Speculation on National Merit cutoff for PSAT?

[vtran31]

<p>What do yall think? Go up or go down? My opinion is it went up. Here's my theory: the national merit scholars constitute the top .6 % of the people taking the test. The top .6 % tend to be academically driven. They tend to usually be insatiable readers, good writers, or great math people. The test got rid of a lot of tricks this time, so I tihnk the score went up</p>

<p>Anyone else form Texas? 216 was last year's cutoff, I wonder what this year will be. When do we find out if we made national merit? This whole waiting game is annoying</p>

[altf4]

<p>if its .6% to be national merit, then what's the commendation cutoff?</p>

[vtran31]

<p>sorry man don't got that. if anyone has the booklet that gives you information about hte PSAT (not the practice test the other booklet) they can easily calculate the percentile. the yhave thisnifty chart and everything...</p>

[jwvccal]

<p>They say about 1,300,000 entrants
50,000 high scorers (34,000 commended, about 2.61 %)
16,000 will be semifinalists (about 1.23 %)
15,000 will be finalists</p>

[i_lose]

<p>Didn't someone say the cutoff for commended was 201?</p>

[RaboKarabekian]

<p>If you get to send your PSATs to 2 colleges in the spring, you're at least commended. You have to wait until at least August to find out if you're a semi-finalist. So put it in the back of your mind and focus on the SATs or something.</p>

[celebrian25]

<p>I think my state's went up (214 last time), to oh about 216 or 218</p>

[vjjones59]

<p>Can anyone clarify the scoring for me. I was told to add a zero to the score to make it comparable to an SAT score, but doesn't seem to be true. Also, do many sophomores take the PSAT? How is it determined who takes it as sophomores or juniors?</p>

[techiedork]

<p>depends a lot on the school. at mine all the sophomores and juniors take it, but of course only the juniors can quality for national-merit</p>

[zoogies]

<p>
[quote]

Can anyone clarify the scoring for me. I was told to add a zero to the score to make it comparable to an SAT score, but doesn't seem to be true. Also, do many sophomores take the PSAT? How is it determined who takes it as sophomores or juniors?</p>

<h2>

[/quote]
</h2>

<p>Yeah. It's true. It works - the SAT 1600 scale is only math and verbal, so take your math and verbal, add them, and then add a zero at the end. </p>

<p>Sophomores can choose to take the PSAT at pretty much any school - it's up to you. Some schools force them to take it though.</p>

[anastasia_b]

<p>PSAT math+verbal*10 is comparable to old SAT</p>

<p>PSAT math+verbal+writing*10 is comparable to new SAT</p>

<p>though the tests are a bit different, each section on the PSAT is out of 80, and the SAT is out of 800.</p>

[dwerbowy]

<p>maybe this year since its the firs pSAt modeled after the new SAT, the cutoff will be a few points lower.(crosses finger).</p>

[zoogies]

<p>I think it definitely should be -> new test format. <em>crosses fingers</em></p>

[CC_Admin]

<p>i don't think it will make a difference</p>

[celebrian25]

<p>I want it to make a difference, but I know it won't
It's just a waste of time to lay on false hopes
btw, no sophomores at my school take the psat</p>