The PSATs are in!

Dear Parents,

The results for the PSAT arrived yesterday morning. Congratulations to all!!! Needless to say, some students were highly satisfied with their results, while others were a bit disappointed. So now it is time to take advantage of the results, devise a study plan, and prepare to aim higher!

I distributed to each student his or her Score Report Plus, which offers a detailed analysis of test performance as well as each of the questions on the test. I've outlined three of the most important items to consider:

1. Please see the web page which explains the Score Report Plus distributed to each student yesterday and go over the results with your son or daughter. (pasted in below, or link) In mid-December, each student will have access to "My College QuickStart," an online guide to the test questions and a personalized college planning tool. It is explained below. While the PSAT is a low-stakes test, it is also a vital indicator of strengths and weaknesses in the areas tested.

2. There are two basic ways of looking at scores:
a) the numerical scores: Multiplied by ten, these scores correspond to the SATs. For example, a 64 in Critical Reading = 640 (out of 80 = 800).
b) the percentage: This ranks a student based on those sophomores and juniors who took the test. Any student younger than a sophomore (that is, freshmen) are ranked with sophomores. The percentage measures how many others you scored higher than in your grade level, therefore 99 is the highest.

3. Please note that the National Merit Scholarships apply to juniors only. Juniors can qualify for a National Merit Scholarship IF they apply to one of the colleges listed in the information/practice test booklet and if they score well on the test. See the information/practice test booklet for details.

My sincere wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your families!

John Pilsner
Director of College Admissions and Academic Guidance

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PSAT/NMSQT® Score Report Plus
Helping Your Child Use Score Report Plus
http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/tests/meet-tests/31008.html

Be sure to look beyond the scores when you read your student's PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Plus. You'll find a thorough review of his performance and suggestions for improvement in school and out, as well as advice and tools for college and career preparation.

Scores

Your student's PSAT/NMSQT scores are printed right at the top of the report. Each score—one each for critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills—is based on a scale of 20-80. But the scores are just the beginning. Other important data available on the report include score ranges and percentiles.

Score ranges show how much scores might vary if your student were to take the PSAT/NMSQT repeatedly without learning additional skills. In other words, the scores within this range are considered equal, statistically.

Percentiles compare your student's performance to that of other students, nationally. If he or she is in eleventh grade, his or her score is compared to the scores of all eleventh-graders who took the test. If he or she is in tenth grade or younger, his score is compared to the scores of all tenth-graders who took the test.

Review Your Answers

Here you'll find the correct answer, your student's response, and the difficulty level of each question. For math questions, the general area of math that is covered is also indicated. Your student should receive his or her original test book along with his or her Score Report Plus. Reviewing questions he or she got wrong is an excellent way for your student to prepare for the SAT®. Encourage him or her to look into the reasons he or she got them wrong:

* Did he or she not know the answer? Or was there another reason he responded incorrectly?
* Did he or she make a careless error?
* Did he or she guess instead of leaving the question blank?

Reviewing answers and going over difficult questions with a teacher will help your student improve his skills and performance.

Improve Your Skills

This section lists some specific skills that your student needs to improve. These suggestions are based upon his pattern of responses across test questions. You'll find personalized feedback on up to three critical reading and mathematics skills and up to two writing skills. While other areas may also need improvement, the skills listed here are the ones that can be best improved through additional attention and learning. Share this information with your student's teachers because these skills affect classroom performance and are important for success in college.

National Merit Scholarship Corporation Programs

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) cosponsors the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The scholarship competitions are for eleventh graders only. Eleventh graders are automatically entered into the NMSC scholarship competition. Qualification is based on the Selection Index—the sum of critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores. In September, NMSC will notify principals of students who have been commended or are eligible for continuing in NMSC scholarship competitions.

If your student's selection index has an asterisk, it means that he is in some way ineligible to enter the competition. This is not because of his scores, but most likely because he is not yet in eleventh grade.

Educational Plans

This section offers college major information. Before the test, your student provided his grade average and the college major he's considering. Here, you'll find a description of the major he chose and recommended high school courses that will help him prepare for college-level work.

My College QuickStart™

Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT receive free access to My College QuickStart, a personalized college planning tool that complements the Score Report Plus. With the access code provided on his score report, your student can access the following:

* Complete answer explanations, state and national percentiles, and projected SAT score ranges
* A personalized SAT study plan based on his PSAT/NMSQT results (high school students only)
* An initial list of colleges that can be personalized using additional search criteria
* Personalized lists of majors and careers. Using the Personality Profiler, students can also find their personality types and receive suggestions for related majors and careers.

Students can access My College QuickStart until they graduate from high school.

Next Steps

With the help of teachers and counselors, students should use the information provided on the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Plus and in My College QuickStart to improve their academic skills and plan for college and a career. Your student should also take the following next steps:

* Review his high school transcripts with his counselor and select strong courses for next year that will help him reach his educational and career goals.
* Consider taking AP® and honors courses in high school.
* Take the PSAT/NMSQT again in the fall of his eleventh grade, if he's in tenth grade.
* Register for the SAT in the spring, if he's in eleventh grade. Register online for upcoming SAT tests.
* Get involved in extracurricular and community activities. College admissions officials weigh the contributions that students will make to the college community.
* Visit collegeboard.com for Action Plans for all four grades of high school.