Don't forget that the PSAT can help a lot with the SAT! You mentioned practice like it isn't worth anything, but your PSAT score can show you where you need to improve and where your strengths are for the SAT. This is really valuable information if you're going to use a prep course like PrepMe. In fact, taking the PSAT is like going into the SAT with some experience already under your belt, which can be a great advantage.

Depends on what school you end up going to. Some schools don't recognize National merit finalists at all, some will give you full tuition as an award. There are lots of things in between, too. Most of the schools I'm going to apply to offer some money to national merit finalists, but you have to check to make sure. Good luck on the PSAT!

The National Merit Scholarship competition is conducted using the results of the PSAT every year. There's two different things you can get, commended scholar and semi-finalist. I was a semi-finalist last year. Then they take some of the semi-finalists and they become finalists. If you are a National Merit finalist, some schools will give you lots of scholarship money.

Last year when my daughter was applying to summer programs, they asked for her PSAT score. I guess some programs use that as information to help them accept or reject students kind of like colleges use the SAT. Some of the programs even guaranteed admission to Commended Scholars and semi-finalists.

There's some competition called the National Merit competition, but I never heard anything else about it. Some of the really smart kids in our calss got an award from them. Other than that it seems like it's just practice

My high school gives small scholarships to people who get a certain score on the PSAT

You're right, the PSAT score doesn't count for anything but that doesn't mean that it is no important. It purpose of this test is to practice for the SAT and get the feel of how it is going to be like. The format is the same with the exception of and essay being added.

The PSAT is a great chance to practice for the SAT. Though it doesn't contain an essay, and the material is easier...it's still very good practice. Also, you can get the National Merit Scholarship (and others) if you do well in the PSAT. The PSAT gives you a chance to see how much you need to improve for the SAT.