Copyright: SATCON ® 1995 James Bair
Citation: The SAT Conversion Program, SATCON, ® 1995 James Bair, All rights reserved


Contents

      SATCON

The SAT Score Conversion Program

Introduction to SATCON

How to Use SATCON

Using the SATCON Menu

Converting PSAT Scores

Using Key Commands

Miscellaneous Information about SATCON

Highlights in SAT History

Other Information

Ordering Information

How to Use this Help File

Click on any underlined topic to go to that topic.


Introduction to S.A.T. Score Conversion Program
 Introduction to SATCON

Beginning in the fall of 1994 for the PSAT and in 1995 for the regular SAT-I,  the College Board "recentered" the scores for the Scholastic Assessment Tests. When the current S.A.T. format was adopted in 1941, a score of 500 was the  median score for both Math and Verbal sections.  By 1994 a variety of causes  had made the average Math score 470 and the average Verbal score between 420  and 430.  The College Board decided to "recenter" the scoring on the tests,  making 500 once again the median according to standards from 1993 and 1994.

What does this mean? Click here to find out...

The S.A.T. Score Conversion Program, or SATCON for short, will help you interpret your scores.  Enter the score you want to convert.  Click one of the four buttons for the type of  conversion you want to make, and read the converted score.  That way you can  see how the score fits in with the scores from other testing times!


What Does this Recentering Mean for Students?

SAT and PSAT scores prior to the recentering are going to be different.  In most cases they will be slightly to significantly lower. At a few levels the Math scores are the same.

Many students took the SAT or PSAT prior to the change.  They want to compare their own scores.  Other students want to compare themselves to others who took the test before.  Students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors would all like to see how students fit in as they make decisions on what to do after graduation and where to apply to college.


 How To Use SATCON

To convert SAT scores simply enter the score you want to convert into the box titled "Score to convert."  This can be done two ways:

1. Use the scroll bar under the box.  Click on the right arrow to make  the score go higher.  Click on the left arrow to lower the score.  Drag on the square between the two arrows (this square is called the "thumb") to the right or left to make the change more quickly.

2. Click on the box itself and enter the score. Simply type it in.  Remember, scores must be between 200 and 800 and must be rounded off to the nearest ten.  PSAT scores are scored the same way, just divided by ten.

After you have the score you want to convert entered, simply click on one of the four buttons to convert the score.  At the top are the Verbal score buttons.  At the bottom are the Math score buttons.  The "Old" scores are those prior to the recentering (before 1995 for the SAT, before the fall of 1994 for the PSAT).  The "New" scores are the newly recentered scores.  The score which appears in the lower box entitled "Converted score" tells you the equivalent score.

Click here or the right arrow button above for an example.

See also Menu Commands and SATCON Keys


Example
 An Example Showing SATCON at Work

You are looking at a college which says it usually accepts students whose SAT scores are above 900.  This information was published in 1994.

You just took the new, recentered SAT-I and got a 510 in Math and a 520 in Verbal.  You want to know if your score is above 900 under the old scoring system.

You enter "510" in the "Score to convert" box and click on the Math button that says "New to Old."  SATCON tells you this is equivalent to 480 in the old system.  Then you enter "520" in the "Score to convert" box and click on the Verbal button that says "New to Old."  SATCON tells you that this is equivalent to 440 in the old scoring system.

Your total would have been 920 in the old system.  This means that your SAT score should not keep you out of the college you chose.


 Using the SATCON Menu

The SATCON menu line at the top of the program follows the standard  Windows format.

File. Click on "File" and you get two options, "Clear Entries" and "Exit."  "Clear Entries" just clears the program to its original state.  It may make the face of the program look a little neater.

PSAT. Click on "PSAT" and you get two options.  Click on "PSAT Dates" and a pop-up box reminds you of when PSAT recentering began and how PSAT scores differ from SAT scores.  Click on "PSAT Convert" and SATCON converts PSAT scores for you.  A check mark by "PSAT Convert" and a note at the bottom of the program face tell you when PSAT scores are being converted. To go back to SAT conversion, click on the "PSAT Convert" Menu again; the check mark will  disappear and SATCON will be set up to do SAT scores again.

