<p>Is it a common acceptable option to take the PSAT in a neighboring state that has historically lower level criteria for National Merit Scholars?</p>
<p>Is there any negatives to taking it in the neighboring state?</p>
<p>On a similar note, since the PSAT is generally given on two dates, can you take the test two times (and two states).</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>While I do not the potential ramifications of such an action, I can say such an action is basically "cheating" the system...</p>
<p>I say don't do it...</p>
<p>Just study more, so you can get that NMSF qualifying score</p>
<p>wow what the ........... where the hell do you even think of something like this? just take it honestly</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is it a common acceptable option to take the PSAT in a neighboring state that has historically lower level criteria for National Merit Scholars?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Never heard of such a thing. And, if it is done, I doubt the student would advertise such a dishonest and shameful strategy.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is there any negatives to taking it in the neighboring state? (sic)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You might be discovered and your reputation negatively impacted.</p>
<p>
[quote]
On a similar note, since the PSAT is generally given on two dates, can you take the test two times (and two states).
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't know the answer. But, if it were allowed, I bet the idea would be all over CC. Since it's not, let assume it's not allowed.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider--just taking the PSAT and doing well is not enough to qualify you for NMSQT. To progress in that competition, you also need to do well on the SAT. Then you have to complete some essays and have forms sent in from your school (I think -- perhaps someone who has been through the process recently could post?). So, it will look quite odd if you have documentation being sent in to the NMSQT people from various states.</p>
<p>It is no more cheating the system as it is to have states have varying rates of cut-off. That statement was funny. I guess taking prep courses outside of normal studies is 'cheating' also then. </p>
<p>We live right on the border and education quality is almost the same on both sides of the border where we live but the same can't be said for the full state. The PSAT cutoff scores differ by over 10 points. </p>
<p>The prospect of this came from an instructor in a prep course. He backed up his statement by saying that colleges don't differentiate by which state you took the test in. IE. Connecticut vs. Mississippi. This amazed me because the state to state difference can be as much as 20 points even though the test is the same and colleges accept students from all states. </p>
<p>I can see how my question about taking the test twice could ruffle a few feathers but my other question is legitimate.</p>
<p>Regarding the question about sending in information from multiple states - I doubt they would blink an eye - people move around all the time due to relocation etc. There are a lot of reasons why information may come from multiple states that wouldn't show up on addmission forms.</p>
<p>Regarding the last statement by EG1 - with states having depressed scoring are at a disadvantage due to the lower SAT scores as well? That essentially very, very few in those states are given Nat. Merit Status? I'd like to see some statistics on that because if that were true these states would have big problems with this process. My guess although, I can't back it up is that Nat. Merit scholars are dispersed more evenly than the differing cutoff scores reflect.</p>
<p>Registration for the PSAT that counts for the National Merit program is done by high schools, rather than by individual students.</p>
<p>Do you have a choice to change high schools to a different state? Are you home-schooled? Otherwise, I think you just take the test when your high school offers it.</p>
<p>There are probably some rules that determine the applicable state for home-schoolers, but I'm not sure what they are. Changing high schools would be pretty drastic.</p>
<p>I think it matters not where you take the test, but rather, where you live. Even if you somehow managed to take the test in another state, the score still needs to be sent to your home in your home state.</p>
<p>Registration for the PSAT is done by the school ("Registration for the test is by high school rather than individual student. Interested students should see their counselor at the beginning of the school year to make arrangements to take the PSAT/NMSQT at the school in October." Source: <a href="http://www.nationalmerit.org/entering.php)%5B/url%5D">http://www.nationalmerit.org/entering.php)</a>. You don't register for it directly.</p>
<p>Oh, great -- I'm looking up links, and QuantMech gets here first and slides his post in in front of mine!! I have GOT to type faster or Google faster or SOMEthing!! :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
The prospect of this came from an instructor in a prep course. He backed up his statement by saying that colleges don't differentiate by which state you took the test in.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Colleges look at PSAT scores?!?!</p>
<p>The 9/13 ACT isn't available in New Jersey so my D is taking it in Pennsylvania. I never thought of possibly getting a higher score because she is taking it in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>JerseyShoreMom, Her score for a given set of right/wrong/omit on each section will be identical, regardless of where she takes the PSAT.</p>
