In October sophomores, juniors, and seniors took the PSAT or SAT. Seniors SAT scores have just been recently released and can be found on students’ College Board accounts.  Sophomores and Juniors scores for the PSAT will not be released until early January.

Many students may ask, what is the point of the point of us taking the PSAT twice? Studies have shown that students who take the PSAT are statistically found to have higher scoring on the actual SAT.  

Each time a student takes the PSAT they are almost guaranteed to have a increased score of at least 10%.

This doesn’t mean that students should not try their best on the practice examination though.

Come Junior year, if a student scores within the top 1% or their state (about 15,000 juniors) can qualify as semi-finalists for the National Merit Scholarship.

If a student qualifies they will be notified of their status around late September after taking the PSAT. When students reach the finalist round they must meet certain requirements.  

Students must get a recommendation from the high school principal, have a high record of academic performance throughout high school, attend high school, be a United states citizen or planning to become one,have completed and submitted a scholarship application and be a student in grades 9-12. 

Finalists then must complete the SAT in order to determine whether they qualify for the program.

There are about three main types of scholarships the National Merit Scholarship can give. The first is a single payment of $2,500 scholarships that the state awards.

The second is the Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.  These can be awarded just one time or be renewable for four years of undergraduate study.

They are given to children of a company’s members or employees, for residents of the company’s community, or if there are finalists with career plans on path to the company.

These scholarships can range in worth. The last are the College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.  

These are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study at the college or university of the finalist’s choice. The sponsoring college or university chooses the winners, the finalists do not control whether or not they get this specific scholarship.

These awards also have a wide range of worth depending on the college and the finalist.