Sophomore PSAT

Parents Forum
21

My kids took the PSAT a few years ago, when it was on a 240 point scale. My daughter scored 230 her sophomore year, but dropped to a 226 her junior year. We were surprised, but she still qualified for NMF.

My son only got a 201 his sophomore year, but after taking honors adv. algebra and honors English, he got a 220 his junior year. He missed the semifinalist cutoff for our state by 3 points, but I think that if he had done more rigorous prep, he would have made it.

This test is worth preparing for because it can earn you serious scholarship money.

22

A lot can depend on the math level. Take a look at the specific areas you son missed. Was it across the board or one specific section? We’ve seen in our area kids generally improve with practice and/or maturity. If he is interested in a tutor (a big if as some kids do not like the added pressure…we never used one), I know some students in districts close to us were able to find tutors that would work on specific areas needed as opposed to general overviews. I think they met one to two days per week over the course of a few months. Good luck!