<p>My daughter took the PSAT as seventh and as a ninth grader and scored well above the NM cut-off for our state both times. She is now a sophomore by age but has the option to graduate in either 2015 or 2016. If she is going to graduate in 2015, she is taking the PSAT "for real" in October. But if she puts on the October PSAT that she is a junior, does that mean she is stuck with that for NM purposes? In other words, would she have irrevocably committed to graduating early and then forfeit any NM money if she stays until 2016? Her GC thinks "yes," that she has to decide her year of graduation before she walks into the PSAT testing room, but the school has never had anyone in this situation before. It seems to me that if she stays, she could just walk into the PSAT in her real junior year, take it again, and no one will ever care. I will call the College Board, but past experience tells me they'll be less than helpful, so if anyone else has had this or a similar situation (even taking a gap year after a NM award?), I'd love to hear about it. She is considering several schools that award substantial automatic merit aid for NM finalists, so there is real money at stake.</p>
<p>Don’ t call the College Board - call the National Merit folks. She can only enter the competition one year, so see what they recommend.</p>
<p>From their website:</p>
<pre><code>Students who plan to leave high school a year (or more) early to enroll in college full time usually can participate in NMSC programs if they take the PSAT/NMSQT before they enroll in college. Such students must take the PSAT/NMSQT in either the next-to-last year or the last year they are enrolled in high school.
Those who take the PSAT/NMSQT in the next-to-last year of high school will be entering the competition for awards to be offered as they are finishing their final high school year.
Those who take the PSAT/NMSQT in their last year of high school will be entering the competition for awards to be offered as they are completing their first year of college.
Students who plan to participate in a post-secondary enrollment options program (through which they enroll simultaneously in both high school and college) must take the PSAT/NMSQT in their third year of high school (grade 11, junior year) to enter NMSC’s competitions. The determination of whether the student is participating in a post-secondary enrollment options program is made by the high school, which certifies the student’s status.
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<p>Note: Because a student can participate (and be considered for a scholarship) in only one specific competition year, the year in which the student takes the PSAT/NMSQT to enter the competition is very important. If a student’s high school standing and enrollment do not fit one of the preceding descriptions because the student plans to spend more than four years in high school, or for any other reason, contact NMSC immediately about whether the student can participate in an NMSC competition.</p>
<p>I believe you are nominating a 11th grade year for your test. So if you take the test but leave school the same year, your qualifications become valid only a year later.</p>
<p>Southern Cal has a program where one can start after 11th. They also have a program where any student admitted/attending gets 1/2 tuition for NMFs. However, the students don’t become eligible until their sophomore year when they are officially named.</p>
<p>*But if she puts on the October PSAT that she is a junior, does that mean she is stuck with that for NM purposes? In other words, would she have irrevocably committed to graduating early and then forfeit any NM money if she stays until 2016? *</p>
<p>She can still graduate as an 11th grader and it won’t hurt her NMSF or NMF chances …which would occur during her frosh year of college.</p>
<p>THE PROBLEM IS THIS… When she applies to colleges as a JUNIOR, she won’t be a NMSF or NMF yet. </p>
<p>Bama has dealt with this a couple of times and it is sticky. I don’t know if all colleges will retroactively award NMF money once the NMF is already a full attending frosh.</p>