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Im a junior and I'm going to tak ethe psats on Saturday. I'm curious as to how the process goes about choosing the finalists because I really would like t o be one. Is there a cutoff score of something? What score should i aim for? HELP ME OUT PLEASE!

By ari on Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Any national merit scholars on the board want to give me advice?

By SisirRao on Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 10:04 pm: Edit

I am also a junior. The cutoff score varies from year to year and from state to state. Go to nationalmerit.org for more information. You generally need above a 210 composite score to become a scholar+ good grades,etc.

By hustler268 on Friday, October 18, 2002 - 12:27 am: Edit

you have to be in the 98.5-99 percentile for your state
in smart states like new york and massachusetts it can be up there in the 220s.
in dumb states like mississippi it will be in the low 200's
here in alabama it fluctuates around 207-210

By ari on Friday, October 18, 2002 - 01:23 am: Edit

how about california? im guessing it's a smart state also. so what would an index around 210 be in terms of verbal, math,writing score?

By NYmom on Friday, October 18, 2002 - 01:19 pm: Edit

In CA this year, the cutoff for semifinalists is 216. I think that's about middle in the country.

By ari on Friday, October 18, 2002 - 07:26 pm: Edit

exactly how do they determine the composite score?

By NYmom on Friday, October 18, 2002 - 07:59 pm: Edit

The score, called the Selection Index, is the sum of the three parts of the PSAT: writing, math, verbal. So, for instance, if you get 60 on your writing, 70 on the math and 65 on the verbal, your Selection Index would be: 60+70+65 = 195.

Generally, to be Commended Status, you'll need a Seletion Index of about 200 (although this can change from year to year). Commended Status is the step before Semifinalist.

You'll hear it said that the PSAT is a practice for the SAT and that your score on the PSAT might be an indicator of what you'll get on the SAT. This is how that works: On the SAT, there is no writing portion (at least not right now). So, with the scores above, you would just take Verbal and Math (65 and 70), add them up (135) and put a zero after that (1350), and voila! your projected SAT I score.

HTH. Relax and enjoy the test tomorrow!

By Cornelius on Monday, December 16, 2002 - 07:40 pm: Edit

hipnah!

By JJ on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 - 10:24 pm: Edit

Would a score of 218(75 Verbal, 80 Math, 63 writing skills) possibly qualify in a smart state?? and why do they break it up by state, that seems pretty unfair.

By Gtrplayr77 (Gtrplayr77) on Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 02:29 pm: Edit

Im a junior and just got my PSAT results. I got a 211, and I live in Oklahoma, which is probably in the "dumb state" portion of the nation. Should this score suffice to become National Merit Semifinalist, Finalist, or Scholar?

By Gtrplayr77 (Gtrplayr77) on Saturday, December 21, 2002 - 04:58 pm: Edit

I was just at B&N and was checking out one of those test prep books for the PSAT and it had a table of usual cut offs for each state. I am from Oklahoma so naturally I checked that score out it is 207. Some of the others I can remember were Miss. which was 202, Wyoming I think was also 200-202, on the higher end were Mass. and Conn. with around 220's and the middle state scores were anywhere from 210-216 so thats pretty much what you're looking at. If I remember correctly the book was Princeton Review's PSAT prep book

By California on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 11:44 pm: Edit

NYmom, how did you find out California'a cutoff for this year? Or if there is anyone else out there that knows for sure (or is pretty sure), how did you find out?
Thanks!
High School Junior from California

By Jimsta on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 06:13 pm: Edit

Im in Cali and got a 206, is that enough for anything?

By Victor on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 07:38 pm: Edit

I'm in florida and got a 222. Are we a stupid state?? and what good comes from being a national merit scholar? plus im hispanic does that help anyhting (i wanna milk that for all its worth, i know i can). also, what happens if i do worse on the SAT?

By carlie on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 08:58 pm: Edit

i am a texas girlie and i got a 206. is that below the cutoff for the big tx?

By Tim on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 12:42 am: Edit

i'm from Washington and i got a 217, what are the chances of me being a semifinalist?

By Cognito on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 12:47 am: Edit

If you're talking about D.C., you're out of luck...it's rarely below 222, 220 at the absolute lowest.

By Tim on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 01:14 am: Edit

no i'm talking about Washington State.

By John Matts on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 10:48 pm: Edit

this sux, so if i got 99 percentile and 213, it's still not enough for semi for California?

By Avenger (Avenger) on Thursday, September 18, 2003 - 01:55 am: Edit

california, 235 gg pwnt no re k thx bye~

By Confucius986 (Confucius986) on Wednesday, April 28, 2004 - 06:24 pm: Edit

haha... i got a 214 and i'm from mississippi. i laugh in your face(*haha*)...(repeatedly)it pays to live in a "dumb" state. leave it to diversity to continually set the bar lower. i'm a disadvantaged student because i'm from mississippi. we are a "dumb" state. damn right. i'm happy we are too.