The highly anticipated PSAT scores will be released next week. Juniors: Class of 2018, here are 5 important things to keep in mind as you evaluate your score:Your PSAT score will not be sent to colleges. If you scored lower than you were hoping, don't worry about this interfering with your college admission goals. Use it as a practice experience and move forward with the SAT or ACT in the spring. Colleges will never see this score.The highest score you can get on the PSAT is a 1520 - each section (Evidence Based Reading/Writing and Math) is scored from 160-760. The SAT is scored on 1600 point scale - 200-800 on each section.Let your PSAT report be a road map for you as you prepare for college entrance exams in the spring. Your PSAT score will give you a sense for how well you are prepared to perform on the SAT or ACT. If you did very well on the PSAT, this might indicate that the SAT is the best fit for you long-term. If you performed less than you were hoping for, give the ACT a try. We offer a side-by-side SAT/ACT diagnostic for those of you who are still unsure. Contact us for more details.The Selection Index score determines National Merit Scholarship qualification. The qualification cut-off varies from state to state and often changes from year to year. If your Selection Index is high enough, you will be notified of national merit qualification much closer to senior year.You still have plenty of time. The majority of testing that really matters is still ahead of you. Study hard, prepare well and plan to do your best on the SAT or ACT in the spring. Despite the anxiety that surrounds the PSAT, there's little need to stress. Remember that your grades and extracurriculars matter tremendously to colleges. Your "track record" is a much better indicator for how you'll do in the admission process. Even for National Merit Finalists, your academic and extracurricular performance will be heavily evaluated. Learn from your PSAT and use it to your advantage as you move forward.
