The Importance of the PSAT

The Preliminary SAT or PSAT is taken during a student's junior year in high school. PSAT scores are not as critical to a student's admittance to colleges and universities, which give more weight to SAT scores in their admissions decision. However, doing well on the PSAT can be very important for several reasons.

For one, PSAT scores are used as the basis for awarding National Merit Scholarships, which not only give financial aid to students but also greatly weigh into every student's chances of entering the university or college of their choice. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognizes not only the ultimate winners of of the scholarships, but also those who scored well enough on their PSAT to qualify as Commended Students. The list of Commended Students is eventually narrowed down to the semi-finalists, then the finalists, and finally the winners.

Commended Students who do not go on to become National Merit scholars may still qualify for the various scholarships offered by other corporations and organizations. Many colleges and universities also place a high value on a Commended Student recognition in deliberating students' admissions, and even actively recruit National Merit finalists.

In addition to the possible scholarships one may get from a high PSAT score, the PSAT by itself serves as a good preparation for the SAT. How a student does on the PSAT can be a good indication of how much preparation they may still need for the SAT.