Is my PSAT score good? How much higher should it be before I enter the National Merit Scholar Competition?

Question

I just took a practice PSAT and scored it online. I received a 184. I know that this is pretty much synonymous with a 1840 SAT score. I'm happy with it because I'm 14. I took the SAT when I was 12 for a special program and scored a 1600, so I've made improvement. Do you think this score is good? How much higher should my score be before I enter the National Merit Competition, which requires a high PSAT score?

Answer 1

Your going to (our should) take it twice officially. Once in October of your sophomore year and again in the beginning of your junior year. Your junior year is the one that counts towards becoming a national merit scholar. I know in my sophomore year my score was about a 176 and in junior year it was a 195 (i was not a finalist of course). So I'm sure that you'll improve even more in the next two years. It depends on the average of your state whether or not you are commended, a finalist, or do not receive any recognition. Last year I think it ranged from about a 200 to 223 but I do not think the college board releases that kind of information. If you raise your score 40 points in the next two years, which I'm sure you will, I think you'll receive some kind of high recognition.

I'm not sure but good luck.

Answer 2

A 184 is not high enough to qualify for a National Merit scholarship.  You want to aim for around a 220 (the specific number varies from year to year and from state to state) to qualify.  By the way, when you take it as a junior, you're automatically put into the National Merit competition (and you can't enter it before or after junior year, so you don't have any choice on when you enter the competition).