<p>I wanted my first post on these forums to be more positive, but I really need to express how bummed I am after seeing PSAT scores, as I didn't qualify as a National Merit finalist :P... But anyways, I was just wondering how much this award affects college apps. Is it a huge plus? Or does it vary from school to school/in general? Thanks!</p>
<p>If you’re applying to top schools like ivies (i’m assuming), it really doesn’t make much of a difference. What matters, though, is your actual SAT score. The scholarship you get from it is not actually that much, but some lower level institutions offer free or very good tuition which can sometimes be a good deal.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info! Pretty relieving 
…(though my pride is still damaged from my scores in comparison to some of my friends haha)</p>
<p>Try not to worry about it PSAT scores mean absolutely nothing in the college admissions process, and while being NMF can help you out, it’s far from a dealbreaker. The main advantage of being NMF is the availability of scholarship opportunities- the competition is more about financial aid that admissions.</p>