How to Interpret Your PSAT Score Report

Do PSAT scores matter? Mostly not!

PSAT scores are not used in making a college admission decision, but as an indicator of college readiness and as a predictor of SAT scores.  Students will need to take an official SAT to meet standardized testing requirements.

So what is the difference?

It is important to understand that the PSAT is scored on a 160-760 scale for each section, whereas the SAT is scored on a 200-800 scale. The score ranges differ because the SAT contains additional questions of higher difficulty; it’s taken when students are older and have mastered more academic content. Because of this, a student who has scored a 450 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing on the PSAT, for example, should approximately score the same on the SAT if it was taken on the same day.  It would be expected that the student’s score would improve, however, when they take the SAT in the future as they will have mastered more academic content over time.

You will also notice that percentiles are given underneath each score.  These represent the student’s relative standing among all U.S. students in that grade, whether or not they have taken the PSAT.  You can obtain the percentile ranking among students who took the PSAT by going to the online score report on your College Board account.  Be aware that this ranking will most likely be lower as the cohort that takes the PSAT is often more competitive. 

What does it count for?

The PSAT taken in the junior year is used to qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Awards program. You will see an NMSC Selection Index Score on the 3rd page of the report. The student’s scores are used to calculate this index score, which will fall within the 48-228 range.  Each state calculates the score needed to qualify for the awards program based on students’ scores from their state and this benchmark changes from year to year.  The NMSC will notify students in September who are eligible to apply for the National Merit Scholarship Awards program.  These students are approximately the top-scoring 1% of students who took the PSAT in their junior year nationwide.

More detailed information about the PSAT can be found by logging into your College Board account online. 

Use With Caution: Scattergrams as a Predictor of College Admissions

Students and parents frequently reference their (or their child’s) admissions chances based on the Scattergrams displayed in Naviance, the online counseling tool at their high school.  We always caution that Scattergrams tell a very limited story and that they should not be considered an absolute.   

To the uninitiated, Scattergrams plot the admissions decisions received by previous students who applied from that high school to a particular college or university.  The Scattergram graph uses the X-axis for standardized test scores and the Y-axis for GPA to give prospective students a snapshot of their chances for admission. 

Some key things to keep in mind about the limits of Scattergrams:

•  Often, admission results are self-reported by the student. There are no controls in place for accuracy of results!

• The data is collected over preceding years and is a very small sample size.  Most colleges are getting more selective each year, so a student that was admitted even a year or two ago might not be admitted in the current admissions cycle.

• The two variables used, GPA and test scores, are frequently not the two most important factors of the applicants’ profile in consideration.  Many schools are now test-optional.  Most schools will look at academic rigor and like to see it on an upward trajectory over the four years of high school.  Many give important consideration to the essay and extracurriculars.  Additionally, there’s no way of knowing whether the students included on the Scattergram were recruited athletes, legacies, or had another “hook” desired by the college or university.

• Scattergrams usually don’t reveal whether the student applied Early Decision, Early Action or Regular Decision, which can affect one’s admission chances.

• The GPA utilized for Scattergrams is usually the student’s final GPA after senior year, not the GPA they used when submitting applications in the fall of senior year.  Many times, their final GPA is lower due to Senior Slide or Senior Slump in the spring.  Therefore, GPAs on the Scattergram may be skewed lower.

It’s important to keep in mind that Scattergrams offer a VERY limited window into the admissions outcomes for the given group of students. The breadth of variables upon which colleges base their decisions is not reflected in this simple diagram.  Most often, they are helpful in determining if you are shooting for the moon, but not the other way around.

Use Scattergrams with caution!

College Rankings Demystified

Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education recently looked at the effectiveness of the US News and World Report’s ranking system.  Just as we expected, they concluded that to find a college that is the right match, students should look beyond the rankings. What the study found was that student success was primarily determined by the level of student engagement in their college experience. Considering that students have different priorities when it comes to their educational experience, it is no surprise that a standard ranking system is ineffective. Interestingly, the one factor that had predictive power on whether a student had a personally fulfilling college experience was emotional support through faculty connection.  We have found that while the rankings can provide some interesting factual information, when it comes to matching students to colleges students and families should look beyond the rankings.

For more information about this study click on the link below.

College Application Submission Delays

Q: My application is ready to go but my transcript and teacher recommendations haven’t been uploaded. Should I wait to submit?

A: You don’t have to wait! Submitting your application early will give you the chance to make sure that everything is submitted correctly and then the college can start to assemble your file. When the rest of your materials are submitted, they will be added to the file and it will be marked complete and ready for review.

That being said, most colleges do not review an application until it is complete, so once you send your application, make sure to let your school counselor and teachers know that it has been submitted!

To ED or Not

Forced decisions tend to be those which we regret.

Q: I'm trying to decide where to apply Early Decision, but I'm a bit stuck. My first choice school does not offer it, so I'm left deciding between schools that I really like but aren't at the top. How do I choose?

A: Don't. If the college that is your first choice doesn't offer early decision, don't sell out! We never want our students to have buyer's remorse at the end of the process. 

So what do you do if your college of choice does not offer a binding Early Decision option? Make sure that they know that they are at the top of your list! If you've met your regional admission representative, send them an email letting them know of your interest. Check to see if the regional rep will be visiting your school this fall. Visit the college. Interview if that is an option. Don't go overboard -- you don't want to seem desperate, but be honest about your interest. That will go a long way. 

National Merit Commended Scholar or Semifinalist? What's the Difference?

Q: What is the difference between being a Commended Scholar and Semifinalist for the National Merit scholarship?

A: High school juniors take the PSAT each October, many with hopes of becoming a National Merit Scholar. Scores are released in the winter months, but students have to wait until September of the following year to learn if they will be progressing in the competition. 

Commended Scholars are those that have a high score, but their results are lower than the selection index in their state. This year, the cutoff for Commended Scholars is 214. So a student who scores a 219 in Connecticut, where the cutoff to move on is 222, will be given a letter of commendation in recognition of their achievement, but will not be in the running for a scholarship. They may, however, be able to get money from a corporate award through a parent's workplace. 

Those that meet or exceed the National Merit cutoff will become Semifinalists and are eligible to complete an application to become a Finalist and vie for a scholarship. At this point, the committee looks at more than just a high test score. Finalists must have a strong academic record and an excellent letter of recommendation from their principal. 

Ask the Consultant: Another SAT?

Q: I took the SAT this past weekend and don't think I did so well. I was hoping to apply to a few schools early action. Will I have time to take it again?

A: First of all, take a deep breath! We often have students tell us that they "bombed" a test initially, and then are pleasantly surprised with the results.  Good news!  Most colleges will consider October or even November SATs, or September ACTs, for consideration for early action. As always, check the college website or call the admission office to confirm!

There is still time!

You can indicate on your Common Application or Coalition Application that you are planning to take a test in the future, which will signal to the college admission team that they need to wait for that score to render a decision. Just make sure that you send an official score report to each college via the College Board or ACT website as soon as scores are released. You can then go back into your Common or Coalition app and update the testing section with your better scores!