<p>Hello!
So, right now its the begining of July, which means there are only a few months until the October PSAT.
I am becoming a Junior in HS this year, and was thinking maybe I should try to make National Merit Scholar, because I need money for college, and my grades are the only thing that can help me.</p>
<p>Anywhoo, so I was wondering if anybody could tell me what kind of scores I'd need to make National Merit, and how I should study for the PSAT.
My plans were to study for the PSAT, as I would the SAT. (I read a lot in the sticky about studying advice). Is that a good idea?</p>
<p>Here are my scores from last year's PSAT:
Critical Reading: 52
Mathematics: 49
Writing Skills: 55
Selection index: 156* </p>
<p>Yeah... my scores weren't super good. :( I sorta slacked off on PSAT last year.</p>
<p>How much time a day should I be studying for the PSAT to get my scores up?
Do you think 3months, every day, is enough to get my scores to soar?</p>
<p>You might as well just study for the SAT as the PSAT review books are completely garbage.</p>
<p>Resources:
RocketReview (go through this book to get general tips and know what are on the tests)
CollegeBoard blue book (use this book for practice tests)</p>
<p>I don’t think you need a specific laid-out study schedule. Just go through RocketReview and take a couple of practice tests and you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>I was a National Merit Finalist and I believe I was just at the cutoff for selection. It was 218 for my region (CA). So somewhere in that ballpark, preferably higher. Also, I hope you recognize how difficult it is to earn that distinction and aid, you need an excellent rec, essay, transcript, and SAT scores. However, if you do qualify for semi-finalist make sure you do submit your application for finalist because I believe 14,000 of the 15,000 are selected for finalist and 1,000 of those either forget or don’t bother to fill it out. So you’re almost guaranteed a finalist. Good luck.</p>
<p>Yeah, I have the blue book, so I’ll study out of that. Lucky for me, my sister is an English major, and my dad is an engineer – so lots of math help-- ^_^</p>
<p>@California_life: What do you mean by an “excellent rec”. Do you mean my resume? Since Fresh/Soph years, you don’t do much college related things, I just kept good grades (A’s). I don’t have too many extra curricular activities (Band, National Honors Society, and I passed the Japanese Language Proficiency Test), but I do 8hours of community service a quarter. Is that good enough?</p>
<p>Since an essay, and SAT’s come later, I’m focusing on PSAT first. Is the essay something that you write during exam time, or something you write at home and send in seperatly?
Thanks so much for your help!</p>
<p>Yeah, it seems VERY difficult, and I’m not even sure that I can do it. But, there is no harm in trying hard.</p>
<p>You write it separately. It’s almost like a college application. Your counselor, or a teacher, writes a rec for you for your finalist application.</p>
<p>d/w my PSAT score was only a little better than yours sophomore year and I ended up with a 227… would’ve been higher if I didn’t miss 2 questions in Math = 72 in Math</p>
<p>just study until you think it’s enough. try your best and it can’t go too wrong. I started studying a month before the test and it turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. probably best if you start studying now though! :D</p>
<p>THe score requirements vary for each state. For California, it is usually around 215-219. The PSAT is brutal, cause even though it is shorter than the real SAT, EACH QUESTION REALLY MATTERS.</p>
<p>Miss one question in math and you are automatically 75-77. </p>
<p>Miss one in Reading and it is still 80 (it was so last year) but usually a 79. Miss two more and you are at 70-72.</p>
<p>Writing. Miss one and maybe 77, but over three and you are for sure bellow 70.</p>