Take the PSAT for Fun and Profit

September 2008
by Lee Binz (The HomeScholar)

I was at my husband's softball game doing what I love doing at his games - talking about homeschooling. My friend Kathy said to me, "I never took PSAT in high school. I don't think I knew anything about it. Suddenly all my friends were taking it one weekend, and by then it was too late to sign up!" Some things never change! Every year I talk to students that are in the same situation that Kathy was decades ago. They don't realize the test is available, or that they should register. The next thing they know, they are spending the day alone, while all their friends are taking the test.

In this article you will learn the two purposes of the PSAT, how homeschoolers can take the test, and what the benefits are. The PSAT is only offered once a year, so it's really easy to miss. The ONLY way to make sure your student can take the test is to plan ahead. Sounds intimidating? I'll break that information down into bite-sized pieces.

The complete name for the test is PSAT/NMSQT which stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Don't just think "Wow! That's the biggest acronym I've ever seen!" The name can help you decipher the two functions of the PSAT. The first name, PSAT means it's a practice test that you can take "for fun" to learn about the SAT. The second name, NMSQT means National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which means you can take the test "for profit" as a junior. Either way can benefit your student. Let me describe the functions of the PSAT so that you feel completely comfortable with it.

The first name of the PSAT/NMSQT

Taking the PSAT "for fun!"

The first name of the test is PSAT. That's the portion of the test that is the preliminary, practice, or pre-SAT. You can take the test for practice in tenth or eleventh grade. I call this "take the test for fun!" because your scores don't matter. The results are just for you, with no negative repercussions at all. . You can use it as a starting point, before you study for the SAT. It is also used to estimate your SAT scores.

It provides firsthand practice for the SAT. The PSAT measures reading, writing, and math. Each section is given a score of 20 to 80, with about 50 being an average score. When you get the results, add a zero to the score of each section, and that will estimate your score for the SAT. For example, if you get a 62 in the PSAT reading, it is likely that you will get around 620 in reading on the SAT. When you get the score results, they will tell you what score range you are likely to have on the SAT, and that will help you find a college that will match the academics rigor of your student.

It also provides practice in taking standardized tests in a really rotten environment. In a sea of contagious diseases, surrounded by tattoos, body p iercings, and smelly teenagers, my sons sat in alphabetical order in a public school cafeteria. Certainly not a perfect situation for a test, but it was definitely good to see the setting of the SAT before the test counts! Taking a timed test around strangers is difficult. It's more difficult when you haven't practice it first. The PSAT can provide practice in taking a test in "less that perfect" non-homeschooling conditions.

 

"Comparative" function of the PSAT

Taking the test for fun will give you a percentile score, which compares your student against other bright college-bound students of the same age. One of the few drawbacks about homeschooling is that we sometimes lack of sense of where our students fit with the norm. We know perfectly well the foibles of our students and their weak areas, but we often don't realize exactly how smart they are compared to the rest of the gene pool. This test can be a startling reminder of how efficient and effective homeschooling can be! Even struggling learners in a homeschool environment will often test average or above in standardized tests that compare them to other high school students.

The comparative function will also give you a helpful "data point" about your student if they simply do not test well. Nobody is perfect, and of course there are students that won't test well even though they may be quite bright. Taking the PSAT for fun, without the risk of negative repercussions, can help you determine whether to use standardized tests scores at all when applying to college. If your student does very poorly on the test, you can decide to use other things to document your homeschool achievement. Based on the "for fun" score, you could decide to submit a portfolio instead of a test score. You might also decide to take community college courses to prove college readiness. More options will be available when you have this information from the test.

The test is good for comparison because it's standardized - and that means that states requiring a test from homeschoolers will often accept the PSAT. Better still, this is a very inexpensive test, so you can save money if you use this test over some others. As far as tests go, the PSAT is a pretty cheap way to meet your state's requirement for annual testing. In Washington State, for example, it's really our best value for testing in 10th and 11th grade.

 

"College search" function of the PSAT

Check "yes" to Student Search Service, and allow colleges to see information about your student - and you'll be well on your way to starting your college search. That's a good thing, because colleges will start marketing to your student. You can find out about great colleges that way - perfect fit colleges that you otherwise wouldn't have considered. Yours could be the student they want! They may be looking for a homeschooled student in Oregon who wants to be a doctor, or maybe they are would take ANY student from North Dakota, just so they can get another state represented at their school. The student search can tell you which colleges want YOU. By the end of junior year, you should know which colleges you want to apply to, and having interested colleges mailing you information can really help.

 

The second name of the PSAT/NMSQT

Taking the PSAT "for profit!"

