Hey, I'm currently a high school junior and I was wondering how my PSAT scores relate to percentiles. What does it mean when someone is in a specific percentile, and is there an updated chart for reference?
PSAT scores and percentiles are closely related and help to contextualize your performance on the test. Your PSAT score indicates your raw test performance, while your percentile rank helps you understand how well you did compared to other test-takers.
Percentiles range from 1 to 99, and for each percentile, it refers to the percentage of students who scored at or below the PSAT score for that specific percentile rank. Let's say your total PSAT score is 1150, and your percentile rank is 75. This means that 75% of the test-takers in that testing cohort scored 1150 or lower, and 25% scored higher.
Percentile ranks are updated periodically to account for the performances of the latest group of test-takers. It's essential to note that percentiles are not precise rankings. They provide a general sense of how your test performance compares to others rather than exact standing.
The most comprehensive and recent PSAT percentiles chart can typically be found in the understanding your score report provided by the College Board or on their official website. Keep in mind that the PSAT percentiles can change slightly each year as new test-taker data becomes available, so it's essential to refer to the most recent chart when evaluating your scores.
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