PSAT/SAT questions

I understand some students take the psats in tenth and eleventh grade. Is there an advantage to doing that vs. taking the SAT's in 11th? Also, I read somewhere that if you get above a certain score, you don't have to take the parcc exams. Is this true? For just 10th or forever? (Either would be great.) Tia

I believe all 10th and 11th graders at CHS take the PSAT. It is similar to the SAT but does not replace it. Colleges look at SAT scores not PSAT ones. PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship stuff. No idea what the policy is with regards to PSAT and PARCC. I thought SAT scores could be used for graduating requirements in NJ, but not sure.

What grade is your kid? It's a bit more complicated right now because they are come rely changing the test in 2016 so if your kid is in 10th grade, you'll need to figure out best way to take PSAT and SAT in old or new format (or else their OSAT will be one format and SAT another).

And only 11th grade PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship. I'm not sure why 10th graders are taking the test.

dg64 said:
I believe all 10th and 11th graders at CHS take the PSAT. It is similar to the SAT but does not replace it. Colleges look at SAT scores not PSAT ones. PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship stuff. No idea what the policy is with regards to PSAT and PARCC. I thought SAT scores could be used for graduating requirements in NJ, but not sure.

erins said:
And only 11th grade PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship. I'm not sure why 10th graders are taking the test.

Practice.

mjh said:

erins said:
And only 11th grade PSAT scores are used for the National Merit Scholarship. I'm not sure why 10th graders are taking the test.

Practice.

Yes and PSAT scores were also being used to help identify students that could be successful in AP and other advanced courses. Part of the outreach program to increase minority participation begun several years ago

Some states/districts have 9th graders take the PSAT as well.

Many moons ago, we were encouraged to take the PSAT in 10th grade for practice and to get a sense what we needed to study/brush up on. My nephew is in 11th grade and it wasn't even on his radar last year (frankly, wasn't even on his radar this year until I told him he needs to take it next week). But his school just had a meeting for parents about the new vs old PSAT/SAT and it gets pretty complicated if your kid is in 10th or 11th because you have to check the versions being offered and when. I think the option of old vs new only exists through 2016 and then it switches completely over. I think for my nephew, the new version sounds like it will suit his test-taking style better. One huge change is no penalty for wrong answers.

conandrob240 said:
Many moons ago, we were encouraged to take the PSAT in 10th grade for practice and to get a sense what we needed to study/brush up on. My nephew is in 11th grade and it wasn't even on his radar last year (frankly, wasn't even on his radar this year until I told him he needs to take it next week). But his school just had a meeting for parents about the new vs old PSAT/SAT and it gets pretty complicated if your kid is in 10th or 11th because you have to check the versions being offered and when. I think the option of old vs new only exists through 2016 and then it switches completely over. I think for my nephew, the new version sounds like it will suit his test-taking style better. One huge change is no penalty for wrong answers.

The PSAT given this week is the new PSAT, which is based on the new SAT to be offered from March 2016. It's not a bad idea to practice on this one to see how the kid does on it.

The Old SAT will be offered until the SAT date in January.

My kids are far past this stage, but I'm curious..... Are test takers required to write in or read cursive to answer any questions?

I've heard that there is. But I'm sort of assuming this is a change in the 2016 test -- or that this changed even earlier tests -- since it's not part of the curriculum, and most kids can't write in or read cursive.

dg64 said:

The PSAT given this week is the new PSAT .....
The Old SAT will be offered until the SAT date in January.

Sounds contradictory ... can they take either the new or old this week?

Only new for PSAT. It's the SAT that will still be the old version until January. Not contradictory. Actually, given that the SAT is changing, it makes sense for the PSAT to offer the change sooner.

It makes sense for seniors who already took old PSAT (possibly twice) to be allowed to take old SAT through January 2016. And it makes sense that PSAT offered in October is the new one. I am glad nephew didn't take old PSAT format last year and have to re-learn a whole new format. That is one benefit of having skipped the 10th grade PSAT for this changeover.

@juniemoon Students have to write an "honor code" IN CURSIVE stating that they are who they claim to be and have done their own work. Having proctored the SAT and PSAT in the past, I can testify that this is the slowest and most frustrating part of the test.

I guess they could use this for handwriting analysis . . .

@EBennett: So it does not affect their score? What happens if they print their honor code? And why would they still require it if it's not taught in schools anymore? (Maybe some places they still teach it?)

I find this all so confusing......

Does the lack of cursive instruction go back long enough to affect current high-schoolers? I know my kids (still in college) had it in 3rd grade in our schools.

@Juniemoon- they do still teach cursive in most Catholic Schools. My son is in 2nd grade and they are going to start learning it in January/February.

I don't know about SOMA schools, but most of my students have completely forgotten the cursive they learned in elementary school.

sac said:
Does the lack of cursive instruction go back long enough to affect current high-schoolers? I know my kids (still in college) had it in 3rd grade in our schools.

sac said:
Does the lack of cursive instruction go back long enough to affect current high-schoolers? I know my kids (still in college) had it in 3rd grade in our schools.

Don't know when -- or if -- they teach it in our district now.

I know a substitute at Columbia recently was instructed to have the kids study words in cursive -- largely because they'd need it on the PSAT. There was an uproar from students when s/he wrote the words in cursive on the board. Many or all said they could not read or write it.

It's another dying art, I know. My Catholic-school educated dad had the most beautiful (Palmer method) hand-writing. I still write in cursive, but it doesn't look anything like that.

I know many feel there's no need to know cursive today. But if it's required on the PSAT and affects scores in any way, seems we should not drop it from the curriculum until it's no longer on the test. Perhaps it has no bearing on scores. Seems kids should at least be taught to write their names in cursive, so they have a unique signature.

Ironically, one of my very creative, 20-something kids is building a business doing calligraphy and sign/window painting ... but I don't think she learned it in school.