Best time to take PSAT?

Test Preparation
1

Hello: my son currently is in grade 9 at a well known Boarding School. I’ve been reading on CC that some kids take the PSAT in grade 10.

I contacted my sons college counseling office and they suggest that students wait until Grade 11 to take the PSAT.

What is the advantage of taking the PSAT early? We will not need FA for college so the merit scholarship is not a critical factor. Plus I’ve heard that the NMF cutoff for boarding schools are higher than for students in other states.

Is it worth having him practice the PSAT over the summer? Or instead focus on something else over the summer?

2

Also I’ve heard that the PSAT itself will be changing soon (to correspond to the changes in SAT). Is it worth studying for something which will change anyway ?

3

The National Merit scholarship is ONLY for students that take the PSAT in junior year. Some students do take it in sophomore year, but it doesn’t count for NM. Taking it in sophomore year is always for practice; besides that, there’s no need to take it sophomore year.