Interpreting
Your
PSAT
Results
Teachers As Advisors
2/7/2017
Take Your Results Home
Today
– Take your results home today and show your parents.
– These are NOT the results you send to colleges, they are a practice test to
let you know how you are doing.
– Use these results to figure out what you need to focus on in order to
improve your score when you take the SAT or ACT.
PSAT Percentiles
– Each of your three scores (Evidence Based Reading & Writing, Math, and Total) show your PERCENTILE.
Your percentile is another way of comparing your performance to other students in your grade across
the country.
– For example- “In Evidence Based Reading and Writing, I scored better than 18% of all 10th graders in the
country who took this test. In math, I scored better than 47% of all 10th graders in the country who took
this test. Overall, I scored better than 28% of all 10th grade students who took the PSAT.”
Measure of College Readiness
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These scores are the benchmark numbers that classify
a student as “college ready” in a subject area.
These scores DO NOT determine whether or not you
can go to college. If you do not meet the scores, do
not panic. They just give you an idea of what you need
to focus on to build the skills that will prepare you for
college.
Meeting or exceeding these scores predict a 2.0 or
higher GPA during your first year of college.
Test Scores/Subscores
– Here, you can see how you scored in each section, as well as each sub-section.
– Red= need to strengthen skills
– Yellow= approaching benchmark for college readiness
– Green- Meet or exceed benchmark for college readiness
National Merit Scholarship
– Top scoring students in the country can be eligible for the National Merit
Scholarship, a program that allows students to compete for recognition and
university scholarships.
– Your “Selection Index” determines whether or not you are eligible for the
program. An asterisk next to your scores means you are not eligible for the
National Merit Scholarship. (Only ~2% of students qualify).
Next Steps
– Your “Next Steps”
section tells you
what areas you
are doing well in,
and what areas
you need to
strengthen
– Use this to help
you study for the
SAT and ACT
Question-Level Feedback
This report walks you through every question you answered on your PSAT. A check mark
means you answered the question correctly. A red letter indicates that you did not answer
correctly, (and the red letter is the correct answer).
Using Your Results to Prepare for
Your Future
– Log in at the site below using your access code. You can see the questions and
the explanations behind each correct answer. This is an awesome tool to help
you study!!!
– Also available to you through your access code: personalized study plans, course
suggestions to prepare for college, and career planning.
Questions?
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Refer to the score report handout.
Use your access code to log into your
account; see your detailed score.
If you would like to have an individual
meeting about your scores, sign up for an
appointment with your counselor. (Come to
sign up before or after school, or during
your lunch). Bring your test scores with you!
This PowerPoint is posted on our counseling
website for you and your parents to access
at home.