PSAT is 10/17 in UD... should you care?

The PSAT will be administered in Upper Dublin this week (Wed the 17th).  One of the common quesitons I get from parents and students is... 'should I care?'... 

The answer as I see it is ... depends... 

Case I:  you are an 11th grader with 'competitive' college aspirations.  You should definitely take this test seriously because one of the lesser known outcomes of the PSAT is its NMSQT (National Merit Qualifying) component.  This test is used to determine which students will become National Merit Qualifiers which is a well known honor and looks great on the college application and resume.  The qualify you need to score in the top 10% nationally (vs. Juniors taking the tests) which is not easy, but it is a goal.  This is all in addition to the practice and SAT style of the test.  

Case II: you are an 11th grader and not all that worried about the next level (college) at this point.  My opinion is to use the test for what it is... a preliminary practice version of the SAT.  Use this opportunity to see where you stand on this exam. PSAT are predictive of SAT scores (at least generally speaking).  You can also use your results to determine areas of need when planning a subsequent test prep program.

Case III: you are a 10th grader and taking the test for the first time... relax and do your best.  One of the inherant limitations of the 10th grade sitting for the PSAT is that most 10th graders bave not had Geometry and may be missing some of the core basic Geometry skills needed for the Math section.  (The Math is about 1/3 Geometry).  My suggestino is to use this sitting of the test for experience and take mental notes of what you believe you'll have to improve the next time around. 

Dr Steven Greene is the owner and lead instructor at mAke the grAde AcAdemic services, a Dresher based educational consulting and tutoring company specializingin Math, Science and Test Prep and College Admissions.  More info: 215 540 8378 or sgreene@makethegrade.net