Nation Merit Semi to Finalist SAT

Paying for College
1

<p>Based on my son's PSAT score and past state cutoffs, he should be a National Merit Semifinalist this fall (test 2006, graduate 2008). The National Merit instructions for last year's semifinalists (found here: <a href="http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nationalmerit.org/Merit_R&I_Leaflet.pdf&lt;/a&gt;) includes the following requirement for advancing from semi-finalist to finalist:</p>

<p>"Take the current SAT Reasoning TestTM OR have taken the old SAT® and old SAT Subject Test in Writing and earn scores that confirm your 2005 PSAT/NMSQT performance."</p>

<p>He took the SAT in the spring and got a 2180 (750/760/670). The question is, does this SAT score "confirm" his PSAT score? The CR and math scores are 98th percentile, but the writing is 93rd percentile. Of course the NM semi-finalist cutoff essentially includes only the top 1%.</p>

<p>Opinions and guesses are welcome :-) but I would be really interested in hearing from someone with past experience or actual knowledge in this area.</p>

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<p>In my simple mind I can only assume that they want to make sure someone wasn't cheating or just lucky when they took the PSAT. I can't offer any direct evidence. My DS took the 2006 PSAT, scored very high and was within 20 SAT points on each of the 3 scores.</p>

<p>I have seen this asked on CC threads before, but can't remember where. You might be able to dig up some of those up posts. IIRC no absolute or relative confirmation score was ever mentioned. Even anecdotal data on the subject was sparse. The general feeling was that you would probably have to have a big drop on the SAT to fail to confirm the PSAT score. I'd hate to state a number though.</p>

3

<p>As long as there isn't a big difference between the scores (hundreds of points) there should be no problem.</p>

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<p>Most likely there won't be a big issue.</p>

5

<p>I got 215 on the PSAT (68M, 69CR, 78W) and a 2140 SAT (720M, 740CR, 680W) and am going to OU as a National Merit Finalist, so I wouldn't worry if I was your son. Or is that, "My mom wouldn't worry if she was you"? :) Anyway, good luck to y'all!</p>

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<p>Thanks, all, especially trvsdrlng. Your scores are real close to his, so probably it would have to drop substantially from the PSAT to SAT to disqualify you. Other than being concerned about that, there's no reason for him to take the SAT I again... too many other things going on.</p>

<p>Good luck at OU!</p>

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<p>The National Merit process is so uncompetitive that any score above 2000 is fine.</p>

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<p>I noticed that the standard deviation on the 2006 PSAT/NMSQT for juniors was 11.3 +/- 0.1 on each of the 3 sections. If one SD unit is used as guide that would translate to 113 points per section on the SAT, or about 340 points total. I don't know if this is what they do, but it seems statistically reasonable to me.</p>