PSAT scores and how you can use them
Most sophomores and juniors in high school will receive their PSAT results this week. Receiving PSAT results starts a deliberate effort to prepare for the SAT or ACT for many juniors. Other juniors may have already begun studying for the exams. PSAT scores can help sophomores identify areas where they need to improve. What do your PSAT scores mean, and how can you use them?
PSAT scoring
-Each of the three tests will give you a score ranging from 8 to 38. (Reading, Writing & Language, and Math)
-You’ll also get a score for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math, ranging from 160 to 760.
-Your overall PSAT score, derived by adding your two area scores together, will range from 320 to 1520.
-You’ll also get sub scores in Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Algebra, Problem Solving, Data Analysis, and Advanced Math, which range from 1 to 15.
Juniors
The majority of students will be ineligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program. PSAT scores, on the other hand, are still useful. PSAT results give you a good sense of how you’d do on the SAT if you didn’t study for it, and they can help you identify areas where you need to improve. If your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score, for example, is lower than you’d like, it’s time to enroll in a reading program. assuming that your math scores aren’t where you’d like them to be, it’s possible that you need to study geometry and algebra concepts from earlier grades that you’ve forgotten.
If you’re a junior and think you did badly on the PSAT, try taking a practice ACT and comparing your ACT results to your PSAT scores using our SAT-ACT concordance tool to determine if the ACT is a definitive test for you. Juniors should start thinking about their testing schedule after selecting which test is suitable for them to arrange their preparation accordingly. Think about which test dates are most convenient for you and your family. When is your family’s vacation planned? When do you have major sporting events or other extracurricular responsibilities, such as
National merit scholarship
Extremely high-scoring juniors may be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which honors top students based on their junior PSAT scores. Out of the 1.6 million juniors that take the PSAT, around 50,000 individuals are chosen for this program. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recognizes students at three levels: Commended, Semifinalist, and Finalist. Scholars who have been recognized typically rank in the top 3% of all pupils in the state. Semifinalists must rank among the top 1% of all students in their state. The minimum scores required to be considered a semifinalist vary by state and are revealed in early September.
It’s worth noting that National Merit cutoff scores are set by the state where a kid attends school, not the state in which the student resides. If you live in Virginia but go to school in Washington, DC, you must fulfill the DC criteria. Similarly, if you go to boarding school, your NMSC selection numbers will be determined by the state in which your boarding school is located, not the state in which you live. A third of the 50,000 top scorers will be told that they have advanced to the semi-finals. Semifinalists must then apply to be considered a finalist. Check out the NMSC’s blog for more details.
Sophomores
If you’re a sophomore, your PSAT scores can also help you decide when to start taking tests. You can prepare for the SAT or ACT in the summer before 11th grade and take the test for the first time in late summer or early fall of your junior year if you already have a high score and take advanced math programs. If your results aren’t where you’d like them to be, the good news is that you have plenty of time before the test to improve your reading speed and comprehension and brush up on critical math abilities.
What Is a Good Percentile-Based PSAT Score?
The percentile you receive on your PSAT score report compares you to everyone else who took the PSAT that year. The percentile indicates the percentage of students who received a grade equal to or lower than yours. For example, if you received the 80th percentile, you scored on par with or better than 80 percent of all test takers. The higher the percentile, the greater the number of pupils you outperformed. If you scored higher than the 50th percentile, you outperformed most test participants. So, a “good” score would be somewhere in the middle.
How to prepare for the PSAT
Take a practice exam and see how you do; you may concentrate on strengthening any weak areas. One of the easiest ways to prepare for the PSAT is to pay attention in class and do some challenging outside reading. Developing your logical thinking and reading comprehension abilities and fundamental arithmetic knowledge will be critical to performing well on this exam and the SAT. Learning these concepts naturally will help them stick in your mind far better. With time and practice, talents that were once difficult will become second nature. This is superior to cramming shortly before the test, which may assist a bit but not provide the same results. Consult a tutor for additional help regarding the exam curriculum or do better in your weaker sections.
Miles Smart Tutoring offers affordable online tutoring services for PSAT, SAT, ACT, and other exams. Our teachers are trained to work with students from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Our excellent learning approach has helped thousands of students to ace their educational journey. You can select a tutor and learn from one whose expertise aligns with your learning needs. We assure customized support, lesson plans, and assistance.