using the graders to your advantage: • Length counts. Use those lines. • Think before you write! • Neatness will count. • Answer the question. • Conclusion. • Triumph of style over substance. • Keep it simple. • If you can’t spell it, don’t use it.

35. SAT/ACT Optional Schools • Over 815 colleges and universities across the United States admit a substantial number of students without regard to test scores. • This list of schools includes colleges and universities that deemphasize the use of standardized tests by making admissions decisions about substantial numbers of applicants who recently graduated from U.S. high schools. • Some schools exempt students who meet grade-point average or class rank criteria while others require SAT or ACT scores but use them only for placement purposes or to conduct research studies. • Please check with the school's admissions office to learn more about specific admissions requirements, particularly for international or non-traditional students. • For a complete listing of SAT/ACT optional schools visit www.fairtest.org.

36. WARNING!! • In many cases, SAT and ACT scores are very important in determining financial aid awards. • Even if a school is SAT/ACT optional you still want to take the tests (yuck) and do well. Higher scores = more money. • You may change your list and decide to apply to a college that requires SAT/ACT scores!

37. A word about SAT Score Choice • Since virtually all colleges use the highest single-sitting score OR mix and match subject scores, it doesn’t make sense for students to not release all of their test results. • Some schools require you send all of your scores. • Using Score Choice could do more harm than good, especially when dealing with schools that mix and match subject scores. • It’s confusing, you’ll end up paying for additional reports or even forgetting to submit scores, resulting in late applications. • Why is it even there? • College Board’s newest money maker. • Competition with the ACT.

38. What about the ACT?

39. There is NO downside to taking both tests. We encourage it! Free Practice Tests (SAT, ACT) Princeton Review Assessment (PRA) Look online at www.princetonreview.com to find a practice test near you! Which test should I take? SAT and/or ACT?

40. 9th and 10th Grades • HS Transcript is your #1 priority! • Extracurricular Activities: quality over quantity • Prep for and take your first PSAT • Consider SAT Subject Tests

41. 11th Grade: Test Dates SATACT January February March April May June June September October October November December December

42. Timeline Considerations • How many times will you take the SAT and/or ACT? • How much prep do you need? • What extra-curricular activities do you have that will impact your prep schedule? • Are you taking AP tests? • Do you need to take SAT Subject Tests? • Will you be submitting any early applications?

43. Ready to Prep! • Last year, The Princeton Review helped more than 3.5 million students realize their college dreams. • Over 4 out of 5 Princeton Review graduates who got into college were accepted into at least one of their top choice schools. • 99% of Princeton Review graduates who have applied to college have been accepted.

44. How we can help! Over 4 out of 5 Princeton Review Graduates were accepted into at least one of their top-choice schools.* Our job is to raise scores • We are the experts: we know these tests cold • We have developed test-specific strategies—that other companies copy • We’ll teach you the content you need to know • We’ll show you what vocab you need to learn for the SAT • We’ll help you develop an appropriate pacing strategy • We’ll help you manage test anxiety • We have options for every schedule and learning style *Among students responding to our 2009 survey.

45. Prepare for the SAT with The Princeton Review at Chattahoochee HS! • The Princeton Review has partnered with the Fulton County Board of Education and your high school to provide SAT test preparation to Juniors and Seniors. Fulton County students receive this preparation at their school & receive a significant discount. • Tuition: $ 125 per student until the first 25 seats of each allotted class is filled.  • Registration and information: Register online at www.princetonreview.com (under SAT classroom and your zip code). Seats are limited! The course consists of 6 classes and 3 practice exams

46. What We Offer: Small Group Instruction TAILORED PREP IN A SMALL GROUP SETTING What you get: • Maximum 4 students per class • A focus on your strengths and weaknesses • Interactive Admissions and Financial Aid Seminars • Access to both our SAT and ACT Online courses with 40+ hours of video lessons • 24 hours of in-person or web-based instruction • 4 proctored practice tests • Up to 17 additional practice tests Private Tutoring (one-on-one) IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU What you get: • A completely custom prep plan • A focus on your strengths and weaknesses • A schedule built around your lifestyle • In-person or web-based sessions • Comprehensive or pay-as-you-go packages • 4 proctored practice tests • Up to 17 additional practice tests

47. What We Offer: Ultimate Classroom OUR MOST INTENSIVE AND POPULAR OPTION What you get: • 30 hours of in-class instruction • 150-point score-improvement guarantee on the SAT† • Interactive Admissions and Financial Aid Seminars • Access to both our SAT and ACT Online courses with 40+ hours of video lessons • 4 proctored practice tests • Up to 17 additional practice tests Classroom A SHORTER COURSE COVERING THE ESSENTIALS What you get: • 18 hours of in-class instruction • 4 proctored practice tests • Up to 15 additional practice tests • Additional online practice tools

48. What We Offer: LiveOnline FOCUSED PREP AND A CONVENIENT FORMAT • Prep anywhere you have access to an Internet connection • Get the same results-driven instruction as our Classroom course • Review concepts in online breakout rooms dedicated to problem areas and individual questions What you get: • 18 hours of LiveOnline instruction • Up to 19 practice tests • Additional online practice tools LiveOnline courses are held in this Blackboard Collaborate classroom (formerly known as Elluminate)!

49. Q&A For official information from the test makers, visit: • CollegeBoard.com (SAT, PSAT, SAT Subject Tests, APs) • ACT.org For other information from us: • Call 1-800-2-Review • PrincetonReview.com For information about colleges: • Check out our best-selling guide: The Best 377 Colleges, 2013 Ed. • Visit PrincetonReview.com