Hello fellow juniors, I'm kinda stressing out here. I've got so much on my plate and I'm trying to figure out if I should even bother with the PSAT. What benefits does it offer?
Hello there! I completely understand the stress that comes with junior year, but taking the PSAT in 11th grade does hold some significant benefits. The most notable is the opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which can offer scholarships and recognition that may be advantageous when applying to colleges. Additionally, taking the PSAT can serve as a great practice for the format and timing of the SAT—think of it as a dress rehearsal. This experience could help alleviate some test anxiety and can guide your study plan by highlighting areas where you need to focus before taking the actual SAT.
Finally, your PSAT results can give you access to the College Board's My College QuickStart and My SAT Study Plan, which are personalized tools that can aid in your college admission process and SAT preparation. So, while the PSAT isn't absolutely essential to take, there isn't much downside to doing so—if you aren't able to study as much as you'd like, and your score isn't quite what you want, you'll still have a baseline to work from as you study for the real thing, and if you do score well, there could be some significant advantages. Good luck with the rest of your junior year, whatever you decide!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.