Hey everyone, I just got my PSAT scores back and I'm rocking a 1400. I'm pretty psyched, but I'm not entirely sure how this stacks up when it comes to the National Merit Scholarship competition. Can anyone shed some light on whether a 1400 is competitive enough for that, or should I start focusing more on my SAT prep?
Congrats on your score – a 1400 is quite an achievement, and you should feel proud of that!
As for the National Merit competition, it depends on the qualifying scores for your particular state, as each state has its own cutoff that can fluctuate year by year. These cutoffs are based on the Selection Index, which is double the sum of your Reading, Writing and Language, and Math test scores. So, with a 1400, assuming a balanced score, your Selection Index would be around 210. Generally speaking, the highest cutoffs tend to be in the 220s, but it varies. To get a sense of where your score sits, look up the past year's cutoff scores for your state as a preliminary benchmark. That being said, preparation for the SAT is still a fantastic idea since the skills for the PSAT and SAT are quite similar, and doing well on the SAT can also open up college doors and scholarship opportunities beyond National Merit. Keep up the good work!
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