For many high school seniors, nothing is more nerve-wracking than waiting for the results of either the SAT or the ACT.  A step below that for many underclassmen, waiting for results from the recently taken PSAT.

While acting as a practice test for the SAT, the PSAT is about more than practice.  During a student’s junior year, it is also a chance for students to earn status and scholarships through the National Merit Scholar program, for the PSAT is also the National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test.

“In addition to just practice, students who are in their junior year can, if they score well enough, through the National Merit Scholarship, earn scholarship money for colleges,” school counselor Lance Hendrick said.

That’s what happened for three current students who became National Merit Scholars based on their PSAT scores from last year.

“Lots of colleges give pretty substantial scholarships for National Merit Finalists,”  National Merit Semifinalist Abby Holmes said. ”I know OU and Texas Tech give full-ride scholarships, and probably several other colleges do as well, and so it’s really helpful with affordability.”

High achievement on the test often requires impressive amounts of preparation, but the rewards for success can be well worth it from a collegiate standpoint.

“I got a tutor from Kaplan, and I took a bunch of practice tests to make sure I was ready,” National Merit Semifinalist Michael Pezzuli said.  “It definitely helped me: my score went up 34 points between my sophomore year and my qualifying year.”

The three National Merit Scholars will be notified in February of whether or not they have advanced to the Finalist stage of the competition.

While PSAT results are of most importance in a student’s junior year, younger students still gain practice for the test that counts in future years.

“It made me take the test more seriously than I think a lot of other kids did, knowing that I could get a potential scholarship,” sophomore Mason Cottrell said.

While on the surface it may seem like solely practice, the PSAT can lead to great opportunities for those who do well.

“A lot of people don’t focus on the PSAT and it isn’t worth a grade, but when you work hard it opens up a lot of opportunities for scholarships,” National Merit Semifinalist Amy Bogucki said. “I got lucky because I was feeling confident and I happened to do well on the test and it’s going to mean a lot for my future. I didn’t realize the possibilities that would open up for me, but I am sure glad they did.”