Hey guys, I'm a bit stressed out about the PSAT. I'm trying to figure out how much it actually matters in 10th grade in terms of college admissions. I know juniors take it for National Merit Scholarships, but is there any reason to stress over the scores in 10th grade? Do colleges look at these scores, or is it just practice for the SAT?
Hello there! First off, take a deep breath and try to relax a bit. The PSAT in 10th grade isn't something that will directly affect your college admissions. It's true that the National Merit Scholarship Program looks at scores from your junior year, not sophomore year. So in 10th grade, the PSAT mainly serves as good practice for the SAT. It gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the format and question types, and understand how you perform under timed conditions.
Colleges won't see your 10th grade PSAT score. Instead, they'll be interested in your SAT or ACT scores, your coursework, grades, and the other experiences and achievements you'll list on your application. Use your PSAT experience as a learning opportunity. If your score isn't what you hoped, identify areas to focus on. If you did well, that's great! It suggests you might perform well on the SAT too. Either way, don't stress. You have plenty of time to prepare for the tests that colleges will consider when you apply. Use this result to guide your study plan, and you'll do great when it really counts!
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