Emily Pearson
Staff Reporter
The PSAT/NMSQT stand for the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is a standardized test that is administered by the College Board, along with it being cosponsored by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in the United States. As of 2019, 3.8 million students have taken the PSAT/NMSQT.
The students that are offered to take this test are usually sophomores and juniors in high-school. They take the test during the fall of their sophomore or junior year. Students can take it up to three times in high-school, but only once a year.
This test is not a mandatory test and it is the students' choice whether or not they would like to take it. Though you can pass it up, it is a good opportunity to start getting yourself prepared sooner rather than later. The average PSAT score for Sophomores is 920, the halfway point between 320 and 1520, and 1010 for Juniors graders. Colleges will accept or reject you based off of the SAT or ACT, so they do not necessarily look at the PSAT.
PSATs are a terrific way to get familiar with the content, format and test-taking process for the SAT, as well as getting a sense of how you will perform on the actual exam. The score you receive can reveal which SAT content areas you might not be strong in, regardless of the grades you have in related classes. Then it will be easier to figure out what it is needed to study.
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