It wouldn’t be off-base to assume that you’ve heard of the PSAT, but are you aware that the PSAT is much more than only a prep test for that SAT?
The Preliminary SAT (PSAT), or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT), is a superb opportunity to see your student's strengths and weaknesses and get ready for the SAT.
Your child's 11th-grade PSAT score will be considered for that prestigious National Merit Scholarship.
Can You Get a Scholarship for the PSAT?
The PSAT can offer more than just practice; earning the qualification of National Merit Scholar can lead to a number of scholarships and merit the help of universities.
While the PSAT can be taken in ninth and tenth grade too, just the eleventh-grade test matters for National Merit.
Your child must do very well and get a score in the top 3 percent of applicants during 11th grade. The precise PSAT National Merit cutoff score varies by state.
Scholarship winners should be enrolled like a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation, planning to enroll full-time attending college starting the autumn after high school graduation, and become a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
How Much Is the PSAT National Merit Scholarship?
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, National Merit finalists compete for $2,500 scholarships according to their abilities, skills, and accomplishments.
Colleges across the nation recognize the National Merit Scholarship as a prestigious award, and as being a scholar can give your child an advantage within the college admissions process.
If you think your student could win, its smart to place effort into test prep. Prior to deciding to invest a lot of resources into PSAT prep though, consider getting your student self-study for the PSAT and absorb it ninth or tenth grade.
What Colleges Give Full Scholarships for National Merit Scholars?
There are 16,000 semifinalists who then can submit their transcripts, test scores, and information regarding leadership and extracurriculars to apply to become a National Merit Finalist.
Semifinalists should also write an individual essay and acquire a recommendation from the senior high school principal.
About half of the 15,000 finalists selected through the National Merit Scholarship group get a financial award of $2,500, that is renewable every year for 4 years. However, many universites and colleges offer scholarships for National Merit Scholars.
This list is of public and private universities that provide up to and including full tuition scholarship for National Merit Scholars.
- Faulkner University
- Oakwood University
- University of Alabama
- University of Alabama-Birmingham
- University of Alabama-Huntsville
- Harding University
- University of Arkansas
- Northern Arizona University
- University of Arizona
- La Sierra University
- Pacific Union College
- Vanguard University of Southern California
- University of Connecticut
- Howard University
- Florida A&M
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida College
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida International University
- Lynn University
- Coe College
- University of Idaho
- Loyola University Chicago
- Grace College and Seminary
- University of Evansville
- Benedictine College
- Central Christian College
- Wichita State University
- Lindsey Wilson College
- Murray State University
- University of Kentucky
- Louisiana Tech University
- Washington Adventist University
- University of Maine
- Alma College
- Andrews University
- Rochester College
- University of Minnesota-Morris
- Mississippi State University
- University of Mississippi
- University of Southern Mississippi
- University of North Dakota
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- New Jersey Institute of Technology
- New Mexico State University
- University of recent Mexico
- Western Boise state broncos University
- University of Nevada-Las Vegas
- Fordham University
- Nyack College
- Roberts Wesleyan College
- Wright State University
- Oklahoma Christian University
- Oklahoma City University
- Oklahoma State University
- Oklahoma Wesleyan University
- Southwestern Christian University
- Southwestern Oklahoma State University
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
- University of Tulsa
- Linfield College
- Winthrop University
- University of Sioux Falls
- Bryan College
- Southern Adventist University
- University of Memphis
- Abilene Christian University
- Baylor University
- Dallas Baptist University
- East Texas Baptist University
- Hardin-Simmons University
- Lubbock Christian University
- Southwestern Adventist University
- Texas A&M University-College Station
- Texas State University
- Texas Tech University
- University of Dallas
- University of Houston
- University of North Texas
- Brigham Young University-Provo
- University of Utah
- Liberty University
- Regent University
- Evergreen State College
- Walla Walla University
- Washington State University
- Lawrence University
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
- West Virginia University
Other Scholarship Opportunities
The PSAT scholarship organization also facilitates corporate-sponsored scholarships available for National Merit qualifiers.
Some corporate awards are for children of employees, other medication is for college students in a particular community, or those planning to study in a certain field.
If your child is a National Merit Scholar or perhaps is looking to entitled to the National Merit Scholarship, make sure to contact their senior high school counselor and prospective universities to see if there are opportunities to get additional scholarships.