Am I stupid because of my PSAT score?

On Genius and IQ
I'm a sophomore in high school and I got my PSAT results today. I scored a 64 in Reading, 39 in Math, and 76 in Writing, with a combined score of 179. One of my friends told me today that 177 is considered "genius". This doesn't sound right to me. Is there a real genius score, and, if so, what is it? Also, does anyone know of any good IQ tests - ones that are (probably) accurate, not off-the-wall? I'd like to take one again.

SC, your friend's probably confusing PSAT with IQ. an IQ of 177 is genius level--although that by itself still doesn't make anyone a genius as far as i'm concerned.

SweetCalamity, First of all, welcome to a2k. Don't worry too much about your PSAT score. What is much more important is how you perform on the job after you earn your college degree. Not much else matters if you set the right goals, work hard, and maintain your ethics.

PSAT is used in determining who qualifies for National Merit scholarships.

Your SAT score will be part of what determines which colleges you are able to attend. They claim that SAT scores corellate with success in college.

From ABC News:

Most studies find that the correlation between SAT scores and first-year college grades is not overwhelming, and that only 10 percent to 20 percent of the variation in first-year GPA is explained by SAT scores.

This association appears weaker than it is, however, for an interesting, but seldom noted statistical reason: Colleges usually accept students from a fairly narrow swath of the SAT spectrum.


The SAT scores of students at elite schools, say, are considerably higher, on average, than those of students at community colleges, yet both sets of students probably have similar college grade distributions at their respective institutions.

Personal opinion: I question the reliability of SAT scores to success in college, and success in their career. I'm not sure there are any correlation between SAT scores and success in their chosen career fields. The only thing I can agree with are the relationship of earning an MBA at Stanford or Harvard can be helpful in securing a first job and getting a higher starting salary.

Rank Business School Applicants
Accepted Median Total
Pay Package
1 Northwestern (Kellogg) 13% $142,000
2 Chicago 15% $140,000
3 Harvard 10% $160,000
4 Stanford 8% $165,500
5 U. of Pennsylvania (Wharton) 13% $156,000
6 MIT 13% $149,000

i'm a sophmore from new orleans, louisiana so when i took my psat i was in seattle with relatives

my cousin told me i got 1600 out of a possible 2400

but i've read here that it's really the first three digits plus 0
so

it was 160 outta 240

holy cow i must be dumb

but i did better on it last year

i don't know the scores specifically for each subject, i'm going to have to wait for my cousin to mail the letter to me

but what is considered an average score on the new psat?

iamsimplytammie, No, you are not dumb. What determines success is how hard you work in college and at your job, and produce results. Don't let your psat score determine how you will perform in college and in your job. Study hard and work hard; that's the key to success.

i study like mad, but i honestly have no idea what i would like to do
i know what i don't want to do
seeing as how i have a list wtih everything i've ever considered with everything crossed out...
but the psat is a HUGE deal at my school
it's the number one highschool in the state and i think it's shortlisted as one of the best public schools in america
the psat determines whether or not i'm elligible for certain ap courses
and i need that credit... badly
my family is something like middle class but we've got enough drama over money and everything else as is
i don't want to make my parents pay for my college tuition, an intention which all four of my sisters take to heart, but they still have to come to them sometimes for help... well.. a LOT of times

but thanks for the encouragement c.i.

i really appreciate it

tammie, i empathize with your predicament. was one of the scores on your PSAT much higher than the other scores, or was one much lower? if you did very well in Math, but not that well in the other sections, for example, and you pointed this out to a counselor, you might be allowed to take science and math AP classes, which should be better than not taking any.

tammie, All my siblings and I supported our own college education. My younger brother was in debt $8,000 when he finished med school. When my nephew and niece completed med school, they were in debt by $110,000. When my newphe finished dental school, he was in debt by $130,000. What is important is to set goals for yourself, and work towards achieving them. Don't worry about competing with other people; compete against yourself to do your very best. My older brother eventually became an administrative judge in California, and my sister is an RN. We didn't have the luxury to worry about other people; it was a struggle working and going to college at the same time. When I started my first job after college, I put in 200 percent; worked longer and produced more than anybody before me.

SAT scores actually correlate with vocabulary level, which in turn correlate with socio-economic status.







And the thread title is driving me nuts....

I just got my results mailed to me on my psat (soph year), i got a 63 in C.R. 69 in M and 69 in W.S.

The paper says i made the 96th pecentile "compares your preformance with collage bound juniors"

I have no idea what this means though as far as good/bad/avg, and non of my friends understand it either. Can anyone explain this for me

Also, what does this compare to scorewise with the real sat, and what kind of score am i shooting for to get into a school like UConn?
Thanks

anigo, It's usually based on several criteria in addition to your SAT score such as school and community involvement, leadership experience, and teacher recommendations.

Qualifying for Nation Merit Scholarship
I got 192/240 How much higher do I need next time to qualify to compete for the National Merit Scholarship?

I got a 230 on the PSAT. (Turns out to be the highest score my rural school has ever had) Anyway, I'm just curious if anybody knows how that compares to other scores.

I know that it is high, but I basically want to know how well I did when compared to the "geniuses" out there on the coasts. How many people get 240's?

I got a 80 (Perfect score) on Verbal, 78 on Writing, and 72 on Math.

PSAT scores
I just got my PSAT score and I was wondering if someone could tell me how many colleges look at them, and what is the best score?

Most colleges look at SAT scores, but they also consider other things such as leadership skills, volunteer work, teacher recommendations, and socio-economic background.,

My son's 10th grade PSAT score was 193. He is now a Junior and will soon be taking the PSAT again. He was just out of surgery for a football injury and still on pain med when he took the first test. Does anyone think , realistically, he has much of a chance of bringing his score up to around 210-212 with some preparation? I have no idea if that is reasonably reachable.

Thanks...

Sure, he's a year older, has another full year of school behind him, and isn't recovering from an injury. Why are you particularly interested in him achieving the 210-212 range? The NMSC takes the top 50,000 in the nation. Last year's selection index was 201.