Can you retake the PSAT the same way you can retake the SAT?Answered
I'm a sophmore and took the PSAT this year and although my score wasn't bad, it wasn't good enough to be considered for the National Merit. Is it possible to take it again next year, and if so, will I still be considered for the National Merit or is it a one and done type of thing?
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4 answers
Hi @GeraldB,
Usually, schools allow tenth graders to take the PSAT once as a practice and then again as a junior to count towards the National Merit Scholarship. If your school does something different, you should check with your counselor about how you can take the test officially.
Hope this helps and best of luck!
The exam comes in three forms: the PSAT 8/9, the PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10. The PSAT 10 is the same test as the PSAT/NMSQT, though students take these exams at different times of year.
The one that counts which is the 11th grade version can only be taken 1 time. So it's an all or nothing proposition. This is why I think it should be abolished with regards to students winning Merit Scholarships. 1/2 the smart kids don't get these awards because they just happen to have a bad testing day, the day its given. Or they live in a State where the ACT is the predominant test platform.
Your ability to succeed in College should not be measured by a test you take 4 weeks into your Junior year over a 3 hour period. Merit Scholarships should be based on both the SAT and ACT scores, not just the PSAT.
So when someone brags that they were a National Merit Scholar, I don't think that is very impressive. What I think is impressive is the kid who got a 1250 on the PSAT but grinds to prep for the SAT or ACT and gets a 1550 or 35. That kid should get a merit scholarship not the kid who rests on their laurels for doing well on 1 test that has NEVER been a college requirement by any of the colleges in AMERICA including all the Ivys and Elites. No one has ever been admitted based on a PSAT score.
You can take it each year until your junior year to practice, but the PSAT your junior year is the only one that counts for the National Merit Scholarship. Unfortunately, the PSAT is only offered once a year so you can’t retake it to try for a better score.
Online it says you can take it once a year. You might be able to pay to have a second attempt but I would recommend taking the real thing if you were going to do that. I'm not entirely sure about the rules on getting national merit so you might want to talk to a counselor about that.
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Thank you for the insightful information. I appreciate it, truly.