My daughter broke her right wrist this past weekend and will still be in a cast, with unknown writing ability (trying to figure that out!) when the PSAT is given in two weeks. Currently she can not write with her right hand at all! (She is right-handed.)
Our counselor is being told that the only option is to take the PSAT with a “large block” answer sheet, possibly with more time. But really, that still makes math incredibly hard. Having broken my own wrist just 3 years ago, I know this would not be much help.
I know 30 years ago, my brother took the SAT instead. I can’t find anything on-line. Does anyone know anything about this option/have opinions? We have to decide/make requests ASAP.
Thank you!
She can skip her PSAT due to the injury and use alternate entry instead. Scroll down to If a Student Misses the PSAT/NMSQT® Administration: https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=398
Alternate entry means her standing for National Merit purposes will be determined by her SAT score instead of her PSAT score. You’ll need to email them to request the appropriate forms (maybe call first for specific instructions?). You fill out the form, get it signed by the GC and scan or mail it back.
We did this for S, who missed his PSAT due to a migraine and is now a National Merit Scholar. 
Thank you, and congratulations! I think our guidance counselor called the College Board and not the National Merit Corporation. And, until hearing of your experience, the rumor I heard about this indicated that it’s more difficult to qualify based on SAT score. (Which might still be true, but worked for you which is encouraging!)
Hmmm, I guess since the SAT is considered to be a harder test, then you could see it as being harder to qualify with the SAT. On the upside, you get multiple chances vs. only one with the PSAT, and the score counts as a confirming score in addition to a qualifying score.
The SI needed to advance will be the same regardless of which test the student took. In our case, S needed a 221 for his year in CA.
When he took his SAT, he scored 1490, 760V / 730M, broken down as 39 Reading, 37 Writing, 36.5 math.
To calculate SI, you add the raw scores together and double them, but you have to cap each one at 38 to account for the PSAT only going to 1520 while the SAT goes to 1600. So S’s 39 in Reading was a 38 for SI purposes.
With the caps in place, S’s score converted like so: (38 + 37 + 36.5) * 2 = 223
S got the score he needed in one go, so he stopped. If your D wants to, she can take the SAT more than once (as long as it’s within the window NMSC gives you) and use only the highest score to qualify.
Best of luck to your D!
P.S. We used the Erica Meltzer books for ERBW and PWN the SAT for Math. Each one has an index in the back that maps every single question on the official practice tests to the concepts covered in the books. So you take a practice test, score it, then consult the index to tally which concepts you’re weak on. PWN the SAT also has a website with private access for those who bought the book.