SAT Info.  Click on "SAT Info" and you get two options. Click on "SAT Dates" and a pop-up box reminds you of when recentering began. Click on "About the SAT" and you will get some information about the SAT to keep the author legally covered.

Help.  Click on "Help" and you get five options. Click on "Help Commands" and get this help file.  You can also get this help file opening to the specific commands you need by pressing the "F1" key. Click on "Search for" to look for a specific topic in this help file. Click on "Help on Help" for some information on how to read this help file.

Click on "About" to get certain specific information about this program.  Click on "Other Information" to find out about other programs available from the author.


 SATCON Key Commands

If you have no mouse available, run SATCON according to standard Windows procedures.  Clicking the "Tab" key will highlight each of the four buttons, the "Score to convert" window, and the Scroll Bar.  Press the Tab key until the item you want is highlighted.

The Scroll Bar, when highlighted, can be used by pressing the right or left Arrow Keys to make the number go up or down.  When the "Score to convert" Window is highlighted, you may type in the number you want.  When one of the Command Buttons is highlighted, press the "Enter" Key to execute the command.

The four Command Buttons, the "Score to convert" Window, and the four Menu Commands can be accessed by pressing the "Alt" Key plus the underlined letter on the Button or Menu Command you want.  The Menu line can also be accessed by pressing the "F10" Key; you may then use the tab or arrow keys to highlight other menu commands. When a menu command is accessed and the drop-down menu lists are revealed, you may choose one of those commands by pressing the underlined letter.  You may also use Arrow Keys to highlight any menu command and the Enter Key to enter any highlighted menu choice.


 Miscellaneous Information on SATCON

SATCON is copyright ©1995 by James Bair, P.O. Box 203, Shelton  CT 06484 USA, All rights reserved.  It is not Public Domain, though it may normally be distributed without charge.

SATCON may be distributed freely without charge as long as all files are kept together and are unaltered.  That includes the SATCON.EXE file, this SATCON.HLP file, the SATCON.TXT file, and any icon files.  Bona fide shareware dealers may charge a nominal fee for the copying of files.  Any commercial distribution without permission of the author is prohibited.  That includes any retail sale of shareware or public domain software except at bona fide computer stores where the shareware concept is clearly understood.

One reason this is being distributed freely is to promote the author's PC- compatible SAT study software, Verbal Vanquish and Math Vanquish. Registered users of those programs should contact the author to get a copy of SATCON without the "ad" at the end. Other users may send the author $5.00 in US funds only for a copy without the ad. Master Card and Visa Accepted.  CompuServe ID 70730,3001.  Internet 70730.3001@compuserve.com.

Like many Windows programs, SATCON needs the file VBRUN300.DLL in order to run.  Put it in your Windows\System directory.  Chances are, you probably have it.  If not, it is readily available from most on-line services, bulletin boards, and shareware dealers.  SATCON works with all other files in the same directory.

Windows is a registered trademark® of the Microsoft Corporation.  SAT, SAT-I, PSAT, Scholastic Assessment Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and College Board are all registered trademarks® of the College Board.  Use of these terms for informational purposes does not imply any review or endorsement of this product by the College Board or Educational Testing Service.

Thanks to David Baldwin for the RTFGEN Help Authoring program.


Timeline of SAT History
 A Short History of the SAT

1901--The College Board established to provide college entrance exams for colleges.  Prior to this, each college had its own exam.

1916--College Board tests no longer reflect curriculum, but try to be "comprehensive exams."  Questions are still essay type.

1926--The College Board includes multiple-choice questions on its admissions tests.  Such questions had been popularized by  "intelligence tests" used to screen recruits in Word War I.  Princeton had used  such a test in 1925 for its own admissions.

1928--The 200-800 scoring system now replaces percentages on most College Board  tests.

1941--The score for the April 1941 SAT became the standard for the SAT.

1942--Essay questions dropped from the SAT.  The SAT as we know it  begins.

1947--The Educational Testing Service founded by the College Board and Carnegie Foundation to write and administer competency tests of all  kinds.

1958--College Board officially permits students to see their scores.

1971--Grammar section added to SAT ("Test of Standard Written English.")

1976--Scores rounded to the nearest ten rather than units.

1978--The ETS's "Taking the SAT" booklet published for students signing  up for the SAT.

