Testing doesn't just test ABILITY with the material, though-- that's the missing link there. There's no way to modify one's base processing speed or working memory; that's how I explain it.
DD and I neither one are capable of a perfect 800 on the SAT-M. DH is.
And this is part of the reason why these kids who take the top elite test prep classes, don't actually budge their scores as much as they would like. They do a bit but after a certain point spending more times on prep doesn't seem to help much. Certainly not in proportion to the amount of time they spend. The classes I'm thinking of you have to get a certain score on a pre-test just to be enrolled.
I don't think I would be able to get an perfect score on the SAT either. I would make too many silly mistakes, too much time pressure. And I think my son will be like that. My DH didn't but I think he just didn't really try, his first try was good enough to get him into "top rated" unviversity so why bother. (SAT prep and scores weren't as crazy then.) He I bet he could have since he did get a perfect score on the GRE.