The second name of the test is NMSQT. Although people rarely refer to the test by its second name, that's the part of the test that's "For Profit." This acronym stands for National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. If you have heard of some students becoming a "National Merit Scholar" or "National Merit Commended Student" THIS is the test that they took. It's national because everyone can take it, even homeschoolers. It measures academic merit, meaning that a good score and quality academics will get you considered for the scholarship. It's a scholarship, because students who earn the National Merit Scholarship are awarded financial aid for college - $2500 per year or more. And it's a qualifying test because it's just the beginning of the scholarship process - first you take the test, and then there are other hoops to jump through after that. The test can also lead to other scholarships as well.

Only juniors can take test "For Profit." Although 10th and 11th graders can take the test, only juniors in high school will have their score count for the NMSQT function of the test. Otherwise the test is just "for fun." The sophomore year test does NOT count toward the national merit scholarship.

Since the PSAT is a practice test for the SAT, it can be "for profit" even if you don't win the scholarship. College financial aid is often tied to SAT scores, and anything that you do to raise that score can save you thousands of dollars. Raising your score can be as easy as practice, practice, practice. Taking the PSAT is the best way to closely resemble the SAT. It has the same environment, the same kids, the same noises, sights, and smells as the real test. Using this as a practice test can really save you money on college.

 

What to do about the PSAT/NMSQT

Register for the test

Given in public and private schools, the test is given only one week in October every year, and this year it's on Wednesday, October 15 or Saturday, October 18. Here is the kicker: you have to register for the test immediately. Schools sometimes register kids in June, before classes end for summer. Other schools register for the test during the first week of school. Either way, you have to be registered SOON! It's fairly easy to access as a homeschooler. On this web page for homeschooled students, you can search for a school offering the test:

Find Schools in Your Area Giving the PSAT/NMSQT

Find a school first, but then call them right away. The test is only once each year, and it's easy to miss if you put off the call. Here is what the College Board says: "If you are a home-schooled student, contact a principal or counselor at a local public or independent high school to make arrangements to take the PSAT/NMSQT at their school. Be sure to do so well in advance of the mid-October test dates, preferably during the previous June."

 

Learn about the test

The PSAT is simply a measurement of reading, writing, and math. The test is all "fill in the bubble" and there is NO handwritten essay on the PSAT. You can bring a calculator, and the math section includes algebra and geometry. Because of that, taking the test "for fun" may not be much fun without having some algebra and geometry under your belt. The whole test requires two hours and 10 minutes, but it takes longer than that because of breaks between sections. As I mentioned earlier, each section of the test is graded on a crazy, 20 to 80 scale. Generally speaking, a score of about 50 is average, 60 is good, 70 is great, and 80 is perfect. Read more about what is on the test here.

I only rarely suggest that you should have your child study for the PSAT. Instead, I like to think of it as being the "starting point" for studying for the SAT. But for some students it might make sense to study for this test. If your child has a good chance to get the National Merit, for example, then studying for the PSAT might be that little bit they need to join the "in" crowd. For an anxious student, some practice may help them feel comfortable with the "process" of testing. If you are interested in studying for the test, there are options. If you register with Petersons.com, you can get one free online sample test here. You can also find a PSAT test prep books at Amazon.com here:

• REA
• Princeton Review

You will also get one free Official Student Guide to the PSAT when you register for the test at the school, and it includes a sample test. Make sure you read that guide, because there is a lot of information in there that will help you. Make sure your student fills out the student information section as well. They will be asked questions about what classes they have taken in high school. Since homeschoolers rarely talk about that sort of thing with our students, sometimes kids don't have a clue what courses they have taken, or what grades mom intends to give them.

 

What should you do right now?

What do you do with this information? If you have a 9th grader, go to your calendar now. Write "Register for PSAT" during the first week of June. If you have a 10th grader, decide if they should take the test for fun this year. Register now if you want your student to take it this year. Put it on your calendar for June if you want them to take it again next year. If you have an 11th grader, register for the test today, and put the test October test date on your calendar. If you have a 12th grader and you haven't taken the PSAT, don't beat yourself up! Just make sure your student takes the SAT or ACT as soon as possible. Here is are two links to help you learn more about them: SAT and ACT

In a public school setting, there are advisors and counselors. They are each assigned hundreds of students. You know how hard it is to get our teenagers to do things sometimes? They have that same trouble! There are many kids in high schools that don't pay attention to their advisor, don't do what they are told to sign up for the test. They forget, delay, and don't pay attention in a public school as well. If you can get your kids to the PSAT, that's great! If not, don't think a public school would do a better job of advising, though. Parents are the best adviser, because we have more at stake. These aren't just "kids." These are OUR kids! And that makes all the difference!

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If you liked this article, please forward it to your friends at your homeschool group or coop, as well as friends who are considering homeschooling. They can sign up for The HomeScholar Record and get great homeschooling high school hints, tips and advice delivered to their inbox each month!

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