So here’s a quiz for you– How many of you out there took the PSAT in high school? OK, and how many of you knew what it was or the importance of it?  Did your guidance counselors even tell you about it?  Yeah, I thought so. My husband was lucky enough to have taken it and done really well on it.  I, on the other hand, knew it only as the Preliminary SAT and thought, “Why would I want to waste my time with the preliminary version when I could wait and take the real thing!” BIG MISTAKE.. HUGE!

Why the PSAT/NMSQT is Important

So, let me break it down.  From the CollegeBoard.com   

“PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It’s a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.”

Did you catch the last sentence?  SCHOLARSHIPS?  Yeah, if you do well on this test, you can become a “National Merit Finalist or SemiFinalist” and get some serious scholarship money– maybe even a full ride.  Not only that you can overcome some grades that are lets just say less than spectacular.  

The Moral of this Post 

Just like everything else, some advance planning and investigation go along way.  

Be sure that your student takes the PSAT as a sophomore (lower grade testing is available too but in my opinion is kind of a waste of time unless you have a future Einstein on your hands).  Then be sure that you get them in a review course and get that PSAT grade up as high as it can be.  More on review courses next time.

Share Your Experience

I would love to hear about your insights and experiences.  Share your wisdom and let’s help our kids navigate out of the harbor and into the world. 

If you need inspiration, go watch the movie Failure to Launch and I’ll meet you back here next time.