PSAT/NMSQT: Difference between revisions

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The '''PSAT/NMSQT''', or '''"Preliminary-SAT"/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test''', is a [[multiple choice]] [[standardized test]] generally taken by juniors, sophomores, and some sophomoresfreshmen in Uthe United States.S An estimted 1.3 [[highmillion students took the test in school]]s2004. The test is administered by the [[Educational Testing Service]] (ETS) for the [[College Board]] and [[National Merit Scholarship Corporation]] (NMSC).

The test is composed of three sections: [[mathematics|mathematical]], [[English language|verbal]], and [[essay|writing]]. Each section is worth eighty points, which add up to a maximum composite score of 240 points. Because the PSAT and [[SAT]] are very similar in content, the scores one achieves on the math and verbal sections of the PSAT roughly predict the scores that one would receive on the respective sections of the [[SAT]]; the predicted SAT score is centered about 10 times the PSAT score on the section. Starting on the October 2004 administration, the PSAT will be overhauled to match the format of the new [[SAT]].

==The Test and Scores==

Each year about 1.3 million U.S. high school students take this test, usually in the month of October. High scorers among juniors only on this test are recognized in two main categories based on their scores.

The test is composed of three sections: [[Mathematics|mathematical]], [[Critical Reading|verbal]], and [[Writing|writing]]. Each section is worth eighty points, which add up to a maximum composite score of 240 points. The PSAT scores are graded on a similar scale to the [[Scholastic Aptitude Test]] (SAT) test. Each section is scored on a scale of 20 to 80 points (lower scores are possible, but are discarded). Each section on the SAT is graded on a scale of 200 to 800, allowing a PSAT score to predict a comparable SAT score (the difference is mainly to help distinguish from which test a score comes). However, unlike the New SAT (2005), the New PSAT does not include higher-level math (i.e. concepts from [[Algebra 2]]) or an essay in its writing section (the section is new to the SAT in 2005). The addition of the three scores is known as the Selection Index and is used, along with four general criteria for eligibility and priliminary selection in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Commended Students are the first category. This group comprise about 35,000 of the top 50,000 students.

==National Merit Scholarship Competition==

The highest scorers are designated National Merit-Semifinalists. This group numbers around 15,000. Designations are made on the basis of equitable state representation. Therefore, each state has different cutoff scores.

The scores from the PSAT are also used (with the permission of the student) to determine eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. In addition to the score, a student must be either a Junior on a four-year graduation program or in the second year of a three-year graduation program, be a citizen of the United States, and be graduating in the year two years after they take the test (i.e., for the 2004 exam the student must graduate in 2006). However, for three-year graduates, there is a slightly more complicated and ambiguous set of selection criteria.

The first recognized category, with a general Selection Index cutoff of around 200-204 is Commended Scholars and comprises about 35,000 of the top 55,000 students. The highest scorers in this group (generally a Selection Index of 214-218) are designated National Merit-Semifinalists. This group numbers around 15,000. Designations are made on the basis of equitable state representation. Therefore, each state has different cutoff scores.

With the exception of about 1000 students, all Semifinalists advance to Finalist standings based on external (non PSAT score based) qualifications (which in the past have included items like explicit application for finalist designation, principal recommendation, etc.).

With the exception of about 1000 students, all Semifinalists advance to Finalist standings based on external (non PSAT score based) qualifications, which in the past have included items such as explicit application for finalist designation, principal recommendation, etc. Finalists are eligible to receive National Merit Scholarship awards. This group consists of approximately 6,000 students.

In a small number of cases, studentsbecause whothe areNMSC offeredonly Nationalawards Meritscholarships Scholarshipsto willstudents beattending unablecolleges toin acceptthe themUnited dueStates, toa acceptancevery atsmall anumber universityof orNational collegeMerit outsideScholars thesometimes Unitedlose Statestheir scholarship awards. If this is the case the student is not given a scholarship (as the scholarship money is meant only for use in the United States) but is instead designated an Honorary Merit Scholar, which (acknowledgingacknowlegdes achievement without any financial assistance).

==Cheating and Fairness==

Most students in a classroom will have exactly the same test. However, because of the nature of the test, and specific rules concerning seating of the students, the chances for success are low. However, if a group of students worked together to actively cheat, the computer grading the exams would likely catch them in the act- because it is set to evaluate answer patterns for irregularities such as several scores in one class with the exact same questions wrong.

To be fair, there is a significant problem with proctors and calculators. The testing administrator is supposed to make sure the memory of the calculator is cleared for the math section of the exam (it is supposed to be put away on the other sections) but this is rarely done in practice.

== External links ==