Answering my own question here, after talking to the College Board. They told me that when you do alternate entry they do calculate SI the same as with the PSAT, with the caveat that they cap the possible score so that it can’t exceed the top PSAT SI. So for example you could theoretically get 40 on SAT math but they cap it at 38 because that’s the most someone can get on the PSAT. But the big surprise was that with alternate entry, you can submit more than one SAT score as long as it is in the October-June testing window for your junior year, and they will use the best score (not superscore) to determine your eligibility for National Merit. I have told our HS test coordinator that we want to go the alternate entry route, and D19 will probably take the SAT one more time in May or June. So I guess we’ll never know how she did on the Oct. 25 PSAT, but this seems like a no-brainer. I think she will qualify for Commended and there is at least a theoretical possibility that she can be NMSF if she gets a better SAT score in May or June.