<p>I find this whole post hard to believe. 211 on the PSAT isn't 82nd percentile - especially if the 50th percentile is supposedly 150.</p>
<p>Even in states like New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Massachusetts 211 isn't 82nd percentile.</p>
<p>There is either a misprint or you're screwing data a little. </p>
<p>For your information, the national average of the 99th percentile (i.e. semifinalist levels) is 215 (ranging from 204 in Mississippi to 224 in Mass.).</p>
<p>A 199 gets you a 96% compared to competing juniors. He should be fine once he gets down to studying.</p>
<p>Nope, letters mean squat. I got 205 on my PSATs junior year, around the same score I got sophomore year. Nope, not even semifinalist in my state. Not close. I think semifinalist score is about 220. Got a bunch of mail from selective schools I wouldn't have a chance at, peers going through similiar things. I even got two applications from MIT and one from Harvard in the mail. The truth? It was really, really hard for me to break into the 700s on math. I seriously doubt MIT wants me. What these selective colleges want is to boost their selectivity even more by rejecting a bunch of people. LOL!</p>
<p>But all that said and done, GREAT score for a sophomore, still. With a little studying, and I wish I had studied more for the PSATs, he could easily score high enough to get finalist status. And there are really hefty scholarships at some awesome insitutions for finalists (1/2 tuition at USC, for example!). I think it is a very study-able test, and the kid is obviously smart. Put in some extra effort and he'll do even better on the SATs. Although I got only 205 on the PSATs, I ended up with 2300 on the SAT w/ some studying.</p>
<p>Good luck to your brother!</p>
<p>Juniors as a whole are not scoring high on the PSAT this year, partly because of the new writing curve. Whatever the cause, scores are down.</p>
<p>And 211 is the 99th percentile....</p>
<p>My D (sophomore) scored about a 210 on her PSAT, and she's started getting all these "solicitations" from various colleges, including some of the Ivies. She's excited as all get out. First of all, that she's getting any mail puts a huge smile on her face. But more than that, it's encouraging her to think past our state system. Maybe they do send these out to everyone and their brother, but, in her case, they are making her realize that if she puts a bit of effort into preparing this summer, she might bump up her PSAT/SAT's and have even more options available to her. All her life, she's gotten certificates from school ... "you have made the A honor roll..." (always made A's, even in her AP's) and she hands them to me all crumpled up from her backpack. She's had straight A's all her life and scored well on standardized tests ... so she thinks of those certificates as nothing special. We keep trying to make her understand that these things are special, not everyone is able to achieve them, and they do show that not only you were born with a decent intellect, but that you work darn hard and that is something. Maybe all these school solicitations are no more than marketing ploys from these universities, but if they get my daughter thinking she's something unique (more than just her parents' POV), I hope they keep coming. </p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>^Tell her that there are thousands of students just like her. When the college application process comes around, she will have to realize that there are so many people as smart as and even smarter than her. In truth, 210 on the PSAT is not impressive nor great; I would call it good, but with lots of room to improve. If she can bump that score up to around 225 in her junior year, that's when she should be proud because she will get all the National Merit Semi-Finalist (and thus, probably Finalist as well) stuff and that's what counts - she can get full-rides to no-name colleges and a small boost to all colleges by listing it as an award.</p>
<p>Plus, she'll get a certificate. Everybody loves shiny certificates!</p>
<p>Come to think of it, I believe that this is just another marketing venture by Universities, who take it upon their best intrests for students to apply, so they can keep the admissions fees for those they do not accept. Anywho, I never tok the SAT and I think I stated that earlier, but my real question was "how did the universities recieve my brother's score?" I thought scores were a matter of confidentiality. Also I want to state that the only Ivy that contacted my brother through correspondence was Brown. Besides that he has recieved letters from Univ. of Miami, Boston U, NYU, and University if Evansville (wherever that is.)</p>
<p>Colleges can't get the actual scores, but they can get the contact info for people who scored in a certain range.</p>
<p>Duke recruiting is becoming much more aggressive. Prepare for more mail. :D</p>
<p>go the college board website and explore on their links for the colleges. Colleges can buy lists of kids sliced any way they want. </p>
<p>This is right from the collegeboard site:
[quote]
You now have access to more data on College-Bound Seniors, including academic interest, religion or "best" language, ethnicity, gender, academic performance, and average household income, as well as, college-bound rates, in-state and out-of-state mobility rates, Advanced Placement Program
[/quote]
</p>
<p>When you fill out the PSAT form, question 10 is Student Search Service, 10a asks "Would you like us to supply your information for these purposes"? Both my kids said no, and even though their scores are in the range, they did not received a single piece of junk mail. So do not blame College Board when you are asking for it.</p>
<p>The numbers have to be off, 210 is not 82 percentile. As for the mail, it's gotten ridiculous this past week for my sophomore daughter. Five to seven pieces of mail per day. She had been getting occasional letters from not so well regarded schools but this week it's been the big names. I didn't think the Ivy League needed to recruit so hard they'd send mail to sophomores but I guess it's all about numbers and making themselves look better by rejecting more students. The marketing is targeted as to her intended major and gender as well.</p>