So we got our PSAT scores back about a week ago and I’m assuming that colleges got our scores recently because I had a huge amount of emails in my inbox today from colleges, among the list was Princeton, Vanderbilt, Columbia and Northwestern. I did fairly well on the PSAT(217). Does it really mean anything that I’m getting these emails from all these very good schools or are schools not very selective in their mailing list when it comes to PSAT scores? Thanks!
Schools want to market to students with higher scores.
@JustOneDad so would you say i have a slightly increased chance of being accepted to one of these schools?
@mat324 No, PSAT scores aren’t considered for admission purposes. Even NSMF awards and the like are essentially redundant– since you’ll be submitting SATs anyway, colleges will see that you’re a strong student (at least for standardized tests.)
A lot of colleges will email you if you score well. They send out thousands of emails and letters. It won’t help your chances at the schools you listed unfortunately. They just want more students to apply.
Colleges have subcontracted the task of sending brochures to a subparty contractor. All students within a certain radius who hit a specific number or higheron their PSAT get brochures - it’s simple marketing, it means nothing in particular. If some colleges interest you, then you need to fill out the “request info” form on the websites.
Because they sent you a mailer?
No.
You have the same chances you would have had otherwise.
All they know about you at this time is the PSAT score.
^They don’t even “know” it - these mailings are subcontracted, so that the college actually never even saw that student’s name, and if s/he wants to show interest, s/he must use the “request info” form in order to get on the adcoms’ radar…
It’s like, if you live within 10 miles of a supermarket, you get their mailings, regardless of whether you’re a regular customer, whether you would even consider going, etc, etc. The supermarket’s managers have no clue who gets these mailings.
On the other hand, the fact that you scored well on the PSAT bodes well for you scoring highly on other college entrance exams. And THAT will boost your chances at these schools, of course. However, as stated above, the emails that result from the PSAT, in themselves, are just a nonspecific mass marketing tool directed at you solely because you fell into a certain score category.