<p>I received my PSAT results today (from the '06 test). As the thread title says, I got a 203, which is in the 97 percentile. As I understand it, the commended selection index is typically set at the 96 percentile. Is this true? I think last year's cutoff was 203. Have scores (nationwide) gone down slightly if last year's cutoff (203) is this year's 97 percentile?</p>
<p>I got 203 and 97th as well...they better not raise commended minimum to 204 :(</p>
<p>Because of the extremely low writing curve, i think it is more likely that the cutoffs will decrease this year!</p>
<p>That looks like commended to me, but not NMS, I got a 228 :P</p>
<p>not so fast. CR had a bad curve last year and the cutoffs went up in most states. Commendation will probably go up one point this year.</p>
<p>i know that that just because of a bad writing curve things will go down, but some evidence is showing up that supports my belief. If there are 50,000 spots for commended, and 1.4 million took it, you can divide 50000 by 1400000, and get the percentage of those who will get it (3.57%). so, that means that everybody in the 99th, 98th, and 97th percentile will get it, and roughly half of the 96th percentile. I know people who got 96th percentile at 197, and 97th percentile at 201. (That strikes me as lower than last year). So assuming that the 97th percentile guy yhas it, wouldn't you think that the commended cutoff might have gone down this year. The only thing that i can think of as an error in my calculations, is that 1.4 million is a rounded number. So, i have calculated the percentages if 1.35 million took it, as well as 1.44 million took it. And here is what i got ... ( 3.70%/3.47%). So, if we can safely assume that if you did better than 96.3% or better than 96.53%, than you might be in the range, but most definitely if you got 97th percentile. So i would recommend people going to this thread <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=272905%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=272905</a> and following the format of editing the estimated percentile ranges to include your score! Good luck to everyone, but i am very sure that commended (nationally) and possibly even semi-finalist cutoffs will be going down in some states.</p>
<p>I was commended with a 203 last year, but it was only a 96th percentile.</p>
<p>yeah... that makes sense, because about half of the people in the 96th percentile are commended</p>
<p>I'm crossing my fingers that the curve for NY goes down a few points for NMSC.</p>
<p>It probably won't though. D:<</p>
<p>Congratulations, Calculus. Your composite score may be better than mine, but did you get an 80 in writing as I did? I bet not! :-p</p>
<p>It's interesting that someone here was in the 96 percentile last year with a composite score of 203. This year, 203 is in the 97 percentile; could this mean that the test is getting harder or that fewer people got 203? It would seem so.</p>
<p>And mrmogul321, thanks for sharing your findings.</p>
<p>Last year, as a sophomore, I got a 203 and was ranked in the 96th percentile of juniors on the score report. <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/selection-index_2006.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/counselors/psat/selection-index_2006.pdf</a> seems to indicate that nationwide, scores have declined this year, as 203 is now in the 97th percentile. So, it would follow to conclude that 203 is a lock for commended this year, since the average score has declined.</p>
<p>Yeah, class of 2011 owns class of 2012!!! (Just kidding). If 203 is the 97th percentile, then the Commended score has to be lower this year. It has always been the 96th percentile. A 200 should probably do the trick since that score yeilds the 96th percentile. I got a 190 last year and I was in the 91st percentile. This year, that score is in the 93rd. From what I've seen, the Writing curve was probably way too harsh, resulting in abnormally lower scores.</p>
<p>(By the way, I wouldn't wory too much about PSAT scores. I got a 190, but went up to a 2030 for the SAT. I just did some self-prep, no classes or anything.)</p>
<p>Here's a comparison of 2005 and 2006 scores:</p>
<p>There was definitely a drop.</p>
<p>Hey, how about a 199 on the PSAT? 96th percentile goes from like 196-200 (actually in one breakdown on this site 200 is listed as 97th percentile) Will the high end of the 96th percentile make it for a commendation this year? Any bets????odds???</p>
<p>I think it has always been the highest 96th percentile score as the cutoff. Last year, 201 and 202 were both the 96th percentile, but a 203 was needed. This year, 198-200 are the 96th percentile, but a 200 is probably going to be needed. Trust me on this; there was a kid in my class last year w/a 201 who wasn't commended, even though that score was in the 96%.</p>
<p>commended is pointless; why are you worried
its only worth anything (merit money) if you get semifinalist</p>
<p>I think most (if not all) of us realize that Commended status does not result in merit money. However, the recognition is a nice thing to have, obviously. I don't know about your school, but in mine no more than six to seven students are commended every year; that distinction, to me, is valuable. I realize that simply being commended does not stand out in the top schools. While I would have liked a higher score, I am proud that I'm in the 97 percentile of students who took the test.</p>
<p>and it still gives the chance to send your scores to two schools. otherwise the schools never know about the PSAT.</p>
<p>Would it be realistic to assume everyone in 99th percentile (from CA) would be in the semifinal list?</p>
<p>Sadly Indira, no. In New York State, the cutoff was 221, but last year, a 215 was the 99th percentile. This year, a 212 is the 99th percentile, so I'd estimate NY's cutoff to be 218 for semifinalist. Unfortunately for me, I am in the 99th percentile by getting a 216</p>