<p>For someone that’s been testing well since early and expects to do better “in the one that counts,” it’s definitely a great return per hour and a reward for the parent shepherding from K-!0 (not helicoptering 
). People tend to dismiss the PSAT but to me it’s the test that if you do well will put money in your pocket. For S1 (NMSF) it meant $1k/year at a top school, not Ivy (would have been $2k/year if he had qualified for FA). For S2 (Commended and Hispanic Scholar) it meant $5k/per year at the local Flagship. I don’t think either one of them could have saved that amount of money while working in HS.</p>
<p>I agree with mathone that the National Merit Scholarships are worthwhile for a student who would like to go to an Ivy, unless the family is “wealthy beyond the dreams of avarice,” or well, anyway, pretty wealthy. To me $2500 is still a lot of money, and we were glad that QMP received it, even though our income put us in the full pay bracket.</p>
<p>I agree with Longhaul:
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<p>That was our plan and it worked well. First, D took the PSAT as a sophomore. Your score report gives you a pretty detailed breakdown about where your student made errors. That’s really helpful in focusing your preparation. Then we had D prep for about 8 weeks in Aug/Sept of her junior year for both the PSAT and SAT. D prepped on her own using prep books purchased on Amazon after reviewing the threads in the SAT Prep forum about recommended books. D was motivated and self disciplined so that worked well for her. Another kid might need the discipline of a more organized prep class. But beware that most prep classes are geared toward kids who are scoring around 165 on their PSAT. I know because D got a part time job at a local SAT/PSAT prep center, helping to proctor and score practice tests.</p>
<p>D got a 225 on the PSAT (now she’s NMSF) and then took the December SAT in her junior year and got a 2340. (She would’ve taken the Nov SAT but had a schedule conflict.) She was done and could concentrate on AP exams and subject tests in the Spring. That was such a relief.</p>
<p>I really think that kids who start SAT prepping in 7th or 8th grade can suffer burnout. I think one of the reasons our strategy worked for D was that she had a limited time to really focus her efforts on her goal. The more diffuse the preparation period, the harder to keep up the intensity level, IMHO.</p>
<p>Not everyone gets that $2,500 award from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Ds’s school had six NMSF. All became finalists, but he was the only one of the six to receive that $2,500 one-time award. </p>
<p>Yep, my son was a finalist, but didn’t get the award.</p>
<p>Participating schools have their own arrangements. That’s why technically not a finalist S got $4k altogether instead of the one time $2.5k (no double dipping allowed). His friend that went to a non participating school did get the $2.5k.</p>
<p>As mentioned up thread some schools give great scholarships for NMF. D’s first choice school is OU and they offer $120,000 (over 5 years that can be used for grad school) not a full ride but it’s a huge amount so it’s certainly worth the time D put into to prep. Now we wait …</p>
<p>poor kid. A bunch of strangers on the internet and now he’s spending his free time prepping for the PSAT instead of actually enjoying his childhood.</p>
<p>You guys don’t have a sense of proportion, do you? yes, there is money for NMF. No, it’s not worth prepping for while you’re in middle school. both statements can be correct simultaneously, but nobody here ever misses an opportunity to humble brag about how much money their kid got.</p>
<p>Sigh. poor kid.</p>
<p>I would beg to differ. My son’s corporate NM scholarship made the difference between significant debt and no debt for college. We are <strong>incredibly</strong> thankful he’s getting 6K a year. Of course I don’t really remember if he studied for the test, but I’m sure he must have done some prep.</p>
<p>And I’m disappointed that my middle son, now a HS senior, decided to prep very little, and he missed the NM cutoff here in California by 7 points. His January SAT would have been good enough, but his October PSAT was not. True, he probably wouldn’t have gotten the corporate scholarship since my oldest son is just that kind of a kid to get it, but at least he would have been in the running.</p>
<p>I don’t think prepping in middle school is a good use of time, but prepping in the summer before the PSAT seems reasonable.</p>
