<p>I posted this in a different thread, but thought I should make my own here. Basically, I got back my psats yesterday and because I'm right on the line b/w commended and semi-finalist, I'm pretty worried. I got a 217 and last year the cut-off for CT was exactly 217. I remember that the scores went down a lot from the year before to last year, but I don't know if this means its more likely for the scores to go up and then average out or to continue downwards. </p>
<p>I am in the 99th percentile overall (though only 97th in writing), which I heard is what counts the most, but I don't know if that is for the nation or just CT (because if its for the nation then that doesn't help much, considering CT's cutoff is one of the higher ones.) And if it means anything, my friend got a 213 and also was in the 99th percentile.</p>
<p>The scores went down last year because the writing section was changed and made more difficult. This year, the cutoffs will probably stay the same or go up by 1-2 points (like they usually do).</p>
<p>Somebody posted elsewhere that the national average went down by one point, but I'm not sure if that's accurate. </p>
<p>I know exactly how you feel though, trust me. I got a 220 on last year's PSAT in New York, and the cutoff score had been higher than my score the year before. I knew I was right on the cusp, and the score ended up going down a couple points, so I JUST eeked by. </p>
<p>It's really just a guessing game, and there's not an awful lot you can do until you find out early next year. Just don't be too devastated if the cutoff rises that one point, and bear in mind that in the grand scheme of your scholastic life, NMF is not really that important.</p>