Hi! so I'm a junior and I took the psat almost a week ago-I haven't gotten my scores back, but what is considered a "good" score? I know the point is to grow and practice more for the sat but I just want to get an idea of where I'm starting to where I want to be for the real thing
Hello, I’m in the same boat, having taken PSATs last week, but I’ve already taken the SATs twice before that. The scores are out of 1600 for both the PSAT and the official SAT. A “good” score depends on your standards and where you are aiming for. The national average for the SAT is about 1000, but the local average in your area maybe something like 1200 for example. Depending on where you are applying for college, you’ll be expected to have a higher score. Most schools would look for at least something above 1200, but the better schools may want 1300-1400. The Ivy League and really prestigious schools want from the higher 1400s to even above 1500. In addition, your background will come into play. Your race or income may factor into how much better you may need to score to be accepted. But all that is for the SAT, and for now, the PSAT isn’t that important in comparison. It gives the opportunity to practice and improve, as well as possibly become scholarship eligible. Just as long as you tried your hardest, any score you get will be fine! There is no true baseline score, but I hope the information I gave relative to SAT scores and what you might want to aim for is helpful!
The PSAT is scored on a scale of 320 to 1520. The SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/scores/structure
It depends on the types of schools you are applying to. Assuming you are not a legacy or recruited athlete, these are some numbers that can maybe help.
MIT and Caltech 1500+
Ivy Leagues 1470+
Top LAC'S (Amherst, Williams) 1440+
Top public schools (UMich, UCLA) 1420+
Large State Schools (Penn State, Ohio State) 1340+
Less competitive schools (Alabama, NC State) 1200+
Hope this helps! :)
A good way to get an idea of how you did is to look at the percentiles once you receive your results. Since these are based on the people who took the PSAT during the same session as you throughout the country it'll give you a better look at how you fall compared to others your age.
To keep this community safe and supportive: