The EDUFAX Educational FAQ

Question #121:

My son is a junior. His GPA is 3.885, while taking 3 AP classes. His PSAT scores rank him in the 95th percentile of test-takers. Students in his class were told by the school counselor that generally a 96th or higher percentile is required for the National Merit Scholarship. He is interested in applying to some heavy-weight schools in the Washington, DC area. He has many extracurricular and leadership activities. We are not of a minority origin. Do you think his PSAT score may carry more "weight" given his GPA and extensive activities?

Answer #121:

Your son's ranking of 95% on the NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is highly commendable and shows that only 5% of high school juniors throughout the country scored higher than he did in the year he took the test. This ranking, however, stands alone. It is not affected by GPA or extra-curricular activities,although those criteria are very important factors in college admission decisions. The Educational Testing Service insists that the NMSQT is also not affected by ethnicity, although some people insist that the fact that different cutoff scores are used in different states implies that socioeconomic standards have an effect on the selection process. On the PSAT information questionnaire, students may choose to identify their ethnic origin, but that information is used only to determine eligibility for certain scholarships designated specifically for minority students. The colleges in the greater Washington, DC, area will evaluate your son's credentials according to his grades, his standardized test scores, his extra-curricular activities, and his potential for making a significant contribution to the college community. All of these factors will be weighed against those of his peers as admissions officers try to build the next class. The variable of 1% (95% vs. 96%) in either direction on his NMSQT will be negligible. EDUFAX provides Verbal Test Prep Tutorials (PSAT/SAT I/SAT II/ACT).

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