Why (some) A Students Struggle With SAT Scores

Today, I want to answer a question I hear from a lot of parents: why does my student get A’s in school but struggle to earn SAT scores that match?

There are several reasons for this, starting with how students earn A’s. School grades are a combination of many factors: projects, homework, classwork, participation, attendance, and yes, quizzes and tests, sometimes with extra credit. The SAT, by contrast, is just a test, and there is no extra credit.

It’s also important to understand that an A does not mean the same thing in every class. An A in an AP or IB course means something different from an A in an honors class, which in turn means something different from an A in a college-prep class. Grades don’t just measure what students have learned; they also measure how well students meet the expectations of a particular teacher. If a teacher expects this level of work and a student meets it, the student earns an A: but that doesn’t mean the expectations were the same across all classes or schools.

Students spend anywhere from 90 to 180 days in a math, history, or science class, not to mention the hours spent outside of school on homework, projects, and studying. By comparison, a four- or eight-week SAT prep course is a great first step toward a first test, but it’s not a magic wand that will completely transform a student overnight.

Think about sports. During the season, students practice five or six days a week for two or three hours a day. In the offseason, they might train in the weight room or join a travel team to stay in shape. SAT prep is similar. It’s a big project that takes months—taking the test two or three times and, most importantly, continuing to practice in between each test if students want their scores to keep improving.

Athletes don’t just practice before the first game and then stop for the rest of the season. Students don’t just attend school for the first marking period and then take the final exam. In the same way, students shouldn’t expect to prep only up to their first SAT, take the test once, and be finished.

The SAT and school grades measure different things. If they measured the same thing, colleges wouldn’t ask for both. So just because a student earns great grades doesn’t automatically mean they’ll earn great SAT scores.

If you want to reach your dream score, you have to be willing to put in the time, put in the effort, and keep going. So get cracking. If you run into any trouble, we’re only a call or email away. Reach out to us at 732-556-8220 or Questions@SolutionPrep.com. We’re here to help!