ambitionsquared…as a student i used to let stuff like this eat me up. way back in the day. i think you are smart to realize that you need to find a way past this. I would use your smart brain to think about this…what about kids that take only the ACT? Do you think, logically, that these universities don’t have some attractive equally large merit scholarships for kids that get a 35 or 36 on ACT? and also for kids whose high school doesn’t administer PSAT? NMS is a nice title, but there are many others that you will discover. And the best titles (in terms of money) are those that the college gives you as they hand you that large large scholarship…presidential scholar, trustees scholar, chancellors scholar…there are many merit scholarships out there for you. i hope you get one…or more! And good for you to think this through and get past it without festering too long.