<p>But I really wanted to get the perspective of fellow parents, so I'm asking it here. If the mods feel this belongs in the SAT section, feel free to move it!</p>
<p>There was a slight irregularity for my kid's class PSAT test. The NMSF folks are giving the parents/kids the option to either accept the PSAT score (if feel unaffected by the PSAT irregularity) or enter the NMSF competition based only on an SAT score (if felt affected by irregularity). </p>
<p>Has any parent had a kid have this happen? If so, what choice was made? </p>
<p>Not clear what you are asking. Is the irregularity with the test booklet or answer sheet so the kid’s scores may be affected by answering the wrong question or not having correct info? Or is it that there may have been some irregularity in the test center (timing or something was off) or with the way the tests were handled? Sounds like they are not proposing to cancel the test scores, however. Without knowing the nature of the irregularity, it doesn’t seem possible to give any advice. </p>
<p>Is your kid likely to be an NMSF? Did he/she take PSAT last year and score high? Do you think this will hurt the kid’s score? And which SAT sections will they use for the NMSF competition? Often, kids go up on the SAT vs PSAT, but not always. </p>
<p>The irregularity at the testing center won’t cancel the scores of any of the kids that took it that day.</p>
<p>My kid’s PSAT last year was right at the cutoff and the SAT score was right under that, so it is likely/possible that the PSAT score went up this year.</p>
<p>I was hoping that someone here had a similar experience and could tell me what was used from the SAT to calculate the equivalent (not the essay portion for example?)</p>
<p>I can tell you this, which is different from your experience…</p>
<p>When my son took the PSAT, one of his friends literally had an anxiety attack and had to leave the test. The GC contacted NMCorp and they let her take the Dec SAT and use that score. She made NMSF/F. </p>
<p>Personally, I think it is EASIER to make NMSF/F from a SAT test. </p>
<p>I believe the same thing is used as what is used on the SAT to “validate” the PSAT…that is…M + CR + multiple choice subscore on the W multiplied by 10.</p>
<p>Thank you mom2collegekids! I do think you are right that it would be easier to qualify that way. What happened this year was no one’s fault and the NMcorp seems to be quite accommodating to the situation.</p>
<p>Scoring/testing may change in next year or so for both PSAT or SAT.<br>
No idea if that would make a difference in your decision. Hate to get caught in middle ground.</p>
<p>“When my son took the PSAT, one of his friends literally had an anxiety attack and had to leave the test. The GC contacted NMCorp and they let her take the Dec SAT and use that score. She made NMSF/F.”</p>
<p>I think it depends. Neither of my kids did as well on the SAT because they never were able to write a good essay in 20 minutes. Older so actually got an 80 on the Writing portion of the PSAT, but never cracked 690 on the SAT.</p>
<p>@mathmom That probably wouldn’t be a problem for the OP’s child because if the SAT is used for a PSAT, then likely NMCorp is only using the multiple choice subscore and then multiplying by 10. And, the essay would have no effect at all.</p>
<p>I really may not understand this question. The NMSQT has to be passed at a certain threshold in order to qualify for NMF. Then, the SAT has to also be passed at a certain threshold. Thus, to be a NM scholar, one has to pass two separate thresholds. Therefore, there are two chances to be eliminated.</p>
<p>The option given is to change nothing except to eliminate the qualifying round. Thus, there is only a single chance to be eliminated, whether or not you did/would have passed the threshold for the first test.</p>
<p>There is no downside; only upside, to this decision. The only potential downside is not receiving the PSAT score report, if they choose not to score it. That is essentially no downside.</p>
<p>What’s the decision? One test is better than two.</p>
<p>Am I somehow understanding this incorrectly? Why would anyone NOT cancel the NMSQT score, even sight unseen?</p>
<p>The essay subscore is factored into the SAT writing score and while they also give you the two scores broken out, I wouldn’t count on it. It’s a question you should ask. If you haven’t taken the real SAT before you have no idea how you are going to do on those essays. (My kids got 5’s on all the writing heave APs - they just don’t write fast and their handwriting is almost illegible to boot.)</p>
<p>ItsJustSchool, my understanding is that the SAT threshold for NMSQT is much lower than the PSAT one - but who knows what this offer means. The only people who can actually answer this definitively are at the College Board.</p>
<p>^Maybe but my oldest scored better on the PSAT than the SAT. Youngest OTOH did quite a bit better on the SAT. I don’t think scores are that different since I think they are both normed to the grade cohort taking the test.</p>
<p>ItsJust: I don’t think the SAT score has to be as high as the PSAT to move on from NMSF to NMF, just high enough to show that the PSAT score was not a fluke. I could be wrong, however, but that is my understanding. Typically, however, the kids scoring at the NMSF from states with high qualifying scores also do well on the SAT. </p>
<p>If the irregularity will possibly impact scores (timing was off so kids did not have enough time or couldn’t read a question or two), then should cancel. If, however, it was something like the instructions weren’t read when they were supposed to be which did not impact the kid’s test, I might let it ride, especially if the student thought he did well. It is a hard decision as the SAT could end up either harder or easier and a few questions is all it takes to go from qualifying to not (at least in the most competitive states).</p>
<p>In the long run, what really matters is how he does on the SAT. There are few schools that give substantial merit for NMF status, but most do not. Good luck. </p>
<p>Unless your kid seriously plans to go to a school where there is a really big automatic scholarship for being an NMF, and you really need that money, I’d just take the PSAT score and see how it come out. Plenty of kids who later get great SATs aren’t NMFs, and the SAT is what counts for admissions. If you do choose to not accept the score and he really needs that scholarship, he’d better be prepping hard from now until May, because you are putting all of your eggs in one basket.</p>
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The essay subscore is factored into the SAT writing score and while they also give you the two scores broken out, I wouldn’t count on it.</p>
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<p>while the family should ask, it is reasonable for NMCorp to only use the SAT multiple choice subscore (multiplied by 10) because that’s what they use for the 16,000 NMSFs. They already have the system that does that. It would be silly for them not to use that for the tiny number of students who need to use the SAT in lieu of the PSAT. </p>
<p>@mom2collegekidsI did not know that they only look at the multiple choice part of the writing score. So you are right that would be logical. Does anyone really care about the essay score?</p>