<p>As I understand it, the SAT has to be taken to "confirm" the results of the PSAT for National Merit. </p>
<p>Can a candidate take the SAT more than once? Or does the first time taking the SAT after the PSAT count?</p>
<p>You can take the SAT as many times as you want until the latest acceptable date specified by NMC. And you can have scores from an SAT taken during your junior year. There is something like a 12-month window but I can’t remember the exact dates and I couldn’t find them right now. I do know that my D sent scores from a March test taken in her Junior year. You choose which SAT score to send to NMSC. It has a code just like a college. I am not sure how they would treat multiple scores but they will only see the ones that you send to them.</p>
<p>Actually there is more than a 2-year window. This is an excerpt from the requirements for last year’s semi-finalists:</p>
<p>Take the SAT® and earn scores that confirm your 2012 PSAT/NMSQT performance. You must take (or
have taken) a national administration of the SAT between October 2011 and December 2013. Also, it
is your responsibility to file a request with the College Board SAT Program to have an official report
of your SAT scores sent to NMSC (code 0085)</p>
<p>So if you are a junior who took the PSAT in 2013, and the rules don’t change this year, any SAT score between October 2012 and December 2014 would qualify.</p>
<p>Thanks! Also, do u know when cutoff scores for different states are usually announced?</p>
<p>GMT, cutoff scores aren’t announced until next Fall, usually early September</p>
<p>The cutoffs usually aren’t too different than in previous years, so you can use those to predict your chances.</p>
<p>thanks!!!</p>
<p>State cut-off scores can be +/- 3 or 4 points from preceding year. Scores were higher this year and lower the prior. National commended score also varies from year to year, with Class of 2014’s score being 203. I believe a couple of states had that same score as their NMSF cut-off.</p>
<p>If a cutoff score is, say, 209, does that mean:
- 209 and higher make the cut, or
- 209 and lower don’t make the cut?</p>
<p>209 & higher do make the cut-off.</p>
<p>How high do you have to score on the SAT to become a Finalist? 99% percentile again, or can it be slightly lower?</p>
<p>I believe 1960 was the qualifying score of late. They use a formula that I <em>think</em> multiplies W MC score by 10 and does not use essay score, but don’t quote me on that. It is not a high bar, but I guess I think of it that way since the cut-off score in our state is relatively high.</p>
<p>Here are qualifying scores by state for last year’s test: [FairTest</a> Press Release: National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Scores Vary Greatly State-By State | FairTest](<a href=“http://www.fairtest.org/fairtest-press-release-national-merit-scholarship-2013]FairTest”>http://www.fairtest.org/fairtest-press-release-national-merit-scholarship-2013)</p>
<p>But I am clueless about what they need for NM SAT confirmation scores.</p>
<p>I’ve seen about the same number CT1417 has for a verification score (just south of 2000).</p>