<p>" A bunch of strangers on the internet and now he’s spending his free time prepping for the PSAT instead of actually enjoying his childhood." Actually most of us are trying to talk the OP out of pushing him to prep so soon.</p>
<p>Right #49, me too. I said he doesn’t need any test prep, with those scores at his age. I understand the OP’s concern, if other people have their children in SAT prep courses–I experienced a twinge of wondering whether we were shortchanging QMP by not going in for that. But we didn’t, and it all turned out fine. We bought a Real SAT tests book. QMP did approximately 4 sections (sections, not tests) in the car on the way to various EC’s. Total prep. In my opinion, the OP’s son is in the same boat, and <em>does not need to spend any time on test prep.</em> All I was saying is that for us, $2500 in scholarship funds is worthwhile. But that doesn’t mean one needs to prep for the PSAT or the SAT. (How redundant can I get?!) It is good to know how the grid-ins work, before one shows up for the tests. </p>
<p>I think the biggest problem with SAT prep for very smart students (like the OP’s son) is probably that extreme boredom sets in with the level of questions, after a while. This may actually reduce the score on the real thing.</p>
<p>Also, apologies to mathyone for misspelling the username as mathone, earlier on.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand the goal. Is National Merit something people put on their resumes after college graduation? I would think it is one of those things that comes off the resume pretty quickly, since it is a high school achievement. Not getting National Merit is not going to keep him out of a good college with intellectual peers.</p>
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<p>This…so if you reside in any of those states…move. Your son’s NM status will be more I oressive to these selective schools you seem to be targeting if he comes from North Dakota anyway. All school are looking for geographic diversity, and you can provide that by moving to an underrepresented state…and some of those also have lower PSAT cutoffs for NM consideration.</p>
<p>But really…more I oirtant is what he dies on the SAT which is required to advance to NM recepipient status.</p>
<p>Your son is in 8th grade. At this point, help him be an eighth grader. Help him develop great interactive and social skills. Encourage ECs that HE is interested in pursuing. Encourage a rigorous course load in HS, with excellent grades.</p>
<p>You do know that there are more and more schools becoming test optional, right? By the time he gets to applying for college, some of his targeted schools might not even care about his PSAT or SAT scores.</p>
<p>And lastly, almost everyone applying to the very select and elite schools has excellent SAT scores. NM status is only one small thing on a kid’s application at those select schools.</p>
<p>To be honest, you don’t need to push. If your kiddo is doing well now…he should continue to do so.</p>
<p>And for the record, he will find academically strong peers at ANY college. The smart kids don’t all attend elite schools. Believe it or not, some go elsewhere too.</p>
<p>Just don’t become this parent:</p>
<p>"“Yes, you will keep taking the SAT until you get 800 in Math.” Thnx parents"</p>
<p>Actual tweet I read from one of my kid’s friends.</p>
<p>(Thus my CC name. Crazy parents around here.)</p>
<p>It’s more worthwhile if you think your kid might end up at one of the schools that offers good money. We are among the many who have an EFC that it more than we are able/willing to pay. We can easily pay for our state schools but for other options my kids will likely need some merit money. NM finalist can be one source of that.</p>
<p>But in no case is prepping this early worthwhile. Have the kid take the PSAT as a sophomore and go from there. My kids’ HS encourages sophomore (and freshmen) to take the test.</p>
<p>I have three kids. One took the PSAT cold and made NMF. One just missed the cutoff (she has the highest SAT score, though). For the last one, I saw the PSAT prep as a forerunner for the SAT (Junior) year, and gave my son a blue SAT book and the black “secrets” book. The SAT book bored him, but he kind of enjoyed the behind-the-scenes atmosphere of the black book, and afterward said it made all the difference. He made NMSF, but also, he took the SAT in Jan, was satisfied with his score, and was done. We live in NY, a high cut-off state. The message here is to not prep until high school, at least, be familiar with the test, at least, and don’t sweat it too soon. </p>