How many times can you take the PSAT?
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Students can take the PSAT multiple times across different grade levels, but there are important limitations to understand. Since the PSAT is only offered once per year (typically in October), you cannot retake it within the same academic year like you can with the SAT. However, students can take various versions of the PSAT during different grades: the PSAT 8/9 in 8th or 9th grade, the PSAT 10 in 10th grade, and the PSAT/NMSQT in 10th and/or 11th grade.

Most students have the opportunity to take the PSAT up to three times throughout their high school career if their school offers it each year. Many schools administer it to both sophomores and juniors, giving students valuable practice before the version that counts. Some schools even allow freshmen to take it for early baseline assessment. However, the specific number of times you can take it depends entirely on your school's testing policy and which grade levels they choose to test.

The National Merit Limitation

Here's the crucial caveat: only your junior year PSAT/NMSQT score counts for National Merit Scholarship consideration, regardless of how many times you've taken the test previously. This means if you take the PSAT as a sophomore and score poorly, you still have one critical opportunity as a junior to compete for National Merit recognition. Conversely, if you take it as a junior and are disappointed with your score, you cannot retake it for National Merit purposes - that single junior year score is final.

Strategic Considerations

Taking the PSAT multiple years serves as excellent preparation for the SAT, allowing you to track your progress and identify areas needing improvement. Each testing experience builds familiarity with the format, timing, and question types. However, since you can't retake it within the same year, your preparation strategy should focus on maximizing your performance for your target year (especially junior year for National Merit) rather than relying on multiple attempts to improve your score.

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