My PSAT score was really low ..

Hi guys,

I feel incredibly stupid. When I took my PSAT of my sophomore year I got an extremely low score of 600. And when I took it again early of my junior year (this year) it only went up 160 points, so I got a 760. I feel really stupid.

I know the PSAT scores don't really matter, but I've heard people getting 900's or even higher scores like 1200 or 1600 and I feel like a failure.

Does anyone have any advice about this?

And I don't know if I should go and take the SAT / ACT yet for the testing dates coming up in April, May, and June. Right now I'm way too busy, it's stupid, I'm taking way too challenging classes like IB and AP, leaving me without much time to study as of right now. Should I maybe take it my Senior year? I don't feel ready yet, and again, trying to find time to study now seems almost hard.

Thanks for taking your time to read this.

Your post is SO well-written, it makes me think that your problem is not lack of knowledge or intelligence, but perhaps speed or test taking skills. If youre taking AP classes, you probably have vocabulary and reasoning. How comfortable were you with the test taking set up?

Eta - i just saw some of your other posts about test taking, they kind of answered my question. I think you know the answer!

Ive struggled with test

Test are standardized by a bunch of people who think that this is the way it should work (They make a lot of money doing this, and if you keep paying they profit). Some of us don't function in the way they think. I'm Dyslexic I have never been good at taking certain tests. On the other hand there are some test I destroy. There are so many things that go into being *smart* that it's up to the individual to decide what that is. I ask myself am I just a bunch of numbers or due I measure by other means?

I gotta agree with TheLifeFantastic.

The PSAT/SAT is all about knowing how to take the test. It has almost literally nothing to do with brainpower or intelligence- so don't feel like a failure!! I struggled with it, too.

The secret is learning how to take the test. There are a lot of tricks they throw in to deceive you, and learning those tricks is a huge key to taking the test! I took classes, but look some of the things up online- you'll learn some important tips and tricks.

And honestly, I would just go for it this year. You by no means have to; but it's one of those things that can't hurt, because you can just take it again.

PLUS, fun fact! You can mix scores you take from other SAT tests; so let's say you do good in the math portion of one but then do AMAZING in the reading section of another SAT you took, but not the math section. You can take the reading score from one and the math from the other so you can have your best results!!

Good luck!

As someone who was in AP, Dual Credit, and graduated early, I promise you: You can do this!

I did ridiculously bad on my SAT. As it turned out, I took classes first at my community college and then transferred to a University. They looked at me as a Transfer Student, so my SAT didn’t matter as much as my transcripts from the college (which were A’s). This was a long time ago, so IDK if it’s still true for you.

Also, I am NOT dumb. I was truent a lot in school, did not study whatsoever for the SAT.

Maybe you should take SAT prep courses.

No worries! I scored a whole 720 and I got accepted to all the schools I applied to and went to a very nice private college.

I am so, really sorry — to you, and to everyone else for replying late. I have not checked my PyschCentral account in such a long time because I thought maybe my post got lost somewhere down in the site with other posts haha.

I really appreciate your comment about my post was well-written, and it honestly boosted my confidence and esteem up. And thank you for even going as far as looking into the other posts I made, it really shows you care, and I appreciate that.

I mean, even though I’m replying really late — and I haven’t taken the PSAT again of course, I felt a little uncomfortable. On the bright hand, I actually took the SAT two times again, and the ACT once, and they were still low — but they definitely went up than the one I had before.

Thank you again for taking your time to reply. Sorry that this was long haha. I appreciate you and everyone else for replying.

Hi — ahh, I’m sorry for replying late. I haven’t checked my account in a long time. I understand, and I feel you. Tests aren’t my forte either. It’s sort of nice knowing that I’m not the only one in this boat of failing at tests, which I’m sure there’s many people like me and you out there, just knowing that we’re not alone sort of helps to alleviate that negative feeling.

Thank you for replying back to me, and again — just like everyone else, I wanted to apologize for replying late. Also, thank you for stating that. I feel that standardized tests just cost money, and don’t necessarily measure intelligence levels. I mean, I agree that if “most” people have made it this far since standardized tests have been out, they’re effective, just not effective for me or certain people/groups.

But I definitely get what you mean — and I mean, of course, there are other routes to getting into college, and of course, one test doesn’t necessarily define our intelligence just like you said haha.

Thank you.

Thank you so much for replying as well. I mean, we’re both in the same boat — or were in the same boat (I’m assuming you’re older than me or are at least in college by now) in regards to me doing AP, IB, and Honors as well, and having scored “low” on the PSAT.

By the time I’ve replied, I’ve actually retaken the SAT twice and the ACT once. I actually went up, they were drastic increases based off of my previous average scores, but they were unfortunately still low.

I definitely get what you mean with the learning the tricks and how to take the test. I feel when I went to retake the SAT, learning the amount of time I had, and how to answer the questions and what responses they were looking for, definitely helped me.

Sorry to you as well for replying late, ahh. I feel bad. I haven’t checked my account in such a long time, and I want to make sure I apologize to each and every person that took their time to reply back to me.

Thank you! I don’t you’re dumb, if anything — based off the score I got, I don’t think I’d have the right to call anyone dumb, and I mean, of course a test doesnt’ define our intelligence (even though I felt like a test does “define” our intellience, when in reality it doesn’t).

I’m actually going the route that you and some people have suggested. My SAT scores did go up, however not up to par for most colleges, even “local” non-community colleges unfortunately. But I am attending a community college next fall, earning my Associate’s there and transferring to a state university. Which I’m actually proud of because it’ll be an easier transition, be cheaper, and be more flexible with my schedule.

Thank you for giving me hope, and for taking your time to reply back to my post. And I’m sorry to you as well for having replied so, so, so, late to your post. I haven’t signed into my account for such a long time. :/

Ah, I’m sorry for replying late to you. I’ve been replying late to everyone because I for some reason thought no one ever saw my post or ever responded to it, and so, here I am replying back — after having seen that people did reply back to it.

Yeah, my score did went up. I actually did retake the SAT twice and the ACT once (as you may or may’ve not seen in the other responses I made to other people in this thread — if not, it’s fine haha).

The fact that you got in with a score like that, gives me hope about going to college too. I was really stressing about how I would go into college and so forth. My scores weren’t still up to par for most colleges, but I am planning to go the community college route and transferring my credits to a state college. Which like I said in another post would actually be: cheaper, more flexible, and a little less pressure intensive on me.

Thank you!

I got an 875 my final sat exam. That was after a review course. I think like 600 was verbal or something because I am a speed reader and English junkie. I still got into college and got my BA in English Lit, made the dean's list. Now that I am older and more stable I am thinking about going back to school to become a teacher. You hear that they dont matter and they dont. There have been numerous studies to prove that they are not accurate. I have always been a bad test taker. A lot of schools are accepting the ACT's but I have never taken them before.

Just remember that a test alone will never be able to define your intelligente, PsychCentral_User25. Please don't give up. Sending many hugs to you

I was valedictorian of my graduating class and I did very poorly on the SATs. I did a bit better on the ACTs, but not what anyone would have expected. Like others have said, silly tests don't really measure what you are capable of doing. And those scores did not prevent me from getting into any college or university that I wanted. Be gentle with yourself.