Anyone have a kid mis the PSAT but go for NM anyway?

[Gwen in VA]

Ds2 is going to miss the PSAT. Long story, but he will be pursuing a non-academic dream that happens to take place that week. We investigated the possibility of him taking the PSAT at a high school near where he will be (across the country!), but it's a pretty remote location and he is tied to someone else's schedule.

 

We don't see NMF status as pivotal to his dreams, but his score would likely be in range for NMSF status.

 

I've read the NMSC information on applying to qualify for NMSF without a PSAT score. Has anyone else tried to qualify through SAT score only? Are there any pitfalls? And did you have an emergency situation or, like us, was the PSAT just not in your schedule?

[Beth S]

The PSAT is the only test that qualifies students for NMF.

 

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html

 

 

The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT are to:

Enter the competition for scholarships from NMSC (grade 11).

 

This year, it is offered on Oct. 13 and 16th. You may find a local high school offering the date your student can attend.

 

However, it may be too late to sign up for this year's test.

[In The Great White North]

It's not too late here.

 

Where did you find info on qualifying without a PSAT score?

[Corraleno]

Where did you find info on qualifying without a PSAT score?

The National Merit Student Guide says they may provide alternative testing options if a student misses the PSAT "because of an illness, emergency, or other extenuating circumstance," but it's not clear if they would make an allowance in a case where the PSAT was missed by choice (student chose another activity).

 

OP, have you asked the NMSC directly if your son's activities would count as an "extenuating circumstance"?

 

Jackie

[plansrme]

Now, this was back in the mid-80s, so things might have changed, but here's what happened to us:

 

I went to a Christian school in Podunksville, Alabama (not that I'm bitter...), that had never even heard of National Merit scholarships. My mother somehow heard about them after the PSAT had been given. This is relevant because we didn't miss the PSAT for illness or extenuating circumstances: we missed it 'cause my high school was staffed by idiots.

 

So my mother asked my high school and made calls, and EVERYONE kept telling her there was no way to qualify without a PSAT score. She refused to take "no" for an answer and kept calling local high schools and talking to their guidance counselors. She finally got one to tell her that the NM people will take an SAT score as a substitute.

 

She signed me up for the next SAT; I took it once to substitute for the PSAT and then took it again for the second part of the NM application. I don't remember how we got the SAT submitted as a substitute for the PSAT; there may have been a code??? Anyway, to summarize, I ended up paying for half of my college expenses with a NM scholarship.

 

So the moral of this little story is: keep asking until you get a "yes." And your circumstances don't sound any less "extenuating" than mine were!

 

Terri

[Gwen in VA]

Thanks, Plansrme.

 

So taking the SAT twice was how you handed the testing requirement (after your determined and wonderful mother broke through the barriers). I appreciate just knowing that someone else has done this successfully!

 

Thanks -- I guess I will call the NM folks and inquire. If I don't ask, they can't say yes! :tongue_smilie: