Hey everyone, I'm starting to think about the whole college admissions process, and I keep hearing about the PSAT. Why do juniors take the PSAT? Is it just for practice, or does it actually affect college admissions?
Hey there! Great question. Juniors typically take the PSAT for a couple of key reasons. First, it's certainly good practice for the SAT since it mirrors the actual test's format, and the types of questions you'll see on the actual test. However, the PSAT isn't just for practice. It's also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Scoring within the top 1% can qualify you for National Merit recognition, which can lead to scholarship opportunities, and be a nice gold star to add to your application.
Additionally, even if you don't hit that top percentile, a strong PSAT score can often put you on colleges' radars for recruitment, as some schools purchase lists of high scorers to reach out to. So, taking the PSAT can definitely have an impact beyond just serving as a practice round for the SAT, even if that is its primary purpose for many students.
Best of luck in your preparations, and with your college process as a whole!
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