For most people, the Preliminary Standard
Achievement Test (PSAT) is simply a dry-run for students before they can take
the actual SAT. In essence, those who fare well in the PSAT are bound to
exhibit a similar performance during the actual exam, which is given at a later
date. Failing the PSAT isn't going to leave a bad mark on a student's
performance, so there's no need to take it seriously.
However, just because it's a practice exam
doesn't mean that students shouldn't prepare for it. PSAT scores for
junior-year (11th grade) students are used to determine if someone
is indeed eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program. This college
scholarship can also be seen as a prestige in itself since only about 15,000 to
16,000 students are considered eligible for the program every year, while only
about 8,000 from these finalists are awarded Merit Scholarship awards.
As such, it's not “over-preparing” if parents
hire tutoring services for their children since even this “practice” exam can
leave a significant impact. While it is true that PSAT scores aren't submitted
to colleges and universities, this test does give students an idea of their
current academic performance and allows them to make the necessary adjustments
on their study habits to prepare for the real deal.
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