Understanding PSAT scores from College Board?

Hi, I just recently got my PSAT scores back from the College Board. However, I'm not really sure how to interpret them. Can anyone give me some guidance on what they mean or how they compare to other students' scores?

Hi there! It's essential to understand your PSAT scores to know where you stand academically, and possibly identify areas for improvement. Let me help you break down those scores.

There are a few components to your PSAT scores:

1. Total Score: This is the sum of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) score and your Math score. It ranges from 320 to 1520.

2. Section Scores: You receive two section scores, ERW and Math, which are both on a scale of 160-760.

3. Test Scores: Within each section, you'll have test scores ranging from 8 to 38.

4. Subscores: Subscores range from 1 to 15 and show how you performed in specific skill areas like Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, etc.

To understand how you compare to other students, pay attention to percentiles provided along with your scores in your score report. These percentiles will give you an idea of how well you performed compared to other test takers. For example, if your score is in the 80th percentile, it means you scored higher than 80% of test takers. This can help you gauge your relative performance.

Additionally, because PSAT scores are closely related to SAT scores, you can use them to estimate your potential SAT score by adding around 100 points to your PSAT Total Score. For example, if you scored 1100 on the PSAT, you could potentially score around 1200 on the SAT, keeping in mind that this estimate isn't perfect, as the SAT may test some different content.

Remember that the purpose of the PSAT is to help you identify areas where you need improvement and serve as a practice step towards the SAT. Analyze your subscores and identify which areas require additional focus. If you plan to take the SAT in the future, use your PSAT results to target and improve those specific areas through practice and preparation.

Good luck with your future testing!