/r/psat

Photograph via snooOG

Subreddit for discussing the PSAT/NMSQT® and National Merit® Scholarship Program. Students, parents, tutors, and all others welcome!

Not affiliated with the College Board.

A place to share resources, advice, stories, tips, tricks, and anything else related to the National Merit Semi-Qualifying Test.

/r/psat

13,478 Subscribers

1

National Merit College Choice

Does declaring a first choice college exclude you from consideration for other national merit scholarships/corporate scholarships?

I’ve applied and been accepted into many schools, but there’s only one school I’ve gotten into that offers a national merit scholarship (VCU). Still, I’m not sure that’s the school I want to go to and would still like to be considered for corporate/national merit scholarships that I could use at other schools. Would marking VCU as my first choice exclude me from being considered for other scholarships, or could I mark it as my first choice college and be considered for their scholarship as well as the corporate ones (but still only accept one offer)?

6 Comments
2025/02/04
01:37 UTC

13

National Merit finalist anyone received the notice yet

Finalists list supposed to be sent to the schools today. Has anyone heard from their school yet?

6 Comments
2025/02/03
16:06 UTC

3

National merit status after transferring

I understand this is kind of niche, but hopefully out of 14,000 somebody has an answer. If I achieve a qualifying total in my junior year and then transfer to another state for senior year (still above the qualifying total) will all the letters be sent to my old school? Will this have any impact on me achieving finalist status? Wondering if anyone on this sub has done it before.

4 Comments
2025/02/03
02:08 UTC

15

When will letters about finalist standing arrive?

I was reading over the merit leaflet and saw that letters will be sent to our principals on Feb 3rd. I was wondering if there is still going to be significant delay due to these letters taking a long time to arrive or principals not being allowed to share this info with us. I have gotten deferred from one of my top colleges, and I am hoping I can get some good news in the coming week!

7 Comments
2025/02/02
23:26 UTC

9

Colleges with decent semifinalist scholarships that are still open for application

Hi guys! I recently got rejected from becoming and finalist. A lot of the schools I applied to were in the hope that I would become a finalist and get those scholarships. Does anyone know any schools with semifinalist scholarships that are still open for application?

7 Comments
2025/02/01
16:00 UTC

0

Is it too late to take PSAT/nmsqt for class of 2026

I didn’t know anything about national merit scholarship and school made my son take PsAT in October last year. It was without any prep and he got 1230. Is there chance to take it again since he is still in 11th grade?

Thanks!

7 Comments
2025/01/31
18:28 UTC

4

Help understanding national merit verification

I got a 1520 on the October PSAT and 780 Eng and 720 math split on the December sat. Will this be strong enough to verify. If there’s any formulas or data that I haven’t been able to find lmk

11 Comments
2025/01/29
06:59 UTC

3

Psat scores.

I'm a all A student and recently took the PSAT, and got a 950... I'm very disappointed in myself and don't know how. (I was very confident) Am I cooked?

1 Comment
2025/01/29
04:10 UTC

3

Why can’t I sign into collegeboard?

I tried to sign into collegeboard to see which specific questions I got wrong on the psat, but when I tried to sign in the password I thought I had put into it didn’t work. I tried all the forgot password options and none of them sent anything to me. I put my information to make an app into the boxes it gave me when I took the psat. I can sign into the bigfuture schools app no problem with just my phone number and the code it gave me but if I try to use the website I can’t. The phone call support hours are really hoard for my schedule (I get out of school at the same time the support hours end most days, and I still have an hour and a half commute home after that) so I’m trying to ask for help here before I try to call. I looked this problem up and it seems to be very common but I couldn’t find any solutions.

0 Comments
2025/01/26
23:07 UTC

1

When should I start studying?

Sophomore here.

I come from a very very very conpetitive school district. Hell, the things people do in our district to get into a good college I cannot tell you. But it is soo fucking competivit. Average Gpa here is 5.15 dead serious.

I don't have a citizenship here so I can't really get federal aid. Not even that. But I really want to get at least a 1510 on the PSAT because I know the students in our grade our fucking crazy good.

I'm thinking about starting SAT prep this May right after my ap exam.

I'm think that SAT prep will help me when it comes to PSAT?

Any advice?

6 Comments
2025/01/26
19:10 UTC

14

No finalist rejection letter yet, am I good?

Since the letters were sent out on the 10th, two weeks ago, and I haven't received anything yet, can I assume that I am a finalist, or is there a chance I could still be rejected?

7 Comments
2025/01/24
22:58 UTC

6

Could I still get finalist?

My grades previously have met national merit qualifications as far as I'd expect (4.49 weighted, 3 Bs in junior year with the rest being As), but this semester I had a tremendous falloff and got 2 As (AP Gov and Weight training), 1 B (AP Lit), 1 C (AP Physics 2), and 1 D (in ceramics lol). This would probably cook me I imagine, but I've also read that rejection letters have been sent out already and that senior grades don't matter. Could I be ok or am I stuck to semifinalist?

