JennyD Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 (edited) Oldest DS is a rising 10th grader. I'd like him to take the PSAT this fall, just as practice. However, the School Search function on CB reveals that very few schools in my city are offering the PSAT this October. A few private schools and a couple of publics are giving the test, but even the big magnet high schools are listed as "Not Testing." Is this a Covid thing or is the PSAT falling by the wayside? The PSAT10 seems to be completely gone - as far as I can tell no school in the city is offering it. I suppose it's possible that the PSAT was never very popular here, but i really would have thought that many more schools would have kids wanting to try for National Merit. Separately, am I correct in gathering that PSAT testing is like AP testing --i..e, I have to call around to beg a school to please please pretty please accommodate my kid, and if nobody says yes he's out of luck? For some reason I had thought that once we were in SAT World schools had to let homeschoolers test, but I guess I was wrong about that? Edited July 12, 2021 by JennyD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSera Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 10 minutes ago, JennyD said: Separately, am I correct in gathering that PSAT testing is like AP testing --i..e, I have to call around to beg a school to please please pretty please accommodate my kid, and if nobody says yes he's out of luck? For some reason I had thought that once we were in SAT World schools had to let homeschoolers test, but I guess I was wrong about that? I think that might vary by state? In my state, they are required to accommodate them, but often they don’t know that and have to be told they’re not allowed to exclude homeschoolers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 12 hours ago, JennyD said: Oldest DS is a rising 10th grader. I'd like him to take the PSAT this fall, just as practice. However, the School Search function on CB reveals that very few schools in my city are offering the PSAT this October. A few private schools and a couple of publics are giving the test, but even the big magnet high schools are listed as "Not Testing." Is this a Covid thing or is the PSAT falling by the wayside? The PSAT10 seems to be completely gone - as far as I can tell no school in the city is offering it. I suppose it's possible that the PSAT was never very popular here, but i really would have thought that many more schools would have kids wanting to try for National Merit. Separately, am I correct in gathering that PSAT testing is like AP testing --i..e, I have to call around to beg a school to please please pretty please accommodate my kid, and if nobody says yes he's out of luck? For some reason I had thought that once we were in SAT World schools had to let homeschoolers test, but I guess I was wrong about that? If your student wants to practice the PSAT, then he should take the PSAT, not the PSAT10. Taking the actual PSAT will let him know if he's in the ballpark for qualifying for National Merit in your area (it varies by state). Taking a different exam will not. From PrepScholar: "The content and format of the PSAT 10 is identical to that of the PSAT/NMSQT and very similar to that of the SAT. The only major difference is that the PSAT 10 is shorter than the SAT is, and its questions do not get as difficult since they're designed for students at the sophomore level." Skip the PSAT10. You are correct regarding asking schools for permission to test. States and schools vary in their rules for allowing students to test. Here's some more information about testing sites and some tips (look at post #2). When the school year starts up again, I'd try calling because they may not have updated their website and a school's policy can change at any time. Don't rely on the College Board list, I think it's fairly useless. Finally if National Merit is a goal, then there are alternative ways to qualify. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstharr Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 If you want to make the PSAT prep really efficient, practice only using SAT practice materials. When my new 11th grader took the PSAT 8/9 a few years ago, as warm up for the SAT to be taken a couple of months later, he only used SAT workbooks. Then took one PSAT practice test to get a feel for the format a week before the PSAT 8/9. He did very well on both. Now, we are about to repeat the process as he preps for actual PSAT followed by the SAT this Fall. This time for college admission. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 On 7/12/2021 at 8:50 AM, daijobu said: If your student wants to practice the PSAT, then he should take the PSAT, not the PSAT10. Taking the actual PSAT will let him know if he's in the ballpark for qualifying for National Merit in your area (it varies by state). Taking a different exam will not. From PrepScholar: "The content and format of the PSAT 10 is identical to that of the PSAT/NMSQT and very similar to that of the SAT. The only major difference is that the PSAT 10 is shorter than the SAT is, and its questions do not get as difficult since they're designed for students at the sophomore level." Skip the PSAT10. You are correct regarding asking schools for permission to test. States and schools vary in their rules for allowing students to test. Here's some more information about testing sites and some tips (look at post #2). When the school year starts up again, I'd try calling because they may not have updated their website and a school's policy can change at any time. Don't rely on the College Board list, I think it's fairly useless. Finally if National Merit is a goal, then there are alternative ways to qualify. Do you know what is a qualifying SAT score for it if we can’t take PSAT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 I'm sorry I don't, but I have called the National Merit organization directly in the past and found them to be very helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstharr Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 30 minutes ago, Roadrunner said: Do you know what is a qualifying SAT score for it if we can’t take PSAT? There is an alternate entry by SAT score for those who where unable to take PSAT last year . Othersie PSAT is only test accepted. https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/images/gid2/editor_documents/alternateentry2022.pdf?gid=2&pgid=61&cc=1&sessionid=41f7926b-dbdd-41da-95ca-48d0420714ba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 2 hours ago, gstharr said: There is an alternate entry by SAT score for those who where unable to take PSAT last year . Othersie PSAT is only test accepted. https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/images/gid2/editor_documents/alternateentry2022.pdf?gid=2&pgid=61&cc=1&sessionid=41f7926b-dbdd-41da-95ca-48d0420714ba I know that. I was curious what was the qualifying score through SAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.