PSAT/National Merit Scholar

Test Preparation
1

<p>We just got our PSAT scores today and I was wondering how close they are to the real SAT? I got a 195, which is in the 95%tile. What do you need to get a National Merit Scholar?</p>

2

<p>I was a national merit scholar semifinalist, and I got somewhere in the 220s. I think I was kind of close to the cut-off for qualifying to be a semifinalist.
Also, I did a lot worse on the PSAT than I did on the SAT. Either the PSAT was harder or it was just chance; it certainly wasn't because I studied more for the SAT, since I took the PSAT a week after taking the SAT.</p>

3

<p>Do you know of any websites that calculate college chances based on PSAT scores? (Collegedata.com is a good one, but does not include PSAT scores.)</p>

4

<p>No, and if I did, I wouldn't trust them. I really don't think PSAT scores are a very good indication of anything.</p>

5

<p>ok thank you!</p>

6

<p>For Commended it's usually around 200. Actual NMSF depends on the state you live in. There are many threads that will show you the numbers for previous years. Your score by itself won't get you into college. It needs to be combined with a rigorous schedule and good GPA.</p>

7

<p>that college data is not trustworthy... i checked for harvard and UCLA and they say i have a higher chance of getting into harvard then LA. i wish...</p>

8

<p>Do you know what it is for California?</p>

9

<p>This year the cut-off for semi-finalists in CA was 217, same as last year.</p>

10

<p>^ how do you know the cut-off is 217? Scores haven't even been received yet.</p>

11

<p>By "this year," I think junparent means for the class of 2008.</p>

12

<p>Actually, it is the class of 2009. This year's seniors took the test last year and were notified of semifinal status in August or September. That's where the latest available numbers are from.</p>

13

<p>Everyone I've talked to does better on the SAT than PSAT. Do you believe it is easier or just different?</p>

14

<p>^ that seems to be a common trend, althuogh my SAT/PSAT scores were nearly identical.</p>

15

<p>Yes, sorry, I got my years wrong. Bottom line: If you're a junior and are just getting your PSAT scores back, you won't know whether you're a NMSF, Commended, whatever, for a while.</p>

16

<p>195 as a junior is always too low to be a National Merit semifinalist. 195 as a sophomore leaves open the possibility of a score increase to qualify based on the junior-year score. The National Merit semifinalists generally all come from the top half percent of the national percentiles, but with apportionment by states so that all states are represented. </p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/554901-psat-cutoff-scores-2008-national-merit-semifinalists-h-s-09-a.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-act-tests-test-preparation/554901-psat-cutoff-scores-2008-national-merit-semifinalists-h-s-09-a.html&lt;/a> </p>

<p>Good luck in your applications.</p>

17

<p>from the past years we know commended is usually 200-201 range. NMSF depends on state, usually over 210 in most states. but some can be lower. technically, some can become NMSF and be NOT commended.</p>

18

<p>I do not believe anyone ever qualify with a score lower than commended. In general the lowest score for NMSF in the lowest scoring state = the commended score.</p>

19

<p>PSAT as a Sophomore:
Can anyone say how much PSAT scores tend to go up from sophomore year to junior year???</p>

20

<p>PSAT as sophomore to PSAT as junior: </p>

<p><a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/scoreChange.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/scoreChange.pdf&lt;/a> </p>

<p>PSAT as junior to SAT as junior later in the school year: </p>

<p><a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/PSAT.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/PSAT.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>