<p>Question - for some reason, DD's HS is holding back all PSAT scores until after semester finals, which means they won't see them until Jan 17 at the very earliest. If a student qualified for SF status, is there ANY OTHER way they would know this? Are colleges and other organizations already aware of their status? Have their scores already been sent to colleges? She and many of her friends are very anxious and wondering if there is any other route to find out their scores/status?</p>
<p>The semifinalists and commended scholars are notified in september of their SENIOR year of their status. Right now, there is no way to know her scores until she is handed back the answer report by her school, and even then there is no guarantee where she place until they notify her next year. PSAT scores are never sent to colleges, nor regarded by them for any reason really. NMSFQ gives out scholarships to the top 5k students I think in the country. Colleges only receive the scores for the REAL SAT when she takes them and chooses to send it to them.</p>
<p>Looking for other opinions here, but I’m pretty sure some of that info is a little misleading. My DD took PSAT for the first time as a Freshman and the college letters immediately began flooding in. They even referred specifically to her PSAT scores. Same thing happened after taking it sophomore year. So I’m pretty sure they were sent to all colleges and very much “regarded”. Not saying they take it into account in admissions, but it sure gets you on their radar. And the scores are available NOW online, but you have to have the code from the test booklet. (And apparently after 1/15 you don’t even need the paper code, so I guess we can get them online then if the school is still holding back) And it’s actually not the top 5K students in the country, but the top students by state, that’s why every state has a unique cut-off. Agree with your point that SF’s & F’s aren’t announced til later, but seeing the score gives you a pretty good idea of where you stand, based on historical cut-offs from your state. Just frustrated that our school is being so slow in getting the info out.</p>
<p>My school was holding them back but I found them, of all places, in the About Me tab on Family Connection (Naviance). It was a nice surprise :)</p>
<p>You could check there, but you won’t know about NM until September anyways. The scores will also be available on the CB website on Jan 15 even without the chool code. However, I’m sure colleges have gotten the scores and are packaging thousands of annoying booklets to send you as we speak. It’s only another week…I’m sure you can wait that long ;)</p>
<p>According to Collegeboard, they do not release student’s specific scores to colleges. They do, however, allow colleges to cherry pick students by certain criteria (ie, geography, college major, and SCORE RANGE.) The student has to check the box on the PSAT allowing the release of their contact info. Maybe your D didn’t check the box. The mail and emails started coming in here right around Thanksgiving. Many other parents on the class of 2013 thread said the same.</p>
<p>They release ranges to college mailing lists. What don’t people understand about mass marketing. I get automated letters from tons of schools, that even have my name on them!!! BIG DEAL! They are AUTOMATED, they mass market to everyone, it doesn’t matter at all, stanford, harvard, yale, columbia, etc…send mail out to people that don’t have a chance of making it, higher education is a business after all. They are informational marketing tools that make no difference come application and admission time. only the REAL SAT makes a difference. The PSAT is a garbage excuse of a test that is run like garbage…colleges know this and they don’t care about it for a reason. The only thing it does is allow you to compete for a scholarship and makes college board 10$ per PSAT test taker.</p>
<p>Oh, and yes, they are by state, you are right(one of the reasons why colleges don’t care about this score, since it is a National competition but goes by state scores instead).
If you are anxious for the scores for scholarship opportunities that is fine, I am just trying to clear up the common confusion associated with college mail, and colleges seeing the PSAT. If you check the “send mail” box when taking the test, you WILL get junk mail that EVERYONE gets.</p>