Merit semi-finalists announced

[Anonymous]

How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So creepy to announce people's SAT scores publicly like this.

Agree. --a parent with a kid on this list

+2

[Anonymous]

On the link it says they took the 2022 test. Is this a typo? Doesn't the list contain current seniors so they would have taken the test junor year or 2023 not 2022?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

According to National Merit people, 1.3 million take the qualifying test every year. So, yeah, lots do. https://www.nationalmerit.org/s/1758/interior.aspx?sid=1758&gid=2&pgid=1879

And there's value in taking it as a prep for taking the SAT -- easy, in-school experience under test conditions -- especially since the qualifying test is administered to 11th graders, many of whom presumably either recently studied or are about to study for the SAT.

My experience is that many students who know plan to take or have taken the ACT skip the PSAT, but no reason to do that for those who plan to take the SAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the link it says they took the 2022 test. Is this a typo? Doesn't the list contain current seniors so they would have taken the test junor year or 2023 not 2022?

I think it's:

2023 in oct - juniors take test
2024 in sept - semifinalists are announced and can apply for to be a scholar
2025 - finalists and scholars announced

I think this is why they call it the 2025 program, because any awards are made at that time when the kids are going to college so the program year corresponds to the graduation year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow to Montgomery Blair and Richard Montgomery! Do those schools have magnets? Wondering how they did so much better even than Whitman etc.

Both have magnet programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So creepy to announce people's SAT scores publicly like this.

Agree. --a parent with a kid on this list

MCPS has you sign a waiver agreeing or not agreeing to publishing names. Its online. However they never follow it and post anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On the link it says they took the 2022 test. Is this a typo? Doesn't the list contain current seniors so they would have taken the test junor year or 2023 not 2022?

Typo. it's already fixed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

Students with high scores take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

Our student used it as part of SAT prep. Actual test conditions, same format. PSAT in Oct, SAT in Dec and March. It worked out well.

Does your counselor advise any SAT/ACT prep?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow to Montgomery Blair and Richard Montgomery! Do those schools have magnets? Wondering how they did so much better even than Whitman etc.

It's always like that. Nothing new

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So creepy to announce people's SAT scores publicly like this.

Agree. --a parent with a kid on this list

Congratulations to your student! This list of semi-finalists is always made public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

Our student used it as part of SAT prep. Actual test conditions, same format. PSAT in Oct, SAT in Dec and March. It worked out well.

Does your counselor advise any SAT/ACT prep?

That is a great idea to prep by taking the actual test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So creepy to announce people's SAT scores publicly like this.

Agree. --a parent with a kid on this list

MCPS has you sign a waiver agreeing or not agreeing to publishing names. Its online. However they never follow it and post anyway.

Ah, okay. Definitely don't recall seeing a waiver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many people even take the PSAT anymore? Our college counselor advised in most cases it isn’t worth the effort. Better to devote time to other things that actually move the needle for admissions.

They take it in school. I don’t think it’s a choice.