How many times did/will your student take the PSAT?

[Josie]

Just wondering how many times you student did/will take the PSAT.

[Gwen in VA]

I'm answering first because my answer is somewhat humorous --

 

dd1 -- once, but received National Merit Scholarship

ds1 -- twice, but National Merit finalist

ds2 -- once, but since he only took it in 10th grade, he won't receive anything :)

[During the week the PSAT was offered he was busy winning the prize that resulted in him getting an expenses-paid trip to India -- so we are happy anyway!]

dd2 -- thrice, but since she has a medical issue, we wanted to find out how the school dealt with her condition. Under normal circumstances, she would NOT have taken the PSAT her freshman year. She is only a freshman, so we don't know how she will do as far as NMF status goes.

 

Since I can only vote once, I am not voting. My vote would be "confused"!

Edited March 8, 2011 by Gwen in VA

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest took it in 10th and 11th grades. She had a decent score, but it wasn't anywhere near National Merit level.

 

My middle took it this year in 10th grade and made the NM cutoff score, so she will definitely be taking it again next year in 11th when it actually counts.

 

My youngest is only in 7th, so she hasn't taken it yet, but I plan for her to take it in 10th and 11th.

[Kareni]

My teen took it once as an 11th grader. She was a commended student. She had taken a practice test at home. For what it's worth, she took the SAT only once in 11th grade. She scored fairly well and decided that she did not care to retake it.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Nan in Mass]

LOL!

My older one tests badly. I knew how he would do, so I just had him take it in 10th, for practice for the SATs.

I had no idea how my youngest would do at tests and I needed to make decisions about his strategy for college admissions (something I try to figure out early and then de-emphasize until the time comes so we can focus on education). I had him take the PSAT in 9th to get some idea of whether we could rely on decent SAT scores to help his application or whether we needed to take a different route. Since he did ok, I had him take it in 10th, since it seems like the more times you take these things, the better you do. He has almost no experience with tests of any sort, even things like social studies quizzes, and he doesn't mind taking them, so I thought he might as well take it for practice. It was only the fourth test of his life. First - Ham radio license. Second - 9th grade PSAT. Third - Placement tests for CC. LOL. I doubt he'll be a NMF, but hopefully his SAT scores will be something that won't hinder him, either. I know from getting the older one into college that the ones around here are very, very interested in homeschoolers' SAT scores. I voted 3, since we'll have the youngest take it again in 11th, just in case he surprises us and makes the NMF cutoff. Besides, he rather enjoys it. : )

 

-Nan

Edited March 8, 2011 by Nan in Mass

[angela in ohio]

I chose two, because that is most likely. I am planning to have them take it in 10th for practice, but that depends on the school agreeing to it and me not changing my mind. :001_smile: I only took it once in school, and I made National Merit Scholar. And dc have plenty of test experience, so I'm not sure we'll do it in 10th.

[dkholland]

Current ds will take it two times (he already took it once in 10th). But, his older bro. took it three times and he was a NM Scholar! His score went up each time he took it.

[MorningGlory]

Thank you, Josie, for starting this poll. Please keep the votes coming!

 

I went to a PSAT workshop at the Memphis convention this past weekend, and the presenter recommended that students take the test three times. I thought this was excessive. I can understand taking a "practice" turn in 10th...but does a student need two practice turns? Would it make that much difference?

 

Hmmmm....as much as I would like to see my son do well on the PSAT, I don't want my homeschool to become a test-prep class.

 

So those who have BTDT...please continue to vote!

Jetta

[stephanier.1765]

He will take it three times. I wanted him to take it as a freshman to get used to the taking of a standardized test and to become familiar with the school and his surroundings. It is so inexpensive that it is well worth the price for the experience. The second time his nerves will have settled and we can see more accurately what he needs to work on for his final and third time. Hopefully, this strategy works to his favor.

[Chris in VA]

We elected not to take it at all, due to the fact that ds would not be able to make a score high enough to be a finalist. We felt he had plenty of test-taking experience, and opted to take the SAT twice.

He didn't really do well on the SAT, either, but he did get into his college. So it was all moot, anyway.

[mamajudy]

Mine take it three times, beginning in 9th grade. I agree that the test is so inexpensive that it is well worth it in order for them to be comfortable in the environment, etc. when it really counts. My kids have always been homeschooled, so the classroom setting is foreign to them. I haven't had any National Merit Scholars, but I have had one Commended, and so far they have scored well enough on the SAT to get scholarships to pay for college. I think the extra practice is very beneficial.

[Teachin'Mine]

In my opinion, the more experience they have going to a high school and sitting for an exam, the better. The PSAT is a good one to use as practice as the scores are dropped and it's not too expensive. Dd took it this year. We haven't changed anything we do in school - we're not teaching to the test. It was simply for practice and to have an idea of where she's at. :)

[Moni]

Zero, actually. There wasn't a option.

[Lori D.]

Somewhat similar to Nan. Neither of our DSs are high academics, so each DS did the PSAT just once, as SAT practice in the junior year.

 

As a side note, older DS did score high enough to get loads of college mail ever since, which he has found fun. FWI, both DSs plan on going to the local community college, and both are more liberal arts / digital arts/media oriented.

[Laura in CA]

In my opinion' date=' the more experience they have going to a high school and sitting for an exam, the better. The PSAT is a good one to use as practice as the scores are dropped and it's not too expensive. Dd took it this year. We haven't changed anything we do in school - we're not teaching to the test. It was simply for practice and to have an idea of where she's at. :)[/quote']

 

:iagree:

 

Apart from learning test-taking strategies, including time management, I want my kids to get used to the high-school setting. Also, I like the way the PSAT is so "manageable" -- just over two hours long, compared with almost four hours for the actual SAT. Also, as noted above, it's cheap. My feeling is that the best test-prep is a test taken under conditions as close to the real thing as possible -- so, rather than doing a practice test at home, which we might not get around to anyway, it's more beneficial to take the real PSAT a few times before it counts.

 

My younger son, who tests well, will probably end up taking the PSAT four (!) times. He took it in 6th grade for a talent search (and won a scholarship). He took it again this year (9th grade) at the local high school. His score was well into the semifinalist range for our state, so I plan to have him take it again in 10th and of course in 11th when it counts.

 

My older son (10th grade), who does not test as well (he is very deliberate, and the test rewards quickness) will take it 3 times -- he took it for the talent search in 7th grade, and this year in 10th. He'll take it again next year, but I don't expect him to make even "commended" status. It's just really good practice, especially for a homeschooled kid not used to taking timed tests, for longer tests such as the SAT, ACT, and AP exams.

 

~Laura

[Peek a Boo]

My oldest took it in 10th and 11th grades. She had a decent score, but it wasn't anywhere near National Merit level.

 

 

that was my oldest. it was mostly cheap practice for the SAT.

 

he just took the SAT a second time yesterday as a junior. His math is his weakness, but he'll keep working on that. Seeing his scores is the best motivator for him to get his act together on math. ;)

 

My 2d will be a freshman next year. Definitely a STEM track, but not too confident when it comes to testing/ new situations so he'll take the PSAT 3 times. The first will be a wash, the second will be our baseline, and the third will get him into MIT. :D lol....

 

Not sure about my younger 3 yet. Will definitely plan for at least twice.

 

 

I don't test on school subjects, but if they want to go to college [and my older two are looking pretty solidly that way] they need the scores, whether I want them or not. ;)