can you use your SAT scores in lieu of your PSAT to qualify for the national merit?

Test Preparation
1

<p>apparently somebody at my school missed the PSAT day, and filled out a form - to use her SAT scores as her official 11th grade, PSAT score -- thus qualifying for the national merit. </p>

<p>is this legal?</p>

2

<p>Yes, yes it is.</p>

3

<p>This is absolutely legal? I’m so surprised. </p>

<p>My SAT scores were WAY higher than my PSAT ones.</p>

4

<p>I don’t think it’s that easy. According to Querycat:</p>

<p>"What if I miss the one chance at the PSAT/NMSQT when it counts?</p>

<p>Your student can take the PSAT/NMSQT alternative testing option, which is the converted SAT 1 test score taken in substitution for the PSAT/NMSQT. They have up to eight months to retake this test several times.(after the October PSAT/NMSQT has been administered). This procedure includes calling or sending a letter to the National Merit Corporation (by March) stating that your child did not take the test and you want the extension/alternative testing"</p>

5

<p>whoaa. i got a 205 (commended) on the psat as a jr. last year and in the same month, october 2007, i got a 2290 on the sat. should i have been able to qualify for national merit based on my sat or is it only if you miss the psat?</p>

6

<p>Well, somebody at my school apparently missed the test, took the SAT later, and then used that score to qualify… =___=</p>

7

<p>Yes, it is that easy…anyone who misses the psat can take the SAT later and it can be used for NMSF cutoff. You only have to write a letter to the NM folks, get a card signed by your GC, and submit your SAT scores to the NM folks in Chicago.</p>

8

<p>what so if you miss the psat cutoff and get the sat cutoff your still semifinalist?</p>

9

<p>^^^ No. In order for this to apply to you, you would have had to miss the PSAT entirely, so there would be no “missing the PSAT cutoff.”</p>

10

<p>that makes sense. but out of curisoity how do they do cutoffs for sat. do they just divide by 10 and then use that for psat?</p>

11

<p>Anyone have a link to where they say this on the CB site?</p>

12

<p>wow, if only I had known this sooner…</p>

13

<p>it’s not on the CB site. YOu have to search the National Merit site.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>[National</a> Merit Scholarship Corporation - Entering the Competitions](<a href=“http://www.nationalmerit.org/entering.php]National”>http://www.nationalmerit.org/entering.php)</p>

14

<p>I read that a high school junior who misses the October PSAT Test (for any reason) is able to substitue SAT I scores, has an eight month window to do so, and may take up to six SAT I Tests to uses as qualifying scores in the National Merit competition.</p>

15

<p>It is my understanding that a SAT I Test score may be used for National merit competition ONLY if that high school junior did not take the PSAT Test at all. And, there is only a window of time to take that SAT I Test/s.</p>