<p>As a sophomore in high school, I was wondering if there really would be any benefit in doing good on this test. I don't really feel like studying at all, but was wondering if there was any extremely convincing incentive that could change my mind.</p>
<p>I am one of the few who feel you should never study for standardized test. As a parent and an educator, I feel that these test should be a way to measure student learning and achievement. I think taking it as a sophomore will give you practice, thus comfort for the real thing next year. </p>
<p>I have never had my d student for any exam of this type. I did purchase books to get practice in taking the test and knowing the rules, but no “studying”.</p>
<p>IMHO</p>
<p>At my current school, sophomores take a practice PSAT in the spring, and in the fall of their junior year, they take a prep course, and then they take the real thing. I think it’s different for every school, but I thought I’d just give you my insight!:)</p>
<p>I cannot think of any good reason to study for the 10th grade PSAT. Just a warning – you will be inundated with college literature after that. Don’t give them your email address.
If you have reason to believe that you could be a National Merit Semifinalist in 11th grade, then it is worthwhile to study then. Basically, you will be studying for the SAT, so it won’t be wasted time. Another warning – the National Merit organization groups boarding schools by region, and to become a semi-finalist you must score at the highest level state in your region. For example, the mid-atlantic and new england states are grouped together, and usually must equal the MA cut-off which has been 221-224 in recent years. The exception is boarding schools with a high day population. Loomis students can use the CT cut-off.</p>
<p>There is merit money to gain from Finalist Status.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/986427-cut-off-scores-semi-finalist-announcements-17.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/national-merit-scholarships/986427-cut-off-scores-semi-finalist-announcements-17.html</a></p>
<p>I’m going to take a different tactic since I come from an urban area.</p>
<p>Yes. You should study for the PSAT.</p>
<p>Here’s why. The tests are a measure of what you know and what you’ve learned but there are strategies for how to take the test. We discovered, locally, that a number of bright students were scoring lower because they were unfamiliar with the methods, the types of questions, and determining what has been asked of them.</p>
<p>The PSAT is known for throwing in “distractions.” I.e. data that isn’t needed to solve the problem. It is also known for throwing in the answer to a part of the solution in addition to the actual solution. There are often red herrings and false leads.</p>
<p>So understanding the nature of the test and the way the questions are phrased is helpful. It’s also a good indicator of places where you can go back and review something.</p>
<p>I don’t believe in “test prep” courses since they inflate the scores and schools are starting to be wary - especially of students with perfect scores.</p>
<p>But for many students, becoming familiar with the test and getting some additional knowledge under their belts is helpful. I’m tutoring one of my daughter’s friends and am horrified to see what foundational issues were missed by the district but also helping her understand that the district method of doing long convoluted equations won’t work as a methodology for the PSAT. That the PSAT is testing to see if the student understands the overall “concepts” not how to do long strings of computations. That allowed her to look for what the base concept was and work faster. Similarly - when I pointed out to my own D on the SSAT a year ago that with only 30 seconds to answer each question she had to look “deeper”, she performed better.</p>
<p>Again - it depends on where you’re currently going to school and what methodology the school employs day-to-day. Here in my city there’s a disconnect between education and knowledge needed to gain entrance to college (sigh). The kids get to the test and don’t know what they’re doing. I was shocked to learn that while my D is taking the PSAT as a required exam in 10th grade at boarding school, her friends are taking it at public school only if they apply and can pay $16. Hence the district wide average is less than half a perfect score on an ACT/SAT (not a typo). </p>
<p>One note - if you don’t “feel like studying” that’s fine, but I hope that’s not the approach to the college process in general.</p>
<p>The sophomore year PSAT is, itself, just practice. There is no reason whatsoever to study for it. You will see how well you did, and THEN you can evaluate what, and how much, to study for the “real” PSAT junior year and for the SAT itself.</p>
<p>Another point:
My daugher didn’t indicate that she wanted mail when she took it in 10th grade, and now she regrets it, because her friends are receiving a lot of college mail and she isn’t.</p>
<p>Our school district offers a phenomenally good year-long after school PSAT/SAT prep course only to sophomores with strong 10th grade PSATs. That course typically produces 100% of our district’s NMSFs and it definitely motivates the students to aim high. Average PSAT increase from 10th to 11th grade for students in the course is a whopping 25 pts. Our S improved 31 pts. In our district there is a clear incentive to study for 10th grade PSAT for those who are aiming to get into the course.</p>
<p>Not at all. I just took it, and it was easy as hell. The PSAT is not hard at all, just boring.</p>
<p>yes, you should def. study for the PSAT, so you can do “well” on it, and not “good”</p>
<p>LOL mhmm. I was thinking the same thing but I’ve used up all of my “snarkiness” coupons and won’t get any more until Christmas. :D</p>
<p>Yes, OP. Doing well on the PSAT could give you some recognition. But, if you’re going to study for any standardized test, just prep for the SAT. The PSAT is just an abbrieviated version of the SAT.</p>
<p>neato, hope Santa is good ;)</p>
<p>I “studied” for the PSAT this year (sophomore year) because I was planning on submitting it to the schools I am applying to, if I got a decent score (65+ writing and reading, 75+ in math). Most of the other people in my grade either did the practice test that guidance gave out or went into it cold. Some people took it seriously, others could care less - their parents were forcing them to take it.</p>
<p>This year’s PSAT results are out. Does anyone know typically how soon the BS students will receive their score reports from their school?</p>
<p>I just contacted d’s school yesterday and I was told by the “testing” person, that when they came in the kids would get them. My d is a sophomore and its just practice. I will expect that the juniors will get theirs first and then sophomores.</p>
<p>Good. Then it’s any day now as according to collegeboard they are available</p>
<p>It depends. If you go to BS, then there’s not really any reason to study. If you are a sophomore looking to apply to BS, you should try to do well on the PSAT’s so that you can possibly submit those scores to the school. It shows more than the SSAT.</p>