Monday, January 01, 2007
Bad PSAT Scores
Dear Guidance Guy,
I just received my PSAT scores. They were very low and I'm very depressed about them. I'm a sophomore and I feel that I'm going to be in some trouble when the college application process comes in. I'm an okay student but, nothing special. I am struggling right now in school and I got to a private school that is frankly very hard. I'm trying really hard to improve in school. What should I do?
T-Rex
*** *** ***
Dear T-Rex,
The first piece of good news is that PSAT scores tend to go up when taken again as a junior. And studies show that students who take the PSAT twice tend to get higher SAT scores than those who take them only once. On top of that, the PSAT results come with a detailed report. You can see the types of questions you did well on compared to those with which you had trouble. Take out your report and see where you need the most help. A guidance counselor can go over this with you, but I have a feeling you're bright enough to do it yourself.
The larger issue is your concern about getting into college. There is a college for everyone, and many schools are moving away from requiring SAT's as part of the admission process. But if you'd like to improve your eventual SAT scores, there are lots of study guides. Go to CollegeBoard.com if you'd like to look at some of the offerings. Probably the best thing you can do is learn as much as possible in English and math classes. Most high school curriculums help students get ready for SAT and/or ACT exams. It's common for kids to have a hard time in school. If you're in a very competitive environment the struggle can be pretty intense. Do your best and be happy with the results.
The BIG part of this whole thing T-Rex, is getting a head start on what you'd like to do with a college education. As I'm sure you already know, people who know WHY they are doing something will do better than those who are doing it because someone told them to. If you get excited about learning and a possible future career, you'll be more motivated and happier. This is covered in detail in my book, SO, YOU WANNA GO TO COLLEGE....
There's a great big world waiting for you, T-Rex. Don't let a PSAT score get you nervous. You'll find the right place!
All The Best,
The Guidance Guy
I just received my PSAT scores. They were very low and I'm very depressed about them. I'm a sophomore and I feel that I'm going to be in some trouble when the college application process comes in. I'm an okay student but, nothing special. I am struggling right now in school and I got to a private school that is frankly very hard. I'm trying really hard to improve in school. What should I do?
T-Rex
*** *** ***
Dear T-Rex,
The first piece of good news is that PSAT scores tend to go up when taken again as a junior. And studies show that students who take the PSAT twice tend to get higher SAT scores than those who take them only once. On top of that, the PSAT results come with a detailed report. You can see the types of questions you did well on compared to those with which you had trouble. Take out your report and see where you need the most help. A guidance counselor can go over this with you, but I have a feeling you're bright enough to do it yourself.
The larger issue is your concern about getting into college. There is a college for everyone, and many schools are moving away from requiring SAT's as part of the admission process. But if you'd like to improve your eventual SAT scores, there are lots of study guides. Go to CollegeBoard.com if you'd like to look at some of the offerings. Probably the best thing you can do is learn as much as possible in English and math classes. Most high school curriculums help students get ready for SAT and/or ACT exams. It's common for kids to have a hard time in school. If you're in a very competitive environment the struggle can be pretty intense. Do your best and be happy with the results.
The BIG part of this whole thing T-Rex, is getting a head start on what you'd like to do with a college education. As I'm sure you already know, people who know WHY they are doing something will do better than those who are doing it because someone told them to. If you get excited about learning and a possible future career, you'll be more motivated and happier. This is covered in detail in my book, SO, YOU WANNA GO TO COLLEGE....
There's a great big world waiting for you, T-Rex. Don't let a PSAT score get you nervous. You'll find the right place!
All The Best,
The Guidance Guy
# posted by Larry Hochman : 2:07 PM
