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Northeastmom
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 01:34 am |
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| My kid took both of these through his hs this year as a 10th grader. If anyone has a son or daughter who has taken both, is it usual to have a large discrepancy between the scores. I used the conversion chart and it looks like my son scored 30-50 points higher on the ACT in each section (comparing only the grammer, math, and reading sections, since science is not on the SAT). I think that is significant. My son had not prepped for either (he is a 10th grader), so his scores are what they are walking in cold. Last edited on Wed Jan 30th, 2008 02:27 am by Northeastmom
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Descartes
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 01:02 pm |
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I assume you mean 30-50 points on the SAT scale (where each section is 800 points) rather than the PSAT scale (where each section is 80 points.) And I also assume you are using the 32 point PLAN scale to project into the 36 point ACT scale before doing your conversion. If so, the variation is well within normal expectations.
This is not bad news. If his scores are better on the ACT, it could save him testing hassles as many schools, even very selective ones, accept the ACT by itself in lieu of the SAT I + 2 SAT Subject test combination (see Yale, for example). He'll still want to take the PSAT as a junior, however, in order to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition.
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Northeastmom
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 02:38 pm |
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| descartes, No I did not take into account that the PLAN is out of 32 points. I just noticed this today on top of his composite report. Do you know how I would take that into account before doing the conversion? Yes, the 30-50 points better in each section is using the SAT scoring, LOL. I think in terms of SAT, bc I am completely unfamiliar with the ACT. Even though I did not convert correctly, my son scored in a much higher % among "college bound" peers on the PLAN than the PSAT. Does that mean that on this type of test he scores higher, or does it mean that a different total population of student (ie: more vocational bound) is taking the PLAN than taking the PSAT?
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 03:03 pm |
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Rule of thumb: add 3-5 points to the PLAN score to get a projected ACT score.
Oh, and don't compare scores across tests by percentiles. To do so is to assume demographically similar test populations and this would be an error. The ACT is a required test administered to all juniors, college-bound or not, in at least two states, Illinois and Colorado (and it seems Michigan, too, now) whereas the SAT is required by no state. So the two tests do not see statistically similar kinds of students taking them.
The conversion tables are based on a single population of students (over 100,000) who took both tests in the same year, a much more accurate way of comparing the scores.
Last edited on Wed Jan 30th, 2008 03:11 pm by Descartes
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Northeastmom
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 04:00 pm |
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| Thank you. Can you tell me how you would use the conversion table if the PLAN is out of 32 points? Anyway to do that? Also, does prepping tend to boost scores on the ACT? It did for my son on the SAT. Last, do you know how they arrive at the composite score (ie:adding the 4 subscores and dividing by 4?). Would the 3-5 points added on project a score assume some added preperation? Last edited on Wed Jan 30th, 2008 04:10 pm by Northeastmom
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 04:34 pm |
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For a conservative estimate:
-- Take the PLAN composite score
-- Add three points
-- Use this chart to get equivalent SAT
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/testprep/testprep.asp?TPRPAGE=864&type=ACT-LEARN
Keeping in mind this is only a rough estimate of future performance. Your results, as they say, may vary.
The PLAN to ACT projection is empirically derived from a population of students, some of whom did extra preparation and some of whom did not. Presumably extra practice would increase his chances that his score will bump up five points rather than three points.
Good luck to him in the next couple of years.
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Northeastmom
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Posted: Wed Jan 30th, 2008 04:47 pm |
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| This was very helpful. Thank you!
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zippy
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Posted: Sat Feb 2nd, 2008 09:31 pm |
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We just got daughter's PSAT scores today and they were interesting. D took the ACT in October and got a 34 so she was one and done with that, so the PSAT scores were sort of irrelevant except for whatever merit aid they could generate. At her target schools it is not much, which is good because the kid who got a 36 on her ACT Reading with subscores of 18 and 18 got a 63 or a 630 on the PSAT reading section . Her math score on the ACT was 32 and she got a 73 or a 730 on the PSAT. She actually only missed two on the PSAT math and math is always the subject she has struggled with the most. So, go figure. I think her composite score of 208 might be good enough for commended in IL. I don't remember what her PLAN scores were exactly but they predicted a score range of 28-32. I hope this info doesn't confuse you further about which test to take!
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Descartes
Super Moderator
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Posted: Sat Feb 2nd, 2008 09:40 pm |
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The 32-730 Math scores sound roughly comparable to me, but the 36-630 pair is unusual. It just goes to show how it is possible to perform quite differently on the two tests.
Congratualtions on her healthy score!
BTW, my understanding is that commended scholar cut-offs on the PSAT are determined by a (truly) national standard, not state-by-state, and that cut-off for this year (the class of 2008) was 200. So it is highly likely she will receive this recognition.
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zippy
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Posted: Sat Feb 2nd, 2008 09:55 pm |
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| Thanks Descartes. Commended was all she was hoping for because she didn't want to take the SAT. Maybe that accounts for the discrepencies in the scores!
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Northeastmom
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Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 02:04 am |
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| Zippy, thanks for sharing. Nice scores! Good luck to your daughter!
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Consolation
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Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 08:45 pm |
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Descartes wrote: Oh, and don't compare scores across tests by percentiles. To do so is to assume demographically similar test populations and this would be an error. The ACT is a required test administered to all juniors, college-bound or not, in at least two states, Illinois and Colorado (and it seems Michigan, too, now) whereas the SAT is required by no state.
The May SAT was required of all juniors in Maine as of 2007. The PSAT remains optional, to my knowlege.
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Northeastmom
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Posted: Sun Feb 3rd, 2008 09:43 pm |
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| Thank you for the info about Maine.
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