PSAT, which year to take?

[momofkhm]

I'm getting confused. Should dd take it in 10th grade or 11th grade? The only reason I'd have her take it is the scholarship potential. I really don't look at it as a prep test for the SAT.

 

She has to have a normed test each year but neither the SAT nor the PSAT count for the state. I'm planning on her taking the ACT for the required test and don't want to bog her down with the PSAT more than once. So which year counts toward the National Merit Scholar?

 

Thanks!

[April in CA]

Hi Cheryl,

The PSAT counts for the National Merit Scholarship when it is taken during the student's JUNIOR year of high school. However, the student can take the test in earlier grades to get used to the format. I strongly encourage this! My son, who is now a NM Finalist, took the test as a sophomore, just to have a dry run, so to speak, and I am really glad he did - during that test experience, he didn't realize that there was a page of math formulas in the front of the test booklet. He was obviously much more prepared for the testing experience when he took it "for real" as a junior. My younger son, who hopes to follow in his brother's footsteps, took the PSAT this year as a sophomore. Now we have a better idea of what he needs to do to be prepared for the big one next year.

 

Hope this helps!

Blessings,

April

[Musicmom]

:iagree:Yes. 11th Grade is when it counts for National Merit. I do think it's very wise to take it 10th Grade for practice. My son did this, and it was extremely helpful. He is a NMF. I also was surprised at how helpful the PSAT actually was as prep for the SAT. I never looked at it that way, but that's how it turned out! Ds did tons of prep for PSAT and it all carried over for the SAT.