PSAT

Our reboot of the SAT/PSAT courses are a result of thoughtful consideration of academic development and required skills. Now the College Board has released the new Digital SAT and PSAT tests; our newly revised curriculum reflects all the chances they incorporate. (PSAT in October 2023; SAT in March 2024)

The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test) and NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) are actually the same test. Frequently you will see this written as the PSAT/NMSQT, which is how we will refer to these on this page. Often the importance of the PSAT/NMSQT is underplayed, but becoming a National Merit Scholar Finalist is a great way to set yourself apart in the college admissions game. What people don’t tell you is that there are numerous scholarships available for National Merit Finalists and many schools even give National Merit Finalist students a 100% scholarship to cover tuition, room and board, and even a stipend — this could be worth as much as $10,000 over the four years of college for which you have this scholarship.

Do not take the PSAT/NMSQT lightly as it could turn into a $10,000 scholarship for you!

What is the PSAT or NMSQT?

The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test administered by high schools across the country, and any sophomore (10th grader) or junior (11th grader) who would like to take the test can do so in the fall of the school year. The PSAT/NMSQT serves two purposes:

The PSAT/NMSQT is practice for the real SAT, which most students will need to take to apply for college. This practice for the SAT is useful for both sophomores and juniors.

The PSAT/NMSQT is used as the basis for qualification in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program in a student’s junior year. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT during their sophomore year will not be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

To sign up for the test look at the schedule at www.collegeboard.org

What is the National Merit Scholarship Program all about? How do I qualify?

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic program to recognize the highest scoring and most academically strong high school juniors in the United States. To participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program a student must be enrolled as a full-time high school student, be a permanent resident or citizen of the United States and take the PSAT/NMSQT no later than the third year of high school. Though sophomores are not eligible, it is great practice for the SAT. Of the approximately 1.5 million juniors who will take the PSAT/NMSQT and are eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, about 50,000 students with the high PSAT/NMSQT selection index (critical reading + math + writing score) will be selected for recognition.

There are two types of recognition in this first round: National Merit Commended and National Merit Semifinalist. The necessary selection index for semifinalist status varies from state to state, as students are measured against only students in their state. Often this means that highly competitive states such as Massachusetts and California will have much higher selection indices than other states. The selection index for Commended status is set nationally.

In April after the PSAT/NMSQT, the 50,000 highest scoring students in the country will be notified that they may qualify for an award. At this point, each notified student will be asked to name two colleges or universities to which they would like to be referred by the NMSC. If students are asked to do this, they must be very careful in this selection. To qualify for funding from a university, they must often list that university as their first choice on this list of two schools. Students must be careful to make sure that they list their safety school here to ensure that they get a scholarship from that school! Often this means the nearest major university or state school.

The following September (approximately one year after taking the PSAT/NMSQT in junior year) these high scorers will be notified through their school if they have qualified as either a National Merit Commended student or National Merit Semifinalist.

More than two-thirds or approximately 34,000 students of the 50,000 that were notified in April will receive Letters of Commendation for their outstanding academic performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. The Selection Index necessary to be commended varies from year to year but is set nationally. Usually a score of 205 or so is sufficient to be named a National Merit Commended Student. Commended Students do not continue in the National Merit Scholarship Competition, but some of these students do become candidates for special scholarships granted by other corporations and businesses.

The remaining one-third of students who were notified in April, but are not Commended, become National Merit Semifinalists. The Selection Index to become a Semifinalist varies from state to state anywhere from 210 to over 225 in some states. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will provide scholarship application materials to Semifinalists through their high schools. Of these 16,000 Semifinalists, 15,000 will be notified that they are Finalists to receive a scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This is a very prestigious honor and will in many cases result in some sort of academic scholarship.

For more information about the criteria for receiving a scholarship and additional information, consult the National Merit Scholarship Web site at www.nationalmerit.org.

PSAT/NMSQT Structure

The new Digital format of the PSAT/NMSQT tests the same general areas as the Digital SAT:

Critical Reading & Writing – integrated

2 sections:

• One standard 27 Question, 32-minute section
• One adaptive 27 Question, 32-minute section

Critical Reading skills, as well as Vocabulary in Context will be tested in Literature, Poetry, Drama, Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Great Global Conversation single and double passages with and without infographics. Writing passages and questions focus upon Rhetoric, Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, Note-Taking Synopses and Punctuation

Math

2 sections:

• One standard 22 Question, 35-minute section and
• One adaptive 22 Question, 35-minute section

 

Math  The 2 sections cover Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Heart of Algebra, and Passport to Advanced Math

Calculators  can be used throughout the math sections and are part of the BlueBook App, but students may bring their own instead.

All Math problems are Multiple-choice or Grid-In questions on the PSAT/NMSQT.

Scoring

Score reports will be delivered to your public high school in December (or to your home address if you are a home-schooled student or online).

The PSAT Selection Index is just the sum of the three sections, for a maximum possible score of 240. The national average is approximately 49 on each section, for an average selection index of 147.

On Test Day

UPDATE: With the advent of the Digital PSAT and Digital SAT, we need to stress the limitations imposed by College Board. Please review all recommendations at the following link. www.CollegeBoard.org