College Admissions: 5 Questions about the PSAT's

College Admissions: 5 Questions about the PSAT's

This week millions of sophomores* and juniors are getting back PSAT results. The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT, and while some will be delighted with their results, most will be confused. These scores mark the time when sophomores and juniors can begin to target colleges that are in their range. For juniors, there is only one semester left to visit colleges before early admission deadlines in the fall. Students should NOT wait until the end of junior year to assemble a college list. You simply can’t

get a true feel for a college by visiting in the summer when campuses are empty. So, how do you interpret and leverage your PSAT scores now along the road to admission? Here are some of the most common questions we get from parents and students:

1. What do the PSAT scores and percentiles mean?

The PSAT's are measured against other students in your grade. So, if you take them sophomore year, you are not considered against juniors in your percentile rank. Your percentiles indicate how well you did vs. other students in your grade taking the PSAT. If you scored in the 85th percentile, you did better than 84 out of 100 students. If you add a zero to end of each score, that would be your SAT score. Because of additional coursework and SAT prep, you will most likely see your scores increase from your sophomore to junior PSAT, and then to the SAT. Most students will go up 50-150 total points (across all 3 sections) from the junior PSAT to the SAT. Some who study intensively will go up 200 points or more in their total score.

2. Do colleges see my PSAT scores and how will they affect my admission?

Colleges DO NOT see your PSAT scores, unless your high school puts them on your transcript, and most do not. PSAT scores are meant to give you practice for the SAT and allow you to determine areas where you may need help before taking the SAT. The only situation in which they may affect your admission is if you are a National Merit Semi-Finalist or Winner. This is viewed as a very prestigious honor by colleges.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

3. What is the cutoff to be a National Merit Semi-Finalist or Winner?

Only juniors are considered, and the cutoff is determined each year on a state-by-state basis. The qualifying score in past years has been around 210 in most states for semi-finalist status. Juniors will receive letters of commendation in April if they are being considered as semi-finalists, and approximately 15,000 will move to that category in September of senior year. About 8,400 finalists are then selected to receive a $2500 scholarship or larger corporate or college-based scholarships.

4. My PSAT scores were very low, what should I do?

For students who are achieving well in school, PSAT scores below 40 can often be an indicator of an undiagnosed learning disability (LD) or very high anxiety during testing. Talk to a neuro-psychologist, private college advisor or guidance counselor about options for LD, ADD/ADHD or anxiety testing.  If you are diagnosed with any of these, you may qualify for extended time with the SAT and/or academic support in college. It is best to do testing by sophomore year of high school since the standards for extended SAT time have been getting more stringent. Students with scores in the 40s or above who feel that they could do better, should explore SAT prep.

5. When should I start SAT prep and what are my options?

Most students should begin SAT prep in the winter of their junior year, and spend 10-12 weeks studying before they take the test. However, some students aiming for highly competitive colleges which require scores in the 700+ range may want to begin prep as early as sophomore year. The type of study program you select depends on your budget and needs. Classroom SAT prep varies significantly in quality. Some high school based programs are great and free, but many are relatively weak. It depends on the curriculum and instructor.

The major test prep companies do a very good job of teaching strategy, screening teachers and training them, but the courses can be expensive and will not usually help you with content issues. A well-trained and qualified SAT tutor will teach strategy and address your student’s individual needs to learn the relevant math, vocabulary and writing skills (prices and quality vary). With any of these, students also need to be committed to studying on their own an additional 2-4 hours per week for the best results. For families who cannot afford courses or tutors, there are terrific SAT prep books on the market, and motivated students can achieve great scores with disciplined self-study.

*Not all high schools offer the PSAT for sophomores