10th Grade Parent Night Interpreting PSAT Results

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10th Grade Parent NightInterpreting PSAT Results
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Sophomore Timeline

• Take the most challenging courses you can!
• Use the Career Center and start looking at
  colleges through their websites.
• Start attending college fairs in your area (where
  the colleges come in and give away information
  about their schools).
• Get a job (EVEN if your last name is Gates or
  Trump and you dont have to).
• Start a college savings account and regularly
  deposit into it.
• Job shadow someone who does what you think
  youd like to do, this is a great way to start
  thinking about the senior project and possibly
  make a great connection with a mentor.
• Get involved in extracurricular activities and
  apply for leadership positions.
• Volunteer in your community.
• Study hard and do well in school- Remember, your
  grades will count toward college and will show up
  on your permanent record
• Start to attend events on college campuses
  (plays, concerts, sporting events, activities
  related to your major, etc.)
• Get to know your high school counselor and let
  them get to know you and your goals, career
  aspirations, schools you are considering, etc.
  Your parents may want to go along, too.
• Talk to your friends about what they plan to do
  after college. Talk to your parents and your
  friends parents about what they do.
• Thanks in part to www.collegeprep101.com
• More information available on the Hillgrove
  Guidance Blog

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Why take the PSAT

• Preliminary SAT- Georgia pays for all 10th
  graders to test
• To receive feedback on your strengths and
  weaknesses on skills necessary for college study
• To see how your performance on an admissions test
  might compare with that of others applying to
  college
• To help prepare for the SAT
• To enter the competition for scholarships from
  the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
• AP Potential Report

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5 Main Parts of the Score Report
1. Your Scores
4. National Merit Scholarship Programs Information
2. Review Your Answers
5. Your Educational Plans
3. Improve Your Skills
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Percentiles

• If you are a junior, your scores are compared to
  other juniors.
• If you are a sophomore, or younger, your scores
  are compared to sophomores.

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Section 2 Review Your Answers

• Question number
• Correct Answer
• Your Answer
• Level of Difficulty
• You will get your test book with your score
  report, so you can review the test questions.

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Review Your AnswersMath

• Also shows the math content area of each
  question
• Alg Algebra Functions
• Data Data Analysis, Statistics Probability
• Geom Geometry Measurement
• Num Number Operations

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Answer Summary Scoring

• Correct answer plus 1 point
• Omitted answers no points
• Wrong answers to multiple-choice questions
  minus ¼ point. (To discourage students from blind
  or random guessing.)
• Wrong answers to math questions 29-38 (Student
  Produced Responses) No points lost.

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Section 3 Improve Your Skills

• The skills listed are based on your individual
  performance.
• Follow the suggestions noted in how to improve
  and work with your teachers.
• Review skills using questions listed

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Section 4 National Merit Scholarship Corporation
(NMSC) Programs

• Selection Index
• Percentile
• Entry Requirements

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After You Receive Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Report
Your Online Access Code

• Create a free collegeboard.com account to access
  MyCollege QuickStart at www.collegeboard.com/quick
  start.

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At www.collegeboard.com/quickstart

• Free explanations for the answers to every test
  question, including why the correct answer is the
  best choice.

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At www.collegeboard.com/quickstart

• High school students receive additional practice
  for the SAT
• Practice SAT questions
• Practice SAT essay
• Student-written sample SAT essays
• Official SAT practice test

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NMSQT

• Only available to students who take the test in
  their junior year
• Encourage students with a selection index
  (MCRW) of 150 or higher to take the PSAT in the
  11th grade
• Any junior can take the PSAT- 13
• Juniors who qualify are notified fall of their
  senior year (less than 1 of the nations
  graduating high school seniors will qualify)