<p>The underlying issue is: The cut-off for commended status is nationwide. But the cut-off for Semifinalist varies by state.</p>
<p>Thanks JerseyShoreMom - that is what I'm talking about. I highly, highly doubt that would somehow count against you. There are too many reasons to consider why someone may take the test in another state. </p>
<p>Good advice with how you apply for the test. I'll have to give the link a look and perhaps call the college board to ask. </p>
<p>I think its a sad state of affairs when a student doesn't get a chance at obtaining higher distinction to put on thier admission or resume etc. just because they live a few miles one direction or another. So many of these posts on this site are by students just on the edge of qualifying. I don't know how many posts I've seen on this site that start like - what's the cutoff at this state... or did I make it.... or crap I missed it by only this much.</p>
<p>Its a shame the bar varies so much from state to state.</p>
<p>Go-Man, why do you think the bar varies from state to state? Think about it, please.</p>
<p>And JerseyShoreMom is talking about the ACT, not the PSAT. Of course the situation is the ACT is completely different and it doesn't matter where her child takes it.</p>
<p>Yes, owlice, I missed that JerseyShoreMom's post was about the ACT. My real work is interfering with the quality of my CC posts!</p>
<p>But on the question about the variability of the cut-off from state to state: Presumably, that's intended to correct for the variability in educational opportunities, as reflected in actual student performance on the PSAT. If so, I think it is too coarse-grained a way to correct for the differing opportunities. For example, contrast a student going to Palo Alto High School with a student attending a school in a rough section of Los Angeles. Contrast a student attending high school in Oak Ridge, TN with a student in rural TN. Contrast a student in Grosse Pointe Woods with a student in an inner city school in Detroit. The state of residence is about all that each pair has in common.</p>
<p>Perhaps there's some other reason for setting different cut-offs by state?</p>
<p>Perhaps there is, but I think it does have to do with education being a state responsibility so this reflects the educational variability from one state to another.</p>
<p>The system rewards the top-scoring students in each state, wherever they may come from within that state and with whatever obstacles or advantages they may have faced/had. This has an advantage over an easier method of awarding scholarships: simply rewarding the top scorers, state boundaries not considered. That would result in some states being over-represented and other states not being represented at all. </p>
<p>The current method looks more refined when compared with that possibility, hmmm? The awards are spread out throughout the country rather than being concentrated in only a few states/areas. Though this may be coarse-grained, it is IMO a better method than a nationwide horse race would be.</p>
<p>The cutoff varies from state to state because it is based on the 9Xth percentile of people that take the test. I guess that is the overriding reason but I think the underlying reason is that some states simply invest more in thier education system than others. This translates to opportunities for the students to take more difficult curriculums. Not all schools or states have enriched classes or AP classes which would help prepare them for higher scores. </p>
<p>I'm not going to be able to argue how to fix the system because I don't have a solution, I have a question. </p>
<p>I know some readers will write this question off but if it turns out to be right and if your student misses the cutoff by a couple of points and you live less than 50 miles from a border state where they would have qualified for a further, broader assessment than I guess you'll wonder why you didn't ask the question. </p>
<p>I understand the PSAT isn't looked at by colleges but they do look at whether you were considered for a semifinalist or finalist in the national merit pool thus the worthiness of the question is valid.</p>
<p>Probably educational inequalities within individual states have grown since the practice of state-by-state awards was originally instituted.</p>
<p>The current method might be genuinely fairer than having a nationwide cut-off; but it seems to me that the current system advantages students who attend good schools in below-average states. (No personal stake in this. QMPrime had a state-of-residence advantage, but would not have needed it, if there had been nationwide cut-offs, instead of state-by-state.)</p>
<p>Yet, in the words of Carl Sandburg,</p>
<p>Somebody loses whenever somebody wins.
This was known to the Chaldeans long ago.
And more: somebody wins whenever somebody loses.
This too was in the savvy of the Chaldeans.</p>
<p>If I were designing the system from scratch, I'd use census data on a zip-code by zip-code basis, and group people by socio-economic status, not just by state of residence. Computer power has changed a lot since the NMS folks started distributing scholarships.</p>
<p>As far as your original question goes, Go-Man, if your own educational experiences have been at the general level of those in the higher-scoring state, and that's also where you live, I personally think that it's right to stick with that state (regardless of any technical loopholes).</p>
<p>In my limited understanding, but based on the collegeboard site, one registers for the PSAT at the high school one is attending (with exceptions only for home schoolers), so one cannot pick , easily, where to take it. Also, generally, each high school gives it only once - there are two dates so that schools have a choice, not students.</p>