1981--New York State Educational Testing Act of 1979 goes into effect, requiring all standardized tests in the state to publish contents of tests after they have been given.  The College Board begins doing this.

1994--Grammar Test eliminated from SAT.  SAT renamed from "Scholastic Aptitude Test" to "Scholastic Assessment Test."  Antonym questions replaced by vocabulary questions in Reading Comprehension.  Math includes  "grid" questions in which students have to write in answers rather than make  choices.

1995--1941 scoring median replaced by new "recentered" score.


Other Information
 Other Information--

Try these other programs by the same author...

VERBAL VANQUISH

Vanquish Your Anguish

on the

Verbal Portion of the SAT and similar tests

This program emphasizes STRATEGY to do your best on the Verbal portion of the SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, Regents, and similar entrance exams.  No boring drill, but real skills to help you improve your score.  Students tutored by the author using these techniques have averaged a 70 point increase on the Verbal Portion of the SAT alone!  You can't afford not to have it!  Easy to use, for all IBM-compatible computers with 512K RAM and 700K disk storage. Any monitor type.  Upgraded to include the new SAT-I and PSAT. Includes a strategic word list and an SAT-oriented vocabulary book.

and

MATH VANQUISH

Vanquish Your Anguish

on the

Math Portion of the SAT and similar tests

The companion program to VERBAL VANQUISH, MATH VANQUISH gives you what you need to do your best on the Math portion of the SAT, ACT, GRE, and similar exams.  Once again, the emphasis is on strategy.  Students tutored using similar strategies have increased their scores an average of 80 points on the Math Portion of the SAT.  (Together with the Verbal lessons, that is an average increase of 150 points per SAT!)  Same computer requirements as above except that an EGA or higher monitor is required.  Updated for the new SAT-I and PSAT.  (Ask about CGA and mono version of program, if you need them).

Click here to order these programs


Order Form
 Order Form--SAT Vanquish

Click on the Printer icon above to print this order form.

Name

Address_____________________

City___________________State

Zip_________________Country

Please rush me the following program(s):

Check DOS Disk size: 5.25____ 3.5____

No. 	Total

_____Verbal Vanquish @ $25 	_____

_____SAT Vanquish @ $35 	_____

(includes Math and Verbal) 	________

Total Enclosed 	______

Payment in US money on US bank only or

Master Card/ Visa

Card No.____________________________

Cardholder Name______________________

Expiration Date____________

Thank you for your order--and may all your anguish be vanquished!

CompuServe members may purchase these via GO SWREG. For Verbal Vanquish, get product number 359, for SAT Vanquish, get product number 4976.

This form may printed by clicking on the File|Print option on the Menu line  above, or by clicking on the printer icon next to the title.


 How to Use This Help File

This works like any other Windows® Help File.

Underlined Words

Click on any Underlined word or words and you will go to that topic.

(See the underlined word Contents below.)

Buttons

You may Browse or go page by page by clicking on the Arrow (>>or <<) buttons or the Upper Case arrow keys (period and comma shifted) on your keyboard.

For main topics, choose from the Contents on the opening screen, which you may go to by clicking on the "Contents" button above or pressing the C key.

Click on the "Search" button above or press the S key and then follow directions by entering the name of the grammar topic you are looking for help on. Click on "Show Topic" and then "Go To" and you will go to information that will help express yourself clearly and without error.

Click on the "Back" button or press the B key to take you to the previous page you were reading.

Click on the "History" button or press the H key to give you a list of all the topics you have already viewed.  You may then choose one to go back to reread that topic.

The Window Menu Line

Click on "Help" followed by "Help on Help" on the Menu line above, for complete information on how to use help files, search for topics, add your own comments, or make bookmarks (or press Alt-H, then H).

To exit this help file, you may click on "File" on the Menu line above, and then choose "Exit" from the Menu box that appears (or press Alt-F, then X). You may also exit this help file by pressing the "Esc" Key.

If you find that you refer to a certain section frequently, place a "Bookmark" there so you can return to it quickly.  With the Help file "Edit" function, you can add material which is helpful to you or which reflects your organization's procedures.  With the "Print" function in the "File" Menu, you can even print information from this Help File on your printer.

A good way to become familiar with Help Files is to browse through some of the pages or take a look at some of the "Search" topics.