New PSAT Dates

COVID-19 has put a damper on basically every area of our lives. Families have been contacting us for the last few weeks about the possibility of their junior not being able to take the PSAT/NMSQT after spending months practicing. 

GOOD NEWS! The College Board has added a second PSAT date to the schedule, January 26, 2021. Homeschoolers, especially, are having a difficult time locating a facility that will allow them to take this very important test. This date will have the same benefits as the October PSAT/NMSQT, including eligibility for programs administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Remember, the junior year is when this contest counts for the big scholarship money!

More good news! If you child is doing a super-senior year, i.e. five years in high school, your student can take the PSAT twice for the National Merit Scholarship program. The quote is found on page 6 of the Official Student Guide:

The guide also offers information about cancellations for all or a specific group to test takers. The College Board allows the school or testing location to request an “alternate test date or provide other options for testing.” This information can be found on page 39 under Section 6.

2020/2021 PSAT/NMSQT Dates

• Primary test day: Wednesday, October 14, 2020
• Saturday test day: October 17, 2020
• Alternate test day: Thursday, October 29, 2020 (formerly October 28)
• NEW test day: Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Homeschoolers and the PSAT 8/9

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-8-9/taking-the-test/home-schooled

Important PSAT 8/9 Info:

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-8-9/k12-educators/ordering 

How to become a College Board Testing Site:

If you are having a hard time finding a school to administer the PSAT 8/9, your homeschool support group or co-op may consider becoming an official testing site.

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/k12-educators/coordinating/become-test-center

Important PSAT 8/9 Information

• The test is now offered between the Fall and Spring, but next year there will be 2 specific dates.
• Sign up at the school.
• The cost is $10 but some schools will cover the fee.
• Accommodations can be made for students with disabilities. You don’t need College Board approval to get accommodations for the PSAT 8/9, but test coordinators at your school must order any special materials before the ordering deadline.

Information about administering the SAT School Day and PSAT/NMSQT

(From the College Board)

Schools and districts can order tests on our test ordering site.

In order to support you in ordering and administering the SAT School Day and PSAT/NSQT during this uncertain time, we enhanced the following policies to make ordering and testing more flexible:

• Ordering for Multiple PSAT/NMSQT Test Dates: You can test students across multiple PSAT/NMSQT administration dates. This flexibility already exists for the PSAT 8/9 and SAT School Day.
• Revised Alternate PSAT/NMSQT Date: We adjusted the PSAT/NMSQT administration date to a Thursday to provide new choices on different days of the week:
  • If you previously placed an order for the original alternate date (Wednesday, October 28), your order will be automatically shifted to Thursday, October 29. You are required to administer the PSAT/NMSQT Alternate test on the revised date of October 29. Please log in to the test ordering site to cancel your order if you're unable to test on October 29 or add an additional test.
• No Charge for Unused Tests: Schools won't be charged test fees if they're unable to administer SAT School Day, PSAT 8/9, and PSAT/NMSQT for any administrations September 2020–January 2021. We understand the decision to test may not be made until closer to the administration dates. Please adjust your test book volumes the best you can by the ordering deadlines noted below.

New January 26, 2021 PSAT/NMSQT administration

• The January administration will have the same benefits as the October PSAT/NMSQT, including eligibility for programs administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
• All flexible ordering and administering policies for fall testing are extended for the January test date: flexible start times, off-site testing, and testing students across multiple dates. Additionally, schools won't be charged unused test fees.
• We will send schools an email by mid-October when ordering for the January administration is open.