What if I miss my PSAT due to illness?

What if I couldn't take the PSAT? Every year students miss the PSAT for legitimate reasons such as illness. To allow those students the opportunity to compete in National Merit, NMSC has a process known as alternate entry. Students must make a written request to NMSC for an alternate entry application form.

What happens if you are sick for the PSAT?

If your child missed the PSAT due to illness, emergency, or other extenuating circumstances, but would still like to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, contact the National Merit Scholarship Corporation via mail to inquire about alternate testing.

What happens if you are absent for PSAT?

If you miss the PSAT, you may be able to take it on the alternate test day. If you miss all test days, however, you'll have to wait until the following year to take the test. If you're a junior in high school and miss the PSAT, you'll have to find other ways to prepare for the SAT or ACT.

What to do if you can't take the PSAT?

You may be able to take the PSAT/NMSQT on another day or at another high school. If the PSAT/NMSQT testing window has closed, write to NMSC as soon as possible but no later than April 1, 2024, to request another route of entry to the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.

What happens if you miss the PSAT registration deadline?

Contact your school counselor to learn more about late registration. If your school does not accept late PSAT signups, use the College Board search tool to find nearby schools offering the PSAT. If you miss all the October test dates, you'll have to wait until the following year to take the PSAT.

PSAT® Cancellations: How To Know If Your Test Is Cancelled, And What Happens If It Is

Is it okay to miss the PSAT?

Yes! The National Merit Scholarship Corporation offers alternate entry for the scholarship competition. Students who did not take the PSAT on EITHER test date may submit SAT scores in lieu of PSAT scores.

Is it OK to skip the PSAT?

Do I (does my sophomore) need to take the PSAT? No. The PSAT (whether you're a sophomore or a junior, in fact) is not required, and deciding not to take it will not have any negative effects on your college admissions decisions.

What happens if you don't take the PSAT in 11th grade?

Cons: Students miss out on potential scholarships by not taking the PSAT/NMSQT as a junior. Students won't get to experience a formal SAT testing environment before taking the test. Students are less likely to find out if they'd be better off taking the ACT instead.

What happens if you don't take the PSAT in 10th grade?

No. The PSAT in 9th or 10th grade is just for practice, although a high score can qualify you for some great free summer programs at top schools. However, the PSAT in October of your Junior year is also the National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test (NMSQT), and that is kind of a big deal.

How many can you miss on the PSAT?

The data above tells us that the top 1% of test takers—about 16,000 juniors—scored between 1460 and 1520. Contrary to what many believe, you do not need a perfect PSAT score to get into the 99th percentile. In fact, you can miss up to 60 points and still get in the top 1%!

Can I retake the PSAT if I missed it?

What if I couldn't take the PSAT? Every year students miss the PSAT for legitimate reasons such as illness. To allow those students the opportunity to compete in National Merit, NMSC has a process known as alternate entry. Students must make a written request to NMSC for an alternate entry application form.

Can you go to college without taking the PSAT?

The PSAT will not count towards students' college admissions applications, but it is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship. Some of the highest-scoring students may win scholarship money, so while students should not stress out about the PSAT, they certainly should not ignore it either.

Can I take the PSAT not at my school?

Students who are homeschooled or plan to take the PSAT 8/9 at a school they do not normally attend, are considered "away students." They will not automatically be included in the registration file the school completes and will need to reach out to participating schools or district offices as soon as possible in order ...

Can I reschedule my SAT if I'm sick?

In most cases, students with temporary conditions, such as illness or injury, should reschedule their test date for a time after they have healed. Common examples include sprains, broken bones, surgery, and postsurgical recovery.

Does a bad PSAT score hurt you?

Simply put, your PSAT scores themselves will have no bearing on your admissions outcomes. However, if you get a good PSAT score in your junior year, you could get an admissions boost by receiving a National Merit Scholarship.

Can I take the PSAT at home?

Yes, but the test must be administered at a local high school or approved location.

Is 930 a good PSAT score?

A good PSAT score is between 1210 and 1520, which would put you in the top 10% of test takers. The average score earned on the PSAT is about 920, and a “perfect” score on the PSAT would be the maximum score of 1520.

Is 1300 a good PSAT score for a sophomore?

A very good PSAT score would be around 1210–1300 for juniors and 1180–1270 for sophomores. That puts you on track for about 1300–1380 on the SAT. A very good score on the PSAT is going to help you get into some of the top 100 ranked colleges and universities, which have moderately competitive admissions.

Is 1100 a good PSAT score?

The PSAT score is based on two scores: a Reading and Writing section and a Math section. Each section is scored between 160-760, adding up to an overall score between 320-1520. A score in the 75th percentile is considered the benchmark — usually an 1150 overall.

Do PSAT grades matter?

For the vast majority of students, the PSAT is simply a dress rehearsal for the SAT. While it's true there are a tiny percentage (around 3%) of 11^th graders who will take the PSAT and qualify for the National Merit Scholarship, it's important to remember that PSAT scores are not used in the college admissions process.

Can you take PSAT twice in 11th grade?

The PSAT/NMSQT exam can be taken upto four times in high school. Even though it is only allowed once a year, students can take maximum advantage by taking it in the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades.

Should you take the PSAT seriously?

Among the three different types of PSATs, only the PSAT/NMSQT is worth taking seriously, as it is the only one that can qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship. We do not recommend the PSAT to anyone who does not have a serious chance of becoming a National Merit Scholarship Finalist or Semifinalist.

Is it better to guess or skip on the PSAT?

While this statement was true a few years ago, it is no longer true. Older versions of the PSAT had a wrong-answer penalty so that students who guessed on questions would not have an advantage over students who left questions blank. This penalty has been removed; make sure you never leave a PSAT question blank!

Do schools care about PSAT?

What Do My PSAT Scores Mean? In and of themselves, your scores don't mean a whole lot. Colleges will never ask you for your PSAT results, and you'll never have to report them.

Should my 10th grader take the PSAT?

Most test-takers should plan on taking the PSAT/NMSQT their sophomore year. While you can't qualify for the National Merit Scholarship in 10th grade, you can gain valuable experience to prepare for your junior year when you can qualify for the scholarship.