Hanukkah, St. Nick, Santa and PSAT Scores!

The beginning of December not only brings St. Nick, Advent Calendars and Hanukkah, it’s also that special time of year when juniors (and many sophomores) receive the results of their October PSAT exam.  Since this is also when most high school counselors are consumed with filing their portion of final senior college applications, younger students often receive limited guidance in understanding their scores. 

How does one interpret PSAT scores? 

The PSAT is meant to be a preliminary or practice SAT and to predict a student's future performance on the SAT.  Like the SAT, the PSAT has three sections:  Critical Reading, Math, and Writing.  Unlike the SAT, however, the PSAT Writing section does not include a writing sample.

If you add a zero to each section of the student's PSAT score, you get an approximate predicted SAT score.  For example, if a student scores 60 on the PSAT in Critical Reading, one would expect him to earn approximately 600 on the SAT Critical Reading.  Likewise, a 58 on Math would suggest a score of approximately 580; a 62 on Writing – a 620. 

The Selection Index.

The sum of all three PSAT sections is called the Selection Index.  If a student scored 60 on Critical Reading, 58 on Math, and 62 on Writing, his Selection Index would be 180.  The Selection Index is the number that determines whether a student will be invited to compete in the National Merit Scholarship Competition. 

While the cutoff percentage is determined by a complicated formula based on the number of high school students in each state and the top scorers in that state, on average, students have needed to score in the top 1% of their state to be able to compete.  What that 1% translates to in terms of the Selection Index number cutoff, however, differs from state to state.  Traditionally students in New Jersey have needed a much higher score (over 220) than students in Idaho (205).  For the last few years, the required Selection Index in Wisconsin has ranged from 207-212. 

Juniors who earn a Selection Index above the state threshold will be named National Merit Semi-Finalists the following September of their senior year and will be invited to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.  Semi-Finalists will be asked to fill out a fairly extensive application that includes essays, a transcript, a list of extra-curricular activities, and a recommendation from the school counselor.  They will also be required to submit actual SAT scores.   Potential National Merit candidates should keep this fact in mind as they plan their testing schedule as candidates cannot submit ACT scores – they will need to take and submit SAT scores.

Approximately 8,300 students are awarded $2500 National Merit Scholarships each year.  However, because many of the most selective colleges do give National Merit money, for many students becoming a National Merit Finalist is more about the honor and recognition.

Sophomores.

While sophomores are never eligible to compete in the National Merit Scholarship Competition, taking the PSAT as a sophomore is helpful in identifying a student's testing strengths and weaknesses and determining whether a student is likely to be a National Merit contender.  While there is great variability, Selection Index scores tend to rise by approximately 20 points from sophomore to junior year.  Therefore, if a sophomore scores in the 180 or higher range on their sophomore PSAT, it may be worth preparing for the junior year PSAT in the hopes of increasing the chance of being named a Semi-Finalist.  That being said, any sophomore can work to improve their score in an effort to compete for National Merit.  I have had students who have raised their Selection Index 60 points between sophomore and junior year with dedicated practice and discipline.

What if the scores are disappointing?   

Do not despair!  PSAT scores are never sent to colleges!  Furthermore, sophomores and even juniors still have lots of time to prepare so they can improve their scores for tests down the road (more on that in a later blog).   The PSAT is a great early opportunity to assess your skills so you can plan and prepare accordingly.  In addition, many students who do not do well on the PSAT/SAT find their skill set better suited for the ACT.  I’ve had many students who showed lackluster performance on the PSAT and SAT, only to score in top percentiles for the ACT.  And finally, each year there are more and more colleges going Test Optional (see www.fairtest.org/university/optional for a list).