PSATs

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
PSATs
18
Wed, 09-19-2007 - 12:41pm
OK, I don't know what I'm doing wrong because I always seem to be behind the eight ball! My DD is a sophomore in HS this year. I found out yesterday that one of her friends has been prepping for the PSATs since the summer. The PSATs are given during October. I had written down the date as well as the dates to sign up for them at the HS, but I had no idea that they required any prepping! I certainly don't remember taking any courses or doing anything special before I took them. I think I prepped for the SATs and I know I did for my grad school entrance exams, but certainly not the PSAT. Did your kids do anything to prepare for the PSATs?? If so, what did they do?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2006
In reply to: ejteach2007
Wed, 09-19-2007 - 1:02pm
Neither of my kids did any prepping for the PSAT's other than reading the section of the handbook about whether to skip questions or guess the answer if you didn't know. After all it is a practice test just to give some experience of what the actual SAT will be like and a rough idea of how they might score. I don't think they need any more stress by studying and prepping for it.
Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Wed, 09-19-2007 - 3:40pm

At DS's school, they give PSAT's automatically to juniors; and sophomores can pay to take it the same day. He did take it last year, and just studied the manual they gave him.

He is taking it in October this year, and I have told him to study hard for it, because it can lead to several scholarships. It is actually very important for different reasons than the SAT. He will take the SAT in the spring, and then again next fall. Again, he will study on-line for it, but not take a course. There are many kids, though, who are spending a lot of money for courses in our area, up to a $1000.

Lisa

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Wed, 09-19-2007 - 7:45pm

Why would someone stress out about PSAT's?

Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Wed, 09-19-2007 - 8:29pm

Maybe it's different in other parts of the county, but DS, who took it last year as a sophomore, has received over well over a 100 letters/packets from university's all around the country; as well as several other programs in the US and across the world - all who saw his scores on the PSAT search. He did well, but not extraordinary.

We're definately not stressing about the test, just normal preparation for an important test. Many universities in our area use the schools as a basis to offer scholarships and offers.

Also, in our school there are no groups singled out for taking it in the sophomore year, it's offered to anyone who wants an extra year to practice.

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Avatar for weberdns0
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-25-2000
In reply to: ejteach2007
Thu, 09-20-2007 - 10:33am
I have a computer prep course that he is taking...but I now kids who are spending hundreds to thousands of dollars.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-1999
In reply to: ejteach2007
Thu, 09-20-2007 - 10:42am
My DD didn't do any prepping for the PSAT either, nor did she take any courses for the SATs.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-14-2006
In reply to: ejteach2007
Thu, 09-20-2007 - 10:57am
You are right that the PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship when taken in the junior year. As far as the packets from Universities/Colleges pretty much everyone who signs up receives those. When they fill out the form for the PSAT and check the student search service, that information is relayed to schools, and based on that schools will send info to students. The PSAT scores are not reported to schools according to the Student Search Service info. It is helpful to receive all that information, and also overwhelming at times, but bear in mind they are businesses and they are marketing to your child. Both my DD and DS were above average students and received info from Ivy League schools (Harvard-Yale) LOL.....but believe me that was waaayyyy beyond their reach academically.
Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Thu, 09-20-2007 - 11:12am

"and also overwhelming at times, but bear in mind they are businesses and they are marketing to your child."

Oh, I definately agree. We didn't keep any of it, but DS enjoyed seeing info. from different university's. I'm not sure how it worked, but some of our mailings (not the regular college pamphlets), did mention his PSAT score, so there was some way for them to get it.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-01-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Fri, 09-21-2007 - 2:56pm

I don't know if there is any difference across the country - the fact remains that PSAT's are not used in determining who gets into what colleges.

Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: ejteach2007
Fri, 09-21-2007 - 3:02pm

"the fact remains that PSAT's are not used in determining who gets into what colleges."

I absolutely never said they helped kids get into colleges. I did say they were very important thought, for several other reasons I and a few others mentioned in other posts.

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