<p>Does anyone know how closely your SAT scores have to match your PSAT scores to be accepted for the National Merit Scholarship? I went down 70 points from PSAT to SAT, disappointingly, and I'm wondering if this is too much to be considered for the scholarship in the fall. I will obviously try to bring the SAT score up, but I'm just curious at this point how that would look to them.</p>
<p>My PSAT selection index was a 185, and I ended up getting an 1860 on the December SAT.</p>
<p>I got a 216 on the PSAT. I got a 2190 on the October SAT, a 2260 on the December SAT, and a 2300 superscore. I would like to comment that I had swine flu during the October SAT and was recovering during the PSAT, but that’s no excuse. The PSAT often comes out lower because of a harsher curve.</p>
<p>I think he is referring to what kind of score he needs to get to National Merit Finalist, not how closely your PSAT score matched up with your SAT score. In any case, what I have heard is that scoring 2000+ should make you eligible for finalist standing.</p>
<p>I think you need to just meet the commended bar (which is like a 2010). A 70 point decrease probably won’t be a problem unless you barely made the cut in a state like Wyoming.</p>
<p>I got 224 on PSAT and dropped to 2170 on SAT: is that still high enough to get the scholarship probably?</p>
<p>I got a 215 on the PSAT in Missouri, but I took the SAT cold a week before that and got a 2010. I would also like to know if I’m eligible for Finalist standings or if I must take it again to improve my score.</p>
<p>jamezz- absolutely. unless they become crazy and change their system, which they wont.
fallenangel- most likely, but not certain. sorry thats all i can say about that :(</p>
<p>Okay, well I will be taking the SAT again in the spring so hopefully I’ll be able to improve my scores then (excuse my ignorance - if I do get better scores then I still have time to send them in, right? lol).</p>
<p>Thanks for your help.</p>