11 Comments
2025/01/23
21:52 UTC

5

Khan academy sat prep

The sat prep on khan academy is at least 10 years old, is it still useful? I'm just worried about how much the content inside the sat has changed and whether or not I should be using khan academy to prep.... also plz reccomend some other practice resources

3 Comments
2025/01/23
04:26 UTC

8

Finalist rejection

So basically, my score for 2024 PSAT (current junior) was 1500 and my state is in the middle for competition, so I feel pretty confident I'll be a semifinalist. I'm planning on graduating a semester early as a senior, taking a semester off for an internship, and then enrolling in the fall with everyone else. Will that disqualify me as a possible finalist? I couldn't find anything specific in the rules about it. Thanks!

11 Comments
2025/01/21
17:51 UTC

18

National Merit Semifinalists colleges acceptances

Where did you all end up getting acceptances? What was your standardized test score you submitted (superscore or highest ACT or SAT)

22 Comments
2025/01/21
16:31 UTC

5

Rejection Letters?

Have all the finalist rejection letters already been sent out?

5 Comments
2025/01/21
15:41 UTC

0

I just realized I can take the PSAT in 9th grade. I have 1.5 months to prepare. Am I cooked?

Ok so I thought my school only offered PSAT for 10th graders. They offer it for 9th as well. It’s on march 7th. I have a 100 in Advanced geometry, and I’ve taken algebra 1 and pre algebra. I have a college level reading level. I have the 2024 Princeton review practice book and practice question set to arrive tomorrow. If I start studying for an hour a day, (effectively, of course) do I have a shot at a 1300+? Any tips on how to cram and balance schoolwork? Ty 😭🙏

9 Comments
2025/01/21
05:37 UTC

5

Will I be able to review/learn new material for the psat?

so im a 10th grader who didnt know that i could go ahead in math and feel underprepared for the psat. The psat at my school is in early-mid april, is there enough time for me to review alg 1, review/learn past what im currently learning, and learn some alg 2 for the psat

5 Comments
2025/01/20
23:21 UTC

6

Just tell me the truth

I got a 1480 in October, 222 selection index in CA. I also got a 1530 on the December SAT. However although I’m mostly an A/B student, I got a D and C freshman year and a C again this year (rip)… Does this mean finalist is 100% off the table? I understand why, I’m just wondering if there’s any way at all to still be a finalist if your grades are not competitive or “consistently good” or whatever. ✌️

12 Comments
2025/01/19
04:16 UTC

1

Confirming score question

Does my confirming score have to be after my psat, I took psat in October and got a 220 nmsqt score, however I took the sat in August and got a 1550, do I need to take sat or act again for confirming score?

6 Comments
2025/01/18
15:34 UTC

2

I missed the first PSAT. How do I study for the next one?

on the first one I was planning on just going in blind without any studying just to see where I’m at, but I don’t take any AP or honors classes. I’m going to try to take some during my junior year, but I feel as though I’m unprepared for the next one so any type of studying suggestions would help.

4 Comments
2025/01/18
07:09 UTC

6

NMSF Standing

I am a National Merit semi-finalist, but I see people posting about being accepted/rejected finalist.

How did you guys find out? I did not get anything in my email. Was it through your school?

6 Comments
2025/01/17
17:48 UTC

2

Graphing calculator

For students with the highest of goals for college, is the Desmos calculator sufficient for every day classes and the PSAT or do you all recommend a personal graphing calculator?

View Poll

7 Comments
2025/01/17
10:56 UTC

15

Rejected Finalist

Honestly makes sense, I have a confirming score 1580.

But, I have had bad grades at times. A 3.65 UW and 4.7W. And a straight F in a college course as I was registered without my knowledge. I made it up but it was unable to be removed from my transcript.

I really was looking forward to this. I’ve been invited and flown out to Finalist events by colleges already.

Welp

15 Comments
2025/01/16
21:14 UTC

6

I might get rejected

I'm a semifinalist but I have 3 semester C's on my transcript. My confirming score was 34 on act(33E, 36R, 36M)(1540 SAT equivalent). My gpa is 3.8uw and 4.2w. Should I be scared?

12 Comments
2025/01/16
19:17 UTC

6

Does getting a high score as a sophomore mean anything

I took it the PSAT/NMSQT my this year (as a sophomore) since my school requires it and I got a 1520. I know I won't qualify for national merit so is this useful for literally anything else

11 Comments
2025/01/14
10:21 UTC

29

Can I appeal a National Merit rejection?

I took the NMSQT last year (jr) and got a perfect score. I am a semifinalist. Today I was notified that I won't be advancing due to not meeting the "consistently very high academic achievement" requirement. However, I have good grades, except for 1 F sophomore year. I spoke to my college counselor about it in September, but she said I would be fine and get Finalist. I believe 94% of SFs get Finalist. Is there a way I can appeal their decision?

50 Comments
2025/01/13
23:39 UTC

1

Help with WSU's Full Tuition Waiver as a National Merit Semifinalist

0 Comments
2025/01/13
14:56 UTC

3

Scoring system

I took the test years ago, but always wondered, why is the psat not out of 1600 like the sat? Wouldn’t it be way easier?

1 Comment
2025/01/12
07:38 UTC

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